The Owl Post 🦉 July 2026 Newsletter

JULY 2026

Dear friend,

Summer invites us to explore the outdoors and experience the incredible birds and native wildlife that make the Greater Houston Gulf Coast so unique. There is something special about watching someone discover nature. Whether it's a child spotting their first Downy Woodpecker at summer camp, someone learning about birds during our Summer Series at Houston Botanical Garden, or community members celebrating World Ocean Day alongside our partners at Artist Boat in Galveston, these moments spark curiosity and foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

While much of our work focuses on protecting habitat, lasting conservation depends on helping people connect with nature. Every program is an opportunity to inspire the next generation of conservationists. Your support allows us to protect important habitats while investing in the people who will care for them. Every outreach event helps us build a future where birds and people thrive together.

With gratitude for your support,

- Jed Aplaca, President & CEO

FEATURED NEWS & EVENTS

It's Plastic Free July!
Be Part of the Plastic Pollution Solution

Plastic Free July™ is a shared global movement that helps millions of people reduce plastic waste through simple, everyday choices and be part of the solution to plastic pollution. That way, we can enjoy cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.

Join Houston Audubon in celebrating Plastic Free July by making one simple commitment this month, or more if you can! Ideas include refusing plastic straws, remembering to take reusable bags to the grocery store, and carrying gloves and a trash bag to pick up litter when you see it. Tag us in your commitments on social media at @HoustonAudubon!

Bolivar Birds Volunteers Needed

Saturday, July 4

Sunset Bird Walk

Friday, July 10

Purple Martin Watch Party

Saturday, July 25

VIEW ALL EVENTS

SANCTUARY SNAPSHOT

Houston Audubon protects over 4,300 acres of critical habitat for nearly 400 bird species. We invite you to explore these vital ecosystems and connect with nature firsthand. Here are a few highlights from our most popular public sanctuaries.

EXPLORE OUR SANCTUARIES

Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary

By John LeaRussa, ELMNS Sanctuary Lead

The warm, wet weather of June has provided a very opportune and active time for our turtles to be visible within the sanctuary. From the sliders laying eggs in their nests to the box turtles foraging for snacks, this active mating season has not disappointed our turtle enthusiast visitors. When driving through our driveway and parking lot areas, please pay extra close attention to our turtle friends who are moving throughout the sanctuary. They can be hard to see, but driving slowly and paying attention will go a long way in ensuring each of these creatures continues to thrive in the sanctuary ecosystem.

Another creature that has been thriving lately is our very stealthy and persistent mosquito. Their population has exploded from all of the standing water that has been present for the majority of our spring. Because of this, make sure to bring some bug repellent when coming out to the sanctuary.

Speaking of working in the sanctuary, our Trail Crew volunteers continue to show up each and every Tuesday morning, braving the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes to help make Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary a wonderful bird habitat that can be enjoyed by the public. Come out and experience it for yourself!

VISITOR INFORMATION

On the Coast - High Island and Bolivar Flats

By Wyatt Egelhoff, Sanctuary Manager

Our monthly staff-led walk at Bolivar Flats will happen on July 4th, 10am-noon. Join us at the vehicular barrier West of Rettilon Road to learn more about the wildlife, history, and ecology of Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. If you wish to avoid the holiday crowds and sweltering heat, these walks are held on the first Saturday of every month.

The High Island Sanctuaries remain open, but visitors should be prepared for heat and biting insects. Day fees can be deposited in the red "honor box" at the entrance of Smith Oaks or Boy Scout Woods. A singing Yellow-green Vireo at Smith Oaks is a good reminder that the summer months can still produce some exciting birding. Please remember that playing recordings of bird calls and songs is prohibited in all Houston Audubon sanctuaries.

Abnormally warm waters in the East-Central Pacific have brought about a shift to "El Niño" conditions for the foreseeable future. With it comes warm and wet weather, adding to an already sultry summer on the coast. May and June saw lots of rain on the Bolivar Peninsula. This influx of water has recharged and replenished much of the marsh habitat on the Bolivar Peninsula, likely to the benefit of wading colonial waterbirds that rely on fish, amphibians, and invertebrates to feed their chicks. However, flooding has meant most of the beach-nesting birds (Wilson's Plovers, Least Terns, and Common Nighthawks) have had a much more difficult time hatching their eggs before they're washed away this year. This makes it even more imperative for folks to remember to give them space when recreating on the beach as we enter the middle of summer break. On a brighter note, any chicks that do manage to hatch will surely find ample insect food to fuel their growth over the remaining weeks of summer.

Summer Volunteer Opportunities

VISITOR INFORMATION - HIGH ISLAND

VISITOR INFORMATION - BOLIVAR FLATS

CONSERVATION CORNER

High Marsh Miracles

By Schyler Brown, Conservation Science Project Manager

Houston Audubon participates in a Gulf-wide project known as Project Firebird 2.0, led by a team of researchers at the University of Illinois. The aim of the project, broadly speaking, is to get a better understanding of how Black Rails (a tiny, secretive marsh bird) respond to various habitat management strategies, particularly prescribed burning (hence the name, Firebird). The Black Rail uses high marsh habitat, characterized by higher elevation dry/saturated soils that support vegetative species like cordgrass (Sporobolus spp.), and marsh elder (Baccharis halimifolia). Unfortunately for the Black Rail, high marsh habitats are drier and less inundated by saltwater, making them more likely to be bulldozed for a beach development. In fact, if you live on the upper Texas coast in areas like Port Bolivar and Galveston, chances are you live on historically high marsh areas. Luckily, remnants of the habitat remain, and those who know where to look can still enjoy the relaxed swaying of the cordgrass emblazoned by golden sunlight of the earlier hours of the day, accompanied by the sweet tunes of meadowlarks, and if especially lucky, the rare calling of the Black Rail itself.

In the middle of June, I was surveying Black Rails in a hidden field of cordgrass when one called from beneath a marsh elder not but a single yard in front of me. It was a miracle of sorts, not only because I got to hear the bird and its various incantations within arm’s length of me, but because it made it worth every single ant bite I got while cluelessly standing in a fire ant pile!

IN THE COMMUNITY

Celebrating World Ocean Day

By Casey Smith, Houston Audubon Coastal Community Liaison

Our team had a fabulous time at Artist Boat's World Ocean Day Celebration on East Beach in Galveston. We joined over 20 other local organizations to chat with visitors about hands-on beach science, tap our toes to the happy tunes of the Galveston Ukelele Society, and view winning marine-inspired trash barrel designs from the Beautify the Bucket competition. We connected with beachgoers to share simple ways to protect nesting birds, like keeping dogs on a leash, walking in the wet sand and packing out all trash to keep the fragile habitats safe. Pairing this vital outreach with the global, UN-recognized initiative allowed us to honor the beautiful shared ocean that connects every one of us. We were absolutely thrilled to take part in the incredible day, uniting with our community to champion a brighter future for the coastlines we all love.