Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Black Bellied Whistling Ducks'website
Why do the ducks cross the road Because they were too lazy to fly
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Alligator showing his Teeth' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
May 8, 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Riding down the road.' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
The sky was beautiful and it is peaceful on the reserve. January 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Sunset' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
Looking out over the bay at sunset.
January 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Flying in Formation' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
Flying in formation and a whole lot of honking going on too January 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Stretching his wings' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
This bird was busy stretching and cleaning his wings. January 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Aligator' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
Odd colored aligator. January 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Curious Cow' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
This cow ...just kept staring. January 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Aligator sunning' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
I was walking by and saw this gator. So I decided to take a picture about the same time that he saw me and lifted his head. This bad boy eyed me like I was lunch
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'No one at the helm' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Waiting for Dinner' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
A Gator, patiently waiting for dinner to walk by...
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Fat Boy' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
Alligator May 8, 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Wading Bird' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
May 8, 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Butterfly 2' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
May 8, 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'East Unit Turtle' © Copyright by Pat Butaud
May 8, 2010
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Great Blue Heron' © cRobbie Morehead 2010
Great Blue Heron taking a break at Frozen Point-11/24/10
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Snowy Egret' © cRobbie Morehead 2010
Snowy Egret taking a high vantage point on the canal bank beside Frozen Point Road-11/28/10
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Red Tailed Hawk' © cRobbie Morehead 2010
I caught this large Red Tailed Hawk at Dusk in the Salt Cedars-11/28/10
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Snow Goose' © cRobbie Morehead 2010
A large flock of geese came in right on top of me while I was taking pictures from Frozen Pt Road, heres a Snow Goose inbound for the Deep Marsh to roost-11/24/10
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'White Tailed Kite' © cRobbie Morehead 2010
At first I thought this was an Owl but a closer look reveals this is a White Tailed Kite stalking prey at dusk-11/28/10
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge
'Juvenile White Ibis' © cRobbie Morehead 2010
This Juvenile White Ibis is wading in a canal on Frozen Pt Road, still mostly brown but will be white by the Spring. 11/28/10
The chorus of thousands of waterfowl, the splash of an alligator going for a swim, the rustle of wind moving through coastal prairie, the high-pitched call of a fulvous whistling duck are just some of the sound you may hear when visiting Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. This 34,000-acre haven for wildlife is located on the upper Texas gulf coast.
The meandering bayous of Anahuac NWR cut through ancient floodplains creating expanses of coastal marsh and prairie bordering Galveston Bay. Prevailing breezes bring in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, resulting in high humidity and an average annual rainfall of over 51 inches. Coastal marshes act as a huge sponge, holding and siphoning water from tropical storm tides and upstream flooding. These marshes, combined with the coastal prairie, provide a home for an abundance of wildlife, from migratory birds to alligators.
Anahuac NWR is an important link in the chain of national wildlife refuges extending along the gulf coast of Texas and Louisiana. The goal of refuge management is to provide habitat for native fish and wildlife. Roseate spoonbill, great egrets, snowy egrets, white-faced ibis, and white ibis are just some of the long-legged waterbirds that can be seen on ponds, rice fields, and moist soil units throughout the refuge. Listen and look closely on Yellow Rail Prairie for the secretive yellow rails that winter in the salty prairies.
During spring and fall migrations, warblers, and other songbirds can be seen or heard on walks in small wooded areas throughout Anahuac NWR. The willows near Shoveler Pond, the salt cedar hedgerow north of Teal Slough, and the narrow hackberry woodland along East Bay Bayou offer some of the best birding opportunities in the area.
Anahuac NWR shores its name with the town of Anahuac. The name is an Aztec wor (watery plain) but the area had no connection with te Aztecs, or any other distant peoples. Anahuac was part of the territory of the Atakapa and Akokisa Indians, a small and scattered population of nomadic people who resided here for century, and fished, hunted, and gathered every available plant and animal resource that hte region could offer. Their middens of discarded shell fish and their campsites dot the landscap4e, but ther were no permanent settlements here.
The main road leading to the Willows area and Shoveler Pond was under construction and not usable. The Skillern Tract area was okay, lots of Black-bellied whistling-ducks, Fulvous Whistling-ducks and a small flock of Greater White-fronted geese. Will try the park on another day when the road construction is done.
A great place to see migratory birds, usually during fall. If you go in the summer, you will be sure to see some gators. Great place to go to relax for hectic Houston
We went on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010. What a peaceful juxtaposition to its big, dirty, neighbor, Houston.
We saw several gators, a huge flock of geese and signs of bobcat. Worth the day trip.
A full review here on our personal blog: http://innocentbystander.us/index.php?p=2_9
