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San Bernard
National Wildlife Refuge
Coastal Marsh Wilderness
Gaze across the rippling
marshes and ponds of San Bernard National Wildlife Refuge and its
easy to imagine Texas as it was before settlement. Clouds of snow geese
in winter or a warbler fallout in spring further convince
any visitor that they have stepped back into earliest Texas. Less than
half of the refuge is open to the public, leaving a vast landscape as
wildlife sanctuary. Yet, a drive on the 3-mile auto tour or a hike on
one of the three hiking trails can take up a full days worth of
wildlife watching.
Snow Goose Bed and Breakfast
Here, lesser snow geese both roost and feed. Snow geese flourish on the roots
of Olney bulrush and other salt marsh plants. They rest in shallow waters
with a clear view of their predators.
Warbler Fallout Zone
Refuge bottomland forests and willow trees along the tour road attract
high numbers of warblers migrating north. If warm, moist air heading north
from the Gulf collides with cold dry air heading south, conditions shape
up for a warbler fallout. The resulting heavy rains and wind
cause these tiny songbirds to drop from the sky to the shelter of trees.
Hundreds of birds and dozens of species fall into single locations, too
tired to fly even one more stroke. |
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Photos
Credit: K. Ramos, USFWS
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REFUGE
MAP Click
this link for a detailed map of San Bernard NWR.
(Be patient, it's a large file.) |
AREA
MAP Click here for an area map and driving directions to San Bernard
NWR. |
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Last updated:
March 25, 2009