Harlingen, Texas, is the home of the original plaster model used to create the Iwo Jima War Memorial which is on display at Arlington Cemetery. The plaster has been treated to withstand the weather and the dry Texas climate is ideal for it. The model is in a small park that also houses an Iwo Jima museum. The statue is huge and the details are very impressive.
We visited two more birding centers during our stay in Los Fresnos and these are a few of our favorite birds:
Gail’s favorite, the Spoonbill and a Crested Caracara:
The flashy little Vermilion Flycatcher and the Anhinga:
Yellow-throated Warbler and Yellow-crowned Night Heron:
We visited the site of the last battle of the Civil War, Palmito Ranch. It is now a quiet farm field with some story boards to explain the battle. The battle was fought more than a month after the end of the Civil War, and there are several theories as to why the Union general chose to attack when he knew that Lee had surrendered. There were more than 100 unnecessary casualties and the Confederate army won the battle.
Our last day in Los Fresnos was February 25; it was time to start heading north again. We wanted to cram in as much as we could so we visited a small beach close to the Mexican border that we had not been to before. On the return drive, we went through an immigration checkpoint and one of the officials told us about a nearby sanctuary that was known for its birds. We decided to check it out and we are so glad we did. The bird watching was pretty minimal but the area was wonderful.
Sabal Palm Sanctuary is a former plantation on the banks of the Rio Grande. The Queen Anne style home, built in 1892, is well preserved. The grounds are nicely maintained and there are trails through the palm trees to the Rio Grande. Hanging moss and thick undergrowth line the trails and it is like stepping back in time. Sabal Palms are the only palm trees which are native to Texas.
The last place we visited that day was Oliveira Park in Brownsville, which is a roosting spot for a flock of wild parrots. The parrots come in at dusk and make such racket! The park is used by neighborhood kids for all kinds of activities and the sounds of kids playing sports and parrots calling to each other filled the warm night air.
Click the link to hear a short clip of the noisy parrots. It might take a bit to load the clip on your system.
The day was a perfect end to our stay in south Texas.
More to come as we head north.