Birding
Trails |
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Bird Viewing & Birding Trails on Pierce
Ranch |
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| Hundreds of years before the coming of the Spaniards to the
gulf coast shores of Texas, the Karankawa Indians hunted these
plains for deer, bear, and waterfowl. By the late 1800's, the
Karankawa were only a memory of skilled hunters, who never would
accept the white man's ways. These were the years of Shanghai
Pierce, a man whose cattle empire followed the Colorado River
from the saltgrass marshes at Matagorda Bay to the grasslands
of Columbus and LaGrange.
From Pierce's day to the present, these prairies and river
bottoms have seen very few hunters. The live oak and pecan forests
still team with wildlife of all varieties, including east Texas
whitetail deer, wild pig, and the rare long-tailed cougar. The
ricelands and natural ponds provide winter feeding and roosting
grounds for thousands of migrating geese and ducks.
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The Matagorda County Birding Nature Center |
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The
Matagorda County Birding Nature Center spans 34 acres on the
Colorado River and includes nature trails, bridges, wetland
areas, wooded areas, prairie areas, and an outdoor education
center.
It hosts six gardens includig the hummingbird, butterfly, herb,
cactus, rose and palm gardens. MCBNC is located in the coastal
county of Matagorda, Texas. The county is rich in history, fertile
land, and an abundance of natural resources. For the past six
years, since 1997, the county has been #1 in the prestigious
National Audubon Society's annual Christmas Bird Count!
For
more information about the Matagorda County Birding Nature Center
Visit their site by Clicking Here! |
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