General Information

Location: Classroom sessions are held from 7:00-8:45 PM at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary in the administration building. On the field trips you may stay the entire time, meet us later, or leave early

Upcoming Classes

Breeding Birds of the Coast and Coastal Marshes: May 21 - June 1, 2013

Our coastal beaches and marshes provide great breeding habitat for a wonderful diversity of birds. In this class we will study those species of shorebirds, gulls, terns, hawks, wrens, rails, and many other groups of birds that nest and raise their young here. We will see these birds in their best breeding plumage and hopefully have an opportunity to study and enjoy the chicks and juvenile birds too.

Classes: Tuesday, May 21, 2013    Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Field Trips: Saturday, May 25, 2013      Saturday, June 1, 2013. Field Trips are 8 AM - 4 PM.

Fee: The fee is $150 for Houston Audubon members ($175 for non-members).
Registration: Register online. If you have any questions about registration, please contact jperkins@houstonaudubon.org, 713-932-1639.

NatureScaping for Birds and Wildlife -- Beyond Bird Feeders: June 4-11, 2013

If you are ready to move beyond simply attracting birds to your yard with feeders, this introductory course is for you! Our focus will be improving habitat in your yard. It is not necessary to “start all over” with your landscaping, but if you are just beginning to landscape, this course will save you time and money. Topics that we will cover include: plant diversity, proper plant selection, providing food on a seasonal basis, cover for safety, nesting habitat, water features; making an edge effect; creating bird and butterfly feeding stations; and designing a more natural habitat. Sound design concepts are important in any landscape project, and design principles will be discussed and illustrated. By following these principles, a properly designed yard will not only comply with homeowner and city regulations but can win yard of the month recognition! Our objective is to create local habitat, not build a high-maintenance garden. The closer you "fit" your restored community of plants to the community one would naturally find at your specific site, the less maintenance that will be required over the long term.

Join us for this informative and fun course that will help you create an oasis for birds and a retreat for yourself.

Classes: Tuesday, June 4, 2013    Tuesday, June 11, 2013.
Classes are held 7:00-8:45 PM at Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. Registration will begin shortly.

Fee: The fee is $45.
Registration: Register online. If you have any questions about registration, please contact jperkins@houstonaudubon.org, 713-932-1639.

Instructor

Glenn has had a passionate interest in nature since early childhood. In addition to bird identification, he has a special interest in the relationships of plants, birds, butterflies, and other insects. Glenn teaches Bird Identification and Nature Related classes at Rice University’s Glasscock School of Continuing Studies and is an instructor for Audubon’s Birding classes. He served as State President and Houston Chapter president of the Native Plant Society of Texas. Glenn is a certified Texas Master Naturalist and is a regular speaker for the training program. He leads field trips for the Katy Prairie Conservancy and gives presentations at festivals such as Galveston FeatherFest and the Rockport/Fulton Hummingbird Festival among others. Glenn also leads professional birding and natural history tours for groups and individuals with recent trips to Big Bend, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Amazon Rain Forest and The Galapagos Islands. Find out more at the GO Birding Ecotours website. Contact Glenn at h.glenn.olsen@gmail.com.

Recently Held Classes

Warbler Identification on the Upper Texas Coast: March 19 - April 6, 2013

People come from all over the world to the HAS High Island Sanctuaries to experience the migration and arrival of the "jewels" of the bird world. Learn about the remarkable migration journey of these small and beautiful birds. Learn the principles to identify the 37 different species of warblers that are possible to see in our area.

Classes: Tuesday, March 19, 2013    Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Field Trips: Saturday, March 23, 2013      Saturday, April 6, 2013. Field Trips are 8 AM - 4 PM.
On the field trips you may stay the entire time, meet us later, or leave early.

Wintering Waterfowl: January 29 - February 9, 2013

The Upper Texas Coast is an amazing area for wintering waterfowl. Each year we have thousands of ducks (24 species possible) and thousands of geese (5 species possible) and mergansers (2 species). While the identification of male ducks is often straightforward, the same cannot be said of the more cryptically colored females. Therein lies the challenge and fun of duck identification. We will learn techniques for separating the 24 species of ducks, the different species of geese, and the mergansers.

Classes: Tuesday, January 29, 2013    Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Field Trips: Saturday, February 2, 2013      Saturday, February 9, 2013. Field Trips are 8 AM - 4 PM.

Sparrow Identification: December 4-15, 2012

Secretive and challenging to identify are what make this group of birds Fun. The Upper Texas Coast is a great place to see wintering sparrows. Learn the key principles of identification that will enable you to separate the 17 different species that are possible. After this class you will no longer call sparrows little brown birds, you will recognize them as sparrows.

Classes: Tuesday, December 4, 2012    Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Field Trips: Saturday, December 8, 2012      Saturday, December 15, 2012. Field Trips are 8 AM - 4 PM.

Wintering Birds: November 6 - November 17, 2012

A wide variety of birds spend the winter months on the Upper TX Coast, and this class will focus on exploring the different habitats where these bird can be found. In the grasslands we will look for Red-tailed Hawks in their numerous plumage patterns, the Northern Harrier as she courses for food, and the colorful meadowlark among many others. We will explore woodlands for Brown Creepers, Brown Thrashers, and Hermit Thrushes, wrens, and hawks. In our wetlands we will look for several species of ducks, ibis, Bald Eagles, egrets, herons and many other wintering birds

Classes: Tuesday, November 6, 2012    Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Field Trips: Saturday, November 10, 2012      Saturday, November 17, 2012. Field Trips are 8 AM - 4 PM.

Beginning Birding: October 23 - November 3, 2012

In this class, we'll learn the basics of birdwatching, or birding, which will include learning about the habitat, migration, and behavior of birds, as well as how to identify them by family and species. Get ready to be fascinated by birds! In this class you will not only enrich your enjoyment of the birds in your own backyard, but you will attain a set of skills that will allow you to explore and expand your enjoyment of birds near and far.

Classes: Tuesday, October 23, 2012    Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Field Trips: Saturday, October 27, 2012      Saturday, November 3, 2012. Field Trips are 8 AM - 4 PM.

Hawk Identification: August 28 - September 22, 2012

In this class we will learn to identify hawks, from the small American Kestrel to the majestic Bald Eagle, and we will learn how and why hawks migrate. Houston is located along a major flyway: we will take advantage of this by spending time in the field practicing identifying hawks in flight as they pass through on their way from their breeding grounds in Northern Canada and Alaska to their wintering grounds in Central and South America.

Classes: Tuesday, August 28, 2012    Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Field Trips: Saturday, September 1, 2012      Saturday, September 22, 2012. Field Trips are 8 AM - 4 PM.