Broad-tailed grackle in full bloom. Rascal. You should hear them, make very strange sounds. Mercedes, TX.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So long you long legged creatures.

 

 

 

 

Time to go, heading north today to a spot by the ocean. Going to be a windy drive. Waitin” for the sun to come up.

 

 

About 300 miles North of Our last stop is the Matagorda Bay Nature Park.  We heard about this from someone we met on a walk.  A well kept secret!

 

 

 

 

 

This Park is right where the Colorado River flows into the gulf.  This is the Texas Colorado River..

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_River_(Texas)

Last night we parked on a river that empties into the Gulf. Across the river we noticed a herd of cattle that came and gathered by the river. They were staring across at us, crying and moaning. Found out from the locals that on April 1 the ranchers drive the cattle across the river to our side here to move them and their new calves to summer grazing lands. Somehow the cattle know it is that time of year and start coming by everyday looking for the ranchers. A few get a little antsy and swim across early and are put in some pens nearby us until the ranchers get here. Love it…..extended our stay so we can see the Big Swim…

 

Passsin’ the time watching shrimp boats come and go up the river as we wait for the cattle crossing.

 

 

 

Also spending time watching the birds, and they are watching us.

 

 

A little bit of foreplay going on here

 

 

Had some excitement here this evening. Apparently some kayakers were outside the jetty and lost control of their kayaks. Fortunately they were able to get to shore. Coast Guard came to the rescue and threw them lines and pulled them aboard to safety. Not sure why they were out in those seas as the Gulf is and was raging and we are expecting severe storm conditions this evening. Good outcome though as every one is safe. Lost the kayaks though I think……turns out it was a small fishing boat with 3 guys in it..got dumped and were stranded on the dike

Went out early this morning to photograph birds but saw this guy throwing a net for bait fish. Wow, the sea was raging but didn’t deter this guy.

So happy to get a picture of this bird today, a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher found only in Texas in the US. He just caught a bug! Beautiful bird.

 

 

 

Black-necked Stilt here on the Gulf Coast, TX. PS Texas, please pick up your trash. So sad to see it everywhere the birds are.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Breakfast anyone? Take a look at the look on that fish’s face.

 

 

 

Tuesday April 4th

We stayed 2 extra days to see the Big Swim.  Jayne wants to take photos of this event, but we are tomove to Galveston for the Feather Fest.  Finally we decided I would go ahead with the coach and Jaune would stay until the Big Swim happened.  Finally, about 5 pm it happened.  They had to wait for slack tide. Down here in the Gulf there is only 1 high and one  low per 24 hours…this was a high.

 

 

The Big Swim..

Jayne finally followed snd we had dinner at a local joint in Galveston…Feather Fest starts zthursdsy so a day to get ready…