Upper Texas Coast - Mid April

Can anyone recommend some areas to go on the Upper Texas Coast in mid April (18-21)?

I was thinking maybe the following areas: Brazoria, Quintana, High Island and maybe around the Sabine Pass.

Hey Bill, There are many different places to visit like you mentioned such as Sabine Woods, McFaddin NWR, High Island, and Anauhac NWR. Check out the information on this link: http://www.pixtus.com …rd-photography-sites.html

Brazos Bend State Park (SW Houston) is very popular and a few more spots to think about are Brazoria NWR, Smith Oaks Audubon Sanctuary (High Island), Bolivar Flats, San Bernard NWR.

And there is always the Whooping Crane tours: http://www.whoopingcra​netours.com/

Sorry I bombarded you with info. Hope that will get you started.

If you don't have copies of these maps, I highly recommend obtaining them: http://www.tpwd.state.​tx.us …e/wildlife-trails/coastal

Texas invented "birding trails", as you probably know. I second Brazos Bend for birding and photography, one of my favorites and not too far from my home. I took these two photos on my most recent visit, in late January:

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Brad, Are the Whooping Cranes still there that late in April?

I've seen them in Oklahoma, but not near as close as I've heard you can see them in TX.


Mikeivan, thanks for the recommendation of the maps. We are into festivals, but since we are under a time constraint (can't get away any earlier and can't stay any longer) we will probably just bird on our own.

Bill, The Whoopers are up in Canada in the summer and back here in the winter but I think whoopingcranetours offers charters around the bay during the spring/summer months.

I am near Aransas Wildlife Refuge(about 3 hours S. of Houston on the coast) where 300+ whoopers wintert, but there is talk of them leaving early this year. Food supply is down due to last year's drought and there is also concern they will not get enuf food to sustain them for their migration north-high die-off. So bottom line, don't rely on "normal date patterns" for this year. But they are here now, just more scattered than usual.

I haven't seen any reports latelty, but am I correct in assuming the Whoopers have left?

badams wrote in post #14249889
I haven't seen any reports latelty, but am I correct in assuming the Whoopers have left?

Probably correct. I'm back in Illinois now so can't answer w/ any degree of first-hand, but they were getting "few and far between" in March. Bottom line-it just wasn't a good year due to the '11 drought. When I left. Corpus Christi was 1" above normal in precip. so hopefully that will continue and 2013 will be much better.