Incidental Coast

Coastal Prairie Sunrise

Like a lot of my hobbies these days (including this blog if that wasn't painfully clear), my hiking and photography time has been fairly limited. When I've gotten out and about , it's usually is a matter of leftover minutes or hours tacked on to trips with a more Adult Purpose(tm).  

At the end of March I had a water quality event down on the Gulf Coast, directly adjacent and including part of Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge. Given that it was a beautiful day, spring migration had just begun, and I was required to have my camera for the work event anyway, I indulged in a little incidental coastal photography.

Colors of Brazoria NWR

Repurposed Boat, Marlin Marina, Demi-John

The Texas Gulf Coast is an odd place. While there are some places like Galveston that are the epitome of tourist destinations, most of the upper Texas coast is a mishmash of impenetrable coastal wetlands, small run down towns, and vast petrochemical complexes.

Bottle in the Sand

Bastrop Bayou

This Way

 The clanging juxtaposition of vast stretches of flat open land and remnants of past and current oil production scattered across the landscape always give it sort of a post-apocalyptic feel to me. Add to it the fact that you can drive on most beaches here, and it just begs for exploration. Even with the small amount of time I had that day, I managed to jaunt about and get a couple pictures during my efforts.  There's no real theme, just a couple shots from the day. Sorry about all the birds, as usual.

Traps

Mallard coming in for landing; White-tailed Hawk (juvenile)

Bluebonnets

Indian Paintbrush

White-faced Ibis, Northern Shoveler

I didn't do it.