For the last couple weeks we have been following what is called the “Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail.” The last two campgrounds have had volunteer lead bird walks and we have taken advantage of these. Each day it has involved getting up early and hoofing it over to the meeting place. We always meet the nicest people and have now made some new “old friends” from Florida, John and Marie. We have now followed each other to Rockport Texas, the heart of Sandhill Crane and Whooping Crane wintering grounds. We are all new at birding and so we struggle at identifying new plovers, peeps, terns, pelicans, skimmers, ducks, egrets, herons and warblers. Today we searched out flocks of Snow Geese and the biggest of all the Sandhill Cranes. These birds are nearly as large as the flightless emus you have seen on farms and they fly with incredible ease and grace.
We were not content with the adventure of finding new birds, however. Today we had to get John and Marie’s four wheel drive truck stuck in the muck. I mean ‘buried, stuck.’ Before we could all think, “Oh dear what ever shall we do now?” A kindly young man stopped and started hauling out chokers. What ever else you think about Texans, be sure and add friendly and helpful. It probably also helped his ego when he got to pull a Dodge out with his Ford.
The weather here is back to cold and nasty. This morning’s bird walk was around 45 degrees and the wind was over ten miles per hour. We were bundled up four layers deep with gloves and watch cap and after two hours we were shivering cold. In spite of this we had a rather good turn-out and our heroic volunteer leaders managed to find us some interesting new birds to watch. All we ever hear this year is how cold and wet this winter has been in Texas. We seem to have this knack of showing up for these extreme years. I remember two years ago in Zion canyon getting to see waterfalls that had not been active for eight years and Death Valley blooming with the 100 year bloom. It seems like every day the weather people tell us the sun will be here in three days. Every day it slips another day and it is still three days away. Reminds me of the movie “Groundhog Day” with Phil Murray. Well no matter, we are still having the time of our life and we don’t let the cold weather keep us indoors.
Hope you all are warm and cozy where ever you are and that you are following our example of packing every day with adventure. Life is a journey, be sure you take time to enjoy the trip.
Happy Valentines day from the Texas Gulf Coast. Love Gary and Judy.
Photos credit, John Jenkins.
