James Newman
Member
I went yesterday on a little trip to some once wonderful locations not far from Houston. Our first stop was at High Island, particularly the rookery at Smith Oaks. For many, many years, this rookery has been the annual nesting place and breeding grounds for thousands and thousands of birds, ranging from the pink, beautiful, and awkward Roseate Spoonbill, to multiple varieties of herons and egrets. The main rookery was a surprisingly small island full of tall trees and thick bush that sat in the middle of a small pond. Being an island, it gave much needed protection to the birds and their eggs and chicks from predatory mammals such as bobcats, racoons, and the like. The only thing out on the island that really was a threat were the alligators lying in the water right below the nests or maybe the night herons that sat around in the trees just waiting for the opportunity to grab an unnattended egg or chick. For those chicks that unfortunately were left alone, lost their footing and fell, or perhaps were pushed out of their nest by hungrier and more selfish and dominant siblings, their fate and their demise came swiftly and surely. It is all part of the plan and the cycle of life. This rookery had long been a favorite spot every year for nature and wildlife photographers to come witness and record the spectacle of these nesting and breeding rituals. From the three observation platforms on the mainland, out to the trees on the island, it was only about 100 feet, so with the right equipment, you could get some really awesome images of these beautiful birds.
Our second stop was down on the Bolivar Peninsula, the long strand of once beautiful beachfront properties that had long been the homes and favorite vacation spots for thousands of people. This was a stretch of land leading down to the Bolivar Ferry and transport over to Galveston Island. The Bolivar Flats was another Audobon designated bird sanctuary along this peninsula where you could go see and enjoy the many varieties of wading and shore birds that lived and flourished in the area. The beaches were beautiful, the atmosphere was wonderful, and it was a great place to spend a day, a weekend, or a lifetime if you were so lucky.
Last year, somehow seemingly forgotten by everyone except those down here that lived through it, a hurricane named Ike came barreling through destroying everything in its path. The rookery at High Island was almost completely destroyed. The storm surge from Ike was so high and far reaching, the entire area was left under many feet of seawater. The freshwater pond became a brackish, saltwater bay, and once the waters subsided, many days after the storm, it was wondered whether the rookery would ever have birds again. The saltwater killed off all or most of the plants and grasses as well as the fish that the birds relied upon in the area. Most of the trees used for nesting had been blown over and washed away. It did not look anything like it did prior to the storm.
Even more devestated, and sad because of the human element involved, almost the entire Bolivar Peninsula, and everything on it was washed away. It was a very depressing drive down that once glorious beach highway seeing how almost every remnant of people's lives and loves were washed away in an instant. It still looks as though a nuclear bomb detonated there and just destroyed everything. Where there used to be lovely, stilted beach cottages, enjoyed year after year by thousands of fun loving families on their unforgettable summer vacations, now there is nothing but miles and miles of bare foundations, stilts and pilings left without houses on them, and trash, garbage, and debris everywhere. Many hard working people have already given a lot of effort in the restoration and cleanup activities in the area but even so, the place is still a battleground. It was a truly heartwrenching drive down that 30 mile or so stretch and one wonders how many years it will take to clear the scars and rebuild. It will be many.
Our visit yesterday did show signs however of the resiliency of nature and also that of we humans. The birds did come back, as usual and as their instincts have instructed for many generations. The available nesting spots are fewer and farther between, and are being built closer to each other than they probably would prefer, but they are here and they are already sitting on eggs. This was my first visit so unfortunately I have nothing to compare it to. I did however, make the trip with a number of experienced photographers and they described to me the differences in the rookery now versus years past. It will survive as I am sure it has many times before and unless we do something stupid to prevent it, the bird populations should continue to grow and flourish and provide many more people the opportunity to witness it personally.
The beaches too will hopefully be rebuilt and start another era of unforgettable memories for those that are able to visit. This I think, will take longer for us than for the birds. The devestation was just so complete and far reaching, and that, mixed in with the horrible economic situation facing everyone now, is probably going to increase the amount of time needed to rebuild. I think it will happen, but it is going to take a long time. It was a very strange drive for me. Depressing and somehow encouraging at the same time. I did not take any photos of this devestation. I just felt no reason to do so at that time. Perhaps if I am still here later on, and some better signs of rebuilding start showing themselves, then I will go back and document some of that.
I did take a few shots of some of the birds at the rookery and also one of a friend of mine doing his thing on the beach at the Bolivar Flats. I thought I would just share a few of those because they seem to show some beauty in the middle of a lot of ugliness. I hope you enjoy and I hope at least some more people will try and remember that there was another extremely devestating hurricane besides Katrina. His name was Ike and it seems that our government has already forgotten about it and us down here that lived through it. That is a different story however so I will leave it at that. I hope you enjoy.
James Newman
Our second stop was down on the Bolivar Peninsula, the long strand of once beautiful beachfront properties that had long been the homes and favorite vacation spots for thousands of people. This was a stretch of land leading down to the Bolivar Ferry and transport over to Galveston Island. The Bolivar Flats was another Audobon designated bird sanctuary along this peninsula where you could go see and enjoy the many varieties of wading and shore birds that lived and flourished in the area. The beaches were beautiful, the atmosphere was wonderful, and it was a great place to spend a day, a weekend, or a lifetime if you were so lucky.
Last year, somehow seemingly forgotten by everyone except those down here that lived through it, a hurricane named Ike came barreling through destroying everything in its path. The rookery at High Island was almost completely destroyed. The storm surge from Ike was so high and far reaching, the entire area was left under many feet of seawater. The freshwater pond became a brackish, saltwater bay, and once the waters subsided, many days after the storm, it was wondered whether the rookery would ever have birds again. The saltwater killed off all or most of the plants and grasses as well as the fish that the birds relied upon in the area. Most of the trees used for nesting had been blown over and washed away. It did not look anything like it did prior to the storm.
Even more devestated, and sad because of the human element involved, almost the entire Bolivar Peninsula, and everything on it was washed away. It was a very depressing drive down that once glorious beach highway seeing how almost every remnant of people's lives and loves were washed away in an instant. It still looks as though a nuclear bomb detonated there and just destroyed everything. Where there used to be lovely, stilted beach cottages, enjoyed year after year by thousands of fun loving families on their unforgettable summer vacations, now there is nothing but miles and miles of bare foundations, stilts and pilings left without houses on them, and trash, garbage, and debris everywhere. Many hard working people have already given a lot of effort in the restoration and cleanup activities in the area but even so, the place is still a battleground. It was a truly heartwrenching drive down that 30 mile or so stretch and one wonders how many years it will take to clear the scars and rebuild. It will be many.
Our visit yesterday did show signs however of the resiliency of nature and also that of we humans. The birds did come back, as usual and as their instincts have instructed for many generations. The available nesting spots are fewer and farther between, and are being built closer to each other than they probably would prefer, but they are here and they are already sitting on eggs. This was my first visit so unfortunately I have nothing to compare it to. I did however, make the trip with a number of experienced photographers and they described to me the differences in the rookery now versus years past. It will survive as I am sure it has many times before and unless we do something stupid to prevent it, the bird populations should continue to grow and flourish and provide many more people the opportunity to witness it personally.
The beaches too will hopefully be rebuilt and start another era of unforgettable memories for those that are able to visit. This I think, will take longer for us than for the birds. The devestation was just so complete and far reaching, and that, mixed in with the horrible economic situation facing everyone now, is probably going to increase the amount of time needed to rebuild. I think it will happen, but it is going to take a long time. It was a very strange drive for me. Depressing and somehow encouraging at the same time. I did not take any photos of this devestation. I just felt no reason to do so at that time. Perhaps if I am still here later on, and some better signs of rebuilding start showing themselves, then I will go back and document some of that.
I did take a few shots of some of the birds at the rookery and also one of a friend of mine doing his thing on the beach at the Bolivar Flats. I thought I would just share a few of those because they seem to show some beauty in the middle of a lot of ugliness. I hope you enjoy and I hope at least some more people will try and remember that there was another extremely devestating hurricane besides Katrina. His name was Ike and it seems that our government has already forgotten about it and us down here that lived through it. That is a different story however so I will leave it at that. I hope you enjoy.
James Newman
