Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge in Matagorda County, Texas. The nearest town is Bay City, about 29 km (18 mi) away (Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge lies SSE of town).
The Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife conservation area along the coast of Texas (USA) in southeastern Matagorda County, south of the towns of Bay City and Wadsworth. It borders a bay behind a barrier island at the Gulf of Mexico. Established in 1983 and encompassing 5,000 acres (20 km2) of salt marsh. Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge is for the birds. The refuge is only open to the public for waterfowl hunting season and for special activities. Three national wildlife refuges on the Texas coast - Brazoria, San Bernard and Big Boggy - form a vital complex of coastal wetlands harboring more than 300 bird species. The salt marsh habitat is home to waterfowl, shorebirds, wading, and waterbirds. Egrets, spoonbills, and pelicans nest in East Matagorda Bay. The threatened species of eastern black rail also live in the refuge.From the Wikipedia article “Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:35 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:26 AM | 63° ENE | 8:25 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:13 AM | 117° ESE | 5:31 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 18m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:53 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:14 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 31m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:42 PM | 6:14 PM | 6:38 PM | 11h 11m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:05 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:07 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 35m |
| June | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 58m |
| July | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:28 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 11m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:57 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:56 PM | 10h 43m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 4:53 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 19m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 32° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:33 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:51 AM – 6:11 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 5:31 AM | 3.8 | 32° | SE → S |
| May | 11:47 PM – 4:57 AM | 5.2 | 32° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:58 PM – 4:48 AM | 6.8 | 32° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:56 PM – 3:16 AM | 5.3 | 32° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:28 PM – 1:18 AM | 3.8 | 32° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 11:19 PM | 2.5 | 29° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:13 PM – 9:23 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 3 Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.57 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 36% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (66%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 71 | 73 | 77 | 85 | 86 | 90 | 89 | 91 | 93 | 86 | 82 | 75 |
| Low °F | 34 | 32 | 37 | 48 | 53 | 75 | 78 | 76 | 71 | 49 | 44 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.8 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 5.0 | 6.6 | 5.0 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Big Boggy National Wildlife Refuge from Bay City?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.