“Save a boyfriend for a rainy day – and another in case it doesn’t rain.” – Mae West Today’s quote has nothing to do with my blog, but it made me laugh, and I love laughter.
Willetts were one of the more plentiful birds we saw on our bird-watching rainy day adventure. — Photo by Pat Bean
How About Lunch instead?
On my recent road trip, I got to spend a couple of days with three children and their families. One of them was my middle son, Lewis, who loves bird watching as much as I do. Some years back, since he lives on the Texas Gulf Coast where one can easily find an abundance of bird species, he and I saw 100 species in a dawn-to-dusk adventure. I was hoping to repeat the record.
I snapped this photo of Bubba Gump;s on Galveston’s Pleasure Pier on our way back along the Sea Wall after lunch. As you can see, it was still raining. — Photo by Pat Bean
We started our morning of bird watching at the Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge, not far from Lewis’ home, then we took the Bluewater Highway that runs along the Gulf of Mexico from Sufside to Galveston. Our destination was Lafitte Cove, a small nature sanctuary in a residential area on the outskirts of the island city, where we were hoping to see some warblers.
By the time we reached the San Luis Pass Causeway, we had identified about 50 birds, mostly shorebird species like willets, sanderlings, gulls, egrets, terns, dowitchers, pelicans, stilts and ibises. By the time we crossed the causeway and were heading into Galveston, the dark storm clouds that we had been keeping an eye on began generously dumping their watering cans on us, with no end in sight.
A double-crested cormorant that we saw along the Bluewwater Highway. — Photo by Pat Bean
So we drove along the city’s sea wall to the far side and had a nice leisurely lunch at Mario’s. On the way home we picked up about 10 more bird species that were also braving the storm. It brought our total for the day to 60. Not bad for a rainy day.
Bean Pat: A Floating Speck http://tinyurl.com/jhtw2yp Don’t go gently. Awesome photograph, a favorite poem, and inspiring words, especially if you link to the post that inspired this blogger.
Pat Bean's blog 
Love that you got some precious birding time in with your son, Pat. We got MORE rain last night and more is expected before week’s end. I still remember the seemingly endless drought. I’m not ever going to complain about the rain.
Of six days of driving for my Texas trip, three were during rain. But I got home safe, and had this nice note waiting for me. Hugs.
What a grand activity to share with your son. Lovely photos and story.
Thanks Mary Jo
Nice photos and story. I’d be lucky to identify 2 out of 60 birds so I admire your expertise.
Thanks Marjorie. I think of identifying birds like reading a mystery novel. You just look for the clues.
Love these photos. Thanks for sharing this.
Writer Advice Managing Editor, http://www.writeradvice.com
Author of YOU WANT ME TO DO WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers & Author of TALENT
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Thanks for the kind words Lynn.
Lovely post and beautiful close up photos. 🙂
I love that quote!