While Steve was busy ticking items off his long list of winter maintenance for Betsy, I continued to “terrorize the local birds”, as he likes to describe it. When your home base is at Riviera, Texas, fishing and birding are pretty much the order of the day. If those activities aren’t your cup of tea, you might as well just drive on.
We stopped here as a mid-way point between Corpus Cristi and Mission, and Steve wanted to finish his maintenance work on the sunny days that were forecast during our stay. Except for our excursion to King Ranch we didn’t do much on most days, and simply enjoyed the nice weather.
This area of southern Texas can be described as flatland covered with dense thorny vegetation, and live oak woodlands mixed with brush and grassland. Prickly Pear cactus and Honey Mesquite trees thrive here. The wide open space made me feel like we were in the middle of nowhere, and because there isn’t a lot of rain here it was the first spot we stayed this year that was actually a bit arid and desert-like.
Although there were no hiking/biking trails here, we had access to several quiet county roads where we could ride or walk and rarely see a car.
Our home base was at SeaWind RV Resort (Steve’s review here), located 22 miles southeast of Kingsville on Baffin Bay. Locals claim this is the best area for trout fishing anywhere along the Gulf Coast, and since fishing is the main activity here the county park next door has overflow parking for boats and extra vehicles. If you like to fish, this is a spot you should consider when in the area.
Once Steve began his work and my presence wasn’t needed (OK, my presence wasn’t wanted!), I did some serious bird watching and gave my camera a good workout. Many birds came to us – or specifically to a tree near us – and Steve laughed as I converted Betsy into a bird blind.
Being close to birds always makes me happy, and watching them jockey for a spot on the feeder was great entertainment. It definitely lowered my blood pressure and made me smile.
Bird life in this area is quite unique, with many species that aren’t commonly found anywhere else in the U.S. I was lucky that I didn’t have to walk or drive far to get my “bird fix”. As long as I kept the feeder full these little Texans were happy to hang out in a big tree right outside our window.
We also watched the water birds at the pond inside the park:
If I got bored with birds in the trees, I could go to the beach and watch the waterfowl. I saw an Egret that appeared to be losing its mind, running around in circles and apparently chasing fish. I knew that was odd behavior for Great Egrets or Snowy Egrets, but as I got closer I realized it was actually a white morph Reddish Egret! Their hunting technique differs from the others, who just kind of walk along until dinner crosses their path.
As fishing is the main event here, these avid fishermen were on the pier from dawn to dusk every day.
Our stop at Riviera, Texas is not for everyone – unless you are a birder or a fisherman. But not a bad place to just hang out and enjoy the sunshine, either!
Comments
37 responses to “A Glimpse of South Texas – Riviera, TX”
Great photos… the colors of the birds are striking but your knowledge of birds is just as striking! Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us.
I need your help with these southwest birds. They lack in color but their songs are magnificent!
Thank you Nancy. I am learning as I a go. My interest in birds actually began in Patagonia AZ. I still have lots to learn.
Great bird shots as always 🙂 as for the javelinas….you may not really want to meet up with them…just sayin 🙂 Been there, done that!
Ha ha , Judy, We’ve actually met a group of Javelinas two years ago at Lake Havasu. And your right, not exactly a cute animal to watch.
You are on your elements. Someone call the fire station because someone here is on fire! with her bird photographs. 🙂
Thank you Rommel
I love your green jay photos…beautiful. As I was reading your explanation of the egret running in circles, I thought that it sounded more like a reddish egret. I have not seen one so light in color before…excellent captures MonaLiza. 🙂
The green jays are just beautiful and they are all over the park, just love it. About the reddish egret,both Steve and I stopped for a long time observing it and we thought it was really odd, then after research we learned it was a reddish egret!
I love the Green jays! A few years ago I pointed to Green jays in the Audubon bird book and said to Eric, “I want to see those!” And so we went to Mission, Texas to find them. That is so cool that you saw a white morph Reddish egret — I didn’t know they existed! Their dance is definitely unique. Your photos are wonderful, ML. You’re doing a great job of “terrorizing” the birds. 🙂
Thanks Luarel, and the terrorizing continues as we are now at Bentzen Palms RV resort. And oh there are so many birding centers! Wished you and Eric are here so we can bird to our hearts content.
Beautiful photos of the birds MonaLisa! I would love to talk Joe into a visit to southern Texas…we will see!
The Green Jay is quite a beauty…
Gay, swing by Bentsen Palm RV Park in Mission, TX for a few days and you will have a fill of birds nowhere else seen but here. There are nine birding centers around the area.
Oh…forgot to mention how totally cool your header photo is!! Love all the color. That green jay is so cute with that little treat:)
Loved the photo of you in your MH blind!!! Too cute:) Your photos are wonderful!!
I guess we won’t be visiting Riviera, TX any time soon but so glad you were able to do lots of bird watching and Steve was able to keep Betsy in tip top shape:)
Thank you Pam, I have to entertain myself for there was nothing else to do. And yes this is not your stop, without any trails or rock formations to explore, just don’t bother.
Lovely birds, love the photo of the green jay eating a snack.
Thanks Brenda these birds are lovely indeed!
I like your use of the motorhome as a bird blind. I do the same thing! LOL. Right now we see mostly cardinals, house finches, sparrows, doves and pigeons.
I have to make use of Betsy other than our home 🙂 and it worked perfectly.
What a beautiful place! Those birds are sooo pretty!
Your bird pictures are just fabulous Mona Liza. The colors are fantastic. LOL at your camo outfit. Nicely done. The green jays will think you are their big sister. I think I need a list of Steve’s maintenance chores so I’m sure we are covering them all. I’d be thrilled to go birding with you while David did all the necessary maintenance.
Thank you Sherry.One day when our paths crossed we should go birding along with Eric and Laurel.
Fabulous bird shots! Lots of variety that I have not seen before, thanks fora taking me there!
You have such a cute way of phrasing things…. “terrorize the local birds”…. hehe
My goodness…looking at your photos makes me think I am looking at National Geographic. Fantastic!
Ha ha ha, I have to make it more interesting 🙂 And thank you I try my darn best to capture good bird photo to share.
Such exotic birds! Wonderful photos of birds that are new to me. Are all of the feeders hanging in that tree yours?! We are a little tight on space with a 32 foot RV and John gave me a small spot for a hummer feeder and a seed tube in the storage area. A suet feeder would be nice to carry for the woodpeckers.
No Holly, those are our neighbors and most of the sites here put up their own bird feeders. There are just plenty of beautiful birds here. Oh yeah Steve also specified what kind of bird feeder we can carry.
I would really enjoy those birds, Mona. You got some real beauties. 🙂 No, you don’t stand out at all in that lime green jacket. 😆 Love the peaceful bench photo.
Ha ha, my camo jacket did matched with the Green Jays. so many lovely birds here.
Thanks so much for the bird pictures — it’s below freezing up here in Virginia and seeing them reminds me Spring will return!
Glad that my bird photos make you feel spring is just around the corner.
Amazing pictures, I did not knew you were an expert in Birds apart from your IT talents.
Mahesh, I am learning a lot as I go both in capturing them and learning about them.
Beautiful photos Mona Lisa. And I’m most impressed with your birding knowledge!
Thank you Carol, I try my earnest to widen my bird knowledge or else it will crap me out 🙂
My folks stayed at that RV Park a couple of seasons before discovering they preferred Mustang Island. Ah, you finally found your Reddish Egret. I can feel your excitement. I see you chose to dress like a Green Jay to blend in…. good camo cover LOL
Ha ha ha, to find those Green Jay I have to dress up like them!. Yup, only birders and fishermen will enjoy the park.