A unique statue stands along the shore of Galveston Island State Park. It’s a man-sized statue of a shorebird that once numbered in the tens of millions. The bird is either extinct, (probably), or functionally extinct. The birds flew to Galveston Island and were wiped out by market hunters who sold the bird as dough birds in grocery markets. It’s not the first species to be exterminated by greed. The Passenger pigeon is another.
In Argentina today, supposed sportsmen fly down and kill another bird, the Golden Eared Dove, similar to the Morning Dove here in the United States. While visiting my sister’s house in Grand Isle, Louisiana, we even heard one such hunter, who along with his friends, bragged of killing over two thousand seven hundred birds, along with other supposed sportsmen and sportswomen. If you want to book a trip you can find one there and the US Company that sets it up is Orvis, (look it up) I will never buy or use another Orvis product as long as they promote this and the slaughter continues. (I am a hunter but with hunting goes an ethical responsibility……..
It’s not the first species to be exterminated by greed. The Passenger pigeon is another. Will the Golden Eared Dove be next?
We love visiting Galveston, Texas, and always try to spend a few days there on our way to our winter home in Rockport. During our stay, we spend a day shopping in historic downtown, eat at our favorite restaurants, walk along the beach, and go birding in Galveston Island State Park.
Renita and I both enjoy the walk along the downtown shops. One year we bought a beautiful Larimar Necklace inlaid with a Moonstone cabochon. This year we were somewhat disappointed as nothing really caught our fancy, (enough to buy).
The next day we spent the day walking along the beach front. The waves were crashing ashore and there were warnings against swimming with the treacherous riptides.
Tired of the City, we spent the last day birding at the State Park. One of the first birds we spotted was a new bird for our life list, a Northern Rough Winged Swallow.
We also spotted numerous Cara Caras, a butcher bird, (Northern Shrike), a Scissors-tailed Flycatcher, and three hawks, Unfortunately, the sun was setting and we could not get any decent pictures’
As always, we loved our stay and are now in Fulton Texas. Clear skies.
