Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary
1401-1499 S. Church St., Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) Spring Species – Good migrant trap in the spring. Assortment of Warblers, Vireos, Orioles, and Flycatchers Fall and Winter Species – Migrating Fall Warblers, Hermit Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo. Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary The sanctuary is located at the corner of South Church Street and East First Street. There is parking along E. First Street. The site has 6.25 acres with an observation platform. This sanctuary is a mixture of oak motte and native grasses. This is the original location of the famed Rockport Cottages, operated by Connie and Jack Hagar. Mrs. Hagar moved to Rockport in 1935 and devoted her life to documenting bird life in the Rockport area. This site is a recognized Butterfly Waystation. Monarch Waystations are places that provide resources necessary for monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. Without milkweeds throughout their spring and summer breeding areas in North America, monarchs would not be able to produce the successive generations that culminate in the migration each fall. Similarly, without nectar from flowers these fall migratory monarch butterflies would be unable to make their long journey to overwintering grounds in Mexico. The need for host plants for larvae and energy sources for adults applies to all monarch and butterfly populations around the world. For more information visit – Monarch Waystation Program
Ivy Lane
499 Ivy Lane, Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) The Ivy Lane site is located at the end of Ivy Lane, off of Griffith Drive. There are benches, a hard packed trail, a primitive trail, and water drips on the site. This 28 acre woodland was preserved by the city of Rockport as their water field. The Coastal Live Oak forest is special because of the native shrubs and plants that make up the understory. The understory plant community, together with the Live Oaks, is called an oak motte. Some of the common plants are Red Bay, Yaupon Holly, Wax Myrtle, Beauty Berry, and Turk’s Cap. Oak mottes are a valuable stopover habitat for migrating songbirds. After flying for about 24 hours to cross the Gulf of Mexico, the birds often arrive completely exhausted. The oak motte provides food, shelter, and a place for the birds to recover.
Rockport Demo Bird Garden and Wetlands (Tule East)
2002 Tule Park Dr., Rockport, TX 78382 or Highway Bus 35 North, across from Walmart (see map) Spring Species – Scarlet and Summer Tanagers, Blue Grosbeak, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo and Painted Buntings, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, 27 species of Wood Warbler including Ovenbird, Prothonotary and Canada Warblers, Brown-crested and Great-crested Flycatchers, Solitary Sandpiper Fall and Winter Species – American Goldfinch, Lincoln’s, Swamp, and Chipping Sparrows, Orange-crowned Warbler, Pine Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Hermit Thrush, Blue-headed Vireo. Aransas Pathways Site Picture Rockport Demo Bird Garden and Wetlands Pond Site CTC-050 Great Texas Birding Trail Location This 5-acre site is located on Highway Bus 35 North, across the street from Walmart. You will notice a roadside park with shady parking. Enjoy a walk along the boardwalk. Follow the trail beside the demonstration garden to the pond in the back of the property. This site is sometimes called Tule Marsh East by Rockport residents – don’t let the name confuse you!
Holiday Beach Pond
209 Lakeview Dr., Rockport, TX 78382 (map below) Spring and Summer Species – Purple Gallinule, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Wood Stork Winter Species – Large assortment of ducks, Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, Green Heron, American Bittern, Belted Kingfisher, Vermillion Flycatcher. The Aransas Pathway’s Holiday Beach Venue is a great birding site but it also has alligators. The alligators are a great attraction for our out of town guests and residents alike. Alligators are predatory animals and can be dangerous. They should be left alone and do not feed them. Feeding them could harm the alligator and could put you in danger. Please keep what happened at Disney World in mind. That alligator was fed by people and when the Dad and Son stepped in the water the Alligator took the boy. We don’t want that.
Southern Trail
Funded by Aransas Pathways The beginning of the trail is located at the Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary (corner of Church and First streets). Marker 29 on the map. The six-foot-wide concrete sidewalk traverses South Rockport, connecting with other hike and bike trails in the City of Rockport. This Southern Trail addition provides safe walking from Connie Hagar Cottage Sanctuary to the Aransas Pathways Pavilion – 3.35 miles. View a post about our Ribbon Cutting and opening of the trail.
Howard Murph Memorial Park
Loop 1781, Rockport, TX 78382 28°05’44.0″N 97°03’05.2″W (see map) Species – Greater Roadrunner, American Oystercatcher, Spotted Sandpipers, Caspian, Royal, and Forster’s Terns, assorted Sparrows in winter, Osprey, Little Blue Heron, Green Heron, Reddish Egret Left in its natural state the shoreline of the park is covered with oyster shell fragments and the shallow water has sandy and seagrass beds great for fishing and wading into the shallow water. The spot also makes for a great kayak launch site. The Park also has BBQ pits and covered seating for you to enjoy. Alligator Warning – We will warn you though that there have been spotting of coastal alligators in the area. Please keep an eye out if you decide to walk out. Howard Murph Memorial Park Site is also known as the Airport Park. Directions: FM 1781, directly behind the Aransas County Airport. This is a small park with access to Copano Bay. There are picnic facilities at this site. Howard Murph Park is an excellent location for enjoying sunsets, birdwatching, kayaking, fishing, and unwinding in a peaceful environment with picnic tables and benches.