Armadillo Sighting!!!

We had a great day at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Located about 50 miles north, ANWR is famous for being a Whooping Crane winter spot. 115,000 acres of gulf shore, salt and fresh water ponds and good old Texas prairie. Not the most exciting land views but by far, this was the best wildlife viewing we have experienced so far. Right across from the visitors center is the Alligator Viewing area. And there they were...one small juvenile and one big guy who swam around with a bird of some kind in his mouth. Why he didn't eat it, I don't know. But there it was.

The little guy

This was too easy...so we went on the Rail Trail/Heron Flats Trail (about 2 miles). It was actually spooky walking on the opposite side of the marsh that we had just seen two gators in. They could have been anywhere and I know (from TV) that they move super fast. Well, we did see 2 more gators in the first 1/2 mile, a large one on the opposite bank and a small guy resting on a log not four feet from the trail. Very Cool!

The trail wound through a heavily forested (and mosquito) area then down to the gulf where we were suppose to see the ginormous Whooping Cranes (which this park claims to have in excess of 250 every winter). Not a one. Lots of geese, ducks, etc... No Cranes.  After winding back through mosquito-ville (we did see 2 deer in the woods), we came back around to Alligator Alley and who should we see...

I may have a new favorite animal! He was completely oblivious to us and after getting home and researching some, I know why. Armadillo factoids...
First off, pronounce it Arm-a-de-yo (not arm-a-dill-o).
They have a great sense of smell but lousy eyesight and hearing.
They eat ground bugs that they smell underground and then dig up with their claws.
They especially love grubs and dig them up, earning them an unpopular status with homeowners.
They mate in June but the egg does not implant until November, then give birth in March.
They always have quadruplets, 4 identical babies that form from the same egg (and are obviously, the same sex.)
The Armadillo found in Texas is the nine-banded Armadillo, and he does not curl up in a ball when threatened. He runs!
They do, however, jump up to 3 feet in the air when startled which is why so many are killed on the roads.
Armadillo means "Little Armour" but his Latin name means "nine banded rabbit" because under the armour, they look like rabbits.
Of the 13 varieties, only the Nine-Banded lives in the US. The rest are in Latin America.
They are so cold sensitive that a cold snap can wipe out an   areas entire population.
They sleep 17 hours a day and have 3 hour REM cycles (humans have 2 hour REM cycles).

After all this excitement, we stopped back at the visitors center for much needed bug spray (I did not know those buggers would be so prolific, and vicious, near the gulf) and drove to the start of the 16 mile Wildlife Loop (and saw a family of Raccoons on the way). We got the bikes out of the truck bed and we were off, for the first real ride we have had in a loooooong time! And the first real exercise we have had since leaving Davis Mountain. It was a beautiful ride, honestly very flat. But still, a good 16 mile ride. The entire ride featured exactly one animal...an Armadillo! Shit-tons of scat on the road (get it?) but no other animals.
When we returned to the start we did one more short walk on the bay Boardwalk/Big Tree Trail. No Cranes.

Another Texas fact...they (Texans) are inordinately proud of their "Oak Trees" (which is what Big Tree Trail is all about). But honestly, as cool and gnarly as they may be, they are not big. In fact, they more often than not are about the size of a large bush. If you want to see "Big Oaks", come to Minnesota!
To summarize...we saw
4 Alligators
3 Armadillos (one more on the drive home)
3 Raccoons
2 Deer
1 Whooping Crane (on the drive out)
And too many of these to even count...

Turkey Vulture