Matagorda Bay Nature Park-Undiscovered or Unwanted?

Matagorda Bay Nature Park seems to be a bundle of contradictions.  Located where the Colorado River enters the Gulf, it has the river along with beautiful beaches, jetties, fishing pier and new facilities.  Most Texas Gulf areas are filled to capacity with the "Winter Texans", but here the RV park was about twenty percent capacity for the entire 9 days we spent here.  A brand new bridge was built a year ago replacing the old swing bridge over the intercoastal waterway providing  hassle-free access.

After crossing the new bridge there is a six mile drive along the river past cottages before reaching the Nature Park.  The RV park adjoins the visitor center.

So why are the RV's staying away?  The six mile drive from Matagorda on the mainland should not be a factor.  Perhaps it is the lack of stores and restaurants at the small village of Matagorda itself.  There is only one all-purpose store at the single four-way stop and only a couple restaurants in town-one of which is located in a house.  The only restaurant close to the park was not especially rewarding.  Although it had a nice location on the river, the higher prices and mediocre seafood determined that our first visit would be our last.  Most people drive the 30 miles to Bay City for groceries and restaurants.

Perhaps construction on the new east jetty was keeping people away.  The last hurricane had rearranged the landscape tremendously moving a lot of land from the west jetty and moving it onto the east side.  The construction closed the jetty and pier and a section of the beach.

All the sand in the picture was moved there by the last hurricane.  The west jetty is in the background.

The beginning of the new east jetty due to be completed in 18 months.

Another contradiction for me was the lack of good bird photography despite the great number of birds present.  In my opinion there is too much good habitat and the birds are very spread out.  Great for birders but not for photographers.  I watched large flocks of shorebirds, skimmers, pelicans, and gulls at the mouth of the Colorado but that area was all closed off because of the construction.  When the jetty work is completed perhaps good opportunities will present themselves to the photographer.

View from the back of our RV.

Beaches and Shells

Since a nearby site had the highest Christmas bird species count in the country for several years running I thought I would see a lot of winter birders here, but I never did see anybody carrying binoculars.  Instead the park's inhabitants were into collecting shells.  Picnic tables by many RV's were covered with shells.  So, following the adage "When in Rome.....", we paid $10 for a yearly truck permit, pushed the four-wheel drive button, and hit the beach.  Edie was a little apprehensive at first since you can drive for miles and a few places were soft but she soon became the "Shell Queen" and wanted to collect at every low tide.  I always thought of Sannibel when collecting shells but this was much more fun.

Those are all shells-not stones!!!

There is a lot of infrastructure work here and a couple more years may produce the answer as to whether this becomes a winter magnet for northeners.

Brazos Bend State Park

Brazos Bend State Park http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/brazos_bend/ is located a short drive southwest of Houston.  This proximity to a major city along with 6 lakes and miles of hiking and biking trails makes it a popular destination on weekends.  Alligators are common and bird are somewhat habituated to humans especially around the well-used lake routes.  Many programs are run for visitors and Houstonians drive the short distance to take advantage of them.  We attended a raptor program with free flying birds which was well attended by home-schooled students and their parents

We arrived on the weekend with all the activity but once Monday arrived the park seemed almost deserted.  The gigantic lots for each RV added to this feeling.  Perhaps the cold had something to do with this as two mornings produced a little frost on ground.  The days, however, warmed up nicely.

Where are all the R.V.s?

Out 5thWheel was being attacked daily by a pair of Tufted Titmice who saw their reflections in the windows but since I had many images of them I was trying to get photos of a Carolina Wren that had a favorite singing perch nearby.  I spent an hour in my blind wondering why he wasn't showing up.  I finally packed up and walked back to the truck.  The bird apparently had flown into the truck through an open window and needed my help to get out.  I got a picture but not the one I wanted.

Rockport

Rockport, Texas has a lot going for it.  Not only is it a destination that draws birders from all over the country (and foreign locations also) but it is a resort town and home base for part of the Gulf shrimp fleet.  The birding here is some of the best on the Gulf Coast.  The endangered Whooping Crane, the tallest bird in North America, winters in the nearby Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.  The latest census puts the population at 263 birds.  There is a business built around the birds and especially the Whooping Cranes as several companies (http://www.birdrockport.com/) take birders out in their boats to see the birds.  It is the easiest and most reliable way to see the birds since they give a money-back guarantee if you do not see them.  Edie and I had taken the boat "Skimmer" to see the birds on our last visit but I wasn't satisfied with my images.  This year I located a group of eight cranes on the Lamar Peninsula and from land was able to get the following pictures.

We stayed at Goose Island State Park (www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/goose_island/), a place where you can back your RV within a few feet of Aransas Bay, or if you prefer stay in the live oak wooded section.  It doesn't take long before you realize this is a park for birders and fishermen.  The fishermen love the long pier and boat ramp.  Birders are led by "bird guides" who camp in the park and lead morning walks or evening "owling" hikes or give interesting lectures in the recreation hall.  Recent topics included Birding 101, Shorebirds, The Whooping Crane, and Short-eared Owls.  Edie slept in one morning only to find the following group in her backyard.

The Rockport Beach Park is a favorite spot of mine since they have a fenced off breeding colony of Black Skimmers and Laughing Gulls.  Since it was still February the colony had not started nesting and the birds were loafing getting ready for their upcoming parental duties.

Wintering American White Pelicans are also common.

Weather continues the same pattern as before- a few good days followed by cold cloudy ones.   Temperatures have been about 20 degrees cooler than normal and Northern Texas is getting snow while SanAntonio got hit with another frost.  With warm-temperature activities curtailed, we have a good excuse to visit the area restaurants in our quest for good seafood.  So far Joe's Crab Shack in Corpus Christi has the best lunch (http://www.joescrabshack.com/ ) while the Bakery Cafe should be passed up by everyone.  Charlotte Plummers in Fulton has a great view and great gumbo while the Big Fisherman (http://www.bigfishermanrestaurant.com/)  draws the largest lunch crowd of what seems to be composed entirely of retired RV winter Texans from almost every state.  It opens at eleven and the line goes out the door.  Before you get inside you get to keep company with a bunch of tame cats which seem to think they own the place as they run along the porch railing-definitely a negative for me.  One dollar margaritas are served while you wait which allowed me to tolerate the cat population better.  I think most of the patrons were drawn there by their advertised $5.95 lunch specials but Edie and I passed on that for the broiled mini-seafood platter which was a little disappointing although the Texas gumbo was very good.  The table next to us ordered the $3.95 "all you can eat chicken liver and gizzards", which drew more than a few negative comments from my wife, a chicken-farmer's daughter.  Something about "pieces and parts which should be thrown away".  Come to think about it-that may explain the cats.