A4 Ranch Cams

First photo ever taken 5/17/26 with Fuji Finepix f600 EXR not sure about settings i believe iso 200 and f11 and it was macro setting but i could be wrong. Im still learning im reading everything i can get my hand on. Im watching all of Bryan Peterson videos on youtube, and Lee Hall.

2 days ago | [YT] | 0

A4 Ranch Cams

Texas Native Widflower: Cowpen Daisy



The Cowpen Daisy (Verbesina encelioides), or golden crownbeard, is a resilient warm-season annual herb native to the south-central United States and Mexico. Reaching heights of one to five feet, this Asteraceae family member features gray-green, coarsely toothed triangular leaves and yellow composite flower heads with distinct three-toothed ray florets. It plays a vital ecological role by stabilizing degraded soils and serving as a crucial late-season resource. The plant acts as a primary larval host for the bordered patch butterfly (Chlosyne lacinia), the silvery checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis), and the gold moth (Basilodes pepita), while providing nectar for bees and winter seeds for granivorous birds like goldfinches and quail.




Former First Lady and conservationist Lady Bird Johnson prominently championed native species like the cowpen daisy through her lifelong environmental work. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center extensively documents the species, noting its profound ability to colonize disturbed ground and "color acres or miles of roadside solid yellow". Regarding the preservation of such native landscapes, Mrs. Johnson famously observed that native flora gives citizens "a sense of where we are in this great land of ours," reminding the public that preserving the flowering earth satisfies one of the deepest needs of humanity.



From an agronomic perspective, this adaptable species thrives in full sun and poor soils, including sand, loam, clay, and limestone. Its seeds remain dormant through winter and germinate rapidly within 10 to 20 days during early spring, with successive cohorts emerging through June in warm climates. While its high drought tolerance makes it highly persistent, the plant protects itself from grazing pressure via the internal toxin galegine, rendering it unpalatable to livestock and deer. To manage its aggressive pioneering behavior on managed land, operators utilize targeted physical pull-planting or post-emergence applications of non-selective herbicides to suppress the extensive, persistent seed bank across subsequent growing seasons.


For more info on the Cowpen Daisy: www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=VEEN

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6 days ago | [YT] | 1

A4 Ranch Cams

Texas Native Wildflower: Indian Blanket

The Indian blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) is a hardy annual wildflower native to the southern and central United States, particularly the Southwest.

According to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, here is the key bloom information for this species:

Bloom Details:


❤️ Colors: Red, yellow, and brown.
📅 Season: Primarily May through August.
🌧️ Longevity: The blooming period can be extended if rainfall is plentiful.


You can find more info: www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=GAPU

1 week ago | [YT] | 0

A4 Ranch Cams

The Lady and the Tramp

1 week ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

A4 Ranch Cams

We captured this beautiful sunset tonight at the A4 Ranch. We hope everyone has a great weekend.
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1 month ago | [YT] | 1

A4 Ranch Cams

Our Cookie has laid 5 eggs!!!
Purple Martin eggs can take about 15-18 days for incubation. Cookie is Special Leucistic Purple Martin. We believe that these babies when or if they hatch will have normal looking babies. Would really be neat if they come out like her. We will keep yall posted.

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Video: https://youtu.be/wgPEtVDJ8hA?si=3heYH...

1 month ago | [YT] | 0

A4 Ranch Cams

Here is our cookie in the back on her nest. No eggs seen yet, but she has been gathering green leaves. Taken April 14th 2026

1 month ago | [YT] | 2

A4 Ranch Cams

Texas Native Flower: Winecups
We look forward to this little native purple jewel every spring. As they always bloom abundantly under a lot of our Purple Martin houses.

According to Lady Bird Wildflower Center Winecups are described as the following:

Purple Poppy Mallow's stems sprawl along the ground up to 3 feet, forming a thick mat up to 1 foot tall. Rounded, hairy leaves are deeply lobed and cleft. The chalice-shaped, 1 1/2-2 1/2 in. wide flowers have a white spot at the base of their five, maroon petals. Flowers, which are borne on long, axillary stalks, close in the evening, open in the morning and remain closed after pollination.

An attractive, spreading, drought-tolerant perennial, Winecup is susceptible to a rust during wet seasons in the Great Plains.

More info on Winecups:www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=cain…
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1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 1

A4 Ranch Cams

Huge thank you to all 169 of you for subscribing! 🌿 To make this community more of a shared space, I’ve opened up the Community tab so you can all join in.
If you’ve been a subscriber for at least 24 hours, you can now share your own nature photos, wildlife sightings, or pictures of your pets and furry friends right here on the page! I love seeing everyone's animals and what’s happening in your neck of the woods. 📸🐦🐶

1 month ago | [YT] | 3

A4 Ranch Cams

Here is a photo that is much closer with more detail of the leucistic female Purple Martin. She is a 1 in 30,000 chance of happening according to Cornell Labs. She even has the leucistic on her beak if you look closely. We have uploaded a new video from today that's in slow mo and 4K that is even closer than the one we shared yesterday since a few people requested a longer and more close up video. Stay tuned because more videos are coming. We also named her Cookie cause she reminds of Ben and Jerry's Cookies N' Creme.

https://youtu.be/wgPEtVDJ8hA?si=vH-PY...

1 month ago | [YT] | 4