The lagoons and estuaries of the south Texas gulf coast offer up some of the best habitat in the country for sandpipers, plovers, egrets, herons, and other aquatic species. As summer comes to a close, thousands of shorebirds visit the mud flats and coastal marshes to feed and rest before continuing on to Central and South America.
Visit coastal sites like South Padre Island and Laguna Atascosa at this time of the year and you will be treated to a wealth of wading birds. Two of the most common species are Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers.
Black-bellied Plover.
Semipalmated Plover.
Like the plovers, the Short-billed Dowitcher also breeds in the arctic before making the long journey south.
Short-billed Dowitcher.
One of the more spectacular shorebird species is one that breeds much closer to Texas. This is the Long-billed Curlew, a bird that nests in the prairie habitats of the Dakotas and the west.
A Long-billed Curlew catches a small crab.
Of course, south Texas also has its own set of beautiful breeding waders.
A Snowy Egret stretches its wings.
The Least Bittern can be a tough bird to find in the dense, marsh grass.
A Black-necked Stilt and its reflection.
Lots of cute baby ducks can also be seen in wetlands at this time of the year.
Baby Whistling Ducks.
More baby ducks.
They have to watch out for another denizen of the coastal marshes, the American Alligator.
The eye of a Gator.
Alligator nest.
When you aren’t looking at birds, there are always plenty of butterflies to admire too!
Great Southern White Butterfly.