The Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) was established in 1937. Roads, picnic tables, drainage improvements, and other infrastructure was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps from 1937-1942.
The ANWR is not the easiest place to get to, but it is famous for hosting the wintering population of the last wild flock of critically endangered Whooping Cranes, who return here annually and stay for several months.
Birders from all over the world descend on this wildlife refuge every year, but especially during the fall and spring migration months because it's (1) probably their only chance to see Whooping Cranes in the wild AND (2) because the Texas Gulf Coast and Rio Grande Valley are on the fly-way for migrating birds from South America and North America. If you want to fill out your life list of birds, the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in the Coastal Bend of Texas is where you want to be.
The day Blasterz visited, 09 Apr 2022, some Whooping Cranes were still in residence, but most had already left to go north. Those Whooping Cranes who were still here were way out on little islands in San Antonio Bay, and could only be seen by chartering a boat.
Nevertheless, there are still plenty of creatures to see and hear at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The ANWR is excellent gator habitat. We saw Big George, the American Alligator who hangs out behind the visitor center. Other gators along the Railway Trail, at the Jones Lake and the Alligator Viewing Area, the gators were hidden up in the brush and invisible, although we could see their slides where they went into the water, and some gator tracks in the mud.
We saw at least a half-dozen species of frogs, from dinner plate sized bullfrogs to tiny tree frogs hanging out on cattail leaves. Leopard frogs, green frogs, all kinds of frogs are everywhere - if you don't see a frog here it's because you're not trying - we promise that they saw you!
Kemps Ridley Sea Turtles are in the waters surrounding the refuge, but they are very hard to see, and we did not see any on this trip. They are easier to spot from one of the many boat charters that operate from nearby Rockport Harbor during Whooping Crane nesting season,
We heard a lot more birds than we actually saw because part of the ANWR is dense Live Oak forests, which is a perfect habitat for small warblers and brightly colored birds. We saw a scarlet Tanager but we heard the Yellow Warblers the Black-Capped Vireo as well as the songs of other birds we didn't recognize.
Of course common Texas birds are all here as well: Cardinals, White Wing and other species of doves, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmice, Blue and Green Jays -- we enjoyed our picnic in the area near the bird habitat listing to all the little cheeps of the warblers that we don't get to see or hear in North Texas.
Being on the coast, the ANWR has a wide variety of seabirds in residence. We saw Ibis, Blue Herons, Sanderlings, White Egrets, Roseate Spoonbills, Brown Pelicans, White Pelicans, Sandpipers, Curlews - there are 93 species of birds or nest here, and 210 species of birds who fly through here on winter or spring migrations. See: (
visit link)
We highly recommend taking the long zigzagged sloping ramp up to the new 40' or 20' observation decks. The observation decks overlook the Whooping Crane habitat and is fully wheelchair accessible. Once at the top you are rewarded with a panoramic view of the usual winter Whooping Crane habitat along with a view of San Antonio Bay and Mustang Lake. It's also fun to see Red-Tailed Hawks and Caracaras swooping by at eye level.
Fishing piers, kayak boat launch sites, hiking trails, bike paths, picnic areas and wildlife watching sites are all available year-round.