Black Skimmers

Woke to a cloudy, wet morning.  There was a large amount of noise outside, which turned out to be a flock of Guinea Hens.  They were noisily foraging their way through the campground.  Kirk offered to clear the area, but we declined.

The grey one had a leg injury, limped about, and stood on one leg when stationary.  Sorry about the focus

We had planned on going to the Aquarium, which did not open till 1:00pm, so we killed some time by heading for the pool.  It was cooler than expected, including the "slightly warmer" tub.  The beauty was, even though it was cloudy and windy, you could climb out of the cool pool and sit, wet in the wind, without a hint of being cold.  We sat and listened to the wind in the Palmettos and discussed what we wanted to do with the time left in this trip, to no conclusion.

The Rockport Aquarium is, gasp, free!, and run by volunteers.  They had fairly good information, and living examples of most of the local fish.  It was great to see the intricacy, beauty, and energy of fish in the water, instead of floundering around in the bottom of the boat.  Their showpiece was a 5 foot long Indonesian moray eel, rescued from a local restaurant's aquarium.  We left a healthy donation to help keep things rolling.

Next up was Rockport Beach, which besides having a boat launch, a beach, and many picnic shelters/barbeques, was a bird sanctuary.  It was Easter Sunday, and many latino families had the drum barbeques (this term is now being replaced by the term “grilling”, not sure if someone successfully patented it, or if barbecue has just become politically incorrect) full of coals and covered with meat, three generations enjoying the inevitable loud music and each other’s company.

Both Black Skimmers and Laughing Gulls nest in the flats at one end of the beach peninsula.  Quite impressive, since it is a totally accessible grassy area, and folks seem to leave them alone.  The Black Skimmer fishes by flying close to the surface of the water, with it’s lower bill in the water, skimming the surface as it flies along.  They also are quite distinctive when resting on the ground, since they lay with their head and neck flat on the ground.  I’m not sure if this is an adaptation to resting in areas of constant high winds, or if it is a method of hiding and avoiding predators, or perhaps the female skimmers just think it looks cool.  We did not see any eggs or young just yet.

Laughing Gull in foreground, Black Skimmers to the rear

We had blackened red snapper and salsa for supper.

Rockford/Fulton, TX

The Live Oaks are hard at it.  The poor Accord, this morning, looked like someone had fogged it with yellow paint.  Tree pollen, in unbelievably large amounts.  I was glad my allergic friends weren't here to experience the delight...

We went to the Chamber of Commerce and picked up information on the Fulton/Rockford area.  They really have their act together, they had a lot of useful information, and an initiative called Pathways, which includes birding, history, trail, and kayaking information.

Then we cruised around Fulton/Rockford so that Nancy could check out various birding sites listed on The Great Texas Birding Trail information.

Rockport Demo Bird Garden and Wetland Pond

Checked out North Fulton Beach Road.  After the commercial motel/hotel area ran out, it was private mansions and houses.  This area is all about private beaches, and private fishing piers.  The fashion seems to be to remove as much natural vegetation as possible, and since it is essentially a beach ridge, should soon blow/wash away.

We took advantage of being in an ocean town and bought fresh red shrimp and red snapper.  Had the shrimp with marinara sauce and ravioli for supper.

Also, forgot to include the pictures of the Spider Lily that Nancy found at the Aransas NWR.

Speaking of spiders, also from Aransas NWR, along the auto drive, I got a picture of a spider colony. I should have put something in the shot as a size reference; the holes are about the diameter of my thumb.

In the evening, we went for a drive to the local R/C field.  Found it OK, but there was a large chain, four locks, and large no trespassing signs on it.  The predicted afternoon rain finally materialized.

Drifter's RV Park

The Easter weekend has arrived, and Goose Island State Park is previously booked.  A pox on those folks who know where they're going to be in 6 or 9 months...  We moved down the road to Drifter's RV Park, in Rockford, which is very nice for an RV Park.  Big sites, mature Live Oaks, good wi-fi, what's not to like; even has a pool!

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge - Whooping Cranes, Javelinas, and an Alligator

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is the winter home of the Whooping Cranes, the poster child of endangered species.  The population was down to 15 individuals at one time.  The ANWP population is now around 300, and world population about 500.

The woman at the visitor centre found out we were from Canada, and asked if we had ever been to Wood Buffalo NP, the summer home of the Whooping Cranes.  Of course we had, visiting our friend (Don) who used to work there.  She was thrilled!

We cruised along the road system and stopped at the observation deck at the Heron Flats trailhead.  Out on the flats fronting the dune system were three Javelinas, happily foraging, tails flicking to keep the bugs (of which there were a considerable amount) away.

At the southern end of the road was a novel idea; a handicap accessible viewing tower.  It was constructed of modular aluminum gangways, like a dock system, with recycled plastic floor planking.  From the top, you looked over miles of salt marsh, where the Whooping Cranes hunt their favourite local food, Blue Crab.  Sure enough, there was a Whooper out in the marsh!  Nancy had the binoculars and claimed three.

We stood in the breeze and enjoyed the moment, seeing one of 500 individuals on the planet. (or three, who am I to say?)

We were moseying along the auto tour loop at a walking pace, with windows and sunroof open, when with a buzz and a triple ricochet, something flew in, and disappeared into the car interior.  The hunt was on.  Since we didn’t know for sure, he could have been a large, venomous wasp, or something Worse!  We stopped immediately and searched the car.  Nothing.  We continued on, but Kirk was determined he was under the seat.  Another stop and search.  Nothing.  Onward.  Kirk was digging and trying to launch under Nancy’s seat.  Yet another search, with a flashlight.  Nothing.  We kept Kirk from excavating the seat until we arrived back in camp, where the offender was finally captured, photographed, and released (much to Kirk’s chagrin).

  On our way out, Nancy said “What’s that on the road?”  There was an undistinguished lump on the road ahead.  Suddenly the lump, which had been sunbathing on the road, got up on it’s toes, and ran for cover.  A three foot Alligator!  Wish we had time for video, because he moved in a sinuous, but very quick wriggle.

I was thinking about the several local trails that Nancy & Kirk had traversed in the ANWR, and thinking how fortunate that they had not run across this guy on a trail.  We would be in severe shit with the Refuge if Kirkly had chewed up a local....

New birds - Black-necked Stilt, Reddish egret, Black-bellied Tree Duck.

Ports Lavaca and O’Connor

It was a juicy Gulf morning, a moisture haze, lots of thick, low cloud, and yet some occasional sunshine, with the inevitable breeze off the Gulf.  We went for a drive this morning, to check out a possible next RV Park.  Port Lavaca has a Municipal RV Park on the water right in town.  However, they wanted $3 to go in and have a look; I declined.  Turns out it’s also right on the main highway, with very tight sites.  No thanks.  There was a liquor store, where we made up for accidentally running out of rum yesterday, so the run wasn’t a total loss.  The local high school had the usual American football field, high cement bleachers, extensive lights, and a well-groomed field.  A large sign proclaimed that this was the home of the Fighting Sand Crabs.  I wish I could hear their fight song.

We decided to wander along south-east along the bay, and ended up at Port O’Connor.  There’s a Coast Guard Base, and a lot of private boats here; a rare gap in the continuous barrier islands permits access to the outer Gulf of Mexico.  The land is perilously low; between the land subsiding (the entire Gulf Coast) and rising sea levels, there is no doubt who will win the eternal battle between land and sea.  We did find a field of wild flowers worthy of a picture or two.

We’ve been sleeping with the windows open, enjoying the frogs and toads singing all night.  The morning songbird chorus is pretty marvellous as well.  Kirk scared up an Anole from his sunbath.  He lost it when it headed for high ground in a tree.  Eagle-eye Nancy did not, and got a shot.

(Is it just me, or do his eyes look like they're on upside down?)

The Accord turned 405K Km. today.

1,000 year old Oaks and Whooping Cranes

We drove over to the Old Tree this morning, a Live Oak in excess of 1,000 years old. 

The not-quite 1,000 year old live Oak.

There's a legend about the Live Oaks.  When darkness falls, the Oaks begin to dance.  They dance all night, but when the first rays of light dawn, they all freeze in position.  Nancy's response "We'll have to note the branch's position tonight".  My response "Hell no!  What if they're different in the morning?"

And, in the field almost across the road,  farmer had been feeding Sand Hill Cranes, then noticed the Whooping Cranes were coming in as well.  They weren't there this morning, but we'll go back tonight.

There's a fishing pier on the east end of Goose Island.

Nancy watched for a while, and discussed technique with those fishing.  She snivelled some bait, whipped back to the campsite, picked through her fishing gear for the appropriate tackle (a catfish rig) and headed back to the pier. An hour later, she returned, victorious!  She was doing so well, the old Texans were sidling down the pier towards her to get in on the action.  She caught two Sheepshead (probably) and had plenty more on-line, but not landed.  She released the fish to bite another day.

Goose Island State Park

Goose Island State Park

We drove north, up Highway #77 today, towards Corpus Christi.  We took Highway #37 along Nueces Bay.  I don’t know what preconceived notions I had about Corpus Christi, perhaps a tropical tourist town, but the south shore of Nueces Bay is shoulder to shoulder refineries.  Miles of cracking towers and hundreds of absolutely huge storage tanks!  We crossed the bay on Highway #181, and hit #35. The Copano Bay crossing is multiple miles.  There are three parallel bridges, the old one, now a fishing pier, the currently used one, and the new 4 lane $75 million bridge that isn’t opened yet.  The highway accessing it is two lane.

As we went north, the tropical scrub vegetation gave way to the agricultural land south of Corpus Christi.  Then things quickly transitioned to Live Oak forest. Our destination was Goose Island State Park.  There are two camping areas, one on Goose Island itself, where the sites are feet from the water, and another area, nestled back in the Live Oak forest.  

On the beach

Or in the bush

We left Isla Blanca sticky with salt fog, similarly to our departure from Puerto Penasco, so this time, we tucked into the oak forest.  There are boardwalks and a fishing pier out on Goose Island, so we can hang out in the wind and salt while we are so inclined, and retreat to the calm of the bush when we are not.  Of course, there’s a few mosquitoes waiting, back in the bush, but only a few.

There were a pair of young squirrels cavorting in the trees of our campground, teasing Kirk and checking the strength of his lead.

337 Km. today