Parque Natural Mexiquillo

1.31.2013

Morning Walk

It was a cool and frosty walk. There are a multitude of birds here, but without a telephoto lens it is difficult to get good pictures. There are raised boardwalks across the marsh. Anahuac bills its self at the alligator capital of Texas. But we did not see any. A local told was that it is too chilly for them to come out now.


































In the afternoon we went to the Anahuac Nature Center. They had great dioramas and boardwalks across a swamp. Saw some frogs, turtles, hawks and the tail of a snake. 








Life is Good

1.30.2013

Anahuac, TX

We moved to Fort Anahuac Park today. (29.75683, -94.68777) We are sitting right on the edge of the wet lands watching shore birds feed.


Leaving Houston across the Fred Hartman Bridge

Set up looking out on Trinity Bay.



Arleen was excited to see three Roseate Spoonbills right in front of the rig.


1.27.2013

Galveston's Grand Old Ladies

These are a few of the magnificent homes that survived the 1900 hurricane that leveled Galveston and killed an estimated 6000 people.

The Moody Mansion was completed in 1895.







Peeking through the window. We did not tour this house.


Notice how plain the back side of the house is.

Neighborhood houses decorated for Mardi Gras



The statue dedicated to the 1900 hurricane

 

 The Bishop's Palace
This home was designed by Nicholas Clayton for Walter Gresham and his wife Josephine. Completed in 1892 it passed through the Great Storm of 1900 with little damage. The home was purchased in 1923 by the Catholic Church for the Archbishop.









After the hard job of touring the Grand Old Ladies of Galveston, we went to lunch at the Gumbo Bar.



My fist bowl of seafood gumbo. It was delicious. 

I enjoyed their art.


Out side Joyce points out the water level of the various hurricanes that have hit Galveston. 


1.24.2013

Birding

One of our group, Gill, is a serious birder. We went with him to a popular birding spot.
Birds are not the only critters here.




We did see an alligator through one of the spotting scopes, but too far away for a photo. This will have to do


There are board walks and an observation tower in this marshy area. I flock of very serious birders


Snowy Egert


Shovel ducks. They have a large rounded tip to their bill that they shovel through the bottom sediment to stir up prey.




















Nice beach fire to end another wonderful day.