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History

The Bolivar Peninsula is a narrow strip of land located in Galveston County, Texas, USA, stretching approximately 27 miles along the Gulf of Mexico. The area has a rich history, dating back to the prehistoric times.

Before the arrival of Europeans, the peninsula was inhabited by several Native American tribes, including the Karankawa and Akokisa peoples. These tribes were known for their fishing and hunting skills, and their lifestyles were largely dictated by the natural resources of the area.

In the 1800s, the peninsula became a popular spot for pirates, who used the area to bury their treasures and evade law enforcement. The most famous pirate associated with the area was Jean Lafitte, who is said to have used the peninsula as a base of operations.

In the mid-1800s, the peninsula became a hub of the Texas cattle industry, with cattle drives passing through the area on their way to markets in Galveston. In the late 1800s, the area began to attract tourists, who were drawn to the area's beaches and natural beauty.

In 1915, the peninsula was devastated by a major hurricane, which destroyed much of the area's infrastructure and left many residents homeless. Despite the damage, the area was rebuilt, and in the years that followed, it continued to grow as a popular vacation destination.

During World War II, the peninsula was home to several military installations, including an Army camp and a Navy base. After the war, the area returned to its role as a tourist destination, and today it is known for its beautiful beaches, fishing opportunities, and relaxed atmosphere.

Top Tourist Attractions

The Bolivar Peninsula is a popular tourist destination, offering visitors a range of attractions and activities to enjoy. Here are some of the top tourist attractions on the Bolivar Peninsula:

• Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary: This 1,200-acre sanctuary is home to a wide variety of bird species, including sandpipers, plovers, and egrets. Visitors can explore the sanctuary on foot or by kayak.
• Crystal Beach: This long, sandy beach is a popular spot for swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing. Visitors can also rent jet skis, kayaks, and other watercraft.
• Fort Travis Seashore Park: This historic park features a restored military fort, as well as picnic areas, fishing piers, and a playground. Visitors can also take a guided tour of the fort.
• Galveston-Bolivar Ferry: This free ferry ride takes visitors from the Bolivar Peninsula to Galveston Island, offering views of the Gulf of Mexico and the Galveston skyline.
• High Island Bird Sanctuaries: Located just north of the Bolivar Peninsula, these sanctuaries are home to a variety of migratory birds, including warblers, buntings, and tanagers.
• Texas Crab Festival: Held every May, this popular festival celebrates the area's crabbing industry with live music, carnival rides, and plenty of seafood.
• Peninsula Golf Course: This 9-hole course offers scenic views of the Gulf of Mexico, as well as a clubhouse and pro shop.
• Port Bolivar Lighthouse: This historic lighthouse was built in 1872 and served as a beacon for ships entering Galveston Bay. Today, visitors can climb to the top for panoramic views of the area.
• The Big Store: This iconic general store has been a fixture on the Bolivar Peninsula since 1927, offering groceries, souvenirs, and a bit of local history.

Whether you're looking for outdoor adventures or just some relaxation on the beach, the Bolivar Peninsula has something to offer everyone.

Climate

The Bolivar Peninsula has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and mild winters. The area receives an average of 50 inches of rainfall per year, with the majority of the precipitation occurring in the summer months. The warmest month is typically August, with average high temperatures in the mid-90s (Fahrenheit), while the coldest month is typically January, with average low temperatures in the mid-40s.

The area is also susceptible to tropical storms and hurricanes, especially during the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season from August through October. Visitors to the Bolivar Peninsula should stay aware of the weather forecast and any storm warnings during hurricane season.

Geography

The Bolivar Peninsula is a narrow strip of land located in Galveston County, Texas, USA, that stretches approximately 27 miles along the Gulf of Mexico. The peninsula is bordered by Galveston Bay to the north and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and is separated from Galveston Island by the Galveston Ship Channel.

The peninsula is largely flat, with elevations ranging from sea level to a few feet above sea level. The area is dominated by sand dunes, beaches, and coastal grasslands, and is home to a variety of wildlife, including shorebirds, sea turtles, and dolphins.

In addition to its natural features, the Bolivar Peninsula is also home to several communities, including Crystal Beach, Port Bolivar, and Caplen. These communities are largely residential, but also offer a range of services and amenities for visitors, including restaurants, shops, and accommodations.

The Bolivar Peninsula is connected to the mainland by the Bolivar Bridge, which spans the Intracoastal Waterway, and to Galveston Island by the Galveston-Bolivar Ferry, which transports cars and passengers across the Galveston Ship Channel.

Port Bolivar

Port Bolivar is a community located on the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County, Texas, USA. The area has a rich history, dating back to the early 1800s.

In 1816, a fort was built on the site of present-day Port Bolivar to defend against pirate attacks. The fort was named Fort Travis in honor of William Barret Travis, who later gained fame for his role in the Battle of the Alamo. Over the years, the fort was expanded and served as an important military installation during the Civil War and World War II.

In the mid-1800s, the area around Port Bolivar became a hub of the Texas cattle industry, with cattle drives passing through the area on their way to markets in Galveston. The community that grew up around the fort became known as Port Bolivar, and in 1850, a post office was established in the town.

In 1900, Port Bolivar was devastated by the Galveston Hurricane, one of the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. The hurricane destroyed much of the town's infrastructure and left hundreds of residents dead or missing. Despite the damage, the town was rebuilt, and in the years that followed, it continued to grow as a hub of commerce and transportation.

During World War II, Port Bolivar was home to several military installations, including an Army camp and a Navy base. After the war, the town returned to its role as a transportation hub, serving as a gateway to the Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island.

Today, Port Bolivar is a quiet, residential community, known for its historic sites, fishing opportunities, and access to the Galveston-Bolivar Ferry. Visitors to the town can explore the restored Fort Travis, visit the local lighthouse, and enjoy the area's natural beauty and coastal charm.

High Island Bird Ssanctuary - What Happens the Rest of the Year?

Ahh! April, the birding season on the Bolivar Peninsula is in full swing. The birding season? What is the birding season? Well, to me, the birding season is spring, when birders from all over the world head for the Upper Texas Coast for spring migration. They come hoping to see a fallout, those amazing events when neotro pical migrants rushing northward are stopped on the Texas coast by adverse weather. They also come to see the tens of thousands of shorebirds that stop in the mudflats, prairies and rice fields, and to see the large numbers of gulls, terns, pelicans, heron s, egrets and spoonbills that nest on the islands in the coastal bays. Who can blame them for coming? The birding is spectacular.

The season lasts from early March to early May, when everyone goes home, or somewhere else to bird. Being a Bolivar Peninsula addict, I don't quite understand this phenomenon. In May, migration is still going on. There are fewer northers and fewer fallouts, but the fallouts that do happen can be spectacular some of the best fallouts ever recorded have happened in May. There have been days when thousands of birds have filled the woods and fields. One Mother's Day I found a tree with 36 Empidonax flycatchers feeding in it. What a sight! I couldn't identify even one. After mid-May, I see few birders on the Peninsula, but there are still lots of great birding opportunities. Yes, it is hot, but the coast is the coolest place in Texas in early summer.

The first young birds fledge in early June, and adults vigorously protect them. Sometimes, if the adults aren't around, it's hard figuring out what the young ones are. One day in early June, I was at Bolivar Flats and saw a medium-sized brown tern. Brown tern? I couldn't remember what tern was brown. One of the parents quickly let me know. I was dive-bombed by an adult Forster's Tern. Those parents let me know in no uncertain terms that they didn't want me within a mile of their chick. I probably wouldn't have been able to identify that tern without its parents.

By early June there are young birds with attentive parents everywhere on the Bolivar Peninsula. In the salt marshes, Clapper Rail chicks watch their parents search for fiddler crabs, and Willet parents scream at anyone who looks in the direction of their chicks. Young Black-necked Stilts, who look like fuzz balls on very long tooth picks, probe shallow ponds with their parents, and oystercatcher families explore the shoreline, looking for anything edible.

There are no oysters on the Bolivar beaches, but there are lots of oystercatchers. These oystercatchers eat clams on the mud flats and dead fish on the beach. Some days they will even probe garbage bags left by beachgoers, maybe looking for an oyster poor -boy? Oystercatchers hang around in families for several months. The youn g are easily recognized because their bills are grayish orange or dull orange, not bright like those of adults.

In July, small colonial waterbirds from all over Galveston Bay bring chicks to Bolivar Flats. At low tide the pools are full of large flocks of waders. Pale pink sp oonbill young feed with their bright pink parents and are regularly joined by hundreds of Snowy and Great Egrets. Klutzy young Reddish Egrets are easy to spot as they stagger around tide pools trying to catch fish. In the middle of the month, terns and gul ls from big colonies on the Galveston Bay islands start to fledge. These parents also bring their chicks out to Bolivar Flats, which is closer to food sources. By late July there may be 50,000 birds on the flats in the evening, half of which are young bird s "hollering" for dinner.

Even on High Island there are baby birds. Of course, you would expect Cardinals and Blue Jays, but Eastern Kingbirds and Orchard Orioles are also common in the sanctuaries during summer. Yellow-billed Cuckoos are present in fairly good numbers, but you do n't see them in the woods, as they are very secretive; you see them as they cross the roads. In 1995, at least one pair of Parula Warblers stayed to nest.

Nesting birds aren't the only birds you see on the Bolivar Peninsula duri ng the summer. You can also see birds which come north to summer in Texas after breeding in Mexico, such as Magnificent Frigatebirds and Wood Storks; you may even see wandering or lost birds. The Curlew Sandpiper that showed up at Bolivar Flats in July, 19 94 and the Masked Booby found in Galveston the same month are good examples of these. A Black-whiskered Vireo was found in the High Island woods one summer. Who knows what else may be stopping by there when no birders are around? I often heard a mysterious singer during a couple of weeks last summer, but never could find him. The call wasn't one which belonged at High Island in the summer, but I never found out where it did belong.

In late July, when it's very hot and very buggy, and you would think there would be no bird events worth witnessing, fall migration begins. Adult shorebirds finished with nesting stop over in the marshes on the UTC on their way south. In July, 1995, the U .S. Fish & Wildlife Service biologist, Rick Speer, counted 36,000 shorebirds in Brazoria NWR in one day. There were 4,275 Lesser Yellowlegs, 3,135 Dowitchers, 3,403 Stilt Sandpipers, 7,236 Western Sandpipers, 1,595 Least Sandpipers, 7,605 peeps (those are the small sandpipers you and he can't identify!) and 3,545 Black-necked Sti lts. Now, wouldn't 3,545 Black-necked Stilts be a sight? Altogether that day, Rick had 23 species of shorebirds. Not too bad for July! He also had LOTS of shorebirds in August, too. Alas, fall shorebird migration on the Bolivar Peninsula is witnessed by on ly a few birders, as most are inside snuggling up to the AC.

A Swallow-tailed Kite seen on High Island on July 15, 1995, shows that it isn't only shorebirds which fly south early. By early August, the Orchard Orioles have formed large flocks and the kingbirds have started to leave. A variety of warblers are showing up, but they are not the tired, cooperative birds of spring; you have to work to see these birds. Since it is usually dry in the fall, the best place to look is by water. Purkey's Pond at Boy S cout Woods and the little pond at Smith Oaks are magnets for thirsty birds in the fall. One hot afternoon last fall, ten species of warblers were seen at Purkey's Pond, including Nashville Warblers, Mourning Warblers and Yellow-breasted Chats. Some species , like Mourning Warbler, aren't seen on the Peninsula in spring; you have to go birding in the fall if you want to see one.

Fall hawk migration on the UTC is nothing short of spectacular. I have been to Hawk Mountain and Cape May; what you can see at Sm ith Point, just around the corner from the Bolivar Peninsula, is easily equal to what you see at either of these very famous spots. A large percentage of the Broad-winged Hawk population of North America flies over the Upper Texas Coast. Often, thousands o f these birds funnel through Smith Point, where they are joined by large numbers of accipiters, falcons and Mississippi Kites. Actually, you may see almost anything migrating over Smith Point: Woodstorks, White Pelicans, Snipe, hummingbirds, kingbirds, lo ts and lots of swallows, warblers, flocks of orioles, Dickscissels, butterflies and even migrating dragonflies show up there. The main thing that is lacking is birders. On many spectacular days there are only a few birders, and they can't see everything. W ho knows what is being missed?

Smith Point isn't the only place on the UTC to see hawks in the fall. As many as 200 Broad-wings have been seen over the woods on High Island. Peregrine Falcons, Merlins, Kestrels, Sharp-shinned Hawks, White-tailed Kites and Harriers are regulars on the Bolivar Peninsula. Swainson's Hawk, White-tailed Hawk, Harris Hawk and Crested Caracara have also been seen on the peninsula in the fall.

In the fall there aren't too many places in the United States where you can see a greater variety of birds than you can on the Upper Texas Coast. It can be hot and buggy, but it is our own back yard. Great birding.

Fall migration probably ends in December. Ducks, geese, sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers have come to spend the winter. A mo rning in the woods on High Island can turn up just about anything. Mixed-species foraging flocks almost always have Solitary Vireos, Orange-crowned Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. This winter, Golden-crowned Kinglets and Red-bre asted Nuthatches joined the winter residents. Most winters a few warblers who should have gone south will hang around. Often there are several Wilson's Warblers and sometimes a Black-throated Green. Two years ago we even had a Black-throated Blue. Some d ays it is thousands of Robins, and some days it is hundreds of Goldfinches. This winter was a Woodcock winter, with as many as nine seen in one day.

Winter along the coast means thousands of wintering shorebirds at Bolivar Flats, flocks of Bonaparte's Gulls along the coast, Gannets and large flocks of scaup offshore, many species of ducks in the marshes and maybe an odd gull or two here and there. I don't know if we can ever beat this winter's odd gulls Kelp, Great Black-backed, Lesser Black-backed, and Glaucous Gulls.

Enjoy the birding season, but please don't put those binoculars away in May. Unless we are out there looking, we won't know what is around. Keep going down to the Bolivar Peninsula where there are always a lot of birds to watch.