National Parks | Wildlife Refuges | Audubon Sanctuaries | Over Favorite Places

National Parks and Monuments

Glacier | Yellowstone | Petrified Forest | Saguaro National Park
Organ Pipes | Chiricahua Mountains | Wupatki Ruins | Sunset Volcanic Crater

We'll start the National Parks section with a couple of old reports from our visit a few years ago to Glacier National Park and Yellowstone. We quickly toured both parks during a vacation to Montana and Wyoming.

Glacier National Park

Unfortunately, we only a chance to spend about a day and a half in Glacier. Anna and I can only think of one word to describe Glacier National Park, and that is WOW!! This is the word that we kept exclaiming every time we turned a corner, and a new vista came into view. Sometimes we said it loudly, and sometime almost breathlessly in wonder.

There was a story attributed to another National Park. It goes like this: "There was a visitor to the park. After entering the park they located a park ranger and asked the question, 'I only have an hour to see the park, what would you suggest that I do first?' The park ranger replied, 'If I only had a an hour to see the park, I would go over to that field, sit down and cry'."

Every word of that goes for Glacier National Park! Thinking back, we could actually cry when we think that we only had a little over a day in the park ourselves.

Having said that, I would recommend that anyone who has even a couple of hours to spend them in Glacier if at all possible. This is truly one of the most amazing and breath-taking place that we have ever been in our lives. Drive the "Going to the Sun" road at least. This is a very narrow and winding road that travels, east to west, through the center of the park. This road will give a real feel for the park without getting out of your car if you done want to. But I would definitely recommend stopping at the many pull-offs and getting out for a better look. And of course, a stop and short hike to Hidden Lake at Logan Pass will be very rewarding.

If you have more time, I would recommend the first place to go is the Many Glaciers area. This is one the eastern side of the park, and has a large number of day hiking trails in the area with some amazing sights. Plenty of wonderful alpine views and wildlife viewing opportunities. There is also a boat ride on Many Glaciers Lake available. I would recommend the hikes to Grinnel Glacier, Iceburg Lake, and Cracker Lake.

One of the amazing things about Glacier National Park is the diversity of the environments in the park. The west side of the park, for example, is quite different from the eastern side. As you travel westward down Going to the Sun road from Logan Pass, you will descend into large forests of old-growth cedar trees. After the hikes at Many Glacier, the Tail of the Cedars here will amaze you with it's striking difference.

It really does not matter where you go, or what you do, in Glacier National Park. The Park will never fail to take your breath away with its beauty.

Yellowstone National Park

As with Glacier, our time in Yellowstone was limited to less than two whole days. And again, this was only enough to get a small taste of the park, and not nearly enough time for us. One advantage the Yellowstone has over Glacier is that the park is much more generally accessible by car.

The famous draw here is, of course, Old Faithful. But the whole Upper Geyser Basin should be explored while you are there. We were much more impressed by Grand Geyser, Grotto Geyser, and Morning Glory Pool than we were by Old Faithful. The Grand Prismatic Spring also outshines the famous geyser. A person can easily spend a day, or two, just visiting the area between the Norris Geyser Basin and the Upper Geyser Basin (Old Faithful).

For scenery, you also have to stop by the much photographed Yellowstone Falls (both Upper and Lower). These are accessed by easy parking at Canyon Village. During our stay, a cousin of Anna's was working here for the summer. The Upper Falls can be viewed after a short, if quite steep, walk near the parking area. The Lower Falls require a little bit more hiking, but the view is definitely worth the effort.

Other than the geyser, and just general majestic beauty of the park, the main reason to come to Yellowstone is the wildlife. I am not sure which is more famous now, the bears or the wolves. But both attract a lot of people and attention. There are also the ever present bison, elk, and marmots. More rare, you can often see moose and, in higher elevations of the park, bighorn sheep. Many of the animals seem to be present every where in the park. Particularly the bison and elk. But for prime wildlife viewing you just can't beat the Lamar Valley in the park's northeastern section. It is here that you will find most of the viewable wolves, bears, and whole herds of bison. The valley itself is also a beautiful backdrop for wildlife viewing, and is very enjoyable all by itself.

While in the park don't forget to look up every once in a while. It you do, you'll catch sight of some spectacular specialty bird life, as well as frequent sighting of bald eagles.

I also can't forget to mention the beauty of Mammoth Springs. The brightly colored mineral flows of these natural hot springs would make the park famous if there was nothing else here. The vividly red, orange, and yellow colored formations sparkle wonderfully on a clear day. And the stark white terraces here can be blinding in their brilliance.

Petrified Forest National Park

The Petrified Forest National Park is really two parks in one. There are, of course, the huge logs of petrified wood. But as a backdrop to this, is the beauty of the Painted Desert. It was this added panorama of the vividly colored desert landscape that surprised us the most about this park.

This beauty is spread throughout the park, but reaches it glory at the northern end. If you're traveling the park road from the south end, be sure to leave enough time to take in the breath-taking sight of the many red hued desert valley at the end of the park road. I would recommend getting to Chinde Point in the late afternoon, giving yourself plenty of time for staring and photography, and the find yourself a quite spot to watch the sunset. During sunset or sunrise this valley is especially beautiful

As for the name sake of the park, the petrified forest of logs, these are best seen in the southern end of the park. A great introduction to these wonderfully colored ancient fossils is to take the walking trail directly behind the southern visitor center. Here you will find dozens of large section of the petrified trees. The ground here, as it is elsewhere in the park, is also covered with brightly colored fragments of these logs. Not far from the visitor center, take a short hike up to the "long logs" area, and visit the Agate House.

Also leave yourself plenty of time to enjoy the walk around the Crystal Forest area. The logs aren't that huge here, but they are everywhere, and can be quite brightly colored. A longer hike, and one definitely not to be missed, is the Blue Mesa trail. This trail includes on the most photography areas of wood in the park. But the mesas themselves are the true attraction here. This is the beginnings of the true painted desert area.

Lastly, be sure to check out the pueblo ruins and the areas of petroglyphs near the ruins. Particularly Newspaper Rock. This enormous rock is covered in hundreds of petroglyphs!

A note about the park, and it rules on possession of petrified wood. NO COLLECTING OF WOOD, ROCKS, OR MINERALS IS ALLOW IN THE PARK. Before entering the park be prepared to declare all pieces of petrified wood that you have bought or collected elsewhere. The park ranger will seal these in a bag. Upon leaving the park any vehicle or person can be subjected to a search, and any undeclared wood can be ceased (fines and other punishment can also be applied, as these are federally protected lands).

Saguaro National Park

This park was created to protect the natural environment and animals of the southern Sonoran Desert in Arizona. It is divided into two sections. One to the east of Tucson, and one to the west of the city. The eastern section is larger, and includes part of a nearby mountain range. The driving tour will take you up into these mountains and then return you to the desert valley floor. There are some wonderful short walks and hikes up in these mountains. The western section is higher in altitude and mountainous, but it more or less on the same level. The western tract also has several petroglyph sites to be explored.

Both sections are very similar in plant and animal life. The plants all being cactus that is, except for some low palo verde trees and thorn scrub-brush. Everything here pokes, prods, or sticks. But in the spring, everything blooms and become beautiful. The cactus bloom in a multitude of colors, and the palo verde tree blaze with tiny yellow flowers.

The name-sake of the park, the giant saguaro cactus, are amazing. In areas you will find whole "forest" of these cactus reaching high into the sky. They start tiny, and are very slow growing for the first 15+ years of their lives. They are usually 50 to 75 years old before they start budding their first "arms". Another amazing fact about the saguaro that we did not know, is that they have a hard wooded skeleton. With proper conditions they can live to be hundreds of years old.

We were also intrigued by the diversity of the cholla cactus. From the buckhorn and staghorn variates; to the teddy bear, jumping chain-fruit, cane, and christmas chollas. Two plants of the same variety, only a few feet apart, can bloom in completely different colors! But these intriguing and beauty cactus are also probably the annoying and painful of all the cactus we encountered. Particularly the teddy bear, named because it is so covered in thorns that it looks fuzzy, and the jumping cholla, so name because they seem to "jump" onto you if you are anywhere near them. If you brush against a cholla you don't just get a thorn. Part of the cactus, with many thorns, breaks off instead. And most of the thorns are covered in a kind of sheath, so that when you pull the hunk of cactus and thorns off, you still have the sheathes stuck in you (OOOUCH!!)

The animal life in the park is most nocturnal, as you would expect. But you can still see deer, coyotes, javalinas, and small rodents during your visit. And lets not forget the rattlesnakes, gila monsters, and lizards (there are some very beautifully colored lizards in the desert). As for birds; keep your eyes out for greater road runners, harris hawks, owls, gila woodpeckers, gilded flickers, cactus and rock wrens, and the red eyed phainpepla.

If you go hiking in this park take plenty of water no matter what time of year or day, and a map and compass. Wear sturdy shoes and check them often for cactus thorns, and the thorn will work themselves upward into you foot in time. For this reason it is also recommend to take a small pair of needle-nosed pliers. The pliers will help to pull thorn out of you too, but a large toothed comb also works very well when removing attached cholla nodules without further injuring yourself.

If your are visit the Saguaro National Park, make sure to schedule time to also stop at the nearby Arizona - Sonora Desert Museum.

Organ Pipes National Mounument, Arizona

This really a massive park, but there is really only has one paved road, and that is the highway leading through the park and into Mexico. The visitor center and nearby campground are also paved. The rest of the roads are dirt or gravel. Sometimes little more than rutted dirt tracks. Be very sure to have plenty of gas and water before going into this park. This is a very remote area, with no cell phone coverage and very few people. The south side of the park ends at the Mexican border. If you're not camping the closest regular accommodations are in the same town of Ajo.

The organ pipe cactus themselves can be quite huge, and grow naturally no where else in the US. They spring up in a clump and all the arms shoot straight up without branching. Many were 20 to 30 feet tall. Of course the park is also covered in saguaro and cholla cactus. Walking off road and off-trail can also be dangerous. In the warmer months of the year the rattlesnakes and gila monster are out. Then of course there is the hazard of getting all those cactus spines in the soles of your shoes, where they will work upward into the bottom of your feet. Everything included, this is a spectacular park, and well worth the experience. Our only regret is not having more time. I would recommend at least to take a tour of the Ajo Mountain Drive. This drive makes a large 22 mile circle up through a mountainous area, and will really give you the flavor of these lands. Just make sure to have a high clearance vehicle (we saw a couple of cars, but they weren't the low riding type). This road start directly across from the visitor center.

In the spring this park can come alive with blooming wild flowers, cactus, and ocotilla. Good rainfall in the winter and early spring are required to bring out the full colors. Even in the dried years the cactus and ocotilla will still bloom. The ocotilla may not have any leaves, but it will still bloom. While we were visiting the yellow palo verde trees were in the height of there bloom, and they were a brilliant yellow of tiny blossoms against the deep blue sky.

Chiricahua Mountains National Mounument, Arizona

The National Park Service describes this place as being a "wonderland of rocks" and a "forest of rock spires". Both are an accurate description of this marvelous place. These mountains are truly amazing! We have never seen anything like them before in all our travels. The mountain range was formed by an erupting volcano about 27 million years ago. Since then they have been eroding into some amazing shapes. There are whole fields of tall granite pinnacles, huge boulders balancing on other thin spires, and wind carved mazes through the boulders. The Chiricahua Indians called these mountains "The Land of Standing-Up Rocks". The view from the mountain-top parking area is truly breath taking. The highest peak here, Flys Peak, is almost 9,800 feet tall.

Mountain areas like this in southeastern Arizona are called "Shy Islands", because they are surrounded by a "sea" of grasslands. Because of their location the plants and animals of four different environments; the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Madre Mountains, Sonora Desert, and Chihuahua Desert, all come together here (the soutern end of the mountain range ends just 18 mile from the Mexican border). The eastern side of the mountain range is especially famous for spotting some very rare birds, some of which nest there. Including 13 species of hummingbirds and the elegant trogon.

The main road of the park is an 8 mile drive up to one of the mountain tops. On the way you'll past he old Faraway Ranch, an old 1880's farmstead not too far from the entrance. Here and in the camp ground you will find large flocks of Mexican Blue Jays. The camping area is up the road just a little ways from the farmstead. From the camp area you really start to head up into the mountains, and really start to get a feel for the true beauty and uniqueness of the park. On the way up, and at the top, there are a number of pull-offs and parking lots for you to get out and do some sight-seeing.

There are over 12 day use hikes to be taken here, and this park in also surrounded by the Coronado National Forest, providing an even wide range for hiking. If your traveling trough southern Arizona, take the time to drive the south of the town of Wilcox, and visit this amazing place. Even if you only have time to tour the park road to the mountain top.

Wupatki Ruins National Monument, Arizona

This National Monument has many accessible ruins sites, and a couple of them are quite extensive. The largest of these being right behind the visitor center, and includes an amphitheater and a circular ball court. One of the most amazing to us was a whole structure, almost like a castle, built entirely on top of a massive boulder. Most others are built on top of small hills. All and all this is the most extensive set of ruins that we found in the state of Arizona. Most of the ruins are from 800 years ago. Sometimes it seemed that no matter where you looked you could find the remains of some kind an adobe structure. All of these ruins are set against the backdrop of the beautiful painted desert, which is worth the trip just to see that.

There are many places to stop and visit here. Most are not that far of a walk from the parking area. Stop at the visitor center and get one of their self guiding tour maps. Also check with them about exploring on your own for other ruins and petroglyphs.

A last note for film buffs. Some of the opening scenes from the movie "Easy Rider" were films along roads in the National Monument.

Sunset Crater National Monument, Arizona

This park is just a few miles south of the Wupatki Ruins on the south side. On a planned trip to visit the ruins we were amazed to find a volcanic crater in the middle of Arizona. Many areas in Arizona were formed by volcanoes (this is actually only one of over 600 past volcanoes in this area alone). The difference is that Sunset Mountain erupted fairly recently in geological time. Somewere around 930 years ago. It is still very obviously a volcano from your first glance, and was definitely an unexpected sight for us.

Stretching for miles around this mountain are areas that are covered with massive lava flows. Other areas are covered in fields of volcanic cinder, eroded black sand, and gravel that make up the "dirt" here. In many ways this is much like Hawaii in the middle of Arizona. The volcano crater itself shows some brightly colored hues of red and yellow. Especially when framed by the black lava below and Arizona's usually deep blue sky above. You can get a great view of this from the Cinder Hills Overlook.

Walking some of the trails here, like the Bonito Lava Flow trail can seem like your walking into a foreign landscape. If you visit here, and are out walking or hiking the trails you have to be very careful where you step. The lava can be very sharp and brittle. Both the lava and the cinder fields can provide unstable footing. Plan to ware boots or shoes with good support. Or stick to the paved areas (you'll still get excellent views).

The park is at about 7000 ft in elevation. Most of the trees on hill sides are pine and aspen, with pinyon pines in the lower and rockier areas. In the large trees keep your eyes out for the unusual and very long-eared Albert's squirrel. Due to the inhospitably of the lava flows, which cover 25% of the park, most of the animals you see will be of the smaller varieties. But sightings of mule deer, elk, and even pronghorn antelope are possible.

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National Wildlife Refuges

Anahuac | Aransas | Santa Ana | McFaddin | Brazoria | San Bernard | Laguna Atascosa | Quivira

Anna and I frequent these wildlife refuges anytime that we get the chance. Not only is the wildlife view and photography opportunities excellent at this places, but they are a great chance to outside and enjoy the quite and beauty of nature. After a busy week at work, an afternoon wondering around a nature preserve can be just what the body and mind needed.

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

The claims to fame here are the alligators and the bird life. I read somewhere that everywhere that you can find water in the Anahuac refuge you will find alligators, except for the bathrooms, and check there too just to be safe. In my opinion the best time to view this refuge in is the late summer and fall. During this time the alligators are hatching their young, and the fall waterfowl migration begins in a big way. I have often seen whole fields here covered in the white of snow geese. But ducks and very kind of wading water bird you can think of can be found in abundance here.

Springtime is also a wonderful time for a visit. Starting in April, many bird begin passing through here again on their northern migration. Most of the birds found at the famous High Island sactuaries can also be found in the Anahuac refuge (check "the willows" area). Many resident birds can also be found nesting here as the weather warms.

No matter what time of year, the main draw is the road around Shoveler Pond. The water level here is managed, but is allowed to pretty much dry up in summer and winter. After your trip around Shoveler Pond, check out the field and ditches alongs side Cross Road, and then head down to the coast line at Frozen Point. We always enjoy our trips to Anahuac for the animals, and the fishing along the shore line isn't bad either.

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

Aransas is one of the few National Wildlife Refuges that charges and entry fee. But is well worth the minor expense. If you get there early, before the office opens, just drop your fee in the dropbox at the visitor center.

The big attraction at this refuge are the whooping cranes in the winter (October though April). These beautiful birds are large enough to stand up and look you in the eye. Their name comes from the whooooping sound that their huge wings make when they are taking off. You can tour the refuge yourself by vehicle, or take one of the several crane sightseeing tour boats out of Rockport or Fulton for an up close look. Besides the whooping cranes there are a great many other varieties of birds to be seen here (one of the largest in the US). On a larger scale there are whitetail deer, wild hogs, javalinas, and the ever present alligators to be seen. Many of these are even seen in the wooded and grassy areas near the visitor center.

Be sure to take the full auto tour loop, and keep an eye out for the larger animals. Also be sure to check out the nature area directly across the road from the visitor center. This area, and Heron Flats just a little ways down the road, are great for close up wildlife viewing on foot. Bicycling in the refuge is also gaining in popularity.

In the spring Aransas also comes alive with many wild flowers, from blue bonnets to water lillies.

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

People, not only birds, flock to this refuge. They mainly arrive in the spring and fall to see many tropical bird species that are seen no where else in the United States. Most are Central American species that are at the most north part of their range at this refuge. There are the always present and noisy emblems of this refuge, the green jays. Great kiskadee and plain charchalaca are also common sights. A sharp eye can also pick out some very rare birds like the hook-billed kite or the elegant trogon. Check the sightings board at the visitor center for the latest information of recent birds.

The auto tour through this refuge is not always open, so check with the refuge's headquarters or website for details. The wildlife viewing here is not the best for the car anyway. This is one refuge where you really want to get out and walk the trails. But beware of the cactus, and in the summer, the rattlesnakes. Bicycling is very popular at this refuge. Maybe more than any other we have visited. Camping, and even picnicking, is not allowed in the refuge. Nor are pets allowed beyond the parking lot.

One thing to keep in mind as you tour this refuge, is that this is what the terrain and plant life use to look like all over the Rio Grande valley. Walking this refuge is like walking back in time. Especially on the trials by the old cemetery found here.

McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

This refuge is a vast open saltwater marsh that adjoins Sabine Lake on the Texas gulf coast. The primary attractions and entertainments here are accessed by boat. Bring your own kayak or canoe, or take an air-boat ride from the headquarters. We would recommend the air-boat ride, as we had a blast on our trip. If you're own your own, don't forget the fishing opportunities! Just watch out for the alligators.

If you visit this refuge, plan to take a while to walk the beaches at Texas's Sea Rim State Park. The park is just across the road. And bring your bikes for the park. There are over 6 miles of undisturbed beaches to explore here (no vehicles allowed)!

Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

Brazoria is a huge refuge on the central Texas coast. It is a major stop over in the flyway for migrating waterfowl. If you timing is right during the spring and fall you will also find large numbers of sandhill cranes walking around the refuge. The many bodies of shallow water always contain a number of wading birds, and many shorebirds nest here during the spring. A large portion of this refuge can be accessed by vehicle, or by short walk for the parked car. There are a number of pull offs, some with picnic tables, around the auto tour loop. Stop by the visitor center, and pick up a self guiding audio tape or CD to add to your understanding and enjoyment of the refuge.

For a close up chance to do a little bird photography, check out the pond and trails just behind the visitor center. The water birds here are pretty use to people being close by. Be sure to check the large lakes and flats at the far end of the auto loop for enormous rafts of ducks and geese during the migration season.

San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

This refuge is really a part of the nearby Brazoria NWR. But is managed separately. While the area of this refuge is bigger than that of the Brazoria refuge, very little of it is publicly accessible here. The auto tour loop is quite small, is as the water area it circles. But the wildlife viewing is still very good. We have never failed to see alligators here. And it is often possible to get quite close to nesting birds and young without getting out of your vehicle.

If you have the time I would recommend some of the hikes that leave and return to the auto tour loop. During migration, also make sure to check out the large oak grove. You will find many birds in these oak tree resting before or after their efforts to fly over the Gulf of Mexico. There is a good little walking trail along side a bayou just in side the gate entrance too.

Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Texas

The 45,000 acre refuge rounds out the Texas coastal wildlife refuges. This one at the very bottom tip of Texas, along side the Laguna Madre body of water. The refuge is named after a large, almost fresh water, lake that sits in the middle of the northern end of the park. In the fall and winter this lake is literally covered in huge rafts of ducks. Mostly redheads and canvasbacks. Sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands of birds. In winter the place is generally considered to have the highest population of these two species in the world.

Check the short walks around the visitor center for good views of South Texas specialty birds and butterflies. There is a good photo blind here, that well maintained and the birds are well provided with food to attract them.

The major auto tour here is along the Bayside Drive, which parallels the Laguna Madre for a good portion of the drive. In the fall and winter the shore line section of this drive will be alive with osprey, feeding on fish on the low water flats. My first trip here I saw more osprey in an hour than I had seen the rest of my life. Wading birds are also plentiful in the shallow bay. Keep an eye on the trees and taller yucca for birds of prey, like harris hawks and the crested caracara. Deer are also plentiful here during the morning and evening hours.

If you go hiking in the refuge during the warmer months, be very alert for rattlesnakes. I saw the biggest rattlesnake I have ever seen in the park. And another very large one, that was sunning himself on the road, reared up 2 feet off the ground and tried to bite the car was we drove past!

They offer several special tours and classes here during birding season. If you are visiting, be sure to check with them to find out what's going on. The evening birding tour is especially nice.

Laguna Atascosa is also one of the only places to now see the aplomado falcons in the wild. These birds are be re-introduced here at the refuge. But if you want a more guaranteed sights of the falcons, you need to travel down near the Port of Brownsville. Near the port, across the Port Isabel Highway from a large building facility, you will find a small pond in the wetter months (north of the highway). Near this pond you can usually find a pair of aplomado falcons on the fence post, or in the nearby trees. These are banded birds from the release program, and have been seen here for several years now. They are fairly use to humans and being photographed.

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, Kansas

We visited this refuge twice. It is one of the few remaining large wet lands in the Kansas plains, and is located along a waterfowl flyway. You can see many birds here that may be usual in other parts of Kansas. Sandhill cranes, wading herons and egrets, numerous large concentrations of waterfowl, and others like the American avocet can be common. A surprise for me were the yellow-headed blackbird. Most of these were seen along the drive through their

The other main intrest for us here were the prairie dog towns. In the northern section of this reserve you can find a black-tailed prairie dog colony that covers about 20 acres. These little animals can be quite humorous to watch. Whitetail deer, coyotes, and wild turkeys are also common in this northern section.

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Audubon Society Sanctuaries

High Island | Bolivar Flats | Sabal Palms | Frontera Thicket

High Island Audubon Sanctuary, Texas

These wooded areas are maintained by the Houston chapter of the Audubon Society. They are quite famous, and during the spring migration season people come from all over the world for bird watching. It is common to stand in a crowd of people here and hear half-a-dozen different languages being spoken.

The Boy Scout Woods section seems to get the most attention. But the whole area around the town of High Island is worth checking out. During this spring migration, a strong windy stormfront from the north can fill the trees with birds exhausted from their flight across the gulf. If the bird species lives in the eastern part of North American, you can most likely find it in High Island at one time or another as it passes through on its way home.

Many resident birds call this area home too. In the Smith Oaks section there are islands in the lakes there, that are alive with nesting herons, egrets, and rosette spoonbills. The HAS has built several viewing platforms here, and you can get within 100 feet of less of the nesting birds. You will see literally hundreds of birds in breeding plumage, as the strut their stuff, or tend the eggs or young. At sunset it is often so noise with these working birds that it is hard to speak over them.

When you're here be sure to check out the beach area just south of High Island. The entrance, just as you turn to the west, gives you access near the remains of an old fishing pier. The pilings and polls here are always home to brown pelicans and other shore birds.

Bolivar Flats Audubon Sanctuary, Texas

This is another famous birding hot spot maintained by the Houston chapter of the Audubon Society. It is composed of the flats themselves, the beach, coastal marsh, and upland grass areas. It is often call the "crown jewel of shorebird habitats" in Texas. The sanctuary was also expanded in the last few years to include a much larger part of the Bolivar Peninsula. The "Flats" area are just that, a large shallow shelf of beach extending out into the Gulf of Mexico, and bordering the Houston Shipping Channel.

The beach here are working with shore birds. Gulls, terns, sanderlings, willets, plovers, turnstones, sandpipers, curved-billed curlews, and others are everywhere. Herons and egrets wade the shallows looking for a meal. While brown and while pelicans sit by and watch all the action. In the spring you can find least terns, wilson's plovers, and black simmers nesting here on the beach (the area will be roped off to protect the nest).

In the winter American avocets show up here in the thousands. Sometimes 10,000 to 15,000 can be seen feeding on the beach. Western sandpipers also winter here, and number in the thousands.

In the freshwater estuarinary sections of the reserve you can find wading birds that perfer a less salty environment. This is where you will find most of the least sandpipers, yellowlegs, as well as the colorful king rails.

The best time of day to visit Bolivar Flat is early morning, during a low tide. The tide is important when birding the flats (as well as fishing them). During high tide times you will often find the bird roosting, or at least hundered down, in the vegetation or behind the low sand dunes.

Sabal Palms Audubon Sanctuary, Texas

This sanctuary is just outside of the city of Brownsville. It is about as far south as you can get in Texas. Actually, outside of southern Florida, it's as far south as you can get in North America. As the name suggests, this is another big birding spot. The same as with Santa Ana NWR that main attractions here are semi-tropical birds from Central America. But you will find more aquatic related species here than in Santa Ana. Sabal Palms has a number of small ox-bow lakes that the trails wander around, and a couple of raised boardwalks. There is also one very large well maintained photo blind on the largest lake.

Start your visit here by spending some time around the visitor center. They have a number of bird feeders and other attractant here that are well maintained. A short stop here will let you see green jays, plain charchalaca, great kiskadees, golden-fronted woodpeckers, and others.

Walking the trails will bring you close to altamira orioles, vermilion flycatchers, grove-billed anis, and couch's kingbirds. Nearer the water you can find both ringed and green kingfishers. The lakes and pond will be full of ducks and grebes, including the least grebe. Many stay to nest here in the spring.

Besides the birds and animals, this sanctuary is a very important and interestingly beautiful place. This park is over 500 acres and contains the last remain native forest of Sabal Palms in North America. Forest such as this once covered vast areas of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, but are now gone, except for this small remain forest. It is a very different feeling, and a wonderful sight, to be walking in a real natural forest made up of palm trees.

Frontera Audubon Thicket, Texas

This sanctuary is south of, but still in the city limits, or Weslaco. This is a small sanctuary, dedicated to birds and butterflies. All the normal Rio Grande Valley birds can be found here. But there are reports almost every year of some very rare and special visitors from south of the border. Birds that is. They keep the feeders full, and the trees full of fresh fruit. As with most birding in the area, the peak times are in the spring and fall. But anytime of year you can find some amazingly beautiful birds here. They also have a very nice large shaded desk to relax and enjoy a pinic on after a morning walk throught the park.

Not part of the sanctuary, I wanted to go ahead and include Weslaco's Valley Nature Center. The two places are only minutes apart. As before, the main attraction in Weslaco, other than all the inexpensive fresh fruit, is the change to see some of the mote rare South Texas birds. The staff here at this also park keep their feeders and other attractants very well stocked.

The Valley Nature Center is larger than Frontera, and is worth a visit all by itself. They really go to a lot of effort to keep the trails in good condition, and to constantly improve the landscaping. The park is mostly dedicated to presenting different environments of south and west Texas. From palm trees and mesquite, to a cactus garden. Near the cactus garden area is their main feeding station. You can sit here for hours and never get board. The trees and grounds are alive with bird life in the spring and fall. At both of these places be sure to check with the visitor center for recent sighting news.

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Other of Our Favorite Nature and Wildlife Locations

Sabino Canyon

Sabino Canyon Recrational Area, Arizonia

This is a public recreational area in the Santa Catalina Mountain foothills northeast of Tucson, Arizona. It is just barely outside the city limits. This is one of the very few places to find running water year-round near Tucson. As such it has great variety of plant life and abundant wildlife anytime that you can visit. The park is closed to private auto traffic, but there is a tram to take you up the parks paved roads. The main road un into the canyon is the Sabino Canyon Trail. This road make numerous stops, and crosses the Sabino Creek on nine different low-water bridges. The shorter road is the Bear Creek Trail. This road takes you through a more open desert area, and then around to a small damn that has been built on the creek. At this time the upper canyon and trail still show conciderable damage from a couple of massive flash floods that washed down the valley in the past (the big flood pushed a 22 foot wall of water down the canyon).

You can walk any portion if these roads that you want, by getting on an off the tram at will. Or hike the whole system on foot. The main road is 3.8 miles each way, and reaches a height of 3,300 feet. There are also a number of back country trails available, leaving from the tram stops.

This is a very diverse and beautiful place. I can think of nothing better to do in Tucson on a warn spring day than to walk the roads and trails of this park. Stopping to dangle your feet in the creek and cool off. Take a picnic lunch and make the day even better. Find a spot on the sandy shoreline, in the shade, and relax to the sounds of the creek while you have your lunch.

While the bottom of the canyon, where the creek is, has many trees and green plants. As you look up the canyon side you will see the environment turning back into desert. The canyon walls are covered in palo verde trees and cactus (saguaro, cholla, prickly pear, and groves of ocotillo). You will also find many small pincushion and hedgehog cactus here. In the spring the area is full of wildflowers, and the palo verde and cacti are in full bloom.

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