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Birds and flowers! And alligators!

I've realized that I should have allowed more than 5 days to explore the Gulf Coast of Texas! I set travel goals and then see cool birds and can't leave where I am! Tonight I am at Goose Island State Park, but I paid for a campsite at Mustang Island State Park. It's a good thing that the campsites aren't very expensive at the state parks—paying for 2 sites won't break the bank.


Anyway! I started yesterday at Port Arthur and birded at Sabine Woods. There were nice woodland trails and a lot of birders. I met a couple of Texas birders who gave me some suggestions (like Goose Island, where I am tonight). From there, I made my way down the coast, stopping at national wildlife refuges, or just by the road when I saw something nice. I am totally entranced by the whistling ducks, especially the black-bellied whistling ducks. They are almost comical.


Black-bellied whistling ducks

See? Who could resist taking pictures of these guys! Obviously, not me. I spent a long time at San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, and there were so many birds! I logged 40 species (I'm sure there were more!) and hundreds of individuals.


Suddenly, the day was nearly gone, so I drove to Matagorda for the night. I'm using an app (iOverlander) to find campgrounds, and found that you can camp in the parking lot of the Matagorda jetty for free. I popped up the tent and cooked dinner, finishing just in time for the sunset.



I was close enough to the beach to hear the surf, but not too close. It was very windy though, and the wind woke me up a few times. It was a little strange camping there, as I was the only person there. I decided to get up early so that I could be gone before people started arriving in the morning, but I needn't have worried about it. The only people who arrived were a couple of maintenance guys who showed up to clean the bathrooms and empty the trash barrels. (One of them was very impressed with my iKamper.)


My main target today was the Aransas NWR, though I stopped at another refuge on the way. Oh, I also stopped to wash my car, since San Bernard NWR had very dusty roads. Between the dust and the sea spray from overnight, I could barely see out the car windows (which will never do when you are birdwatching!). Unfortunately, the car wash wand leaked like crazy and I ended about as wet as the car. Eventually, after shifting to another bay and spending more quarters, I got the car clean. I had to go the rest of the day with car wash soap spray in my hair.


Aransas was definitely worth the effort. Amazingly, there were almost no other people there. When I checked in at the headquarters, the woman told me that someone had reported a whooping crane this morning. They've migrated north already, so this would be a straggler, but I didn't see it. I need to come back in February, I've been told, to be sure to see them. Maybe in a year or two I'll come back in the winter.


Anyway, I still saw lots of birds, and almost as many dragonflies and butterflies. The wildflowers were lovely too—lots of colors everywhere.



And, for the fauna:



As I was leaving Aransas, I saw a doe with a truly tiny fawn.



My next stop was Goose Island State Park, which several people had mentioned as a good place for birding. I was planning to spend and hour or two, then move on to my (reserved and pre-paid) campsite at Mustang Island State Park. Ah, the best laid plans... One of the features of this park are areas designed to attract birds. The first one I stopped at had drip fountains and an area with mist from a hose spraying the shrubs and ground, plus hummingbird feeders, a peanut butter log, and a seed feeder. There were 7 people already there, sitting with cameras and binoculars. The water features got the most action.


Next thing I knew, It was two hours later and I was still at Goose Island. Sitting with the other birders with my camera and binoculars. So, I stayed. Luckily there were available campsites—I'll have to pay in the morning, but I think it's just like $10/night. I've talked to a lot of people here. They all seem to be birders, though I understand people come here to fish also. I'm camping under a live oak, and may experience my first Texas thunderstorm tonight.



Here are a few of the birds from this afternoon.



My plan is to get up early and watch the water features again for a while, then to head south. I want to make it to South Padre tomorrow. Saturday I plan to drive to a park in Brownsville, then head inland. It's about a 600 mile drive from Brownsville to Big Bend! 😲 I'll spend Saturday night somewhere between Brownsville and Big Bend, getting to Big Bend on Sunday when my reservation starts.


I've also heard that cell service is really bad at Big Bend. I'll have to write at night, then post the entry whenever I have a cell signal.


Something is squawking in the trees. Hmm.


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