September and back to Anahuac NWR

After a short visit to Midland and Livingston, we landed at Anahuac NWR on September 11. We arrived in a terrific rainstorm, luckily the rain eased up so we good get hooked up to water and electric.

Wonderful to be back to the marsh with flat land and unlimited horizons.

Skillern Tract is a shore bird paradise with the rice field flooded right next to the road.

Pectoral Sandpiper was just one of the joys. 

Jackson Woodlot held Baltimore Oriole

and Eastern Kingbird. 

I took a break from birding to "bake" a pecan pie in my crockpot. 

Diet starts as soon as the pie is gone. 

First lap around Shoveler Pond  led to a family of Fulvous Whistling Duck

quivering wings said "it's too hot"

Another technicolor sunset, 

with myriads of herons and egrets heading for the rookery at Skillern

Another night and another impressionistic sunset.

First trip to Bolivar and a must stop it High Island rest stop. No birds...

but I can't resist Day Flower

aka Widow's Tears. 

Sensitive Briar is so delicate. 

Immature Snowy Egret with just a hint of yellow feet. 

Great Blue Heron

Black bellied Plover still in breeding plumage, a rare treat

Least Tern

Highway 87 used to run from the ferry landing to Port Arthur, but a flurry of hurricanes have rendered a pile of asphalt rubble

There is discussion of rebuilding to protect the McFadden Marsh that protects Port Arthur and Beaumont from storm surge.