Newsroom Archive 9
From December 15, 2019 thru April 5, 2020
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Indigo Bunting. It was posted by Aidan Healey, Conservation Technician, on April 4, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Here is a link to the April 2020 edition of our monthly E-News in case you missed it. You can subscribe by filling in the form at the bottom of any page on our website.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Hooded Warbler. It was posted by Sarah Lefoley, Conservation Technician, on March 27, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Anna Vallery, Conservation Specialist, did a fantastic job telling people how they can be bird-friendly at home in this 7-minute video interview as part of the Houston Life series on Click2Houston. Mary Anne Weber, Education Director, brought some of our education ambassador birds to drive home the message.
Richard Gibbons, Conservation Director, is interviewed in this 5.5-minute audio by Robin Young on WBUR radio. He explains the complexities of bird migration. He provides a good explanation of why birds start their migration flights. Listen to the audio: it is a good way to get informed while staying sane in these times. Click the red button beside the title of the page to hear the audio.
The Nominating Committee of the Houston Audubon Board of Directors recommends the following slate for election to the Board of Directors. Elections will be conducted at an online meeting.
Click this link to read the biographies for new and renewing board members. Write-in candidates will be allowed.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Prairie Warbler. It was posted by Aidan Healey, Conservation Technician, on March 20, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Green-winged Teal. It was posted by Sarah Lefoley on March 13, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Common Loon. It was posted by Aidan Healey on March 6, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Here is a link to the March 2020 edition of our monthly E-News in case you missed it. You can subscribe by filling in the form at the bottom of any page on our website.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Sedge Wren. It was posted by Sarah Lefoley on February 28, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Houston Audubon and Discovery Green presented a screening of The Messenger on Friday, February 21, 2020. This event was part of the programming supporting Paloma, presented by PNC Bank, at Discovery Green. Paloma is a public art installation by French creative studio Pitaya consisting of 200 aluminum origami birds suspended from the canopy and illuminated by LED lights to create the illusion of flight. Complementing Paloma is Here and Now, a sound installation by Houston-based artist and anthropologist Lina Dib, whose work explores ecological change and global migration.
The activity statistics for the 2019 fiscal year (July 2018-June 2019) shows some impressive numbers. Click the link to see a larger image.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Tree Swallow. It was posted by Aidan Healey on February 21, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Mural painting underway at the Hulsey Coastal Operations Center (COOP) in High Island. Special thanks to Doug Hiser for this beautiful work of art, and thanks to his Houston Gateway Academy students for their help painting! We can’t wait for y’all to come see it this spring.
See a gallery with more photos showing the completion of the project.
Recently the news media has brought forward what many of us have suspected all along—the bird population is dropping. While it is heartbreaking, it just reinforces to me how helping birds any way I can is so important. So here are my top five suggestions that we can all do to make a difference.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Bufflehead. It was posted by Sarah Lefoley on February 14, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
These Bald Eagle photos symbolize a caring relationship on Valentine's Day. They were taken at MacGregor Park by Trey Morris.
Houston is one of four Texas cities honored with the Bird City designation from Audubon Texas and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s inaugural Bird City Texas certification program. This new, community-focused certification program has been created to help people protect birds and their habitats.
As a bird artist, I shall never paint this curlew from life. No one can, in all probability. Bringing an extinct bird back to life through scientific illustration was my way of paying homage.
My personal interest stemmed from my husband, T. Ben Feltner, who re-discovered the Eskimo Curlew on Galveston Island, March 22, 1959, along with his friend Dudley A. Deaver. This sighting shocked the ornithological world and encouraged research for further evidence that the birds might have a viable population. Despite diligence on the part of many searchers along the Texas Coast, the last confirmed record in the contiguous U.S. occurred when two birds appeared on Galveston Island in late March 1962 and left a few weeks later in early April. Formerly one of the most abundant birds in North America, the Eskimo Curlew is now listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List but is thought to be extinct.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Herring Gull. It was posted by Aidan Healey on February 7, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Saturday, February 1, 2020, was a beautiful day for #SuperBird54 at Archbishop Fiorenza Park! Reigning champs Gridiron Goatsuckers were intent on keeping the crown, but the Superb Owls were set on making a comeback. The rules are simple - the first team to identify 54 species of birds within a two-hour period are crowned the winners and receive bragging rights for the year.
Gabriela Izquierdo wrote a wonderful article entitled "There's An Otherworldly Forest Hidden In The Heart Of Houston With Tunnels Of Trees." It was published on the Narcity website on Tuesday, January 21, 2020. Since then there has been an overflow of new people visiting the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary. These are first-time visitors that were new to the sanctuary and did not know about Houston Audubon.
Juanita Perkins retired effective January 31, 2020. Juanita served as a shining star over the past 10 years in the adminstrative areas as Office Manager. Over most of this time, she was also responsible for volunteer activities at Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary and at High Island.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Sharp-shinned Hawk. It was posted by Sarah Lefoley on January 31, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Here is a link to the February 2020 edition of our monthly E-News in case you missed it. You can subscribe by filling in the form at the bottom of any page on our website.
On a gorgeous, sunny winter morning, our family joined a "behind-the-scenes" guided tour of the Houston Audubon Raptor Center, home to many rehabilitated birds of prey. Mary Anne Weber, Education Director, along with two other Audubon staff members, conducted the tour for us. Appealing to all age groups, everyone in the family absolutely loved it. It was a relaxed, fun, fascinating experience appealing to both seasoned birders and those just starting to learn about them. Throughout the year, the education center offers 90-minute tours to school group and adults.
When people want to volunteer at a monthly work party with Houston Audubon they sometimes ask "What type of work do you typically do?" Our answer: no two work parties are quite alike!
CBS Sunday Morning features a concert by migratory songbirds in High Island, Texas, on the Gulf Coast. Videographer: Judith Lehmberg. Air Date: Jan 26, 2020.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Buff-bellied Hummingbird. It was posted by Aidan Healey on January 24, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
It was under the veil of dense fog that our hearty group headed west to Stephen F. Austin State Park in San Felipe on Saturday, January 18, 2020. We were a mix of new and old timers and all eager to explore this park. After getting some advice on which trails to venture down from the park volunteers we hit the road. The forest was quite dark and damp from recent rains and there was no sign of the sun. The White-throated Sparrows and Northern Cardinals were singing their hearts out everywhere for all to enjoy.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Eastern Phoebe. It was posted by Sarah Lefoley on January 17, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
LinC-Bonner Scholars from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas came to Houston for their annual service trip. Last year they travelled to New Orleans to build houses. This year they selected our city, volunteering at the Food Bank, a homeless shelter and spent two days (January 10 and 11, 2020) supporting Houston Audubon. The LinC-Bonner Scholars program enhances academic learning while improving the community.
A volunteer on the owl prowl on Sunday, January 12, 2020, at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary wrote a description of what happens on an owl prowl. He also provided a photo gallery of the two parts: the indoor educational lecture with live demonstration, and the outdoor walk looking for owls.
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Canvasback. It was posted by Steven Garcia on January 10, 2020. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
Coastal Sanctuaries Manager Pete Deichmann explains what is happening behind the scenes at High Island. This was presented at the Speaker Event on Thursday, January 9, 2020.
About 100 people attended the inaugural Bird Friendly New Year's social at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary on Saturday, January 4, 2020. The spring-like weather brought a lot of first-time visitors to the sanctuary.
As our 50th anniversary winds down, we want to highlight the faces of Houston Audubon that are so vital to our organization. Meet the Development and Administration teams that work out of our Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary Headquarters!
As our 50th anniversary winds down, we want to highlight the faces of Houston Audubon that are so vital to our organization. Meet the Conservation Team that works out of our Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary Headquarters!
The Conservation Team is responsible for maintaining nearly 3,500 acres of sanctuaries for wildlife and people, monitoring the Houston Gulf area birdlife at strategic locations, and working with partners to find lasting conservation solutions for a sustainable and vibrant region.
Pictured: Lauren Miheli, Anna Vallery, Richard Gibbons
As our 50th anniversary winds down, we want to highlight the faces of Houston Audubon that are so vital to our organization. Meet some of our High Island volunteers! Volunteers are the heart and soul of Houston Audubon. They take the conservation message to our communities through action. The High Island Spring Migration volunteers are the epitome of dedication and generosity of spirit. These volunteers love birds and the places they need and it shows in all they do.
Pictured: Winnie Burkett, Julia Garrett, Barbara Tilton.
Here is a link to the January 2020 edition of our monthly E-News in case you missed it. You can subscribe by filling in the form at the bottom of any page on our website.
As our 50th anniversary winds down, we want to highlight the faces of Houston Audubon that are so vital to our organization. Meet the Education Team! With the help of our raptor ambassadors, they lead hundreds of programs each year, educating all ages from children to seniors about the importance of birds and conservation. They teach at schools, churches, retirement facilities, and all over the country via webcam! They also run programs at the Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center and the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary, and take great care of our 11 raptor ambassadors, who are also an integral part of our team. Thank you!
Pictured: Jeanette Lambert, Mary Anne Weber, Dawn Monachino.
Every serious birder knows that if you're looking for something special, it's a good idea to find a mixed flock. Even on days when it seems like nothing is moving, a single mixed flock can be a game changer. I experienced this firsthand a few days ago when I made my way to Bear Creek Pioneers Park to do some casual weekend birding.
It was a real joy to be a member of the YPAC this year, and I look forward to continuing my involvement in 2020. Be on the lookout—you never know what surprises the next mixed flock will bring!
Hawks, falcons, owls and more await you at Houston Audubon's Raptor Photo Shoot. You will have the opportunity to photograph our education raptors in an intimate setting at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary or the Raptor and Education Center. Whether you use a simple point and shoot or serious photography equipment, you will enjoy meeting and learning about these awesome birds.
Raptor Shoots are typically from 8AM - 10AM but times will be confirmed by email for each session depending on sunrise. Light refreshments will be served on the deck for all to enjoy during the shoot. Space is limited to 15 participants. The fee is $40.
As our 50th anniversary winds down, we want to highlight the faces of Houston Audubon that are so vital to our organization. Meet some of our Young Professionals Advisory Council members. This dedicated and passionate group of people bring a fresh perspective to Houston Audubon and have made a BIG impact in just one year. From the Bird of Houston contest to executing Houston's first Bird Week, complete with a dedicated bird beer (among other education and outreach efforts), they have really outdone themselves. Thank you to our YPAC!
As our 50th anniversary winds down, we want to highlight the faces of Houston Audubon that are so vital to our organization. Meet the Coastal Conservation Team that works from the High Island Field Station. They are responsible for restoring wildlife habitat, maintaining 2,500 acres of coastal land, maintaining all of our trails and coastal infrastructure, and performing all the bird and habitat monitoring that informs our management decisions. Thank you!
The Beak of the Week on the Houston Audubon Facebook page featured the Golden-crowned Kinglet. It was posted by Will McDaniel on December 20, 2019. Click the link to see the profile in our Bird Gallery.
As our 50th anniversary winds down, we want to highlight the faces of Houston Audubon that are so vital to our organization. Meet some of the Natives Nursery volunteers. These volunteers bring their plant expertise and passion to the nursery every Friday, doing everything from collecting the native seed to growing the plants and prepping them for orders. They put in countless hours making our city a friendlier place for birds and other wildlife and educating people on the importance of going native! Thank you Natives Nursery volunteers!
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The most recent articles in the Newsroom. The list of archived articles is at the bottom of this page.
