Old Salt Lake Road
100 Old Salt Lake Rd, Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) Common Winter Species – Vermillion Flycatcher, Easter Bluebird, Greater Roadrunner, Great Kiskadee, Cassin’s Sparrow Old Salt Lake Road At the 4-way stop on FM 1781, Old Salt Lake Road is on your right if you are heading south. There is a road sign. This road is surrounded by private property. Stay on the road. This is a dry brushy area.
Memorial Park
1601 FM 2165, Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) Resident Species – Cardinal, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Inca Dove Spring and Summer Species – Large variety of warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Couch’s Kingbird, Indigo Bunting Memorial Park Directions – Memorial Park is located at the intersection of Pearl and Enterprise. The park has several ball fields. The hike and bike trail loops around a large pond.
Rockport Beach Park
319 Broadway St, Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) Common Species – This is a nesting area for many birds. Some of the nesting birds include Black Skimmer, TriColored Heron, Reddish Egret, Great Blue Heron, Least Tern, Laughing Gull, Killdeer, and Clapper Rail Spring and Summer Species – Black Tern, Magnificent Frigatebird Winter Species – American White Pelican, Merlin, large flocks of Avocets Residents – Caspian, Royal, and Forster’s Tern, Roseate Spoonbill, Brown Pelican, Black Skimmer, Reddish Egret Rockport Beach Park Directions – Seabreeze Drive. This is a pay area with Little Bay to the left and Aransas Bay to the right. At the end of the park there is an observation platform overlooking Bird Island, which is spectacular in the spring with numerous nesting birds. This is an important nesting site of the Black Skimmer.
Fulton Harbor
250 Deforest Loop, Fulton, TX 78358 (see map) Resident Birds – Brown Pelican, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Laughing Gull, Tricolored Heron Summer Species – Magnificent Frigatebird, Least Tern, Gull-billed Tern Winter Species – American White Pelican, Common Loon, Lesser Scaup, Redhead Fulton Harbor is located in downtown Fulton. It is a commercial fishing boat harbor
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.
Copano Bay (Causeway) South
28°06’49.4″N 97°01’31.9″W (see map) In the winter, scope for Common Goldeneye, Red-breasted Merganser, and Common Loon. A large assortment of ducks can be found in the cove, along with Ruddy Turnstone, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Blue Heron, Reddish Egret. Parking area and limited services at the Copano Bridge Boat Ramp.
North Cove Harbor Wetlands Sanctuary
160 Cove Harbor N., Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) Shorebirds, Roseate Spoonbills, Rails, and Sparrows can be found here. North Cove Harbor Wetland Sanctuary is just north of Cove Harbor Marina. You will see the parking lot for the sanctuary on the left. This is a 100 acre wetland that is owned by the Aransas County Navigation District and is leased to Aransas First. There is an 800 foot boardwalk that has a covered area and bench at the end. This site is best in winter. It is very dependent on rain and tides. Shorebirds, Roseate Spoonbills, Rails, and Sparrows can be found here. Over 202 bird species have been documented at this site. The boardwalk was heavily damaged by Hurricane Harvey and has been reconstructed as of 2020.
Aransas Woods
Aransas Woods, 4333, 4351 TX-35, Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) This site is home to Texas Coastal Birding Trail Site #47.Worked with FEMA and TDEM to replace the windmill and clear the miles of trails after the devastation from Hurricane Harvey. During “fallouts” coastal mottes such as Aransas Woods offer food and protection to thousands upon thousands of weary landbirds who might otherwise perish if forced to continue inland to the nearest contiguous forests. The site’s observation platform overlooks a complex of grassland, oak motte, and shallow wetlands, making this site attractive to birds and other wildlife year-round. Spring Species – Migrants along the woodland trails including Warblers, Orioles, Tanagers, Vireos and Flycatchers Fall and Winter Species – Marsh Wren, Sora, Swamp Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat Aransas Woods Hwy. 35 Bypass, about 1 mile north of 188 on the eastern side of road. Watch for the Great Texas Birding Trail sign. This location is a fresh water marsh surrounded by oak mottes and native grasses. Site has a windmill, walking tails and an observation deck. Aransas Woods has an ADA compliant walkway to elevated overlook.platform.plus grass maintained trails
Lamar – St. Charles Bay Boat Launch
175 Lamar Beach Rd, Rockport, TX 78382 (see map) 28°08’32.6″N 96°58’35.3″W Lamar Navigation District Dock AKA St. Charles Bay Boat Launch – Located on the East side of Lamar Beach road on Lamar Peninsula just South of Fourth Street, this site affords access to the West side of St. Charles Bay for fishing and birding. Located just off shore are shell reefs that attract birds and fish. The Aransas County Navigation District owns and manages this site and is willing to make a special access point for kayakers. Adequate parking is in place. Fishing just off the South end of the launch is a pier that has a shell reef 30 yards off the end.