Friends of Padre: Reports

FOP REPORT 05/30/2015   Air Temp: 83 Water Temp: 82 Wind: 5-10 increasing to 20 late out of the SE Waves:  2-4 ft Water:  Clear the length of the beach Weed:  Still very little the length of the beach Driving:  Not much road at high tide, excellent at low tide Birds:  468 Black Terns 2 White-tailed Hawks 5 Blue-winged Teal 4 American Oystercatchers 20 Red Knots 2 Greater Yellowlegs   Foresters, Sandwich, Royal and Least Terns One large staging flock of Sanderlings Most of the common shorebirds are present but in small numbers as we are in nesting season Many little Green Turtles from the 50 mile beach to the Port Mansfield jetties.   PINS was in rare form today for the spring time.  Very little weed on the beach or in the water this time of year is rare to say the least.  Light winds, clear water and bait the length of the beach is providing for excellent fishing!   There are large mats of oil washing in over the first couple of miles in the park.  GLO was out this evening cleaning up the mess.

Via Cody Moravits Mostly cloudy weather with big thunderstorms developing throughout the day on thursday. Winds were blowing 5-10 mph out of the SE until a thunderstorm would get near and winds would increase to 30 mph, then would calm back down. Water temperature stayed around 80-81 degrees F Driving has improved over the past few week with all the rainfall and the higher than normal tides that have pushed a good portion of the natural debris up closer to the dunes. There are still big trees on the beach so use caution while driving. At low tide the driving is 2wd the length of the beach. Water clarity greatly improved on Thursday morning and was clear the length of the beach, with schools of mullet frequently seen. The only birds working were Least Terns feeding on smaller baitfish the length of the beach. Surf varied in size as the storms moved by but stayed relatively calm at around 2 foot. Still no sargassum presesnt... Not many people fishing the beach. Speed limit is still 15 mph the length of the beach and be sure to buckle up! Birds sighted: Willet Sanderling Cattle Egret Cormorant Black Bellied Plover Wilson's Plover Black Tern Least Tern Forster's Tern Sandwich Tern Royal Tern Herring Gull Laughing Gull Ring-Billed Gull Great Blue Heron Brown Pelican Ruddy Turnstone American Oystercatcher Caracara Barn Swallow

Via Capt. Jeff Wolda Air Temp: 78 Water Temp: 76 Wind: 20 SE up to 40 with storms Water Clarity: Clear Waves: 3-4ft Weed: Very little washing in the length of the beach. Driving: 2 wheel drive the length of the beach (see below) Birds: There were small numbers of birds on the PINS beach today. Many have migrated North to nest and high winds and rough seas didn’t’ help. Black Terns were the most common bird seen with a few hundred seen. Laughing Gulls, Least Terns, Sandwich Terns, Forester’s Terns and Royal Terns were seen in small numbers. Unusual sightings were 12 Red Knots which have been absent on the beach for some time and 5 American Oystercatchers. Regular shorebird species were seen but in very low numbers. Driving was good at low tide until the storms moved in and pushed water up. There is a lot of debris on the beach, mostly wood. With the high water driving is treacherous due to the debris. There will be high tides of almost 2ft in the morning both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. They are also calling for sustained winds near 30mph. The combination of the 2 will cause the water to go over the high road in the mornings and not fall until late in the day so plan accordingly. There is bait the length of the beach. Lots of skipjacks in the surf. Trout, reds and jacks should be in the surf zone if the weather doesn’t blow the beach out. At least 5 more turtle nests were found today.

Friends of Padre beach report: April 29, 2015 Partly cloudy throughout the day, NW winds 20mph in the morning diminishing to 10 mph in the afternoon. Water temperature: 74 degrees F Driving is still difficult due to the large amount of natural debris that is still present, mainly large branches and logs. At low tide the sand is hard packed but super bumpy, with loose blow sand filling the ruts in the high road. Water clarity started off sandy green in the morning and then clearing up with the incoming tide and as the day continued. Surf varied throughout the day but started decreasing as the day went on. No bait activity was observed; didn’t see any birds working or bait jumping the length of the beach. Other fishermen reported large whiting are plentiful and one man had a couple of shark runs. Picked up 3 abandoned EZ-up canopies. Please do not leave these on the beach if you choose to bring one. They do not hold up to the wind, sand, and salt on the beach and eventually end up being an eyesore on the beach. Speed limit is still 15 mph the length of the beach. Birds sighted: Spotted Sandpiper: 8 Black Phoebe: 1 White Tail Hawk: 2 Caracara: 2 Skimmer: 1 Long-Billed Curlew: 1 American Oystercatcher: 1 Black-Necked Stilt: 1 Herring Gulls Laughing Gulls Ring-Billed Gulls Royal Terns Forster’s Tern Least Terns Brown Pelican s Blue Herons Black Bellied Plovers Willets Sanderlings Ruddy Turnstone Cormorants Cattle Egrets Barn Swallows Turkey Vultures Blue-Winged Teal Cowbirds

Friends of Padre beach report: April 8, 2015 7:30 a.m.-High Tides and winds steady at 20 mph, gusts to 30+ Overcast and cloudy day, light fog, spots of sunshine in the afternoon. Water temperature: 69 degrees Difficult driving conditions due to large amount of natural debris. Mainly large branches and trees in the common driving lanes. Majority of debris is between 7 miles (some loose sand here) and 35 miles. Surf varied as the tides dropped and winds laid near noon. Blue water was just past 3rd sandbar in the 40’s. Water murky to third sandbar from 45-Mansfield jetties. No bait activity was seen. No birds were working and no bait seen jumping. Other fishermen reported drum and whiting as their only catches. Very few people fishing. Majority of our sightings were Turtle Patrol volunteers! Park personnel stated that no Kemp’s Ridley’s had been found yet. Don’t forget…Speed Limit 15 mph!! Bird Sightings: Herring gulls Laughing gulls Franklin’s gulls Sanderlings Caspian Terns-2 Royal Terns-500+ entire length of beach Forster’s Terns-100+ near Mansfield jetties Least Terns Brown Pelicans- 500+ Blue Heron-3 Semipalmated Plover Black Bellied Plover Willets Neotropic Cormorants 500+ Cattle Egrets-100+ on beach and in dunes Barn Swallows-100+ migrating rapidly north Turkey Vultures Blue-winged Teal-1

March 28, 2015 Padre Island National Seashore Friends of Padre Beach Report   Air temperature: low to mid 70’s SE at 10 mph building to 20 mph w/ gusts to 25 mph Water clear from 0 to 35, sandy from 35-45, clear from 45 to the jetty Driving 2WD on low road, but bumpy Mid road 2WD w/ some 4HI   Numerous schools of sheepshead present in the surf Pony mullet the length of the beach Finger mullet on the south end of the beach Large trees/wood debris in the water and IN THE ROAD the entire stretch of the beach Helped tag an 83” sandbar shark at the Mansfield Jetty Reports of reds, black drum, and small sharks Lots of camps until the 30’s The Mansfield cleanup appeared to be a success with orange trash bags seen for several miles south of the Mansfield jetty. Bird notes: Least Tern Sandwich Tern Royal Tern Willet Sanderling Black Bellied Plover Brown Pelican Horned Lark Ring Billed Gull Herring Gull Laughing Gull Cormorant Wilson’s Plover Northern Herrier Ruddy Turnstone Caspian Tern Long Billed Curlew Mourning Dove Green Winged Teal Common Tern Semi-palmated Plover Crested Caracara Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Great Blue Heron        

  March 19, 2015 Padre Island National Seashore Friends of Padre report   Water temperature: 65 degrees F (Bob Hall Pier) Air temp @ 0800: 64 degrees F Fluctuated between 64 and 70 degrees F throughout the day. Heavy fog on the beach Patchy, dense fog throughout the day Moments of sun, coupled with hours of overcast and fog Light, variable winds switching to SE at 10 mph Water gets better all the way to the jetty. Sandy green to clear and green, moving South. Driving on low tide: 10/10 Driving on hide tide: 7/10, Middle road 2wd with some 4HI in the high banks   2 coyotes on the water line at the 7 Dead dolphin at the 42 Large trees in the water and IN THE ROAD from the 15 to the 50 A couple sandbar sharks reported from Mansfield Jetty as well as sheepshead Most camps within the first 5 miles Few camps south   Bird notes: Laughing Gull Herring Gull Sanderling Black Bellied Plover Ruddy Turnstone (7) Willet (100’s) Royal Tern Grackle Ring Billed Gull Great Blue Heron (12) Brown Pelican Caspian Tern Cormorant Forster’s Tern Semipalmated Plover (6) Cattle Egret Snowy Egret Reddish Egret Tricolored Heron (2) White Ibis (flocks of 15-30 flying over 1^st bar, 100’s) Long Billed Curlew (21) Black Tern (1) Barn Swallow (Scattered throughout the day, headed North) Horned Lark (19) Northern Harrier Sandwich Tern Wilson’s Plover (4) Peregrine Falcon (2) Crested Caracara (1) Black necked Stilt (1) American Avocet (1) Turkey Vulture (2) Franklin’s Gull (4) Least Tern (2)    

FOP REPORT 021815 Air Temp: 54 Water Temp: 57 Wind: 10 NNW Waves: 3ft Water Clarity: Dirty to 3rd bar. Starting to clear on the north end. Weed: None Driving: Like a highway Birds: 3 White Tailed Hawks, 7 Caracara, 1 Peregrine, 70 Ruddy Turnstone, 43 Long Billed Curlew, 514 Sanderling Didn’t even bring the rods today. Just wanted to check the conditions after the front. Driving is as good as it gets. No bait was observed in the surf with the exception of 1 large cold stunned mullet. According to the weatherman, today and tomorrow may be the only days to be down PINS due to the weather. Lots of wind starting late tomorrow. The 20th Big Shell Cleanup is Feb. 28th. See you there!!! Check out this huge mullet next to size 11 boot. Capt Sandifer estimated the mullet to be close to 7lbs!