ROCKPORT, TX - GOOSE ISLAND STATE PARK, MARCH 18th to 24th

We headed to Rockport, on what is known as the Coastal Bend. The endangered Whooping Crane winters in the area - primarily at Aransas NWR. Linda wanted to see them and thought we'd better get there before they leave for their breeding ground in the Northwest Territories.

We enjoyed the roadside flowers on our way from San Antonio to Goose Island State Park.

Texas Blue Bonnets were everywhere.

We have wanted for years to stay at Goose Island State Park.  It's a beautiful place with campsites right on the bay as well as ones nestled in the woods. We, of course, opted for one of the wooded sites. When you arrive, you're given a list of available sites. You may drive around, look at them and return to the office with a couple of choices. There were many that we liked. Our first choice had been taken by the time we got back but our second choice was just fine. No other sites were even visible from it. We busied ourselves setting up, then turned to attracting birds. We had brought tubing and a valve for a drip. Water, especially moving or dripping water, really attracts birds. In a dry year like this, it's even more effective. We made a bird feeder out of a gallon jug. 

What a wonderful welcome for birders!

Linda did a great job parking us in amongst the crooked oak trees.

When we checked in, we asked about seeing the Whooping Cranes. The ranger drew us an extension of the park map showing the neighboring streets. She told us they went back and forth between two ponds on private property. They were feeding at big corn feeders. The drought had reduced their natural food sources, Blue Crab and Wolfberry, and had severely impacted the flock. Sixty birds were unaccounted for. As soon as we settled in, we headed out to look for the cranes. It was exactly as the ranger had described. Two of the magnificent birds were in a field, taking turns feeding. When they flew, they were joined by two more cranes and we enjoyed a beautiful sight. We looked other days and sometimes found small numbers of them in the same area. 

In the same area was the oldest oak tree on the Texas Coast. It's estimated to be more that 1000 years old. 

We found this upon our return to our campsite.

The Goose Island Oak:

Trunk circumference = 35 feet 1 3/4 inches

Average trunk diameter = 11 feet, 2 1/2 inches

Crown spread = 89 feet

Height = 44 feet

Age = in excess of 1000 years

Black Vulture

Neighborhood yard.

Black skimmers with Laughing Gulls

Seaside Sparrow

Snowy Egret

Bow Legged

White Phase Reddish Egret

Willet

American Oystercatcher

Lincolns Sparrow

Female Northern Cardinal

White-throated Sparrows are everywhere!

View from our back window and yes it's raining

You see different things in the grocery in fishing communities.

One of the activities on the list we picked up at the Visitors Center was called Science on a Sphere. Curiosity got the better of us. They offered four programs using data from NOAA projected onto a suspended, 6' white ball. Four projectors achieve the illusion you see. There aren't many in the world, so we were fortunate to have stumbled upon this one. We were so enthralled with it that we went to every program. Here's more http://sos.noaa.gov/ also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_On_a_Sphere

Earth from space

Hurricane Katrina viewed from space

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