Birding places near Houston-TX

[BirdsPeru]

I will be going to Houston by the end of the month for 2 weeks because of work and would like to know if there is any good place to go birding around Houston.

Hope someone can help find a good place to go.

Alejandro

[Dave B Smith]

Alejandro,

I've only done a little birding in Houston. The following is some info Steve Gross sent me prior to my trip: "The coastal migrant traps hold good numbers of birds right now: High Island, Sabine Woods, Quintana Neotropical Sanctuary. Shorebirding is good along Galveston Island, and over the Bolivar Ferry at Bolivar Flats.

In W Houston, there is the Edith L Moore Sanctuary (home of Houston Audubon) and Bear Creek Park. The birding there for migrants can be good as well."

There are also several other locations such as Armand Bayou in Clear Lake and about 6 sites for prairie / grassland birding (Atwater's Prairie Chicken NWR among others, recent article on these 6 sites in Birder's World several months ago) which should be real good in late November.

More details can be found on the web for directions to the above mentioned sites.
Good luck,

[DedeCrusinberry]

I will be going to Houston by the end of the month for 2 weeks because of work and would like to know if there is any good place to go birding around Houston.

Hope someone can help find a good place to go.

Alejandro

Alejandro,
The places Dave mentioned are all great. It may be kind of quiet in late November, but the weather has been mild and some migrants may be coming through still. We are finally having a cold front today. Check out the list server called texbirds, you can email them and will get all the latest news as to what is happening. There is a texbirds archive, too, that you can check out what people are seeing. Ck out texasbirds.org too.

Just to mention a few other locations...there is Anahuac NWR, which is reported to have a Fork-tailed Flycatcher right now. It is east of Houston. Also, closer to Houston is Jesse Jones Nature Center east on FM 1960, or WG Jones WMA west of Houston, where the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and Brown-headed Nuthatches may be found. Also, I like Brazos Bend State Park.

Hope you have a wonderful time and many good birds on your visit to Texas!
dede

[BirdsPeru]

Thanks to you two for your replies. I will get into the web right now to find about this places and hopefully have a great birding weekend in Houston.

Alejandro