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The Texas Coastal Bend... where nature remains unspoiled, outdoor
activities abound, and the sun shines 285 days of the year. With a median
temperature of 79 degrees, Rockport, Texas (Aransas County) is one of the most
unique birding hotspots in the world. There's an unspoiled natural,
preserved environment here that is unsurpassed. Quality of life for
the humans as well is also preserved in every respect. Conservation
efforts are ongoing and there are many groups that take this effort seriously to
help preserve the beauty and natural wonder of the area. Located on the
Live Oak Peninsula and is visited year-round by birders, nature enthusiasts,
fisherman, kayakers, and hikers from all over the world...it is truly a birders
dream escape!
Rockport, Texas is located about 45 minutes from Corpus Christi, Texas and about 20
minutes from Port Aransas, Texas (Mustang Island), this area of the South Texas
Coastal Bend is like no other found and is host to some of the best birding in
the United States. Nearby communities like Port Aransas, Aransas Pass,
Ingleside, Portland, Victoria, Bayside as well as Corpus Christi, have a large
number of migrating birds that funnel through the area annually. A large
array of bird species can be seen any given day, however some of the migratory
birds, like the Whooping Cranes and Hummingbirds are seasonal. This is the
winter home to the beautiful and graceful Whooping Cranes.
The Texas Coastal Bend plays host to these spectacular migratory and hundreds of
resident birds.
Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail
(GTCBT). You'll see more birds here and in one day, than you would see in a week
on your own. The
GTCBT is a fantastic resource for birders and aids for the development of eco-tourism.
There are 12 trail - all within a day's trip offered and they all take advantage of the
existing Texas coastal highway system to create a recreational, educational, and economic
opportunity for all those who visit or live near the trail. The highway system, which
skirts the entire length of the Texas coast, offers a rare opportunity to link hundreds of
sites, and attract birding tourists from around the world. Thousands of professional & amateur
birders, photographers, and naturalists come from all over the US, Canada, Great
Britain, China, Europe and South American to see our spectacular waterfowl, wading, and
seashore birds. The GTCBT represents a delicate balance between the
conservation needs along the Texas coast, and the demands and desires of the human
population that resides there. These trails are maintained and promoted
through
Texas Parks and Wildlife.
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The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is another must-see that offers
a bevy of learning experiences for people of all ages. Talk to experts in the
field, take a self-guided driving tour, catch a seminar. You will find the
ANWR to be an excellent place for observing and studying wildlife and plants.
Facilities are available for visitors:
1) Claude F. Lard Visitor Center:
interpretive
displays, exhibits, auditorium, programs, pamphlets, binoculars-on-loan,
bathrooms, nature store, snacks, and drinks
2) Sixteen mile self-guided auto tour loop with wayside exhibits and pullouts
3) Seven walking trails with distances from .3 to 1.25 mi. and traversing a
variety of habitats
4) Alligator & wildlife viewing area
5) Picnic area with bathrooms
6) Viewing decks at Hog Lake, Heron Flats Trail, and Jones Lake
7) 40-foot Observation Tower that winds above the trees and provides a panoramic
vista of San Antonio Bay and the Intercoastal Waterway
8) Boardwalk with bathrooms nearby
9) Photography blind midway on Birding Trail 2
10) Tatton Unit (Hwy. 35 Roadside Rest Area) - ¼ mile walking trail with kiosk,
observation deck, and exhibit panels
11) Youth Environmental Training Area – available to organized groups from
schools, scouts, colleges, churches, etc. for overnight camping
 Matagorda Island National Wildlife Refuge (MNWR) is located at
the north end of Matagorda Island and can only be
accessed by private or commercial boat. Texas Parks and Wildlife manages the
north end for recreational activities such as fishing, beach access, beach
combing, bird watching, hunting and backpacking and facilities such as a kayak
trail, Matagorda Island lighthouse, self-guided nature trail, and a viewing
deck.
For more information about recreational opportunities at the north end of
the island, call Texas Parks & Wildlife Rockport Regional Office at 361-790-0306. At the south end, the
Refuge offers an Environmental Education (EE) Center, available by reservation
only, and a exceptional nature trail. Call the Refuge at 361-286-3559 for group education
opportunities at the MI EE Center.
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Hummingbirds
migrate through the Rockport and Coastal Bend area twice a year by the thousands
- generally in mid- to-late
March heading north, and again in early-to-mid September heading south.
The sub-tropical climate provides ample flowering trees, bushes and other
flowering vegetation before they migrate away from the area. This is the
last stop for them going south and the first stop going north and many tourists
and locals alike go-all-out for the celebration. Be sure and stop in and
ask at the knowledgeable staff at the Rockport-Fulton Area Chamber of Commerce
about their annual "HummerBird Festival" - held each September.
The inland areas from Bayside to Victoria are prime areas to see the Hawks
migration. You'll want to make sure you have a birding checklist.
Free Birding Checklists by the Season
compliments of Texas Parks and Wildlife:
Spring
Summer
Fall
Winter
What to See and When:
Magnificent Frigate, Roseate Spoonbills, Wood Storks, Sandhill Cranes,
American Avocets and Oystercatchers, Egrets and Ibis, Little Blue Herons,
Great Blue Herons, Brown Pelicans, White Pelicans, Curlews, Dowitchers,
Whimbrels, Dunlins, Seagulls, Terns, Black Skimmers, Cormorants, Shearwaters,
Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Teal, Ducks (to include Black-Bellied Whistling
Ducks), American Coots, Crested Caracaras, Golden Eyes, American Kestrels,
Gannets, Grebes, Chachalacas, Harriers and Swallow Tails, Falcons, Kites,
Jaegers, Rails, Plovers, Vireos, Flycatchers, Kingfishers, Warblers, Tanagers,
Buntings, Golden Eagles, Owls, and the list goes on and on. Simply put,
it's spectacular for birding amateurs and professionals alike!
BIRDING BY
BOAT, LAND OR HIRE A PROFESSIONAL BIRDING GUIDE!
To get
acquainted with many of the species you are likely to see, use the links
below furnished by the
Coastal Bend Audubon
Society .
Use these
links for Seasonal Birding Checklists and learn more about the wide variety of
birds
that can be found here throughout the year:
Here audio
files and see photos of the Birds of Texas at Texas Parks
and Wildlife's
"Passport
to Texas".
Learn More: Birding Resources
& Info
Rockport's Annual Birding
Calendar
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