OCTOBER 2025

Hello, everyone! October is a season of change—a reminder that change is one of the few constants, especially in nature. Birds are on the move, landscapes are shifting, and we are reminded of how interconnected people and wildlife truly are.

This makes our Save Bolivar Flats campaign all the more urgent. Houston Audubon is working to purchase a small piece of property that would connect our existing conservation lands into one continuous sanctuary, free from interruptions and direct human impact right in the heart of this Globally Important Bird Area. Bolivar Flats is not only a critical sanctuary for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, it is also a natural buffer that protects our communities along the coast. These fragile coastal habitats are under increasing threat, but with your help, we can safeguard them; for the birds who depend on them, and for the people who rely on the protection they provide.

A heartfelt thank you to the many supporters who have already contributed to this campaign. Please continue to spread the word and share it with your friends, especially your birding friends across the globe. Together, we can ensure Bolivar Flats remains both a haven for wildlife and a shield for people for generations to come.

With gratitude of your support, 

- Jed Aplaca, President & CEO

The final missing piece of Bolivar Flats is at risk.

On an annual basis, half a million birds depend on Bolivar Flats to rest and refuel. This site has a rare international listing as a “Globally Important Bird Area”, and 300 bird species have been documented here. And on any given day, you can share the Flats with as many as 50 bird species!

We're raising $3 million to protect the final piece of Bolivar Flats from development. Help us by making a donation or sharing the Save Bolivar campaign.

FEATURED EVENTS

Avian Affair Fundraising Dinner

Join us at our annual Avian Affair fundraising dinner, which will be held at the Post Oak Hotel on October 23rd at 6 pm. This year’s event will focus on Bird-Friendly Communities: Supporting Habitats for Birds and People - and we are thrilled to welcome renowned author and Extraordinary Birder host, Christian Cooper, as our keynote speaker. The evening program will include a paddle-raise for the Save Bolivar Flats campaign. Join us as we celebrate our achievements in bird conservation and help us raise funds to continue our mission for years to come. We hope to see you there!

SANCTUARY SNAPSHOT

Houston Audubon owns and manages 17 bird sanctuaries totaling over 4,100 acres, many of which are open to the public! Our most frequented sanctuaries include the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary in west Houston and our High Island and Bolivar Flats sanctuaries on the coast. 

Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary

By John LeaRussa, ELMNS Sanctuary Lead

When you look up at ELMNS it is clear to see that fall migration is happening for our feathered friends. Meanwhile, Old Snappy who hangs out at the turtle pond is enjoying this summerlike weather lounging on the logs and soaking up the good living at ELMNS. In addition to our usual birds, sightings this past month have included Blue-headed Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Black-and-white Warbler, Pine Warbler, Baltimore Oriole, Great Crested Flycatcher, and Eastern Wood-Pewee among many other species. Experience fall migration at Edith Moore with us!

Let’s hear it for the Trail Crew! Earlier this month, the old foot bridge along the “Bumpy Trail” finally gave way after many years of dedicated service. But have no fear, our Trail Crew team stepped into action, making the necessary repairs and getting the trail back in service almost immediately. If you would like to be a part of this exciting team, we meet every Tuesday from 8 – 11 AM. Come on out and enjoy the experience of hard work in nature.

Our Nature Shop has reopened! Stop by the admin building between the hours of 9 AM - 3 PM from Monday-Friday to get your merch, including our brand new Bird of Houston t-shirt designed by artist Elizabeth Umanzor. 

“What fall migration?”

On the Coast - High Island and Bolivar Flats

By Wyatt Egelhoff, Sanctuary Manager

With the first cool front making its way to the coast, and more on the horizon, it is finally beginning to feel like fall in the coastal sanctuaries. We want to thank the nearly 70 volunteers that put in time cleaning up Bolivar Flats during our beach clean-up on Saturday, September 27th. It was the largest turn-out we’ve had in several years and the weather was cooperative. 

Our first High Island Workday of the fall will be Saturday, October 11 from 8:30 AM to noon. Our monthly Coastal Natives Nursery Workday will be the day before, Friday, October 10 from 9 AM to noon. We look forward to seeing familiar faces and new ones as we begin the next season of activities on the coast. 

October tends to be the period with highest diversity of fall migrants in the coastal sanctuaries, with large pulses often found after the passage of cold fronts. The front that recently passed through in the last week of September produced over 20 species of warblers in the High Island sanctuaries and a myriad other songbirds. Fall birding can be just as exciting as spring birding, and the potential for finding unexpected birds can be greater. Those brave enough to endure the mosquitoes and biting flies are often rewarded. 

CONSERVATION CORNER

Trophic Cascades: How the Removal of a Predator affects a Whole Ecosystem

By Schyler Brown, Bird-Friendly Communities Program Manager

We often hear big phrases like “everything in nature is connected” when discussing natural systems, but what does any of that really mean? While there are many subjects related to the interconnectedness of a biological system, one very important ecological concept is the idea of a Trophic Cascade.  A Trophic Cascade is simply the domino or trickle down effect of on an ecosystem after the addition or removal of a predator. A great example of this is seen in the relationship between raptors, jays, and hummingbirds. When a raptor like a Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) is removed from an area, Blue Jays (Cyanocitta cristata) are able to congregate at greater densities and prey on greater numbers of hummingbirds. Scientists have found that when a predator like the Red-shouldered Hawk is re-introduced to a system, that Blue Jays (the prey of the Red-shouldered Hawk) are likely to disperse, giving hummingbirds a chance to reproduce successfully. This is why it is so important to keep raptors in our ecosystems and not disturb their nest sites, which many return faithfully to each year.

Greeney H.F. (2015) Trait-mediated trophic cascade creates enemy-free space for nesting hummingbirds. Sci Adv. 4:1(8). doi: 10.1126/sciadv.1500310. PMID: 26601258

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26601258/#:~:text=We%20demonstrate%20that%20hummingbirds%20in%20Arizona%20realize,in%20the%20presence%20of%20their%20hawk%20predators.

IN THE COMMUNITY

Highlighting Cullinan Park Conservancy

By Christine Wehrli, Community Outreach Programs Manager

Houston Audubon has been thrilled to partner with Cullinan Park Conservancy over the years to collaborate on various birding events. Located in Sugar Land, Cullinan Park is one of the largest nature parks in the Houston area with 754 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and lakes featuring more than four miles of scenic nature trails, and an impressive 267 species of birds have been observed there. In early September, Cullinan Park made the news because of a sighting of the Snail Kite - a black-and-gray raptor known for its highly specialized diet of snails. It was the first time this endangered species was recorded in Fort Bend County.

In May, we co-hosted a Student Bird Walk with Dulles High School student Amanda Jerng. Despite the heat and humidity, it was a great turnout with over 40 people in attendance. Some highlights from the walk included Purple Gallinule, Common Gallinule chicks, and broad-banded water snakes. During Houston Bird Week (Sept 20-27), over 50 people attended the Guided Bird Hike and Family Fun Birding Hike. Those who attended were delighted by Limpkins, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, and Little Blue Herons, among many other birds.

NEWS & BIRDING

Houston Audubon is Hiring an Education Specialist

Help us Save Bolivar Flats from Development

New Merch! Buy our Bird of Houston T-shirt at Edith Moore Nature Sanctuary

Birdtopia Contest - Submit your Bird-Friendly Space

WAYS TO HELP

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