Day 4, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Centre, Texas

From an article published on 2 January 2019:

"Work on a new boardwalk is underway at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center. The old structure was destroyed by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017. A 700-foot replacement will connect the birding center to the Port Aransas Nature Preserve at Charlie’s Pasture. It’s the first new construction to take place in the preserve since the hurricane.

The new boardwalk, which will cost about $670,000, is more than a replacement, according to officials. It will be the first leg of future boardwalks designed to link sections of the preserve for better wildlife viewing.

It is being built of fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene grating rather than wood, which will make it stronger and less likely to be damaged by future storms. Because it is not buoyant, waves will crash through it and not lift it. At 7 feet above the surface, the new boardwalk is 2 feet higher than the previous structure."

www.ccbiznews.com/news/new-boardwalk-underway-at-port-ara...

This evening, I have flooded my photostream, (yet again) with another 22 images taken on 22 March, Day 4 of our 13-day trip to South Texas, 19-31 March 2019. I don't seem to have all that many photos from that day - thought I took a lot more than I did at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Centre, at the Port Aransas Nature Reserve, South Texas.

Day 4, 22 March 2019, was a day of birding and also driving from Rockport, where we had stayed for three nights, to Kingsville. Most of these 22 photos were taken at the Port Aransas Nature Preserve. When we arrived at that location, we discovered that only a small area near the beach was open to the public, as other parts had been closed because of damage from Hurricane Harvey in 2017. We had a short walk there, enjoying seeing a tiny - and fast! - Sedge Wren. We also all took photos of a white caterpillar, only to discover when we got back to Calgary, that in fact it was not a caterpillar after all, but two white moths mating : )

Shortly after leaving that area, we stopped to take a quick shot or two of a Loggerhead Shrike, perched high up on a wire. I have seen a Loggerhead Shrike before, here in Alberta, but I had never seen one this close.

After we left this area, we stopped at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, on the edge of the Port Aransas Nature Reserve. We really enjoyed this birding centre and their new boardwalk and tower. Lots of birds; even a huge Alligator.