By ARABELLA SERRATA
The South Padre Island Birding Nature and Alligator Sanctuary [SPIBNCAS] recently celebrated its 15th anniversary on Thursday, Sept. 26.
The SPI Chamber of Commerce posted a commemorative video. It opened with SPIBNCAS Executive Director Cristin Enholm thanking those who participated in the sanctuary’s original opening.
Enholm also thanked two young girls, Eva Castillo and Elle Hable, for their participation and enthusiasm for the birding center.
Enholm invited the public to volunteer and donate to the center. She then announced the reworked “Wine Wednesday” event: Sunset on the Boardwalk. Admission is $5. The event will go from 5:30-7:30 p.m. every
Wednesday from Oct. 2-30. Peggy’s Cakes will be catering Sunset on the Boardwalk. The Birds and Butterflies Garden Party on Oct.12 was also announced. Food, music and more were advertised. Peggy’s will be catering this event as well. Hallowings was announced. It will take place on Sunday, Oct. 27 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Enholm presented a quilt donated by the Rio Grande Valley Quilt Guild that will be raffled off at the
event.
Javier Gonzalez, a naturalist educator at the center, spoke about how the center serves as a migratory rest stop. He also shared information regarding the Birding Big Day and Habitat Drive, slated for Oct. 5. The
Habitat Drive is a fundraiser encouraging attendees to pledge money per species recorded. Supporters can pledge as little as 50 cents. Pledging is available on the SPIBNCAS official website. The money pledged will
go directly to maintaining the plants and greenery around the sanctuary.
Gonzalez also announced the Lower Laguna Madre Young Birders Club. Registration is $100, and it gives members a free pass to SPIBNCAS for the year, free binoculars, free admission to the center’s monthly
Young Birding Club programs and reduced gift shop prices. The program will be themed to the seasons. Gonzalez cited nine to 15-year-olds as the age range for the club.
Richard Frankie, who Enholm calls the “Founding Father” of the center, spoke at the event. He touched on plans for expansion within the center, including an aquarium, a full-service restaurant and more. He says
the project will cost about $14 million, but estimates the return could be around $20 million.
Jake Reinbolt, SPIBNCAS herpetologist, spoke about the alligators at the center. Reinbolt emphasized that the gators are “brilliant creatures” and misunderstood by the public.
“There’s no such thing as a scary animal. There are scared people and animals that they do not understand, and that is where education bridges that gap,” said Reinbolt.
SPIBNCAS is open Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.