Port Isabel and South Padre

Port Isabel is the last mainland stop before crossing the causeway and bridge across the mouth of the Laguna Madre on the way to South Padre Island. I drove to the home of Scarlet Colley, with passengers Sue, Steve, and Lorna. We transferred our gear into Scarlet's van and she drove us to her boat mooring where we boarded the pontoon boat. The first bird of interest for us was the Mangrove Warbler. On the way out to the mangrove islands we were greeted by dolphins, not an everyday experience. Unless you are Scarlet. We did eventually find the warbler, unfortunately I didn't try to get any photos. It was just too quick and skulky. After watching the warbler for a while we motored and drifted along the shores of islands and sandbars enjoying the birds and the beautiful day. Here's a few of the pictures. 

Brown Pelicans

Chaos! White Pelicans and Cormorants going airborne. 

White Pelicans and Neo-Tropical Cormorants - possibly Double-crested Cormorants.

American Oystercatcher

Black Mangroves and oysters

Laughing Gull and Brown Pelicans. The olive pouches are East Coast race, red pouch - West Coast . The dull pouches are non-breeding birds.

Pelican, Laughing Gull, Willet

White Ibis

Marbled Godwit, sleeping Redhead ducks

By the time we disembarked it was about noon so we drove over to South Padre and ate at Padre Island Brewing. After we ate we walked the boardwalks of the Convention Center. There were a few shore birds, but not anything really unusual, so I drove up the road to find an access road to the beach. We wasted away the rest of the beautiful day on the beach. Steve and I sat on the tailgate drinking coffee and talking smart, the ladies got their feet wet and we all got sand in our sandals.

Back home Bill and Kathy greeted us at about 7:30 and they came over to help us drink cheap red wine and put the day in perspective. It was a good day.  

Sue and Lorna feeling the sand between their toes at high tide.