When & Where In Texas for good bird hotspots (1 Viewer)

[Deb335077]

When is the best month to visit Texas for a birding holiday and where are the best places to go. I am planning on maybe flying into Houston and spending a couple of days in the city before spending about 10-12 days heading out for some serious birding. Whilst I see the coast and Mexican boarder seems to hold alot of places does the later pose any threat to tourist (as this has been suggested to me from a travel agent).

Any help and advise is greatley appreciated

 

[firstreesjohn]

If you only have this amount of time, then northern Texas is the destination from Houston. I made the mistake, the first time I visited the state, of doing both there and the Lower Rio Grande. It is a BIG place !

Read the itineraries of the major UK and US bird tour companies.

Search for trip reports on the net.

Borrow or buy a site guide to the state.

You will do far worse than staying at High Island (with many wet areas in convenient driving distance) and Sabine Pass, with a few days inland (perhaps at the start, to cater for jet-lag)- for woodpeckers, kites, etc.

If you are able, then late April/early May is the best time.

 

[lulubelle]

Read through some of the previous posts - they contain info on areas around Houston & areas along the coast, as well as info about the valley. I would disagree with the above post in that North Texas is not the wiser choice. South & southeast (along the upper coast - Galveston area), is better by far. I would say mid April & the first week or so of May. Check out the Houston Audubon website for locations around Houston. Do you know where you want to bird, besides the Houston area?

There is also a member by the name of Steve Gross who you could PM for info on where best to bird around the Houston area.

As far as safety around the border areas. In south Texas , as in the Lower Rio Grande valley, you are as safe there as any where else you might visit. There is an obvious border patrol presence , as there should be, and should you drive to the valley, you will have to go through a border patrol check station. The only thing I have been told not to do was walk the river trail by Salineno.

 

[firstreesjohn]

I apologise for being less than clear. My intentions were honourable !

I did mean the Upper Gulf Coast, when I wrote 'north'.

This is why I specifically mentioned High Island and Sabine Pass. For a British (European) birder, the warblers on passage are almost irresistible- especially if you are lucky enough to coincide with a fall-out (fall).

 

[Deb335077]

thanks for the info, I was thinking maybe a few days in Houston then a maybe a flight to McAllen, Brownsville or Edinburg then pick up a car and spending 4 nights in the Rio Grande Valley area before maybe 2 different stops on the gulf coast whilst heading back towards Houston for a return flight home, do these plans sound resonable and varied or is there alot of varied habitats within the Houston area. Apr/May seems like a very do able time.
My main targets would be Hummingbirds, Crested Caracara, Green Jay. would these be possible

 

[firstreesjohn]

Without wishing to appear presumptuous, it seems to me you’re trying to pack in too much. Four nights in the LGRV are nowhere near enough- save for a taster. You will have flown a long way, spent a lorra dosh, the distances are huge and the driving slower than in this country (speed limits). You don’t want to spend hours of each day on the road, but in the field.

Perhaps you should concentrate (a week?) on the LRGV: see http://www.theworldbirdingcenter.com/ (these are fantastic), http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_br_p4502_0058q.pdf , http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wildlife/wildlife-trails/ and http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wildlife/wildlife-trails/coastal/lower.

If you want to see many of the warblers, etc., South Padre Island has migration at this time and is a good location in its own right.

Once your ideas are firmer, I’d be happy to provide more specific info, based on my trips. It will be hot and humid; make sure you have technical clothing, insect repellant and hi-factor sunblock. Available much more cheaply than in the UK here: http://www.rei.com/stores/houston-willowbrook.html (this is the more convenient store for George Bush International).

Hummers and the Jays will be in the reserves/centers along the LGRV; Caracara should be seen whilst driving along. Pull the car completely and safely OFF the road. (American drivers neither like nor expect people to be stopping on the road; unlike here, where anything is possible.)

 

[njlarsen]

Maybe the thing to do if you have limited time is visiting twice. The lower Rio Grande Valley is great around Christmas when (I think but no personal experience) areas further north might be less interesting.

Some of the more northerly areas that I have not visited probably are better in the april/may time window.

As others have said, don't underestimate the distances: We had about two weeks from Corpus Christi to the valley and back around Christmas and would not have wanted less time.

Niels

 

[Steve Gross]

Living in the Houston area as I do, I can attest to the quality of the birding along the Upper TX Coast.

If I might, I would like to suggest that if you are set on going to the Rio Grande Valley, you should stay there three nights, with the remaining nights in the Port Aransas/Rockport/Corpus Christi area.

Although the High Island and Sabine Woods sanctuaries can be rife with migrants from mid-April through mid-May, the migrant traps in the Corpus area (Blucher Park, Hazel Bazemore, Paradise Pond) are really great, and the chance of more westerly species is greater than on the Upper Coast.

If you can arrange flights into Corpus or San Antonio rather than Houston, you'll be birding sooner and driving less than if you fly into/out of Houston.

That said, if you choose to come to Houston, there are birds to see and great places in which to see them.

If you'd like more help in planning your itinerary, please contact me at sgross77 AT comcast DOT net

 

[SteveClark]

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wildlife/wildlife-trails/

is a great resource.

 

[Xenospiza]

Maybe the thing to do if you have limited time is visiting twice. The lower Rio Grande Valley is great around Christmas when (I think but no personal experience) areas further north might be less interesting.

I was not particularly impressed by the Texas Gulf Coast around Christmas, although I should have got some better gen than I had. I had bad luck it had not been cold yet, so many birds were lingering further north. Whooping Cranes were easy though and I saw my target Harris’s Sparrow near Austin.
I made a conscious decision not to go to the Lower Rio Grande Valley (had been there before and plan to go to Mexico one day).

 

[prattw]

To put driving distances in Texas and the region into British perspective, the distance between John 'o Groats and Land's End is about 50 miles greater than the distance along I-10 between Beaumont (On the LA border east of Houston) and El Paso. Houston to the LRGV is slightly less than London to Edinburgh. Looking at highway maps without carefully noting the scale can be misleading if you are used to using the AA map atlas. (I have the opposite problem, I always allow too much time between localities in Scotland.)

Will

 

[stuartelsom]

Hi Deb,

More info which you may find useful to add to the already valid contributions from others.

A week/10 days in mid April spent on the upper coast and taking in a couple of key pinewood spots like WG Jones State Forest near Houston and Boykin Springs (couple of hours north of Winnie) should net you around 220-240 species including around 25 warbler species and most of the regular thrushes, tanagers, orioles, woodpeckers and buntings together with the bulk of migrant waterbirds/waders and raptors. This is the rough itinerary of the tour I have led for Sunbird since 2005. The year that we did combine Upper Coast with the valley we got closer to 300 species but that's a very tiring trip and you do end up spending far more time driving than birding if you elect to choose that option.

As someone who has spent around 6 months in the field in North America I would say pick the itinerary with least driving and more time in the field. You can always return at a later date and do other areas in greater detail - the birding is that good!

A valuable resource is the superb ABA Birder's Guide to Texas Coast by Mel Cooksey and Ron Weeks (around £20) and it contains loads of useful and relevant info. However, should you need more information please feel free to contact me directly with a PM through Birdforum or through my website, alternatively please visit the World Birding galleries on my website to see pics taken on my Texas tour or visit the Sunbird website to see the itinerary for next spring's tour; both of which will give you a flavour of what to expect from this area. Whatever you choose you will not be disappointed as Texas is without doubt a fantastic place to bird even when migration is slow.

Hope this helps

 

[bernerjc]

If you're coming in Winter I'd definitely go to the RGV. if you're coming in very late april/early May I'd skip the RGV and instead focus on the Upper and or Central Texas Coast area.
Corpus Christi is a long way from Sabine Woods/High Island but don't be too scared by the distances. You can get from place to place much quicker in Texas on wide open rural highways than in the UK. Speed limits outside Houston are often 70 or 75 MPH/115-125 KPH and other than in weekday rush hour it's easy to travel long distances. Petrol is also far cheaper than in the UK.

My itinerary in early may would be to fly into Houston and hit Sabine Woods, High island, Bolivar Flats, Galveston (Corps Woods, East Beach, Sportman Road, Lafitte Grove/Cove, San Luis Pass) (total time 2-3 days). You then could head to the Corpus area for 1-2 days. If you have extra time--add Jones forest near the Houston airport (endangered red-cockaded woodpecker and a few pine specialities). Steve Gross is a good one to contact--see above--he's president of Texas Ornithological Society. here's alink to 332 species found in april-may just in the three upper texas coast counties nearest high island in 2010-12 (may have to copy/paste the link into your browser)

http://ebird.org/ebird/tx/GuideMe?s...ar=2010&eYear=2012&continue.x=50&continue.y=5

 

[Deb335077]

Looking for more advise regarding trip to Texas at the end of Apr begin May next year, looking at either spending 12 days in McAllen and the centres around the 9 World Birding Centres in the area or option 2 spending 6 days in the McAllen area then approx. 3 days in Corpus Christie area followed by 3 days towards the Galverston area before flight home from Houston. Any help, advise, suggestions & opinions will be appreciated as we would like to get the most out of the trip without cramming too much in (and allowing some relaxation time in the sun) Also what is the climate like at that time of year as Texas is a big area I have struggled to find those specific areas.

 

[JeffMoh]

I was not particularly impressed by the Texas Gulf Coast around Christmas, although I should have got some better gen than I had. I had bad luck it had not been cold yet, so many birds were lingering further north. Whooping Cranes were easy though and I saw my target Harris’s Sparrow near Austin.

Perhaps you didn't check out the best spots. The Katy Prairie (northwest of Houston) is great for sparrows - inc. Harris's - and many other birds every winter. Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR, an hour or so west of Houston also provides good winter birding, especially for sparrows.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[perdu]

The upper texas cost is always good. Galveston, Bolivar and High Island. Also good is Brazos Bend State Park.

 

[thegoderic]

I have had the "pleasure" of spending a lot of time working in Houston and have made something like a dozen weekend trips to the LRGV, plus many trips to Galveston and the Bolivar peninsular.

I'm planning on spending a couple of weeks there myself in April next year, starting in McAllen, then heading slowly North to spend a couple of days at High Island around peak migration time.

If you have any specific questions or want details of any sites, PM me and I'll respond.