High Island Birding Classes
Check out the classes below and join us to hone your birding skills this spring! The classes are free and registration is not required.
Classes are taught by Houston Audubon staff members and are held at the Morse Field Station across the entrance to Boy Scout Woods Bird Sanctuary. All classes start at 10 am.
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Birding 101 with Pete Deichmann
Learn the basics of bird identification! We'll discuss the equipment and techniques to get you out on the trails and spotting birds in no time.
Sunday, April 5, 2026
Secret Lives of Warblers with Wyatt Egelhoff
Birders come from all over the United States and the world to witness the annual spring passage of migrants through High Island. High on most visitors’ wish lists are the North American Warblers. This colorful assemblage of neotropical migrants embodies a variety of feeding, nesting, and migratory strategies. Join us as we delve into a year-in-the-life of five particular warbler species: Cerulean, Blackpoll, Swainson’s, Hooded, and Yellow-rumped. Learn more about the unique strategies each species employs, challenges they face, and the continent-spanning places they connect.
Friday, April 10, 2026
The Enigmatic Roseate Spoonbill with Wyatt Egelhoff
Roseate Spoonbills are arguably the most flamboyant denizens of the Texas Coast. However, surprisingly little scientific attention has been paid to this charismatic wading bird. Discover the weird and wonderful ways spoonbills make a living and how the species’ population has changed in Galveston Bay over the past 50 years. Also be sure to stop by Smith Oaks Sanctuary and witness the largest assemblage of nesting Roseate Spoonbills on the Upper Texas Coast!
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Shorebird Identification with Wyatt Egelhoff
Often lauded as one of the most difficult groups of birds to identify, shorebirds are a huge fixture of spring migration on the Bolivar Peninsula, with over 40 species recorded. This array of diversity can be overwhelming, so this class will focus on how and what to look at when identifying a shorebird rather than a species-by-species treatment.
Friday, April 17, 2026
Birding 101 with Pete Deichmann
Learn the basics of bird identification! We'll discuss the equipment and techniques to get you out on the trails and spotting birds in no time.
Saturday, April 18, 2026
Warbler Identification with the Houston Audubon coastal conservation technicians
Consisting of some of North America’s most brilliant eye-candy, the warblers (Parulidae) are a favorite fixture of High Island’s birdlife during the hectic spring months. Despite their often bright colors, they can pose some identification challenges. Here we will discover some tricks to identifying the 35+ species that are regularly found in High Island throughout the spring.
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Birding by Weather with Wyatt Egelhoff
We’ll explore how factors like wind and storms affect birds and their migration on the Gulf Coast. We will then learn how to use this information to get the most out of your birding in High Island (and beyond) this spring.
Friday, April 24, 2026
Migration with Colleen McDonough
Details coming soon!
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Shorebird Identification with Wyatt Egelhoff
Often lauded as one of the most difficult groups of birds to identify, shorebirds are a huge fixture of spring migration on the Bolivar Peninsula, with over 40 species recorded. This array of diversity can be overwhelming, so this class will focus on how and what to look at when identifying a shorebird rather than a species-by-species treatment.
Sunday, April 26, 2026
Feathers, Feeders, and Flowers: How to Create an Inviting Garden for Birds with Schyler Brown
If you’ve always wanted to create a beautiful garden that attracts birds, but are unsure where to start, flock to this class for an intro to gardening for birds! We will touch on topics ranging from basic bird needs, to aesthetic choices such as texture, color, and arrangement. No matter your garden size, big or small, patio or ranch, this is the class for you! Following the class, we will go on a field trip to a well-established bird garden to give ideas and inspire you to take on your own garden project.
