AUGUST 2025

Hello, everyone! August is here, and the weight of summer is fully upon us. The heat can feel relentless, but it's a good reminder of how resilient our native wildlife truly is. Birds and other animals have adapted to survive these extreme conditions—by finding shade, staying still during the hottest hours, and carrying on despite it all.

We’re excited to share that Houston Audubon has added 25 more acres to our Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary—an important step forward in protecting vital coastal habitat. But the work isn't over. We’re continuing our efforts to acquire the remaining portions of the former Sanderling housing development to ensure this special place is safeguarded for the future.

Thank you for being part of our important mission. Stay cool, and keep an eye out—there’s always something remarkable to see in nature, even in the heat of summer.

- Jed Aplaca, President & CEO

Houston Audubon Secures $3 Million Dollar Critical Coastal Habitat on Bolivar Peninsula – one of two “missing pieces” adjacent to its Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary

Houston Audubon proudly announces the successful closing of a critical $3 million acquisition on Bolivar Peninsula. This purchase of a portion of the former Sanderling Development represents protection of endangered-species habitat that is adjacent to the globally significant Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary, purchased by Houston Audubon in 1997.

This conservation of habitat contiguous to Houston Audubon’s sanctuary brings the 1,215 acres of land to 1,240 acres in total. This newly acquired acreage, at the mouth of Galveston Bay, had been recently slated for development and instead will now be permanently protected. Read the full press release »

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

By John LeaRussa, ELMNS Sanctuary Lead

Greetings from the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. July has been a vibrant month here at the sanctuary, bustling with visitors, abundant nature, and a wealth of activities. Speaking of activities, do you possess special skills or passions that your daily routine rarely allows you to showcase? Perhaps hobbies or interests that remain hidden, even "suppressed"? We want to tell you about an incredible member of our Tuesday Trail Crew, Ali Ghamsari.

Ali, a local Houston realtor, is also pursuing an electrician's license in his free time. When he learned about the persistent issues we were having with our pond pump, he didn't hesitate to grab his tools and expertly troubleshoot the entire electrical system, ultimately resolving the problem. His dedicated efforts saved us valuable time and frustration. More importantly, it gave him a unique opportunity to step outside his everyday role and apply a skill he genuinely enjoys. Do you have a passion you're eager to put into practice? Opportunities are waiting for you at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary Tuesday Trail Crew! 

The days may be hot, but the birds keep singing at Edith L. Moore - be sure to stop by for your dose of nature.

On the Coast - High Island and Bolivar Flats

By Wyatt Egelhoff, Sanctuary Manager

The transition from July to August brings with it the beginnings of passerine migration on the Upper Texas Coast. While some transients such as Orchard Oriole, Louisiana Waterthrush, and various arctic-breeding sandpipers have already been in evidence within our coastal sanctuaries, August brings with it more noticeable waves of southbound migrants. A few species, such as Wood Stork, actually visit the Upper Texas coast from points South this time of year. They are migrating northward from breeding areas in Mexico before eventually filtering back southward in a few months after taking advantage of ample fall foraging opportunities on the coastal plain. Though still sweltering and often buggy, the added bird diversity can be a better motivator to get out and search for something unexpected in the woods or on the shore. By the end of the month, we will begin to see flycatchers and certain warbler species (such as Canada) beginning to come through in earnest.

It also means that our nesting Wilson’s Plovers are wrapping up for the season, though our Least Terns may continue nesting until about Labor Day Weekend, depending on conditions. Therefore, it is still a good idea to walk in the wet sand while visiting our beaches and avoid flushing large congregations of resting birds. Many may have just traveled hundreds of miles non-stop to make it to our shores.

Our next Bolivar Flats Beach Ramble will be Saturday, August 2nd from 10 AM to noon. Going forward, Coastal Natives Nursery Workdays will be held on the second Friday of the month from October through March, 9 AM to noon. The next workday is on October 10. 

CONSERVATION CORNER

Go fishing, not pishing! How mimicking bird sound stresses birds out

By Schyler Brown, Bird-Friendly Communities Program Manager

Imagine singing all day, every day from before the sun rises to just after it sets. Sounds exhausting, right? Now imagine singing all day while trying to avoid predators, find food for your children, and fend off competitive members of the same species – sounds impossible but adult birds do this every single day throughout the breeding season. Singing is an energy-expensive but crucial part of a bird's behavior, as it is used to indicate their territories and attract mates. Something you may not know is that birds also use singing as a sort of self-defense, as they typically cannot use their claws to fend off aggressors. Birds become stressed when aggressors or competition nears and spend a great deal of energy singing or calling to fend for themselves. This is why it is so important to avoid pishing or using bird song playback when birding. Pishing is a sound made by humans that is supposed to attract, startle, or call a bird out of hiding. When birders pish to attract a bird, it stresses the bird and causes it to spend more energy than necessary to survive. Instead of pishing or playing recordings of the song, wait patiently for the bird to appear, and if you don’t have the patience to avoid pishing, try fishing instead!

IN THE COMMUNITY

By Christine Wehrli, Community Outreach Programs Manager

We are proud to partner with Houston Public Library (HPL) to bring programs to libraries in our focus communities. As part of our efforts to expand our reach to underserved neighborhoods, we strive to bring free bird-related programming to the neighborhoods of 3rd Ward, Alief, Gulfton, Sunnyside, and Park Place. This summer, we held Birding 101 programs at Smith Neighborhood Library (3rd Ward) and Park Place Regional Library (Park Place), introducing community members to the basics of birdwatching. Participants learned about common birds of Houston, practiced using binoculars, and had access to a specially curated set of bird books that they could check out from the library. This collaboration is part of HPL’s ongoing commitment to community engagement and lifelong learning, and we’re grateful to have access to their great spaces and resources.

Find out what programming is happening at your local library »

NEWS & BIRDING

Murder at the Rookery: A Story of Trespass and Triumph

A Promising Spring for Bolivar’s Beach-nesting Birds

Plastic-Free July: Learn All About Plastic Pollution

Beyond the Classroom: Elsik High School Students Connect with Nature at Smith Oaks

WAYS TO HELP

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