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.