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This is a great park, there are so many things to do here. Enjoy the view, this park is known for bird watching. Park hours are 8 am - 9 pm public bathrooms are at the entrance of the park. Have fun, happy caching!
Background on the Corpus Christi Hawk Watch at Hazel Bazemore:
Raptor enthusiasts and birders have been watching hawks in migration at Corpus Christi and western Nueces County (including Hazel Bazemore County Park) since the mid-1970's.
The watches were originally conducted as individually-manned watches, staffed by whomever could come, whenever they could come. Sometimes consecutive days were monitored; often it was catch-as-catch-can according to availability of warm bodies.
In 1988, then-Texas Regional Editor John Economidy initiated the first 10-consecutive day counts at Hawk Hill (aka Mockingbird Hill, aka that spot on the north side of the 17th tee of the Wood River County Club's golf course). John's counts officially put the site on the international map, as seasonal reports were then published in the Hawk Migration Studies journal, published by the Hawk Migration Association of North America (HMANA) twice a year.
Picket line stakeouts were also tried, to get a feel for the "corridor" of hawks during the fall migration. As more volunteers became interested and willing to stake out suspected hotspot flyover sites, observers recorded hawks during both fall and spring migrations.
Fall is without a doubt the premiere migration period for this area, bringing a million or more hawks overhead during the fall season. Spring flights are more sporadic over the area, as weather patterns enable migrating raptors to spread out much farther on their trek back north to their nesting grounds.
Hawk Watch International (HWI) took notice of the massive flights of hawks being reported to the international birding communities via the internet and journal articles published by HMANA.
In the fall of 1997, the first 90-consecutive day watch using paid observers was held at the Hazel Bazemore County Park watch site by Hawk Watch International. HWI, joined by generous contributions of materials, funding and other support from local and regional sources, continues to sponsor manned watches at the site each fall to this day.
An estimated 95% of the North American population of broadwinged Hawks (Buteo platypterus) fly over the Corpus Christi Hawk Watch site at Hazel Bazemore Park every fall in monster flights called kettles. Single kettles of 10,000 hawks are routine, and single flights of 100,000 hawks or more have been recorded. During the peak of the broadwinged hawk migration flight (generally around the last weekend in September), single day totals of 100,000 to 400,000 hawks have been recorded. The largest area flight recorded was October 4-5, 1977 when a monster cold front brought in 750,000 Broad-winged Hawks for an overnight roost.
Historically, the largest flights of hawks arrive at Corpus Christi, Texas between September 18 to September 30, although large flights regularly occur from mid-August to mid-October. Generally, the peak of the Mississippi kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) migration is in late August, followed by broadwinged hawks during the last two weeks in September and smaller numbers of Swainson's hawks (Buteo swainsoni) in early October. Flocks of Mississippi kites, anhingas (Anhinga anhinga), and wood storks (Mycteria americana) are often seen in the midst of the broadwinged hawk kettles. Weather in the northern and eastern United States is a big factor in determining the actual dates of the flights.
Other bird of prey species seen include:
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)
White-tailed Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
White-tailed Hawk (Buteo albicaudatus)
Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Crested Caracara (Polyborus plancus)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Rarely seen are:
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
American Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
Zone-tailed Hawk (Buteo albonotatus)
and Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)
The park is also a good spot for other birds. Resident birds include Grove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris), Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus), Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas), and Greater Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus). Large flocks of American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos), Anhingas, and Wood Storks are seen each year. Other birds include Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris), Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus), Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus), Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus), Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea), and Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula).
The hawkwatch is free and open to the public. Observers should bring binoculars, cap, sunscreen, lawn chair, and water. Restrooms are within easy walking distance. Restaurants and motels are nearby. Park policy prohibits camping, firearms, and alcoholic beverages.
(This section is in memory of the late Dr. Carter Whatley)
Background on Hazel Bazemore County Park:
Hazel Bazemore County Park is one of the parks operated by the Nueces County Parks and Recreation Department. The 77.6 acre park is located on the Nueces River, just off of Farm Road 624 and County Road 69. There is a self-guided nature trail and photographic blinds for the study of birds. Picnic facilities and a playground area are available along with fishing and swimming in the Nueces River. A group shelter is available for parties by reservation. Reservations must be made two weeks in advance by calling (512) 387-4231.
The park was named in 1956 for Miss Hazel Bazemore, assistant home demonstration agent, who was killed in an automobile accident in 1955. Miss Bazemore was a 1950 graduate of Oklahoma A&M College and began her services with Nueces County in August of 1950.
In September 1977, the park was made into a nature park and environmental study area.
Nueces County Park Rules and Regulations:
Speed limit: 15 mph in the park
Littering is prohibited.
Small cooking fires are allowed on open beach areas only.
Camping must be in designated areas only and by permit only.
Pets must be attended at all times on a leash.
Fireworks, firearms, pellet or b-b guns, bow and arrows are prohibited.
Only hook and line fishing is permitted from the piers.
Surfing is not allowed in restricted areas.
Glass containers are prohibited on the beach.
Driving and camping in sand dunes is prohibited. Also, any destruction of vegetation is prohibited.
Congratulations to 8N328857 on FTF! :)
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Qba'g tvir hc!