Dear friend,
Part of the beauty of spring is that, whether or not we’re trying to see it, we are immersed in wildlife all around us. Although I didn’t get much birding in this spring, my family has been treated with a pair of Mississippi Kites nesting in our neighbor’s tree, first spotted by my 14-year-old daughter, Gabby. With a clear view from our breakfast room window, Gabby checks on them every morning when she awakes. Usually the first in the family to spot birds, Gabby also noticed a Great Horned Owl in our neighborhood and, as she started to record it with her phone, exclaimed “Oh my goodness, there are two!!” as a second one came into clear view. Her excitement towards birds reminds me of how special and important Houston Audubon’s outreach and education programs are, for both children and adults. Gabby notices birds everywhere she goes, and it has been a delight to see her interest and knowledge of conservation blossom over the years, with birds being a daily source of inspiration. We hope you and your family will get to experience our programs and sanctuaries this summer. Â
~ Helen Drummond, Executive Director
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Summer Camps at Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary
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Spots are still available for summer camps at Edith Moore from June 6 - August 12!
- Get Wild for Wildlife
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Bugs & Plants
- Get Wild for Art
- WILD Art Part 2
- Community Science
- Aquatic Camp
- Botany Camp
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Stay tuned for information on summer camps at the Raptor and Education Center!
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Friday, June 3
Hawks, falcons, owls and more await you at Houston Audubon's Raptor Photo Shoots. You will have the opportunity to photograph Houston Audubon’s education raptors in a  beautiful, natural setting at the Houston Audubon Raptor & Education Center.Â
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| Saturday, June 4
The Red-vented Bulbul surveys have been successful in helping to build a case to add the species to the official Texas bird list. This was accomplished just this spring, using much of the data from our surveys. This survey will help us determine the resilience of the species following the severe freeze during Winter Storm Uri in February 2021.Â
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| Saturday, June 18
Stop by our booth at Emancipation Park's annual Juneteenth celebration to buy discounted native plants and chat with us about birds & how to be bird-friendly! The event will feature local vendors, a resource fair, community impact discussions, national recording artists, and more–all to commemorate the park's 150th anniversary and the date slavery was abolished in Texas.
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Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary
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New Sunday Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM (Hours will remain 7 AM to 7 PM from Monday - Saturday. Gates will automatically lock at closing time.)
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Now that the busy birding season has wrapped up, it’s a great time to spot other critters at Edith L. Moore. Of course we have turtles, snakes, and frogs around the ponds, but also keep your eyes out for young armadillos, opossums, rabbits, and raccoons. It’s a treat to get to observe some of these new babies (from a safe distance!) as they explore the sanctuary for the first time.
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Plants in the Natives Nursery are getting big, and we are already prepping for the fall planting and growing season. Thanks to our new and longtime volunteers for keeping things rolling!
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Raptor and Education Center
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New Summer Schedule:Â The Raptor and Education Center will be open by appointment only until August 15 due to summer camps.Â
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Spring is in the air and in the trees! Our Polyphemus Moth caterpillars have successfully started to emerge from their cocoons. These giant silk moths are named after the Greek Cyclops due to the eyespots on their hind wings. Adults do not eat or drink and only live a few days to find each other, mate and lay eggs.Â
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Skeeter, the Mississippi Kite, is in full nesting mode. As a female bird, the changes in day length and temperature cause hormonal shifts and she gets very broody. She has laid one egg so far this year in her makeshift nest. Her eggs are not fertilized but she will care for them for a period of time before going back to her duties as an education ambassador.
We hope you'll stop by this summer! Call (713) 640-2407 to schedule your visit!
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High Island and Bolivar Flats
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The migration season has come to an end. Birders saw a great variety of migrants this year, but with favorable winds, most of them flew by. The ones that stopped in enjoyed much of the restored habitat that we’ve diligently been conserving for them.
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The Rookery is still in full swing! Chicks are hatching across all species and staff are participating in the annual census of nesting waterbirds for the Texas Waterbird Society Survey at the end of the month. This census of hundreds of nesting colonies up and down the entire Texas coast includes Houston Audubon Sanctuaries at North Deer Island, Smith Oaks, and Bolivar Flats.
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As temperatures warm and you seek the cool waters of the Gulf, please be mindful of nesting birds and chicks that call these places home.
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Support our education ambassador animals by adopting a bird! Funds from honorary adoptions go towards all care of the animals, including food, housing, healthcare, and more.
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Support Houston Audubon and get great membership benefits like free admission to the Raptor Center, free member birding trips, discounts at our Natives Nursery Open House events and nature stores, and more!Â
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Purchase our specialty license plate, featuring an Eastern Meadowlark, to support our mission of bird conservation! $22 of the annual $30 plate fee comes to Houston Audubon.Â
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