Friends of Padre Beach Report 12/14/2016

Friends of Padre PINS Report 12-14-16 by Jen Merchant

Air Temp: 64°

Water Temp: Water was in the 63-65° temp the further south you go.  At the 5 mile marker the surface temperature reading was 52°.  Not sure if that means there is a cold water upwelling or not, as the water didn't have the rust color to it when there is one.  

Wind: 10-15mph North winds

Weed: None

Water: 2-3 ft. waves with low water clarity.  High tides still coming close to the dunes.

Driving:  Two wheel drive all the way to the 60 mile marker at low tide.  Some areas needed four wheel drive at high tide.

There was an abundance in wildlife seen today as we drove to the 60 mile marker.  Not many people where on the beach.  It was cold and foggy most of the day with an overcast.  The water temperatures where in the 60's and where warmer the further south you go.  I took a surface temperature reading at the 5 mile marker and it was in the 50's.  I did this reading several times to make sure it was correct.  Not sure if that means there is a cold water upwelling, as the water didn't show the coloring of such.  Hopefully just a malfunction.  The water was muddy so we didn't fish as much.  Low tide was easy driving but after tides started coming up we had to put it in four wheel drive in some spots.  We noticed more birds diving the further south we went.  There was even a new buoy washed in.  And a new park ranger named Jones.  If you see him stop, say hi and give a friendly welcome.  This is a great time for all the beach combers.  We were finding lots of treasure the length of the beach.

Birds seen:

Wimbrel, White-tailed Hawks, Horned Larks, Red Knots, Reddish Egret, Black Tern, Sanderling, Sandwhich Tern, Cormorant, Piping Plover, Wilson's Plover, Caspian Tern, Royal Tern, Brown Pelicans, Caracara, Rudy Turnstone, Blue Heron, Curlew, Willets, Laughing Gull, Herring Gull