By Brandt Mannchen

On Saturday, September 10, 2022, the Houston Sierra Club visited Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge (BNWR) to bird and enjoy this wetland and coastal prairie wonderland.  The over 44,000-acre BNWR is in southeastern Brazoria County and ten of us looked for wading birds, songbirds, shorebirds, raptors, and other native wildlife.

We began by first looking at the pond, pavilion, and boardwalk behind the educational “Discovery Center”.  To our delight we immediately saw some Common Gallinules and a large American Alligator.  After we had focused our binoculars, it became evident that the “Mother” alligator had babies with it!  After the counting was done, we saw at least 23 alligators in the pond, and everyone took numerous photos to prove our luck.

We also saw a juvenile Little Blue Heron in white feathers which signified that it had not molted and become an adult.  Several of our participants were excited about all the photo opportunities that the Refuge provided as we drove the roads.

We drove down to the Salt Lake fishing area and saw not only fishers but Roseate Spoonbills (the pink feathers never fail to amaze), Laughing Gulls, Boat-tailed Grackles, Great Egrets, Snowy Egrets, and the ever present state bird of Texas, the Mocking Bird.

Then we drove on the Big Slough Auto Tour.  The Refuge has suffered from a severe drought which has dried up many ponds and left cracked, black, pond bottoms in its wake.  As we toured the Refuge, we found many Black-necked Stilts and Greater and Lesser Yellow Legs, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Long-billed Dowitcher, Killdeer, Semipalmated Plover, and other unidentified sandpipers (called “peeps”) at the partially filled ponds.

Turkey Vultures soared and drifted overhead and to our delight an Osprey winged its way over the mostly dry marsh.  What really excited me was seeing a magnificent Wood Stork circling overhead as it climbed higher and higher into a sunny, clear, blue sky.

When we got to the end of the auto tour, we found many birds feeding at Rogers Pond and enjoyed the beauty and swiftness of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher as it flitted around our party.

Later we saw Cliff Swallows darting over the marsh and a solitary White Ibis.  We ate at the pavilion and watched the alligators, gallinules, and honey bees that swarmed the pavilion roof.

We had a good time talking about what we saw, sharing photos with each other, and reading about the birds and blooming flowers that we had seen (Salt Marsh Mallow, Sea Ox-eye Daisy, False Foxglove, White Gaura, Turk’s Cap, and others).

It was a good day to be alive and several people mentioned that they needed to get outdoors again.  It’s healthier and gives your life meaning was the united consensus.

We departed the Refuge knowing we had been given so much and we were grateful for that.  Happy birding means happy people.  I like it like that!   

If you have questions or want further information, contact Brandt Mannchen at brandt_mannchen@comcast.net.

Photos by Brandt Mannchen.