Brazos Bend SP, 12/22 - 12/24/2018

Scampsite #115.  We set up camp, walked the dogs and then walked over to the George Observatory for the Saturday night viewing.  It was a full moon, so the telescopes were focused on whatever else they could see despite the moon.  One of the small ones was focused on Foamalot, which just looked like a white spot.  The biggest telescope was focused on Gamma Andromeda.  That telescope has the 2nd largest elevator in the country in it - the elevator floor carried us up to the telescope, shortest people first.  Local astronomers also bring their personal telescopes to the Saturday night viewings, so we got to see the moon in a personal telescope - it was so bright it took our eyes a few seconds to adjust to the moon's "light"!
Sunday we walked the dogs around Hale Lake - didn't see any alligators, but saw the flood water line on the trees - as high up as my ear!  After we dropped the dogs back at the trailer and had a spot of lunch, the two of us went to the Nature Center - there are local snakes in glass terrariums - I got to pet a hognose snake and we both pet a baby alligator, who chirped at us!  The ranger said he was a rescue and was chirping for his lost mama.  Then we walked along the south side of Elm Lake - saw our first alligator there! We went up the Observation Tower, walked around 40 Acre Lake to the Prairie Trail and then to the Live Oak Trail.  We saw tons of different birds and it was cool walking through the swampy part of the park, then the prairie, then the trees. 

Brazos Bend landscape.

Gator with Snowy Egret.

Brazos Bend landscape.

Gator on the trail.

Live Oak Trail.

Scampsite 115.

George Observatory.

Hale Lake picnic area - notice the dark flood line on the lower parts of all the trees.

Panorama from the Observation Tower. 

Anhinga.

Red-Shouldered Hawk, right next to us on the trail.

Brazos Bend is near Richmond, which is a county seat and has a lovely old, domed courthouse.  There are 2 breweries, one of which is also a winery in Richmond.  We visited Fulbrook Brewery and were impressed with the beer there.  

Alvin is also relatively close, but we didn't explore Alvin at all.