Fog was so thick, at 50 feet things faded from my view, and at 100 feet I could barely make out the shapes ahead of me while I drove. That is how my morning started as I set out to explore the southernmost tip of Texas on Tuesday morning. I’d read in past years the … Read more
Friday morning I launched out of my campsite on a mission to explore one of the crown jewels of birding in south Texas; Estero Llano Grande State Park, south of Weslaco. It was a little over an hour’s drive via the Military Road, which follows the Mexican border. I drove through a drizzling overcast sky, … Read more
A visit to the Lower Rio Grande Valley without spending time on South Padre Island would be silly. Tuesday I paid the island my respects. It came as no surprise the variety of birds in winter did not compare to a spring visit. Still, there was enough variety to keep me busy most of the … Read more
Less than six miles from my base camp in Brownsville Texas, is a birding destination of world renown. In the 1890s and early 1900s, it was one of the largest post Civil War plantations in the area. Today they call it the Sabal Palm Sanctuary. The Audubon Society and the Gorgas Science Foundation operate the … Read more
Last spring, while on my way through Texas and the COVID-19 pandemic was taking a grip on our nation and the rest of the world, I’d been boondocking in my RV. By that I mean I was sleeping wherever I could park. My RV being a van can fit into a typical parking space without … Read more
Less than two miles south from the small town of Quemado Texas, is a roadside rest stop, or picnic area, as Texas calls them. I found this location while on my first birding adventure in Texas. I met my first Carolina Wren and my first White-Eyed Vireo here in March 2020. The site is located … Read more
Less than a half-mile from the Rio Grande, and almost 40 miles upstream from its confluence with the Pecos River, is the sleepy town of Langtry Texas. This is where Judge Roy Bean established a reputation as “The Law West of the Pecos”. Hollywood fell for the legend of this wild west character and lumped … Read more
It was a week I’ll remember fondly. As I drove out of New Mexico late last December, I had doubts about being able to pull off a stay inside Big Bend National Park. The park has limited camping spaces, and there is a high demand during normal times, but with the pandemic, the supply dwindled, … Read more
New Year’s Day and Saturday night, I stayed in Terlingua Texas. I waited there until I could take advantage of my Sunday night reservations for camping in Cottonwood. Saturday morning I drove south to explore the southern reaches of Big Bend. I’d been to the Sam Nail Ranch last March (2020), while on the inbound leg … Read more
When I drove away from the Guadalupe Mountains, I took TX-54 south from US-62 to Van Horn Texas. I kept seeing road signs along the highway saying “The Texas Mountain Trail”. I wanted to drive through the Davis Mountains again. I’d passed through them during my first visit last March (2020) and I wanted to … Read more
