By Brandt Mannchen
I needed to get away, find some space, and enjoy Nature. My buddy David said he’d like to join me, so there we were on the 610 South Loop, SH 288, FM 2004, FM 2611, FM 2918, and now CR 306 (in Brazoria County) heading for San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge (SBNWR). We had crossed the Brazos and San Bernard Rivers, and it had threatened to rain, but now was sunny and clear. You know, wait a minute and the weather will change.
We first saw Black and Turkey Vultures and several hawks we couldn’t identify. Then in the distance, a White-tailed Deer was seen feeding in the open. Over the day we saw a dozen deer, more than Id’ ever seen in SBNWR. I guess they felt comfortable browsing in their wildlife home.
Then two Cattle Egrets caught our eyes as we spooked them and they flew. One had grabbed a ribbon snake and proceeded to eat it for breakfast. It’s tough being a snake. What a way to go! Oh well, each to their own I thought as we passed this local bird with African origins.
It was comforting to see Coreopsis, Brown-eyed Susans, Wild Petunias, Sensitive Briars, Mexican Hats, Loosestrifes, Mexican Primroses, Bee Balms, Texas Dandelions, Night Shades, Dayflowers, Knot-root Bristle Grass, Turk’s Caps, and other plants blooming to welcome us back.
Throughout the day I marveled at the profusion of pink Salt Marsh Mallows and white Woolly Rose-Mallow Hibiscus that grew in wet places throughout the Refuge. Swallowtail and sulfur butterflies glided from flower to flower as we drove along.
Before too long, after we had turned onto the entrance road to SBNWR, we stopped. David had seen something in the road. We got out and were delighted to see a young Water Moccasin soaking up the heat from the road.
A car pulled in behind us, and a fellow birder, from Austin, came to see the snake and take photos. After encouraging our short, thick, friend to crawl off the road we proceeded to Bobcat Woods and Wolfweed Wetlands.
As I feared, mosquitoes tried to swarm us as we walked along Cocklebur Slough under Columbia Bottomlands canopy. We kept moving and stopped at the observation platform at Wolfweed Wetlands. However, we had friends in low places! Small, black dragonflies flew in squadrons and fed on mosquitoes. Hurrah for our dragonflies!
Except for some water that was draining into low places from a culvert, Wolfweed Wetlands had no water but was damp. Several Black-bellied Whistling Ducks flew away and vultures circled overhead.
We then drove on the auto tour that led to Moccasin Pond. We began seeing, in an area, dead fish. We didn’t know why they were there, but it worried me. Farther on, American Alligators started appearing. Some looked like logs floating in the water or on the shoreline and some cruising, were probably looking for lunch.
Since it had just rained, Moccasin Pond was full, something that I hadn’t seen often. During the Winter, when I usually come by myself or take a Sierra Club group, the water levels are much lower. The numbers and kinds of birds were very sparse.
We saw Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Black-necked Stilt, American Coot, Common Gallinule, Least Tern, Red-winged Blackbird, Neotropic Cormorant, and Boat-tailed Grackle. That was about all we saw around or near the Pond.
Later we saw Crested Caracara, Osprey, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Brown-headed Cowbird, Barn Swallow, and Mourning Dove. A small number of species. However, the peace, quiet, and solitude were great balms for me. I felt comfortable, relaxed, safe, and protected. That’s what Nature and SBNWR do for me. I’m glad they’re here and look forward to seeing them again soon.