Day 14 - South Padre Island - Birding & Nature Center

 

Southwest Texas Vacation, Day 14

 - South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center

Monday, 9 May, 2022

After Deb Vogt's recommendation to visit the South Padre Island Birding & Nature Center, we looked it up & decided it was worth the 400 mile round trip visit.  Especially when I realized we could get a guided tour for only $10.50, plus the entry fee of $16.  Can't beat that!  We arrived about 8:25am for the 8:30am appointment.  We had to rush breakfast (included at the Hotel).  They didn't start serving until 8am, but we were there (again at the On the Border) right at 8am & they let us order breakfast burritos with fruit cups, which they delivered in less than 5 minutes with our hot coffee.  We stuffed them down & ran across the street.

Dozing Neotropic Cormorant

Salt Flats

Gator Pond

American Coot

We snapped a few pictures while we waited for our guides,  The raised deck was comfortable & cool.  We could quickly see that there would be a large variety of birds nearby due to the varied environments - trees, bushes, salt flat, fresh water pools.  All accessible on 3300' + of raised well maintained board walks.

Mottled Ducks & Great Blue Heron

Example of the several types of Terns on the Salt Flats - Royal

 is largest, then Caspian, then Gull billed is the smallest.

Willet, photo provided by Marianne Taylor, our guide.

We stood for quite a while at the start of the boardwalk while our guides introduced themselves.  Craig & Marianne Taylor are now full time SPI residents - originally from Maine.  They are volunteers at the Birding & Nature Center.  Marianne had a camera with a big zoom lens & snapped photos as we went.  She shared some with us at the end of the day.  Craig would generally go ahead of us to scout out birds prior to our arrival at the next stopping point.  

Gators are now a part of the nature center, considered a sanctuary for them as they are relocated from areas where they are considered a nuisance/danger to humans or other protected environments. 

Close up of Fiddler Crab with one enlarged claw

Watching the myriad types of crabs not only entertained us, but explained one major reason for the large collection of shore birds.  

We spent about 10 minutes looking for nesting Green Herons in the Mangroves along the boardwalk.  They are in there, just hard to impossible to spot unless they moved!

At the end of each of the boardwalk "spurs", were large covered pavillions with seating & descriptive photo panels.  We spent a little time at each & Marianne pointed out some of the more interesting comparisons.

We followed Craig & Marianne along the boardwalks, dutifully training our binoculars on the birds she identified. It was marvelous. There were things to see in the bushes, on the flats, in the ponds, in the water, flying, in the distant trees, on the power lines. Great great fun & the time flew by. It was hot & sunny, but there was a breeze, so it was tolerable.

Common Gallinule with chicks

Great Blue Heron

Reddish Egret in White Morph

Tropical Kingbirds

Marianne identified several birds & then sent pictures that she got while we were together.

 

Tri Colored Heron

Mottled Duck with babies

Great Kiskadee

Our last stop with them was the fresh water ponds on the far east side. We were looking for a bittern which I spotted, but couldn't get a picture & it disappeared behind a stand of cattails before I could point it out to the others. Disappointing that I couldn't share it, but thrilled that I had seen it. Enjoyed seeing the Great Kiskadee in the grass under the power poles.

They were in no rush to end our guided tour, but we had to check out of the hotel room by noon, so we left them about 11:30am.  We took a final look off our balcony & headed back over to the center to walk around on our own.

First we took a look at the indoor menagerie & museum.  There are live creatures (ranging from rabbits to frogs to small alligatos) & some nicely done dioramas.  Time & care is obviously at work here, so it's worth a look.  

Then upstairs for the views from their 5th floor observation deck.  It was a gorgeous day & it was lovely to look around.  

We didn't see anything new, but we were able to linger at the best stops without holding up the group.  It was much hotter on the boardwalk during the afternoon & there were also more people (still not crowded by any means - plenty of room to social distance).  

We took one last look around inside (using the potty for the road) and took off for the 3 hour drive back to Mustang Island.  

This time I was determined to notice as we drove through Harligen - but nope, I played games right through it.  Oh well.  I can still say we were there!!  Otherwise, an uneventful drive.  I used to be afraid of driving across bridged over water, but these didn't bother me.  It was just interesting to look out at the watercraft & the birds.  I guess if I could make it over the bridge last summer to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan during a bomb threat, nothing should bother me!!  It was nice to be back in our RV & this was definitely a high point of our Mini Texas Vacation!!  Highly recommend a visit here!!

Our guides emailed a complete list of birds that she had identified.  Fun day!!!  Added several birds to my life list due to her help:  Black Bellied Whistling Duck, Mottled Duck, Short-billed Dowitcher, Willet, Royal Tern, Least Bittern, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret, and the Roseate Spoonbill (seen many times before but not id'd on my list).   The Mangrove Warbler is also called the Yellow Warbler & we saw him in December in Ecuador on the Amazon.  Wonder if it was the same little guy that had migrated up just to say Hello???  Anyway, great trip & incentivized me to get more training!!!