Rookery down the road for exploring

Port Arthur and Beaumont are known for birding sights that connect viewers with nature.

Sea Rim State Park, Sabine Woods, Cattail Marsh and the Big Thicket are some popular Southeast Texas draws.

Here’s another spot I found, and I’ve driven right past it for years. Trinity River Waterbird Rookery is just nearly under the Interstate 10 bridge near the Wallisville Lake Project on the way to Houston.

Follow the sign to parking and walk over a little bridge to an observation dock. Train those binoculars to what’s out there.

I caught soaring egrets and flocks of smaller birds circling trees on the far side of the water. It was quiet and peaceful, considering the heavy traffic a short distance away. The short time I was there, a couple of other families made an appearance.

If this spot had been secreted from you, enjoy it and spread the word.

NAG promises something new

Dot Chauvin is teaching Nederland Art Guild classes in January, each Tuesday from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. “Be prepared to have a new experience of doing a different painting in this class,” reads the press release.

Are you ready for that? Hey, who knows what adventures 2016 will bring? Classes are at the Texas Artists Museum, 3501 Cultural Center Drive, and these classes are just one of many reasons you should visit the museum. Call 409-983-4881 to learn what all is going on at TAM.

darraghcastillo@icloud.com