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| NPS photo | | A Black skimmer scoops its prey into its bill. |
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Because of the island's location on the central flyway, a major migratory route, about 380 species of birds have been documented within the National Seashore. This is approximately 45% of all bird species documented in North America.
In 1998, the American Bird Conservancy designated Padre Island NS as a "Globally Important Bird Area" in its United States Important Bird Areas program, citing the park for providing, "important habitat for globally significant numbers of Brown Pelicans, Redheads (5% of the world's population), Least Terns (8% of the North American population), Piping Plovers (10% of the world's population), Reddish Egrets (7% of the biogeographic population) and Peregrine Falcons (7% of the North American population)." In 2007, The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network further designated Padre Island National Seashore as a member of the existing binational Laguna Madre Site of International Importance to shorebirds. Also, from 2003 to 2008, Corpus Christi,Texas has earned the title of the Birdiest City in America. The nation‐wide contest, coordinated by the San Diego Audubon Society each year determines the best city for birding after hundreds of avid birders from around the country count the number of species seen from April 1–May 31.
The following locations are great places for birdwatching. This is only a partial list, for a complete list please visit the Audubon Outdoor Club website.
Hans Suter Wildlife Area
Thousands of ducks and shorebirds spend the winter here from October through March. Commonly seen are gadwall, northern shovelers, green-and-blue winged teal, roseate spoonbills, white pelicans, black skimmers, gulls, great egrets, great blue herons, and many others. From the national seashore, take Park Road 22 to South Padre Island Drive (Highway 358) into Corpus Christi and exit to the right onto Ennis Joslin Road. Turn right at the gas station and follow the road through the residential area. Hans Suter will be on the right-hand side at the intersection of Nile and Ennis Joslin. From the parking lot, follow the sidewalk to the left out onto the boardwalk.
Leona Belle Turnbull Birding Center
A long boardwalk into a shallow marsh with observation towers and spotting scopes makes this an ideal birding location. Commonly seen are cormorants, green-and-blue winged teal, moorhens, northern shovelers, pied-billed grebes, least bitterns, snowy egrets, tircolored herons, green herons, and many other species. A small display garden and large trees at the beginning of the walk make for an ideal location for neotropical migrants in both the fall and spring. Large trees are often covered in orioles, tanagers, warblers, and redstarts during fallouts after strong northerly fronts have passed through the area. From the national seashore, follow Park Road 22 north and turn right at the second stoplight onto highway 361. Follow Highway 361 to the first stoplight in Port Aransas and turn left onto Ferry Road. On the left approximately one-fourth of a mile down will be a small brown sign showing the way to the birding center. Follow the road back approximately one-half of a mile to the water treatment plant. The parking lot for the center is on the right.
Paradise Pond and Port Aransas Mudflats
Paradise Pond is located close to the birding center in Port Aransas and this is a hotspot for warblers and other passerines during spring migration. It is also an excellent location to view nesting great blue herons and black-crowned night herons. Frequently seen are both the northern and Louisiana waterthrushes. From the birding center, go back out to Ferry Road and turn left toward the ferry terminal. Continue on the road toward the ferry until you see a local Mexican restuarant on the left. Pull into the parking lot, and you will see a small sign for Paradise Pond behind the restaurant. Follow the walkway to a boardwalk surrounded by trees.
Port Aransas Mudflats are located across from the post office on highway 361 just south of town. This area provides an excellent opportunity to view shorebirds up close. Frequently seen during spring migration are pectoral and stilt sandpipers, the white morph of the reddish egret, roseate spoonbills, wilson’s phalaropes and greater and lesser yellowlegs.
Blucher Park and Hazel Bazemore Park
Blucher Park is located in downtown Corpus Christi on Carrizo Street behind the central library. This is a hotspot for passerines and hummingbirds. A large blueberry tree in the middle of the park attracts orioles, grosbeaks and tanagers. From the national seashore, take Park Road 22 until it becomes highway 358. Follow highway 358 and turn right onto Ennis Joslin and follow until it becomes Ocean Drive. Go a few miles along Ocean Drive to the downtown area. You will pass the Holiday Inn on your right. Then go less than a mile and turn left onto Williams, which will go uphill, and become Lipan. Follow Lipan to Carrizo, and turn left. Travel a short distance to the intersection of Carrizo and Tancahua. The park is located behind the library.
Hazel Bazemore Park is located off farm road 624, (FM 624), on the Nueces river north of Corpus Christi. This park is well known for the annual hawk watch from September to November when hundreds of thousands of hawks can be seen forming “kettles” over the park and surrounding areas on their way south. Other species you might encounter include groove-billed ani, curve-billed thrashers, green jays, carolina wrens, and a variety of ducks. Take Park Road 22 until it becomes highway 358 and follow it north to I-37. Go north to Robstown and take US 77 a short distance to FM 624. Follow 624 west and look for the entrance on the right.
Packery Channel County Park and Indian Point Park
Packery Channel County Park is located at the east end of the JFK causeway off of Park Road 22. This park is an excellent area to view shorebirds and long-legged waders. Next to it is the Packery Area Housing Development, which has become well known for several sightings of rare birds over the years. Birds sighted here include the swallow-tailed kite, gray kingbird, and hooded oriole. To reach this park from the national seashore, take Park Road 22 toward the JFK causeway and the park will be on the right-hand side approximately one half mile before the bridge.
Indian Point Park is a fishing pier and small bait shop surrounded by a large marsh. There are two raised boardwalks extending over 1,000 feet into the wetlands. A variety of terns, egrets, herons, gulls, pelicans, roseate spoonbills, and oystercatchers can be found feeding in the wetlands. To get there from the national seashore, stay on Park Road 22 and it will become highway 358. From highway 358, take the Crosstown expressway to I-37 south. Follow I-37 to US 181 to Portland. Cross the bay bridge, then the causeway, and take the first right to the park.
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