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The grandstand overlooking Purkey's Pond, Boy Scout Woods, High Island, Texas, April 2009 (7 months after Hurricane Ike)
Overview
High Island is a small community on the Gulf Coast of SE Texas, which is famous as a migrant trap for birds returning to the USA in the Spring. There are 4 sanctuaries, owned and maintained by the Houston Audubon Society, the most well-known being Boy Scout Woods (photo right) and Smith Oaks. The area has been impacted quite dramatically by 3 hurricanes in 4 years, most recently Hurricane Ike (Sept. 2008), but has recovered with the help of the Houston Audubon Society and many dedicated volunteers.
High Island is on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, site nos. UTC 51-55.
- Spring Migration 2010 - see below in External Links for a link to the Houston Audubon website for High Island, with daily reports and frequent updates via a Twitter feed.1
Birds
Viewing deck at Smith Oaks Sanctuary, High Island, Texas, April 2008 (before Hurricane Ike)
The Rookery in Clay Bottom Pond, Smith Oaks Sanctuary, High Island, Texas, April 2008 (before Hurricane Ike)
Notable Species
"to do"
Rarities
"to do"
Check-list
Birds you can see here include:
"to do"
Other Wildlife
"to do"
Site Information
History and Use
High Island is not an "island" as such, but got its name because the area rises 32 feet above the surrounding marshes, due to the salt dome below. Trees were able to grow in the improved soil on this hill, and so it became a very important first landfall for the birds which fly 600 miles across the Gulf of Mexico on the Spring migration from their wintering grounds in the Tropics.
Areas of Interest
- Boy Scout Woods (the headquarters for Spring Migration)
- Smith Oaks (the largest sanctuary)
- The Rookery at Smith Oaks
- Eubank Woods
- S.E. Gast Red Bay Sanctuary
Information board about why High Island is high. Click on image for a larger version.
Access and Facilities
- Open daily from dawn to dusk, all year
- During Spring migration (mid-March to mid-May) there are volunteers on hand and there is an entrance fee of $5 per day, unless you want to buy a season pass for $25, in the form of the High Island patch, which is nice to keep as a souvenir, as a different bird is featured each year (Prothonotary Warbler for 2010). Proceeds from these entrance fees help support HAS's 3000+ acre sanctuary system.
- Free daily bird walks, 4 a day, from April 1st - 30th.
- Photo blind (hide) at Boy Scout Woods
- Viewing decks at Clay Bottom Pond
- No dogs or other domestic animals are allowed in the sanctuaries
- Also prohibited: the use of bird calls on tapes or mp3 players, and laser pointers
- No smoking except in the parking lots and on the porch of the Boy Scout Woods bathrooms
Directions
High Island is on the coast to the east of Galveston Bay. From Houston, take I-10 east, exit for Winnie and go south on Hwy. 124. Another way is to go through Galveston and cross to Bolivar on the free ferry, then follow Hwy. 87 along Bolivar Peninsula.
Contact Details
Houston Audubon Society
440 Wilchester Blvd.
Houston, TX 77079
Tel: 713-932-1639
Email: [email protected]
External Links
- Spring 2010 events and updates from Houston Audubon and Twitter
- Houston Audubon's High Island Sanctuaries
- High Island on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail
Content and images posted by HelenB
