The Gulf Coast

We made a few stops on our way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Davis Mountain State Park is in a geologically fascinating volcanic area. The park is a good birding site and also has some trails that are a good length for a half day hike. We did a driving tour through the towns of Marfa and Alpine. Marfa has many restored art deco buildings. Peaky hills of rhyolitic composition revealed lots of cool volcanic structures along the route from Marfa through Alpine and back to Davis Mountain.

Davis Mountain State Park

The local javelinas have no fear of dogs, so we had to keep the dogs on a short leash

Lots of these Yuccas grow in northern Texas

They really do say y'all in Texas

Weirdly weathered 'hobgoblins' of volcanic rock around Davis Mountain State Park

South Llano River State Park is the location of a nesting area for wild turkeys. We stayed there one night and did manage to get a brief look at one turkey.

Sunset at South Llano River

On our way through San Antonio we had a bit of car trouble, which the local Mercedes dealer was able to partially resolve, but which took up a few hours of our travel time, so we stayed one night in Goliad State Park, the site of an old Mission church. It was a pleasant park with a small river running through. We saw an owl and a unidentified furry creature. We think the furry creature was an opossum or a racoon.

The Mission Church at Goliad State Park

We reached the coast at Rockport, near the Aransas National Wildlife Preserve where the Whooping Cranes go for the winter. We stayed in that area for about a week. There were whooping cranes in the fields between our RV park and the ocean. We went almost every day to see them. We saw a group of about 10 the first day, and on the following days we saw some pairs, individuals and a family group and were able to view them from about 300 metres away.

A family of Whooping Cranes

Flowering Yucca

This little armadillo was very busy looking for food in the wildlife preserve right beside a boardwalk trail

We spent a couple of nights camping right on the beach at Goose Island State Park near Rockport.

The oyster shell beach at Goose Island wasn't good for swimming.  The water was about 18 degrees but the oyster shells are to sharp for your feet.

Breakfast at our campsite

A couple of these Crested Caracara hung around the campground.  They are about the size of the vultures.

Scissor-tail flycatcher near Rockport

We stayed on the coast for a couple of weeks, working our way down to Mustang Island State Park on North Padre Island near Corpus Christi and then to Atascosa Wildlife Preserve and South Padre Island near Brownsville. We had some beach days to get our fill of sun and sand. On the mainland we enjoyed going to the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail locations.

On the sand beach at Mustang Island State Park

Pelicans flying over the picnic area at Mustang Island State Park

The sand dune at Mustang Island beach