February, 2009, David & Nadine have left the Island

This is David & Nadine as they left us today. We truly had a great six weeks with them walking the beach, eating out and playing cards.....we look forward to seeing them again in Yellowstone this summer.....

February, 2009 Roseata Spoonbills

The birding center has a walk way built out over the marshes.....this little isle is usually covered with birds but not spoonbill....this day I was lucky enough to get this great picture of one that joined the other birds....Notice the "spoon"....the next pictures are all taken in less than a minute as they flew over, landed on this little isle and then flew off again......absolutely amazing.....hope you enjoy....notice the pelican in the last pictures flying with them.....

February, 2009 birds

This was the most beautiful site when these white pelicans came out of this little cove.....

These birds are white ibis and so much fun to watch

Again, the American coot.....just a pretty picture....

February, 2009 alligators

We went back to the Aransas National Refuge Center and saw these alligators....enlarge the picture and count them.....I can count at least 16.....

This is one of the two alligators in the "birding center".....the bottom two pictures were when we first saw him....two hours later we saw the back side of him and then two more hours later we saw the side view of him.....

February, 2009, friends

On the 10th, Kathy and Larry Mickey came back and spent one day with us.....it was great to see them and will see them soon again in Yellowstone....



David, Larry & Loyal on the beach

Loyal, Larry, Nadine and Kathy on the jetty.

On the 9th we met friends, Bob & Fran Hawley and Mel & Marianne Roepke for lunch. Fran and I are old classmates for Chanute, Kansas and they are friends with the Roepke's who happen to be our daughter-in-law Dawn's mom and step-dad......small world....

This is Mel & Marianne.....they also live in Topeka and spend every February and March in Rockport.

This is the house they rent for the two months. It is located on a canal and how beautiful it is....David, Nadine, Loyal and I spent an afternoon with them...this is what you find out their back deck~~~the boat belongs to the owners....darn....

February, 2009 Whooping Cranes

Thanks to"Joe", a nice man we met at the birding center,we saw this pair of beautiful Whooping Cranes much closer than the last post of them. Texas has gotten virtually no rain for several months the blue crab are not plentiful and that is the cranes favorite food. The cranes will eat grain and this pair have taken over a couple of deer feeders located on Highway 35 north of Rockport...We have made three trips there and saw them twice....definitely our treat.

Amazing wing span of up to 8 feet....

February, 2009 Dolphins

One of our favorite things to do is go to Robert"s Park or Charlie's Pasture, which are both located by the ferry crossing, and watch for the dolphins.....they love swimming and playing in the wake of the big ships.....one of the photos I caught three out of the water.....enlarge to find it.....