JANUARY 2025

Dear friend,

I’ve been honored to serve as Interim President & CEO for the last six months.  Houston Audubon is an amazing organization with hard working staff and volunteers.  I’m grateful for the continued support of our members during this transition.

I’ve enjoyed learning about Houston Audubon from the perspective of a staff member and look forward to using this knowledge to continue to support the organization as a Board member and through committee work. I’m excited to see the direction Houston Audubon takes in 2025 as Jed Aplaca takes the helm as our new President & CEO. Happy New Year!

- Pam Smolen

FEATURED EVENTS

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

Temperate migrants have been in full swing at Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary! While many of the ELMNS staff were enjoying time away with their families during the holidays, our local birds were busy keeping warm in the chilly weather. Soon, these temperate migrants (including waxwings, goldfinches, sparrows, kinglets, and some woodpeckers) will make the journey back north where they'll spend their breeding season.

In the latter part of December, staff and volunteers participated in the annual Christmas Bird Count and found 35 species at Edith L. Moore including a Brown Creeper and our resident Barred Owl! This month, we will begin making preparations for the beloved spring migration season. Come out and count your sparrows before they leave!

On the Coast

Thank you to everyone who helped us on our December High Island workday. The areas of treated privet in Boy Scout Woods were much improved, as was the brush pile and understory habitat. These treated areas are often the most productive for migrants in the spring, so please come and enjoy the fruits of your labor in a few months when spring migration begins!

Our next High Island workday will be Saturday, January 11th 8:30 AM to noon. Our next Coastal Nursery Workday will be Thursday, January 9th 9 AM to noon. We are expecting to get some colder weather that week, so please dress accordingly if you plan on joining us. Colder temps often mean fewer mosquitoes buzzing around. January is typically when we begin the process of readying the sanctuaries for the busy Spring Migration season. We will also be doing three beach clean-ups in our various Port Bolivar-area sanctuaries between January and March, so keep an eye on the Houston Audubon social media accounts for announcements of those dates if you are interested.

This season’s Christmas Bird Counts (CBC) in the coastal sanctuaries were a great success. Staff and volunteers observed 122 species in Port Bolivar as a part of the East Galveston CBC. This was a new high count for that section and included many highlights such as a vagrant Tropical Parula, several lingering Franklin’s Gulls, thousands of American Avocets, and an ever-stunning Short-eared Owl.  

Staff also counted in the High Island area as a part of the Bolivar Peninsula CBC. Here they observed 140 species, also a new high count for this section. Highlights here included a cooperative vagrant Anna’s Hummingbird, spiffy Vermilion Flycatcher, vocal Winter Wrens, and an evening spent counting the daily spectacle of wading birds coming in to roost at Clay Bottom Pond in Smith Oaks. Houston Audubon sanctuaries are certainly birdy!

A relatively warm winter thus far has allowed for many lingering species to take up residence within the sanctuaries, particularly flycatchers. Wintering Eastern Phoebe numbers throughout the Upper Texas Coast seem to generally be approaching pre-Winter Storm Uri numbers, and this fall/winter has seen large numbers of wintering Vermilion Flycatchers throughout the region. Waterfowl numbers have generally been relatively low, as has been the trend for many decades. Open water and ample food sources further north in the Great Plains allows them to migrate shorter distances and conserve energy. However, projected colder weather moving into our region in mid-January will likely shake things up and push new birds our way from colder points north. As with migration, fronts are what drive much of the dynamics of birds and birding on the Texas Coast. The coastal staff wishes everyone a happy and birdy 2025.

Sanctuary Spotlight: Winter's Bayou Bird Sanctuary

You might recall from a previous spotlight on Winter's Bayou that Hurricane Beryl and the Derecho in May did some serious damage to the trails and boardwalks in the sanctuary. We are revisiting the sanctuary in this spotlight to proudly announce that the boardwalks have been rebuilt and trees blocking the trail have been removed. The sanctuary is officially re-opened to the public! What's more, is that the stretch of trail leading from the entrance to the bayou has been extended and developed into a loop so that birders can experience more of the bayou in the sanctuary. We want to give a huge thanks to the Piney Woods Master Naturalists who helped clear the trail and repair the boardwalks - their efforts are deeply appreciated! Visit Winter's Bayou and enjoy its piney wonder, but remember, be respectful and leave no trace!

IN THE COMMUNITY

Last month, Houston Audubon partnered with the Houston Botanic Garden for a special Bird Feeder Wreath workshop. In this sold out event, participants crafted festive wreaths that doubled as a source of food for birds. The wreath materials were all bird friendly and included yellow pine, yaupon holly, cherry laurel, carolina snailseed, oranges, apples, cranberries, millet, and sunflower heads. Participants also learned about local bird species in the Houston area and how they can make their own spaces more bird-friendly.
Houston Audubon is excited about the ongoing partnership with Houston Botanic Garden. Stay tuned for upcoming events with them in 2025!

NEWS & BIRDING

Get to Know Jed Aplaca, Houston Audubon's New President & CEO

Now Hiring a Development Director

Featured Beak: Red-breasted Merganser

Fledgling Friends Fall Recap

WAYS TO HELP

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