Catastrophically Mild Weather

The weather here has been peculiarly pleasant lately, without any of the usual tornadoes, thunderstorms, hurricanes, and devastating floods. Humidity has been comfortably low, with temperatures in the 70s. Could this really be Texas in August? Since Wednesday I've been working another series of long graveyard shifts, and haven't had much opportunity to get out and enjoy this rare break from the summer heat.

This morning I watched a Pileated Woodpecker work its way through the trees around the pond. Pileated Woodpeckers are big birds, I mean BIG, and it looked a bit awkward straddling such puny tree trunks. I also saw a Broad-winged Hawk and Mississippi Kite circling high above - locally breeding birds? Early migrants? Who knows.