A Green Heron perches in a marsh in South Padre, Texas.

In March each year, throngs of college students flock to South Padre Island for their annual spring break bacchanalia. In autumn, migratory creatures of a different kind arrive in large numbers as birds from throughout North America funnel into the Lower Rio Grande Valley en route to warm southern climes. Visit South Padre in October or November for a late-season beach vacation and you'll enjoy generally mild weather and a chance to share the coastline and woodlands with spoonbills, egrets, herons and hundreds of other species of fine feathered friends.

When to Go

Migratory birds begin to arrive in late September, mingling with resident bird populations throughout the fall and winter. Here at the southernmost reaches of the United States, autumn temperatures are generally warm, though there is some chance of isolated hurricanes or tropical storms.

Accommodations

The Brown Pelican Inn is an eight-room waterside bed and breakfast on the Laguna Madre side of the island, with covered porches where you can watch shore birds in the adjacent grasslands as you enjoy breakfast or an afternoon aperitif. Ask about their special birding packages. Information: 956-761-2722, www.brownpelican.com. The island also offers numerous beach hotels, motels and condo rentals; see listings at www.sopadre.com/findLodging.asp.

Dining

The Padre Island Brewing Company serves barbecued ribs and other pub fare washed down with locally brewed beers (3400 Padre Blvd., 956-761-9585). Many other options include casual American, Mexican and seafood places that cater to visitors. See listings at http://www.sopadre.com/dining.asp.

What to Do

• Laguna Madre Nature Trail: This 1,500-foot boardwalk begins outside the South Padre Island Convention Center and winds through 4 acres of wetlands hosting numerous avian species. Texas Parks and Wildlife literature describes this marsh as "perhaps the best spot in the U.S. to see all of the regularly occurring rail." You might also spot marsh wrens, swamp sparrows, egrets, heron, terns, pelicans and other shore birds.

• South Padre Island Migratory Bird Sanctuary: In 1999, a local conservation group called the Valley Land Fund purchased six wooded residential lots off West Sheepshead Street as a refuge for migratory land birds. Information: 956-686-6429, www.valleylandfund.com.

• Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge: More than 45,000 acres of Federal land comprising the southernmost waterfowl refuge in the United States. The visitor center on the mainland is a short drive from the South Padre Island causeway and offers interpretive activities and birding trails. Information: 956-748-3607, Laguna Atascosa Website.

• Los Ebanos Preserve: A private 82-acre nature park in San Benito, on the mainland near South Padre Island. Features woodlands, butterfly gardens, trails and a small lake where various water birds nest and feed. Information: 956-399-9097, www.losebanospreserve.com.

• Birding by boat: Colley's Fins to Feathers offers three-hour excursions that allow you to see the area's wide range of shore birds from the water. Information: 956-761-7178, www.fin2feather.com.

• Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival: Nov. 8-12, 2006 in nearby Harlingen, with field trips, seminars, activities for children and a Texas barbecue. Information: 800-531-7346, www.rgvbirdfest.com.

• World Birding Center Tours: From November through April, this program of the Texas Parks and Wildlife department presents a series of half-day field trips in nearby Bentsen State Park designed to teach novice birdwatchers the basics of birding. Also offered are all-day tours of various birding sites around the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Information and reservations: 956-584-9156, www.worldbirdingcenter.org.

• Texas Butterfly Festival: Celebrates the Rio Grande Valley's other winged wildlife, more than 280 species of resident and migratory butterflies. Oct. 19-22, 2006 in the nearby town of Mission. Information: Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, 800-580-2700, www.texasbutterfly.com.

Insider Tip

Don't miss the daily "Meet the Turtles" demonstrations at Sea Turtle, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection of Kemp's ridley sea turtles. The group was founded in 1977 by the late Ila Loetscher (a.k.a. "The Turtle Lady"), a South Padre resident who championed the cause of these highly endangered creatures. Information: 956-761-4511, www.seaturtleinc.com.

Posted September 2006.

Information

South Padre Island Convention and Visitors Bureau, (800) 767-2373, www.sopadre.com
Texas Parks and Wildlife, Lower Texas Coast Birding Trail, www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/wildlife_trails/coastal/lower/

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