OCTOBER 2024

Dear friend,

Here's what's happening at Houston Audubon this month:

SOAR INTO FLAVOR AT AN AVIAN AFFAIR

October means its time for our annual fundraising dinner, Avian Affair! Soar into flavor with a delicious multi-course meal paired with exceptional wine. Enjoy dishes that highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients and pay homage to the abundance of foods found in nature. 

Thursday, October 17, 2024

6 - 9:30 PM

The Revaire, 7122 Old Katy Rd, Houston, TX 77024

Your attendance will support Houston Audubon's mission to advance the conservation of birds and their habitats in the Greater Houston Gulf Coast region.

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

Fall is here and the weather has cooled down some just in time for the re-opening of Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary! We want to give a massive thank you to Harris County Flood Control District, our Arborist Rigoberto Hernandez, and our very own hard working volunteer Trail Crew for putting in the long, hot hours to safely reopen.

Dangerous trees were removed, many requiring climbing teams. Large branches and logs that were blocking trails were removed, and mulch is being added to restore the quality of the trails. Various infrastructure has been or is being repaired by our Trail Crew and contractors.

Please avoid the trails on the northwest side of the property bordering Memorial and Rummel Creek. These paths are blocked off because they do not currently have safety boundaries due to damage from Hurricane Beryl. They are in the process of repair thanks to your generous donations.

Finally, the southern boardwalk near the big pond is officially complete, and the Trail Crew is thrilled to see guests enjoying the path it provides. Notable sightings in the sanctuary include Scaly Breasted Munias, Barred, Great Horned, and Eastern Screech Owls, Wilson’s and Canada Warblers, and lots of hummingbirds. We hope to see you this fall!

On the Coast

October is finally here, which means restoration season and fall/winter programing will begin in earnest within the coastal sanctuaries. This time of year many of our breeding species such as Least Tern and Wilson’s Plover will have departed for points southward. Other species such as Dunlin and various gulls will be arriving in larger numbers to stage and/or settle in for the winter.

This month is not only exciting for the migrants moving through our sanctuaries, but also for new faces on the coastal sanctuary team! This year we will have three seasonal Bird Conservation Technicians working with us from fall through spring: Charlie Ayers, Theresa Kelly, and Nick Minnich. All three have experience involving habitat management, birds, and birding. We look forward to having them on the team and hope you get to meet them next time you visit the coastal sanctuaries.

As for avian highlights, October is often the most species-rich month for fall birding on the Texas Coast. A time of transition, it often sees a few straggling “early” migrants at the start of the month (Orchard Oriole, Mississippi and Swallow-tailed Kites), followed by more irregular movements of waterfowl into the region towards the end of the month as we receive our first real cold fronts pushing birds in from the Great Plains. This is also a time of transition in the northern Gulf of Mexico as water temperatures begin to shift and subtropical species (e.g. Magnificent Frigatebirds) begin to thin out and temperate species (e.g. Northern Gannet) can begin to appear. The combination of large volumes of birds moving (both in terms of individuals and species) combined with more irregular weather patterns (storms and fronts) makes this one of the most exciting and serendipitous months of birding in our region.

Our first High Island Volunteer Workday of the season (second Saturday of the month Oct-Mar) will be Saturday, October 12th 8:30am-noon. There is quite a bit of trimming and trail work to complete following a verdant summer with plenty of rain. Coastal Nursery Workdays will continue this season (second Thursday of the month Oct-Mar) with our first on Thursday, October 10th 9am-noon.

CONSERVATION CORNER

Ecological Corridors: Nature's Highway System

By Schyler Brown, Conservation Specialist

Conservation Corridors, including land bridges and connected parcels of land, are essential in the Conservation Biologist’s toolkit. These corridors help animals move from one area to another, that would otherwise be difficult to get to because of human infrastructure. Wild animals, like humans, must move to find mates, obtain resources like water, and food, and find shelter. Learn more about ecological corridors on our blog »

NEWS & BIRDING

Featured Beak: Carolina Chickadee

Protect Bolivar Flats

Welcome to Christine Wehrli, Community Outreach Programs Manager

MetroNational and a Bird-Friendly Pilot Program

WAYS TO HELP

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