Dear friend,
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If you were a bird in the Greater Houston Gulf Coast region, it would be a pretty great time to be here. Awareness continues to grow about the vital role birds play in healthy ecosystems, and more people than ever are learning how their actions, such as planting native plants and turning off lights during important migration nights, can help protect birds in our area.
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This past year marked a major milestone with the successful completion of fundraising to permanently protect Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, ensuring this globally important site remains a safe haven for birds to rest and refuel. Our community science work continues through efforts like the Christmas Bird Counts, which provide critical data on the birds that winter in our area, and our ongoing bird surveys and walks throughout the region, where observations help inform conservation while bringing people together.
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As we look ahead, 2026 is shaping up to be an exciting year for birds and for everyone who cares about them. I look forward to what we will accomplish together. Happy New Year!
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- Jed Aplaca, President & CEO
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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.Â
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Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary
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By John LeaRussa, ELMNS Sanctuary Lead
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Season's Greetings and Happy New Year from ELMNS! As they say, “the year winds UP….it doesn’t wind down” and that seemed quite appropriate in December at the sanctuary. The most exciting news is that we completed our new roof installation on the cabin -- some much-needed attention to our beloved treasure. It looks great and hopefully will serve us well for many decades to come! Â
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In December, the Trail Crew began supplementing the numbers of large trees throughout the sanctuary by selectively planting pines, oaks, maples and other varieties of large trees favored by our larger bird species. The explosion of cherry laurel and holly trees throughout the sanctuary has had the effect of lowering our canopy and shading out natural propagation of these larger tree species. The Trail Crew is targeting areas for planting these larger trees, with an eye towards further biodiversity throughout the sanctuary. Keep an eye out for these new tree plantings when visiting the sanctuary.
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A new season of Stories & Crafts kicks off in the historic log cabin! Children ages 3-5 accompanied by an adult are welcome to attend this 1-hour program which includes books, songs, rhymes, movement activities, and a craft. Each session has a unique theme - from birds to critters to dinosaurs! Learn more and register here »
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Don’t forget to stop by our Nature Shop in the admin building between the hours of 9 AM – 3 PM from Monday–Friday. Plans are underway to re-open the shop in the cabin and be open on Saturdays - stay tuned!
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On the Coast - High Island and Bolivar Flats
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By Wyatt Egelhoff, Sanctuary Manager
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Though January still means short days and maybe cooler mid-winter temperatures here on the Gulf Coast, it also means the beginning of spring preparations at our coastal sanctuaries. There is always a tremendous amount of work required to get the trails, facilities, and programs ready prior to the arrival of both human and feathered visitors. We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers who continue to shape our spring programing and give our sanctuaries the TLC they deserve. Thank you to those that were able to attend our December workday, helping to treat non-native vegetation and improve the trail surface in Boy Scout Woods.
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As is usually the case, volunteers and staff made several unexpected finds in our sanctuaries during Christmas Bird Counts last month. A drake Cinnamon Teal has taken up residence with a Blue-winged Teal flock at Grackle Pond in Smith Oaks. A Western Kingbird was found flycatching near Boy Scout Woods. Perhaps most surprising was a Chuck-will’s-widow found at Gast Red Bay Sanctuary. This is only about the second wintering record of the species in Galveston County and possibly the same individual that overwintered at Smith Oaks February through April 2025. Many other expected species were found, with a total of 142 species found in just the Rollover Pass to High Island during the Bolivar Peninsula CBC, a new record for that section. Staff and volunteers turned up 118 species in the Port Bolivar area for the Galveston CBC. Highlights in this area included a male Vermilion Flycatcher at Horseshoe Marsh and very confiding LeConte’s Sparrows at Bolivar Flats. As we enter mid-winter, each cold front has the potential to send more birds our way. We wish everyone a birdy start to 2026.
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Upcoming volunteer opportunities on the coast:
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High Island Sanctuaries Workday Saturday, January 10
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Coastal Natives Nursery Workday Friday, January 9Â (we plan to bump up plants as well as plant them in our sanctuaries)
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Dos Vacas Muertas Sanctuary Workday (Galveston Island) Thursday, January 15 (general maintenance tasks as well as some planting of trees/shrubs from the coastal nursery)
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Beach Cleanup on Frenchtown Road (Bolivar) Saturday, January 24 (this site is immediately adjacent the Horseshoe Marsh sanctuary and unfortunately accumulates lots of trash and discarded fishing line)
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Christmas Bird Counts: A Community Contribution to Avian Conservation
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By Schyler Brown, Bird-Friendly Communities Program Manager
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Mid-December and the beginning of January mark the most wonderful time of the year: Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs)! Introduced as an alternative to the Christmas Bird Hunt of the 19th century, the modern CBC aims to involve members of the community in counting as many bird species as possible in a given area for a single day. While CBC’s can be a competitive outlet among the birding community, the data itself has proven invaluable to the scientific and conservation communities, with information on avian numbers going back as far as 1900! Finally, the count has become a wonderful outreach tool, attracting new birders and teaching many about the value of protecting wildlife habitat for all life on Earth.Â
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By Christine Wehrli, Community Outreach Programs Manager
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Over the past few years, we’ve been fortunate enough to host inspiring and fun events at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art. The Orange Show Center for Visionary Art is a multi-site art center that exists to give Houstonians unique and authentic experiences that ignite the courage to create in everyone.
In 2025, we held two very memorable events there: our Young Professionals Flock Social during Bird Week, and our Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC) Holiday Party. During the Flock Social, attendees made zines about what their life would be like through the eyes of a bird and learned more about bird-friendly actions, the Orange Show, and Zine Fest. We’re thankful for the Orange Show’s continued generosity and partnership!
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To learn more about the space and programming they offer, visit their website, https://orangeshow.org/
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