Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

06/21/2024

FIND IT FRIDAY! Happy Friday Y'all. When you see it, just put "found" or something, don't give it away.

photo of green and brown vegetation with some small purple flower buds S.Martinez/USFWS

06/14/2024

Edit: middle right side, leaf footed bug

FIND IT FRIDAY! Happy Friday, when you see it, just put "found" or something, don't give it away.

Photo of brown leaves with a few green pieces of vegetation S.Martinez/USFWS

06/07/2024

FIND IT FRIDAY! Critters blend in very well sometimes. When you see it, just put "found" or something, don't give it away.

Photo of green bush with a brown and green background S.Martinez/USFWS

06/03/2024

That Monday morning feeling

photo of cliff swallow - Norman Welsh

05/30/2024

The photo contest winner, out of all the beautiful photos each week, is the photo of a coyote by Larry Armer...Congratulations!!

The winner for the 2024 Friends of Anahuac Refuge Photo Contest has been selected. The winning photo was taken was a photo of a Coyote taken by Mike Fahey.

Congratulations Mike!!!

Mike had a choise of a Vortex Spotting Scope or a GoPro Hero 12 Black action camera and he has chosen the GoPro camera.

Thanks to everyone who took part in this contest.

05/30/2024

Congratulations Kristen Cooney!

Photo of a sun setting on the horizon with an orange sky and a black shadow of a bird in the foreground.

The 11th and final week of the 2024 photo contest is one and the final weekly winner has been chosen. It is a beautiful photo of a Goat-tailed Grackle at Sunset taken by Kristen Cooney. This image is now of of the finalists for the contest prize.

Congratulations Kristen!!!

NOTE: The contest winning photo will be announced later this week. Thanks to everyone that participated and good luck to all our finalists!!!

05/30/2024

Congratulations Larry Armer!

Photo of coyote standing in grass - Larry Armer

The winning photo for week 10 of the 2024 Photo Contest is a beautiful image of a Coyote taken by Larry Armer. This photo will now be one of the finalists for the contest prize.

Congratulations Larry!!!

05/14/2024

Congratulations Shari Lippe!

Photo of a least bittern with a light blue background - Shari Lippe

The winning photo for week 9 of the 2024 Photo Contest is an excellent photo of a Least Bittern taken by Shari Lippe. This image will now be one of the 11 finalists for the contest prize.

Congratulations Shari Lippe!!!

There is just two weeks left in this year's contest so be sure to submit your best images taken at the refuge between March 24, 2024 and May 25, 2024 for your chance to win!

05/13/2024

Whew! That's a lot of teeny mouths to feed!
Happy Mother's Day Everyone

Happy Mother's Day! Today we appreciate all moms, but give a specific shoutout to wolf spider moms who carry around dozens of baby spiders until they get big enough to venture out on their own.

📷 Megan Seymour/USFWS

05/07/2024

Congratulations Barry Hatch!

photo of a common yellowthroat bird (yellow bird with black mask and brownish body) sitting on branches - Barry Hatch

The Photo of the Week for week 8 of the 2024 photo contest is an excellent photo of a male Common Yellowthroat taken by Barry Hatch. This image will now be one of the 11 finalists at the end of the contest.

Congratulations Barry!

04/30/2024

Congratulatoins Bob McCurry!!

Photo of a Vermilion Flycatcher, sitting on a post, looking to the side, with a green background.

The winner for the first week of the photo contest has been chosen. This week's Photo of the Week is an excellent photo of an adult male Vermilion Flycatcher taken by Bob McCurry. This will be one of the 11 finalists for the contest winning photo.

Congratulations Bob!!!

04/30/2024

Congratulations Jim Stough!!

Photo of a Fulvous Whistling Duck sitting on the water - Jim Stough

The weekly winner for the 4th week of the 2024 photo contest is a beautiful image of a Fulvous Whistling Duck taken by Jim Stough. This image will now be one of the finalists at the end of the contest.

Congratulations Jim!

04/30/2024

Congratulations Vamshi Bantu!!

Photo of Red-Winged blackbird, looking over his shoulder, sitting on a post, with a green background - Vamshi Bantu

The Photo of the Week for week 5 of the 2024 Friends of Anahuac Refuge photo contest has been chosen. This weeks photo is an excellent photo of a Red-winged Blackbird taken by Vamshi Bantu. This photo will now be included as one of the finalists for the contest prize at the end of the contest.

Congratulations Vamshi!!!

04/30/2024

Congratulations Karl Hoeffner!

Photo of 2 grackles with purple, black and blue iridescent feathers looking up, sitting on a railing, with a brown/orange background - Karl Hoeffner

The winning photo for week 6 of the FOAR 2024 Photo Contest is an excellent photo of two male Great-tailed Grackles taken by Karl Hoeffner.

This photo will now be one of the 11 finalists at the conclusion of the contest for the contest prize.

Congratulations Karl!!!

04/30/2024

Congratulations, Katherine Daniels!!

Photo of Golden-winged Warbler, looking up, sitting on a branch with green leaves on the side - Katherine Daniels

The photo of the week for week 7 of the 2024 photo contest is a photo of a beautiful Golden-winged Warbler taken. by Katherine Daniels. This photo will now be one of the 11 finalists at the conclusion of the contest.

Congratulations Katherine!!!

04/26/2024

May 31st at our Refuge HQ, 4017 FM 563.

Boater's Education Classes for 13 years and up!

Anyone born on or after Sept 1, 1993 who wishes to operate certain vessels on the public waterways of Texas is required to have a boater's education certification.

We are providing two classes this summer for $30.
(Cash or Check, pay at door)

Please Pregister here:
May 31st at the Anahuac WildLife Refuge, Anahuac TX
https://tpwd.elementlms.com/course/boater-education-classroom-course-2464/

June 7th in Beaumont at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office
https://tpwd.elementlms.com/course/boater-education-classroom-course-2462/

Time: 9AM - 4 PM

For more information: 409-835-8461

04/05/2024

Congratulations Luis Alegria!!

Week 3 of the Friends of Anahuac Refuge's 2024 photo contest is over. The Photo of the Week for week 3 is a photo of a pair of Crested Caracaras taken by Luis Alegria. This photo will now be one of the finalists for the contest prize at the end of the contest.

Congratulations Luis!

03/27/2024

Congratulations Mike Fahey!

The winning photo for week 02 of the FOAR 2024 Photo Contest is an outstanding photo of a Coyote taken by Mike Fahey near Frozen Point. This photo will now be one of the 11 finalists for the contest prize at the conclusion of the contest.

Congratulations Mike!!!

03/18/2024

Got a good photo??? Send it in to our Friends group and get a cool prize

Friends of Anahuac Refuge is happy to announce the 2024 Photo Contest. It starts Sunday, March 10, 2024 and ends at midnight, May 25, 2024. There will be 11 weekly contests and the winning photos of those contest will be judged for the winner of the contest.

The contest winner will then have choice of winning a GoPro Hero 12 Black Action Camera or a Vortex Diamondback Spotting Scope. The value of each item is about $400.00.

For more details and the read the rules go to this link: https://www.friendsofanahuacnwr.com

03/08/2024

FIND IT FRIDAY Happy Friday everyone, when you find the critter, just put "found" or something, don't give it away.
photo of green and brown vegetation - J.Jia/USFWS

02/23/2024

FIND IT FRIDAY: Good Morning Y'all! There's a critter camouflaged in the leaves, when you find it, just put "found" or something, don't give it away.

Photo of brown leaves and some green vegetation S.Martinez/USFWS

02/21/2024

Time to walk the....wait, WHAT? 😍

photo of visitor walking a cat S.Martinez/USFWS

02/20/2024

Tasty Tuesday: Remember that super cool Find it Friday photo? Well here's the rest of the story......

photo of bobcat jumping on a great blue heron - Jacob Hall

02/15/2024

This ISN'T a Charlotte the stingray post. We don't know how she got herself into that situation and frankly, it's none of our business.

Now that we have that out of the way, this post is about Atlantic stingrays! Did you know that this species can live in fresh and brackish waters? In fact, the Atlantic stingray has been found in the Mississippi River, St. Johns River in Florida and the Chesapeake Bay.

These non-aggressive stingrays don't attack humans, but they will give you a good pokin' with their venomous spine if they get stepped on. Remember to do the "stingray shuffle" when wading in shallow coastal waters. The stingray will feel the vibrations of your shuffling feet which gives this wiggly pancake friend some time to get out of your way.

Photo of an Atlantic stingray by ksr8s/CC BY-NC 2.0

02/14/2024

02/13/2024

Tasty Tuesday:
Cute little beetle with the big scary name: A Predaceous diving beetle tries to eat and then a fish tries to take it away. Who do you think wins??

video of a predacious diving beetle eating a piece of food underwater and then a fish comes up to try and get a bite of food as well. video has no sound. S.Martinez/USFWS

02/08/2024

Wetlands are incredible and we have them right here! They are not just places for plants and animals, they are necessary for HUMANS. They clean our water, replenish our water table, and protect our homes among many other things.

02/02/2024

FIND IT FRIDAY; this is a good one!!! You have to find something besides the heron. When you find it, just put "found" or something, don't give it away. Thank y'all for playing!! Have a great weekend.

Photo of great blue heron flying over the water, with grass on either side - Jacob Hall

01/26/2024

FIND IT FRIDAY; When you find the critter, just put "found" or something, don't give it away. Happy Friday Y'all!!
Photo of brown grass and green vegetation - Larry Armer

01/23/2024

Tasty Tuesday: Dam-Sel, this spider is yum!

an orange and black damselfly eating a spider S.Martinez/USFWS