Friends of Padre Beach Report 3/16/2017

Via Jennifer Merchant

Took a trip down PINS and the weather was beautiful.  On the way down there we noticed the water was brown and had plenty of sargassum in the water and on the shore.  Driving was good with a few questionable spots.  Once we got passed the 40 mile marker the water was trout green and blue.  Water clarity down south was a 9, with little seaweed.  There is still a bit of a washout at the 58 mile marker.  Waves were 3-4ft.  Tide was only coming close to the dunes around a couple spots.  Winds were about 15mph.  Not too many people down there for Spring Break.  We caught bullsharks, blacktip sharks, redfish and whiting.  Seen people catching bonnetheads, bluefish, and spanish mackerel.  Birds diving in the third gut.  Phytoplankton washed in Tuesday night.

Birds Seen:

Caracara

Ring billed gull

Rudy turnstone

White tailed hawk

Curlew

Sanderling

Willet

Brown pelican

Double crested cormorant

Least tern

Royal tern

Sandwich tern

Herring gull

Laughing gull

Caspian tern

Blue heron