The Port Aransas Birding Center offers one of the best birding experiences on Mustang Island. Once you have visited the location one discovers why locals and guests alike keep coming back to the Leona Belle Turnbull Birding Center. The Birding Center is located off of Cutoff Rd. where the the road curves. Turn onto Ross Avenue. Drive down Ross Avenue past the R.V. park then past the Port Aransas Community Park and Pool to the end of Ross Avenue. There is a trolley stop right by the parking lot entrance to the Port Aransas Birding Center. The Birding Center is right next to a water plant.

The paved parking area can be somewhat crowded early in the morning and even later in the day in cooler months. Natural plants and landscape lining the walkway around to the boardwalk provide an opportunity to see butterflies and small birds. The long boardwalk takes visitor over and into the wetland viewing area. One has the feeling of walking right into the reeds and grasses as you venture across the water. Half way down the boardwalk is a tower that offers and incredible and interesting view of the surrounding wetland. Watching the birds and other creatures in there natural enviroment feeding, sleeping, bating, arguing and more is a sight all will enjoy! Strolling to the end of the boardwalk will provide visitors with a wider view of the water.

Birding here at the Port Aransas Birding Center is excellent year round. Winter months provide the addition of vast amount of waterfowl and other seasonal birds. The boardwalk provides for up close viewing of herons, egrets, waterfowl (teal, redhead, widgeon, whistling duck, coots and others), black skimmers, spoonbills, pelicans and many other bird species. Visitors to the Birding Center may also see crabs, nutria, alligators, turtles.