Anahuac Wildlife Visitor Center at Turtle Bayou

This area of Texas near Anahuac is known as Turtle Bayou.

A new visitor center for the preserve was recently built.

Wild Verbena

Near this spot in 1832 a revolt took place known as the Anahuac Disturbances.

The U. S. colonists here were disgruntled with Mexico's customs duties

and a revolt began leading to the Texas Revolution against Mexico

and the formation of the Republic of Texas in 1836 

after winning its freedom from Mexico.

Wild White Honeysuckle

Shells are all along the cleared pathway.

Lots of lizards were out sunning themselves

on stems of plants

Very marshy area that reminds me of the 

swamps around Charleston.

Beautiful bald cypress trees beginning to burst

forth with their delicate leaves.

I love cypress trees... they are so interesting.

Wild Verbena is beginning to bloom

 a beautiful lavender color.

The back side of the Visitor Center. Aren't these clouds spectacular!

Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, Winnie, Texas

White-Faced Ibis (dark birds) and undetermined birds in forefront.

White-Faced Ibis

Northern Harrier

Willets

White Ibis

Loggerhead Shrike

Say's Phoebe

Say's Phoebe

 The wetlands are beautiful in this area of the refuge.

Brown Pelican (immature) and Cormorant (to right)

 As we were walking along we spotted this

Brown Pelican resting on the railing.

 The Pelican just sat there and posed for me.

It didn't seem to mind whether I was 

far away or getting rather close.

It just sat there and rested.

The Pelican picked a beautiful spot to relax.

American Coot swimming about the pond.

 This Cormorant was a striking figure

on the stark tree with gray sky as background.

 Usually a Grebe dives at the first sign of a human,

but this Pied-Billed Grebe just paddled around

making circles in the water.

Pelican in the distance... it finally took to water.

 The Great Blue Heron (above)

and the Great White Egret (below)

barely tolerated my presence.

They were searching for a meal and I just wanted

to take photographs of them.

 Great White Egret

On the way back home from our visit to Amelia Island

and Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, the G-man and I

spent the night in Winnie, Texas with plans to visit

the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge the following morning.

We didn't get out and about at the crack of dawn as most birders do

because we are just damn lazy!

Actually it was late when we rolled into Winnie

the night before, so we slept in and finally

got to the refuge around 9:30 AM.

There were not as many birds about as we have seen on other

of our winter visits. Actually, we were not able

to get to parts of the refuge because there was quite

a bit of roadwork being done.

I was quite happy to see that money is going into this refuge.

A visitor center is being built and roads are being repaired and paved.

This place is a real treasure and is a bit off the beaten path (so to speak).

It is about 15 to 20 miles off IH-10 from Winnie, Texas.

The area is a birder's paradise as there are many places

along the coast and inland to see migratory birds.

 High Island is the place for spring migration and is just a few miles from the refuge.

The "Birding High Island" website gives more information.

Winnie has many hotels to accommodate travelers & birders.

We may make a trip over there in the spring to see what's flying!