Texas Trip re Birding
Richard
faced with a choice of places to see migratory birds such as whooping
cranes. I have narrowed it down to the following places, all of which are
on our route:
1. Aramsas National Wildlife Refuge
2. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Thank you Ron)
3. Santa Ana Wildlife refuge.
I know that each of them are great but If I had to choose between them what
do you suggest? Distance is not a problem since I will be travelling near
each of them. Time is a problem so that is why I will have to choose one of
them
Somebuddy Else
news:hecvou$cpb$1...@adenine.netfront.net...
Here is a link to lots more links that are related to birding in the LRGV.
http://www.thedauphins.net Then scroll down and click on the bars which will
take you to more links. Scroll down halfway on the page to the bird related
links. This couple has done more to promote the natural resources of the
LRGV for anyone interested in all things natural and then some; as I am sure
you will see. Hope this helps.
The Birding Center is located at the entrance to the Bentsen-Rio Grand State
Park (located at the south end of Bentsen Palm Dr. west of Mission or take
Military Road West) and also has informative trams which one can ride on
that departs through the park on a schedule. They also have paved bike
paths and dedicated viewing sites where there are blinds and feeders set up
to allow viewing of select species. This is also available at Santa Anna.
I really appreciated this as I have had both knees replaced and my walking
skills aren't the greatest.
--
Fran ......SomeBuddy Else in North Central Ohio
Somebuddy Else
Here is a link to lots more links that are related to birding in the LRGV.
Richard
"Somebuddy Else" <dogwoode...@THISearthlink.net> wrote in message
news:0086002e$0$23473$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...
over the others that I mentioned?
Max
You might regret all that bird watching. I used to laugh at the folks who
could name 99 different species of birds but after visiting some of those
refuges I had to go out and buy a book on birds and now find myself taking
pictures of them. It can be habit forming. {:-)
Max
Somebuddy Else
>
> "Somebuddy Else" <dogwoode...@THISearthlink.net> wrote in message
> news:0086002e$0$23473$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...
>> "Richard" <richard....@3web.com> wrote in message
>> news:hecvou$cpb$1...@adenine.netfront.net...
>>> are faced with a choice of places to see migratory birds such as
>>> whooping cranes. I have narrowed it down to the following places, all
>>> of which are on our route:
>>>
>>> 2. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Thank you Ron)
>>> 3. Santa Ana Wildlife refuge.
>>>
>>> I know that each of them are great but If I had to choose between them
>>> what do you suggest? Distance is not a problem since I will be
>>> travelling near each of them. Time is a problem so that is why I will
>>> have to choose one of them
>>>
>>
>> Here is a link to lots more links that are related to birding in the
>> LRGV. http://www.thedauphins.net Then scroll down and click on the bars
>> which will take you to more links. Scroll down halfway on the page to
>> the bird related links. This couple has done more to promote the
>> natural resources of the LRGV for anyone interested in all things natural
>> and then some; as I am sure you will see. Hope this helps.
>>
>> The Birding Center is located at the entrance to the Bentsen-Rio Grand
>> State Park (located at the south end of Bentsen Palm Dr. west of Mission
>> or take Military Road West) and also has informative trams which one can
>> ride on that departs through the park on a schedule. They also have
>> paved bike paths and dedicated viewing sites where there are blinds and
>> feeders set up to allow viewing of select species. This is also
>> available at Santa Anna. I really appreciated this as I have had both
>> knees replaced and my walking skills aren't the greatest.
>>
> Thanks for the great info. Does this mean that you recommend this place
> over the others that I mentioned?
>
No, it is one of the two that I have been to...and here is another great
birding related site...
http://www.worldbirdingcenter.org/ which is headquartered at the Bentsen Rio
Grand
State Park. It appears that they are more or less all linked together.
Hope this helps.
-
Lone Haranguer
happen to use I-37 to Corpus. Don't stop if it's a
weekend and if you do stop, ask if you can park by the lake shore.
A great variety of waterfowl and shore birds along with green jays,
cardinals, pyrrhuloxia and others. Roseate Spoonbills roosting in the
dead trees in the lake
at sunrise is a beautiful sight. Sunsets at the lake are often spectacular.
LZ
Elliot Richmond
<richard....@3web.com> wrote:
>Thanks to all your advise I have almost finalised my trip to Texas. We are
>faced with a choice of places to see migratory birds such as whooping
>cranes. I have narrowed it down to the following places, all of which are
>on our route:
>
>1. Aramsas National Wildlife Refuge
>2. Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (Thank you Ron)
>3. Santa Ana Wildlife refuge.
>
To see Whooping cranes, your only viable choice is Aransas National
Wildlife refuge. To just about guarantee seeing Whooping cranes, take
a boat tour.
http://www.rockport-fulton.org/frames/BirdingTours.htm
For other birds any of the ones you mentioned will be great. For
tropical specialties such as the Green Jay, get as far south as you
can.
Elliot Richmond
Itinerant astronomy teacher
Ron Recer
Bentsen State Park used to be a great place to go before they closed it to
the point you have to use their tram. At one time RVs could stay in the
park among the birds and the rest of us could drive through stopping at
various feeding stations to watch the birds. Several of the feeding
stations had blinds, but many didn't and the birds didn't seem to care. You
could park near a feeding station or blind and sit on a park bench or just
watch from your vehicle. When you were ready to move on you could. Not any
more!
From the blinds near the visitor center at Laguna Atascosa you can see many
of the same birds you see at Bentsen (Green Jays, Chacalacas, etc).
Depending on the weather up north and how full the freshwater marsh is, you
will see from a few to a lot of migratory freshwater fowl. Along the bay
there are always a lot of shorebirds and waders. How many you see and what
they are doing will depend on the tide.
Ron
Ron Recer
news:v4olg59c2i9lcro47...@4ax.com...
The tower at Aransas NWR is kind of hit or miss on seeing whooping cranes.
We have seen them from there and at other times you can't see them from
there. Most of the boat tours start from the Rockport area, but that is
good if you like seafood. Charlotte Plumber's and the Big Fisherman are
some we like in that area.
Ron
Lone Haranguer
of Corpus Christi) during the early '90s.
LZ
Dfre...@abc.com
\
The MV Skimmer out of Rockport is a great trip. The can pull right up
to the shore and shut down so you can see & hear the cranes. I took
the trip 3yrs ago and will probably do again... now that I have my
100-400mm telephoto lense :~)
Richard
"Max" <thesam...@sbcglobal.net> wrote in message
news:008671de$0$17149$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...
Thanks for all of your advice. Based on that, I think I will take the boat
tour at Aramsas and then head on to Santa Ana Wildlife refuge. Sounds good?
Ron Recer
Ron
Elliot Richmond
<richard....@3web.com> wrote:
>Thanks for all of your advice. Based on that, I think I will take the boat
>tour at Aramsas and then head on to Santa Ana Wildlife refuge. Sounds good?
>
Excellent choice.
Aransas is spelled with an "n"
Richard
"Elliot Richmond" <xmric...@xaustin.xrr.xcom> wrote in message
> Itinerant astronomy teacher
I guess I don't know my M&N's. lol
Being an astronomy instructor, perhaps you can discuss the luminocity of the
gaseous celestial bodies in the middle of the cardiac location of Texas?
Richard
Especially after dusk!!!