This morning we decided to visit the Boca Chica Unit of the Las Palomas Wildlife Management Area, which we found on a Triple-A map of Texas. According to the map, we should go west on 100, southwest on 48, and then on the outskirts of Brownsville, go south on 511 and then turn east on 4, which is also Boca Chica Boulevard.

Of course we stopped to look at birds. I have a hard time even seeing birds in the wild, so I don’t have many photos. Here is one of a Harris’ Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus):

Southeast Texas is very dry, but aren’t these cactus flowers luscious?

We encountered a Border Patrol roadblock on our way to the coast and on the way back, but we saw very little traffic on Highway 4. Although the map showed our destination as “Boca Chica State Park” and “Brazos Island State Park”, we didn’t find any state park structures. So after a few hours of birding, we headed back.

The day was warm and sunny, so back at the condo, we changed into swimsuits and went out to the beach. Yes, I immersed myself in the water, which was chilly but bracing. I didn’t stay in very long and then warmed up in the hot tub afterward.

Since I’m an island girl and love the ocean, here’s another photo of waves:

Late in the afternoon, we headed for the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center, at 6801 Padre Boulevard near the Convention Center, which is the most recently opened of the Texas World Birding Centers. My sister and I marveled at the 4,800 linear feet of boardwalk and blinds that they built.

Our first wildlife sighting was their resident alligator and an egret next to him:

We saw some large fish; I haven’t a clue as to what species these are:

The boardwalk takes visitors on a loop through glasswort and saltwort flats, black mangroves, mudflats, salt marsh and cordgrass, cattail marshes, and through both saltwater and freshwater habitats.  Seven blinds enable visitors to observe the myriad species of birds, in this area, mostly shorebirds, wetland birds, waterfowl, and some migrating songbirds.

I snapped this photo of a Great Egret (Ardea alba)

and one of a Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias), which are common in Massachusetts:

On our way back to the condo, we saw that the sun was about to set, so we pulled off the boulevard to watch:

At 5:45, the sun sank below the horizon.