Handsome Egret

I suppose if you were a Great Egret, you might think this is the most handsome face you have ever seen.  I was travelling out the old Ferry road from Bridge City when I captured this photo.  It's a good place for bird shots.  A small canal gives the birds a place to fish -- sitting on the opposite side of the canal from the road gives them a sense of security.

Female Grackle sashays near Lake Sabine

This female Grackle was strutting her stuff by Lake Sabine and Bridge City.  I was coming back from Orange the other day and decided to see what lie out that way.  I was not disappointed.  The Egrets, Ahingas, gulls and Grackles were busy soaking up the sun and winds.

Stormy struggle

It was hot, humid and sweaty, this time last year after Hurricane Ike huff and puffed through. This was the aid tent in Bridge City, TX. One day you are living in comfort and the next you are struggling to make it a day at a time.
C'est la vie.
--steve buser

Hurricane, Ike, Texas, Bridge City

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The bridge to heaven

The Rainbow Bridge between Bridge City and Port Arthur, TX isn't quite as steep as it looks here, but once you know the history, you'll appreciate a ride to the top on it.

According to the "Handbook of Texas Online" -- the proposal of a bridge to replace a ferry along Highway 87 casued a fight between Beaumont and Port Arthur factions -- Beaumont folk were fearful a bridge would impede navigation of the river up to Beaumont's dock. Port Arthur wanted the bridge to allow more vehicle traffic along the highwat and therefore more commerce.

"Beaumont representatives offered to end the controversy if the Port Arthur faction would approve a vertical clearance of 185 feet for the bridge. The matter ended with a compromise of 176 feet. The bridge was built with a vertical clearance of 176+ feet, a main span of 680 feet between main piers, and 600 feet between fenders. The clearance was to allow the tallest ship afloat at the time (the Navy dirigible tender USS Patoka) to pass."

At the time this was the largest bridge ever built by the Texas Highway Department ( it was also built to withstand a 130 mph wind -- something it has been tested with a few times in recent years)

Check out the whole story.

--steve buser

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Fishing, no strings attached

This Brown Pelican (Pelicanus occidentalis carolinensis) was sitting in a canal to the west of Bridge City the other day as I drove by. When I stopped to shoot the pix, it seemed he went into action. He was very intent on what was going on below him. Suddenly he sprang from the water, flew about 100 feet and dropped down making a quick splash, ducking his bill and head below the water.

He came up with the bill closed and lifted his head up. Whatever it was he caught, you could tell, by the way it swelled his pouch and the effort he made to swallow it, that it was very large.

He repeated that trick once more, before spotting me and flying off to find a new fishing hole.

-steve buser

Brown Pelican, Pelicanus occidentalis carolinensis, Bridge City, Texas