Goliad State Park and Historic Site, Goliad, TX

Goliad State Park and Historic Site is comprised of three historic sites that together reveal 300 years of Texas history - Mission Nuestra Senora del Espiritu Santo de Zuniga, Mission Nuestra Senora del Rosario, and Zaragoza Birthplace.  We visited Mission Espiritu Santo and Zaragoza Birthplace.  Fannin Monument, Angel of Goliad, and Presidio La Bahia are other historic sites nearby.

Mission Espiritu Santo was first established at Matagorda Bay in 1722 and moved to this location in 1749.  The chapel and grounds were supervised by Franciscan fathers. The native men branded cattle, tilled the soil, chipped stone and mixed mortar.  The women spun wood for clothing, made clay pots, ground corn into meal with stone manos and mutates and harvested crops.

Chapel
  

Mission School Workshop

Ruins on Aranama Trail near Mission

 

"Eagle Lady" Bird Program

 The "Eagle Lady"-Doris Mager presents an interesting and educational program on raptors.  She has been working with raptors for 50 years and still presents programs all across the country.

 

ET-Extra Terrific

Western Screech Owl

 

American Kestrel

  

Zaragoza Birthplace

 

Fannin Monument

 

Angel of Goliad

 

Presidio La Bahia

 

Goose Island State Park, Rockport, TX

Goose Island State Park is across Copano Bay Bridge from Rockport, TX and is surrounded by the St. Charles and Aransas Bays.

Sea Gull and Brown Pelicans

White Pelicans

 

The "Big Tree"

 

 

Rockport, TX

We visited Rockport on the Texas coast the first two weeks in January.  We enjoyed watching the birds.

Belted Kingfisher

 

Great Egret

 

Great Blue Heron

 

Roseate Spoonbill

 

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, TX

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge, near Rockport, Texas, is the winter home for the endangered Whooping Crane.  There are two pair of Whooping Cranes that can sometimes be seen from the refuge overlooks. We were fortunate to see one of the pairs.  There are also pelicans, herons, egrets, roseate spoonbills, ducks, geese, javelinas, bobcats, deer and alligators. 

Whooping Cranes

Mainly pelicans

Alligator