Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 6, 1986 Page: 14 of 18
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PACE 14A
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6. 1986
.Island Life.
PORT ARANSAS SOUTH JETTY
*
Rusty Buckets
As usual, the Sixth Annual EMS Auxiliary Chili Cookoff on Saturday, Nov. 1, was preceded
by the Rusty Bucket Parade. Winners were Michael Walter, rustiest truck; Leslie Willey Sr.,
rustiest car; and Griffin’s Girls, rustiest overall. In the children’s bicycle decorating
contest, the girl and boy winners were Angela Young and Clinton Reiter. (Staff photo by
Murray Judson)
Birdwatch
On a birdy, soggy morning such
as this, it is hard to address the
typewriter. I opened the back door
to fling out some coffee grounds,
and sitting on Lhe fence was a
groove-billed ani. I froze inside the
screen door. He glided to the wild
turk’s cap coming up through my
white Lady Banksia climbing rose.
A minute later, another ani fol-
lowed him. 1 eased out the door,
equipped, by then, with my long
lens camera, which I can’t really
hand-hold with any success. Im-
mediately, over my head, a house
wren alighted in the tallow tree.
How can I go in and write, I
thought, when my duty is so plainly
to be watching? However, here I am.
A very common South Texas bird
which has only been on our list
about 28 years is the cattle egret.
This small, white Heron is short-
necked and short-legged, stocky,
with a comparatively thick, yellow
bill. His breeding plumage is an
acquired orange buff patch on his
breast, and elongated, orangish,
buff plumes extending Irom fore-
head to nape of neck and on the
mantle. The base of his bill becomes
dull red. as do his legs.
The earliest New World records
for this bird, which is native to trop-
ical Europe. .Africa and Asia, were
in eastern South America in the
late 1800s. He arrived in Texas in
the 1950s and the first breeding
record for the state was 1958. The
first confirmed sighting in Nueces
County and Mustang Island was by
Connie Hagar, and the members of
a Texas Ornithological Society field
trip which she w.e; leading, in Novem
ber 1955.
The cattle egret has astounded
ornithologists by being the only
species ever to conquer every con-
tinent except Antarctica, and this
without being transported by man.
According to Blacklock and Rap-
pole, they are now common, per-
manent. non-migrating residents of
South Texas, with confirmed breed-
ing records.
For birds that are considered
non-migratory, cattle egrets cer-
tainly get around. Much of their
daily coming and going may be
attributable to the fact that, al-
though they feed mostly in grass-
lands, they prefer to roost near
water Oberholser says, in The Bird
Life of Texas, that they wander
widely during the postbreeding sea-
son and also withdraw from the
colder part of their range in winter.
In feeding, they often establish a
symbiotic bond with a grazing an-
imal, and are fiercely defensive of
the territory established within a
few feet around this animal. When
it moves, the bird and his territory
move with it. Although they are
sometimes called the tick heron
cattle egrets seem to eat few ticks
and those eaten are retrieved from
the ground A larger part of their
diet is grasshoppers and crickets
stirred up by the moving animal.
A feeding mannerism, undula-
tions of the neck as the bird advan-
ces toward its prey, probably aids in
sighting possible victims. Gregari-
ous birds, the egrets feed, nest, and
roost in flocks. Colonial breeding,
which occurs between March or
April through September, is under-
taken in a variety of sites, usually
near water. Sometimes large trees
are used, or small trees or bushes,
even dense reed beds. Both parents
tend eggs and young.
There is speculation as to
whether this egret is multiplying at
the expense of some already estab-
lished species, such as snowy egrets
or night herons. The consensus
seems to be that, thus far, they are
not competing for food and that
their nesting season is later than
those of other birds who breed in
similar habitat.
Bubulcus ibis, the interesting sci-
entific name of the cattle egret, ref-
ers to his association with cattle
and implies his sacred, Egyptian
ancestry. I haven’t heard a cattle
egret talk, but the guide books say
he croaks and barks during breed-
ing and, if startled, makes a gar-
gling. “quonk” noise.
The fiight of tile cattie egret dif-
fers from that of other herons in
that short, rapid strokes are made
in a small arc. A group of them in
flight, high or at a distance appears
to twinkle.
----
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IN AREA
E3 Taylor Furniture Co.
313 S. Commercial St.
Arantae Paw
Park progress
I* la ns for Point Park development due
at -i ction Force meeting Tuesday, Nov. 11
Ml
pQuonkF — It s the cattle egret
-By Phyllis Yochem
Plans and costs lot development
of Roberts Point Park are expected
to hr- presented at I he next meeting
of the Port Aransas Action Force
The Ac lion Force is in t he process
of putting together an application
in behalf of t he City of Port Aransas
for a Texas Parks and Wildlife De
partment matching funds grant to
develop the park adjacent to the
Dennis Dreyer Municipal Harbor
(city marina).
Development of the park is the
major long term goal selected by
the Action Force and approved by
the City Council.
Plans for the park include a pavil
lion for use during fishing tourna-
ments that could also serve other
functions throughout the year such
as the EMS Auxiliary Chili Cookoff
and Port Aransas Day (if t hat event
becomes annual). Other uses in-
clude roller skating, basketball and
volleyball during the “shoulder”
seasons. The Fred Rhodes Memor-
ial Foundation has been raising
money toward const ruction of that
pavillion. A drawing for a weekend
of deep sea fishing in Port Aransas
raised about $1,200 and now the
Foundation is selling tickets for a
guided hunt on Rhodes’ ranch
Rhodes, who died last February,
was an avid sportsman well-known
and respected throughout South
Texas. Tickets for the hunt are
being sold throughout the state.
Also in the park plans are an
amphitheater for outdoor concerts
and performances, picnic tables
and barbecue pits, some play-
ground equipment, restroom and
shower facilities, jogging trails and
exercise stations.
The Action Force will launch a
fund raising campaign to secure
pledges for matching funds and “in-
kind” donations. Charlie Zahn, im-
mediate past chairman of the Ac-
tion Force, is in the process of filing
application for non-profit organi-
zation status for the PAAF. Once
t hat is established, an interest-bear-
ing account will be opened at Island
State Bank where donations will be
deposited and where anyone may
send tax deductible contributions.
Commitment of the matching
funds and in kind donations of
goods, labor or services must be
included ;r. the applk ation wruen is
due by Jan. 31, 1987.
The Action Force will meet at 7
p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at Island
Retreat. Costs and design subcom
mittee chairman Jim Pair will give a
report on the plans, artist’s render
ing and costs.
Dr. Bob Jenkins, chairman of the
financial partners subcommittee
will report on plans for fund raising
and Zahn will present a motion for
establishing the PAAF as a non-
profit organization
Several other subcommittees
have been named to continue work
on short term goals. At the last
meeting, chairman Mary Judson
asked subcommittee chairman to
bring written lists of goals for theit
subcommittees. Those lists will be
presented at Tuesday’s meeting
with progress reports from each.
The public is invited to all Action
Force meetings.
i* . $
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moving?
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Remember to change
the address on your
South Jetty
subscription...
Send to:
South Jetty
P. O. Box 111ft
Port Aransas 78373
Cookoff capers
Besides the culinary compe-
tition, the Sixth Annual EMS
Auxiliary Chili Cookoff on
Saturday, Nov. 1, offered a
wide variety of entertain-
ment nd special activities.
Above, the Port Aransas
Volunteer Fire department
provided the equipment for
a water fight. At left, a group
of local musicians banded
together to form the Hot
Tamales group and perform
a variety of songs. (Staff
photos by Murray Judson)
Mount Rushmore, that presidential memorial, was au-
thorized by Congress in 1925. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum
died in 1941 and his son Lincoln, completed the piece.
Keep up with Port Aransas.
Read the South Jetty.
Port Aransas ^
Seafood Company/^’
wholesale — retail
The place to buy Seafood’
• Fresh crab meat
• Fresh shrimp
• Locally caught fish
• Cajun spices
Closed Mondays
Open 9—5 Dally „ Also
749-5774 Propane
• King crab
• Scallops
• Lobster tails
much, much more!
Vi
O 9
Park Rd. 53
Port Aransas
The Pelican
Condominium
(Formerly Sea Isle II)
P.O. BOX 1690
PORT ARANSAS, TX
I 107 s. 11TH
719-6226
2 & 3 BEDROOM UNITS AVAILABLE
ON THE BEACH
SWIMMING POOL* KISH CLEANING FACILITIES
Daily. Weekly A Monthly Rentals
Woody Jr’s
A
*Auto & Marine Repair
*Auto Parts *Marine Parts
*Wrecker Service
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed Sunday
We now turn rotars, drums and
fly wheels
422 Cut Off Road 749-4290
Motor Vehicle Inspection Station
OCTOBER 1986 in Port Aransas
HIGHEST
TEMP
88.5 3rd
LOWEST
TEMP
51.2 13th
AVERAGE
HIGH
80.0
AVERAGE
LOW
68.7
MONTHLY AVERAGE
AVERAGE SEA TEMP
74.4 76.1
AVERAGE
SALINITY
32.8 ppt
TOTAL
RAINFALL
8.49"
DAYS WITH
RAIN
13
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Judson, Mary. Port Aransas South Jetty (Port Aransas, Tex.), Vol. 16, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, November 6, 1986, newspaper, November 6, 1986; Port Aransas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth663088/m1/14/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Ellis Memorial Library.