Archive for the ‘South Padre Island’ Category

South Padre Island Birding Center

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

Visited  South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center that is around 20 miles from my current home base. There are boardwalks through marsh areas that allow you to observe birds close up. The seem to know they are safe and usually don’t fly away. I did not visit Galveston or Rockport, Texas this year, so it is nice to see the coastal birds here.

Above two pictures, tricolored herons

Above, reddish egret (top) and little blue heron (bottom).

White rumped sandpiper (top) and lesser yellowlegs (bottom).

Caspian tern

Adolph Thomae, Jr. County Park, Arroyo City, Texas

Thursday, March 6th, 2008

thomae2.jpg

I have been staying at the Adolph Thomae, Jr. County Park in Arroyo City, Texas for the past week. Thought I’d post some pictures so I’ll have a reference for when I next come to the area. The park is located along the Arroyo Colorado at the end of a road through the small town of Arroyo City. It is surrounded on three sides by Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. In addition to it’s rv sites, it has two lighted fishing piers and a boat launch area. It is a lot better than most of the rv parks in town. There is a problem with litter, especially Sunday afternoon. The Arroyo Colorado has some of the same problems as the Salton Sea in California–pollution and fish die offs. People don’t seem hesitate to eat the fish though.

thomaepark.jpg

thomae6.jpg

RV sites by the water. They were full when I arrived, so I got a spot in the woods area. The water sites tend to be more crowded, so probably better to leave them for fishermen.

thomae4.jpg

thomae3.jpg

clouds1.jpg

clouds2.jpg

As the sun was setting on my last day at the park, serious clouds started to roll in with thunder in them. Brought a little rain. Next day it was nice again.