Along the salt flats and the marshes of Aransas,
Mesquite and San Antonio bays of the Texas
Gulf coast wildlife abounds; deer, wild turkey,
javelina and some 400 species of waterfowl
and song birds are to be seen. Many of the
birds are to be found only in this region, others
are migrants and accidentals.

Here the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge,
established in 1937, spreads over more than
47,000 acres on Blackjack peninsula. The area
is administered by the Bureau of Sports Fisheries
and Wildlife, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in
the Deparment of the Interior. The refuge pro-
vides the winter home for the world’s only flock
of whooping cranes, one of the largest and
rarest of North American birds,

The area consists of bays, tidal flats, salt mar-
shes and sandy higher ground broken by long,
narrow ponds or swales. Most of the soil is
deep sand, covered by running liveoak and
sweetbay brush. Numerous small groves of
stunted (ming) liveoak and blackjack oak lean
permanently away from the Gulf winds along
the lower ridges. Lakes and ponds dot the area
impounding the rainfall.

The largest list of birds ever tallied in the United
States in one day was made in this area — 204
species. At any time during the year impressive
checklists can be made. During the fall Canada
geese sometimes number 35,000 at the refuge.
Pintails; mallards and teal in mixed flocks have
reached a known figure of 120,000.

Sandhill cranes winter here in numbers. The
caracara is a permanent resident, white-tailed
hawks are conspicuous nesting birds ahd. wild
turkeys are to be seen during alt seasons. Dur-
ing the spring and early summer, the colorful
rosate spoonbill feeds along the bayshores and
bayous in mixed groups of white ibises, egrets,
herons and black-necked stilts.

The nearly extinct whooping cranes commute
some 2500 miles between their summer home
in Canada and this winter resort in Texas. Their
only known nesting ground lies in Wood Buffalo
National Park, an 11 .million acre wilderness
only 400 miles from the Arctic Circle.

 

 

The Sea Gun Resort Hotel, member of the Nation-
al Audubon Society and Texas’ only true resort is
located in this fabulous area and offers com-
plete service for the birder and naturalist, includ-
ing facilities for conventions and field expedi-
tions. Official regional] checklists are available.

From its marina, regular trips are scheduled into
the sanctuaries aboard the motor vessel ‘‘Whoop-
ing Crane.’ Every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday
and Sunday (while the whooping cranes are on
the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, usually
October 20th through April 10th), this sixty-five
foot, diesel powered vessel embarks at 1:30 P.M.
fora 3 to 4 hour run across Aransas bay, past
Bludworth Island to the remote areas frequent-
ed by the many species.

Write, wire or phone for reservations

 

SEA GUN RESORT HOTEL

Texas’ only true resort
Nine miles north of Rockport, Texas on Highway 35

Route 1, Box 85, Rockport, Texas 78382
Area Code 512 - 729-2341

 

year around

IRDING
RADISE

    

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"On the fabulous
Aransas and Copano bays