Brazoria National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge lies on the coast east of Freeport, bounded by Bastrop Bayou and by Bastrop, Christmas and Drum bays. It was established in 1966 with 6,398 acres, half bought from the rancher Jack Phillips, and grew by purchase until the Hoskins Mound marsh brought it past 40,000 acres in 1991. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway cuts across it, and the freshwater Big Slough runs through the middle.

Tides mix Gulf water with the fresh water of rivers and bayous here, and the estuary is a nursery for fish, shellfish and insects. The refuge also manages more than 10,000 acres of the coastal prairie that once covered the shore from Louisiana into Texas. More than 320 species of birds have been recorded, along with 95 of reptiles and amphibians and 130 of butterflies and dragonflies. It sits on the Central Flyway, and in winter duck and goose numbers have peaked at 30,000 and 40,000. Freeport's Christmas Bird Count, taken nearby, has often topped 200 species, one of the highest counts in the country.

The Big Slough auto tour is the easiest way to see the wintering waterfowl and wading birds, and the newer Cannan Bend Recreation Area adds a freshwater lake and coastal woods. Hunting and fishing are allowed in season.