I had the great pleasure to hang out with Mary Anne Weber, Houston Audubon\’s Education Director, and Dawn Monachino, Education Specialist, both of whom office out of the Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center (HAREC) in southeast Houston. Dawn gave me a tour of the sanctuary, which I was very eager to check out since […]
Read MoreFulvous Whistling-Duck(Dendrocygna bicolor)Family: Anatidae The Fulvous Whistling-Duck can generally be found visiting the Houston area during the summer breeding season. They visit our area while most species of North American waterfowl are breeding further north, taking up residence in marshy ponds, irrigated fields, and coastal wetlands. While their regular migration may be rather well understood, […]
Read MoreCOVID-19 has changed everything for me. It has been one of the rare moments in my adult life where I have had a second to breathe and reassess everything. I’ve reconnected with family and friends, started eating better, bought a bike and lost 12 lbs. However, there was one reconnection that meant the most to […]
Read MoreRed-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) Family: Picidae The Red-headed Woodpecker can easily be recognized by – you guessed it – its red head. In fact, the Red-headed Woodpecker’s red head is so vibrantly colored that scientists have given it a Latin name that also means ‘woodpecker with a red head’. Aside from its bright red head, […]
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We’re excited to start construction of a new trail at Horseshoe Marsh Bird Sanctuary on the Bolivar Peninsula, bringing back safe access to the sanctuary. This project is one of the first to be developed specifically for the Bolivar Peninsula Nature Trail, a locally supported nature-based tourism initiative. Horseshoe Marsh is Houston Audubon’s second largest […]
Read MoreCave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva)Family: Hirundinidae The Cave Swallow is an increasingly common species in the greater Houston area. At first glance, the Cave Swallow appears very similar to the closely related (and more abundant) Cliff Swallow. Both species are generally light below and darker above, both species have a buffy rump patch that is easily […]
Read MoreEvery spring, Houston Audubon and other conservation organizations along the Texas coast participate in the Texas Colonial Waterbird Surveys to help monitor population trends in our state’s seabirds and wading birds. Houston Audubon, Audubon Texas and several additional undivided interest owners co-own North Deer Island, the largest and most productive breeding colony in Galveston Bay. […]
Read MoreGreen Heron (Butorides virescens)Family: Ardeidae What do you mean, I’m short? The Green Heron – our Beak of the Week – is one of the smallest resident members of the heron family in the Houston area. Full-size Green Herons are approximately 18 inches (45 cm) from beak to tail, which means they are comparable in […]
Read MoreAre you at home more with nothing to do? Are you looking for new ways to entertain your restless kids? We\’ve all been going a bit stir-crazy, but while we may have to socially distance ourselves from each other, that does not mean we have to miss out on nature all around us this spring […]
Read MoreBay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)Family: Parulidae When in doubt…look at the feet? Or at least that’s what you do when you are in doubt as to whether you are looking at a non-breeding female/young Bay-breasted or a Blackpoll warbler. Because these two can look very similar, biologists will use the distinctive blue-grey color of the soles […]
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