Bird in flight

Today we left Fredericksburg and moved on to the coast - to North Padre Island. This was about a three and a half hour drive, so we arrived mid to late afternoon. Between San Antonio and Corpus Christi it is a pretty uninspiring drive as it is across the flat as a pancake coastal plain.

Padre Island is the worlds longest barrier island. It is about 130 miles long, stretching from the city of Corpus Christi, in the north, to the resort community of South Padre Island in the south. Since 1964, the island has been divided by the artificial Port Mansfield Channel, and as a result, the terms "North Padre Island" and "South Padre Island" are often used to refer to the separate portions of the island. Most of the island is in the hands of Padre Island National Seashore, forming the longest section of undeveloped barrier island in the world. The island is a great spot for bird watching, being an important stopover for many species of migratory birds because it lies on one of the main migration routes between North and Central America; the Central Flyway. Many species of central and eastern North America find their way to their wintering grounds by flying to the Gulf coast , then following the shoreline south. In addition, many birds that migrate directly across the Gulf often become exhausted and come here to rest and feed before continuing their journey.

After checking in at our hotel, we went to the National Park Visitor Center, then went walking on the beach, taking photographs of the birds. I believe this one is a royal tern.

In the evening we found a great seafood restaurant at the foot of the bridge linking the island to the mainland, and we sat and watched the sun set over the water.