Brown
Pelican offers a special Birdwatcher Package designed to take advantage
of the unique biodiversity of the Rio Grande Valley.
Package includes
a 2,3,4 or 5 day stay at the Brown Pelican on Padre Island:
"The
birding was incredible. Birds galore and even at breakfast. Yellow
craned, night Heron, Buntings, Kisadees, Peregrine Falcons, Clapper
Rails, our list goes on!
J & E ...Corpus Christi
Day One
Sit on the Deck and have Breakfast "Al Fresco" overlooking
the wetland of Laguna Madre and wait for the birds to fly by. Then
take a stroll along the boardwalk at the Convention center to view
the Wading Shore Birds, Roseate Spoonbills, Plovers, Grebes.... the
list is endless! Walk on the dunes and shoreline to watch pelagic
birds. In the afternoon, take a Birding Tour by boat with George
and Scarlet Colley. A personal introduction to the 60 species
native to the area and to our bottlenose dolphin.
Day Two
Visit Laguna Atascosa National Wild Refuge (20 minutes drive),
a
46,000 acre Wildlife Sanctuary at the southern end of Central Flyway,
includes 7,000 acres of marshland and salt-and-fresh water. Thousands
of waterfowl winter here, resident species include many kinds of Gulls,
Least Grebe, Harris Hawk, Kiskadee Flycatcher, Green Jay and Aplomado
Falcon. Foot and driving roads are open to the public year-round.
Visitor Center features wildlife exhibits, bird and animal list: picnic
area.
Day Three
Visit Sabal Palm Audubon Center and Sanctuary (Brownsville 30 minutes
Drive), a 527-acre Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest and best-preserved
of the Sabal Palm Forest in the US, owned and operated since 1971
by the National Audubon Society. See Warblers and Buff-Bellied Hummingbirds.
Day
Four
Visit Santa Ana National Refuge (1 hour drive), 2000 acres of Subtropical
Forest, famous for birds of Mexican origin. Home to many animals native
to South Texas. Over 380 species of birds have been spotted, including
Least Grebes, Green Kingfishers, Ringed Kingfishers, Neotropic Cormorant,
Gray Hawk, Hook-Billed Kite, Black-Bellied Tree Duck, Olive Sparrow,
and on and on...
Day Five
Visit Bentsen Rio Grande State Park (Mission, 1 hour and 30 minutes
drive), 600-acre State Park, nature & hiking trails, fishing,
boat ramp, picnic, playground, campsites. Resident birds include Blaine
Blue Bunting, Common Moorhen, Chacalaca, Altimira Oriole, Greater
Roadrunner, Green Jay and lots more.
* Mission
is home to The World Birding Center
For
private Birding Guides:
George & Scarlet Colleys (956) 732-2473
Mike Overton
(515) 213-5173 (also a butterflier!)
Keith Hackland (956) 782-9912
Casa Los Ebanos
(800) 418-3543
