Calendar List

Join us to witness Hummingbirds in peak migration! Learn everything you want to know about them, including identifying, attracting and gardening for Hummingbirds. Enjoy games and activities for the whole family. Take a guided nature walk, tour the 1896 Kleb House, and see blacksmith demonstrations throughout the day.Licensed Hummingbird bander Sumita Prasad will be capturing and banding Hummingbirds throughout the day. In addition to seeing these feathered jewels up close, you will learn about their unique structure and amazing biology.Houston Audubon Society Education Director Mary Anne Weber will display several live raptors to be photographed in a natural setting. She will field questions and show her raptors throughout the day.

Kleb Woods Nature Center, 20303 Draper Rd. at Mueschke Rd., Tomball 77377
http://www.pct3.com/Parks/Kleb-Woods
Admission is free. Patrons are encouraged to bring their own refreshments. Drinks

Bird Week Partner Event

Come join us, in celebration of Houston Bird Week, for a morning of birding during our September Bird Hike at JBH Long Point Ranch, located at 8200 Whaley-Long Point Rd., in Richmond.

Gate will open at 7:00am.

For more information or to RSVP, please contact Charitable Activities Director at hannah@jbhfound.org

RSVP is required.

Leader: Mary Ann Beauchemin, Senior Naturalist at the Nature Discovery Center. The Nature Discovery Center is partnering with Houston Audubon to conduct the Willow Waterhole survey.

BIRD SURVEY
The Willow Waterhole Bird Survey was started in June 2007 and is held on the third Saturday of each month (but no survey in December). During the 2-hour count, the number of species identified can range from around 30 in summer to over 50 in the winter.

The survey begins in the parking lot of the Gathering Place at 5310 South Willow Drive. Our usual starting time is 8 AM, but we begin at 7 AM from April through September. We split up into three or four groups to cover the park thoroughly, and as of mid-2015, nearly 200 species had been reported to eBird. For a list of species reported to date, see eBird.

GENERAL INFORMATION
The Willow Waterhole Conservation Reserve is the site of an ongoing retention pond project of the Harris County Flood Control District. With excavation underway on the fourth of six ponds, the 290-acre park continues to be an excellent birding area within the City of Houston and just outside the southwest corner of Loop 610.

BIRDING WILLOW WATERHOLE
The major part of the Willow Waterhole reserve is on the west side of South Post Oak Road, and that is where three of the ponds are located (with two more to come). Good places to park for birding these ponds are on Ricecrest Street and on the Clematis Lane cul-de-sac off of Gasmer. Also, adjacent to the parking lot at the Gathering Place on South Willow is a short, woodland path to the unconcreted Willow Waterhole Bayou, which marks the northern boundary of the park. Another parking area is on the gravel road at the eastern end of Dryad Drive behind Westbury High School.

On the Willow Waterhole property east of South Post Oak Road, the fourth of the six ponds is being excavated. This is also where the endangered Texas Prairie Dawn flower (Hymenoxys texana) is located and where several species of sparrows have been seen each winter. Because the flower is an endangered species, the HCFCD is required by law to return much of the surrounding acreage back to coastal prairie, including removal of non-native vegetation. Access to this property is at the south end of Windwood Drive or along Gasmer.

Join Houston Audubon and the US Fish and Wildlife Service at a pop-up birding station at Hermann Park Lake Plaza. Come by to learn about the birds in the park and get a closer look with our scope and binoculars. Kids can also color their own Attwater's Prairie-Chicken mask and learn all about this endangered yet beloved Houston bird.

In honor of Houston Audubon’s 50th anniversary and in celebration of Houston Bird Week, Bakfish Brewing Co. has created a beer celebrating the birds of our area! This bird brew will be released at Bakfish Brewery for the Bird Week Kick-off Party. This event will not only include the release of the Bird Beer, but will include the announcement of the Bird of Houston, Bird Week giveaways, and special bird guests. Join in on the fun!

Please register for free online so we can have a guest count. Walk-ins welcome.

THIS EVENT IS TENTATIVELY CANCELED DUE TO FLOODING. IT MAY BE RESCHEDULED.

Bird Week Partner Event

In honor of our partner Houston Audubon’s 50th anniversary, Galveston Bay Foundation is hosting a Bird Week Bird Walk on September 22, 2019 at 7:00am at its Sweetwater Preserve in Galveston.

About:
Join Galveston Bay Foundation for a bird walk in celebration of Houston Bird Week at its Sweetwater Preserve in Galveston. The freshwater wetlands provide quality habitat for migratory waterfowl and a diverse group of wading birds. All are welcome to attend this free event.

Date/Time:
Sunday, September 22nd from 7:00 - 10:00am.

Location: 103rd Street, Galveston, TX (exact pin upon registration)

What to bring:
• A hat and/or sunglass
• Closed-toed shoes that you do not mind getting muddy and wet (rubber boots if it has recently rained)
• Water bottle
• We will have one scope and binoculars, but feel free to bring your own equipment if you have it!

Sign up Today! For questions, contact Ricci Simmons at rsimmons@galvbay.org or call 281-332-3381 ext. 224.

A Houston Bird Week Event

Peak numbers for Purple Martins occur in July and August when Purple Martins form large flocks and roost together in great numbers in preparation to migration. Some roosts may have thousands of birds. When the birds arrive to roost in the evening, it can be an amazing spectacle with the sky literally black with martins! Join us in helping to protect Purple Martins!

Meet at 7:30 PM in front of the Old Navy at the Fountains in Stafford. Address: 12634 Fountain Lake Circle, Stafford TX 77477.

Join Houston Audubon's Conservation Director and ornithologist, Dr. Richard Gibbons, on a walk through the Edith L Moore Nature Sanctuary. See birds, turtles, squirrels, and many other wildlife on this guided walk through the woods.

Meet in front of the cabin at 9 am. Additional parking available at the Memorial Drive Methodist Church parking lot.

Free to attend.

Bird Week Partner Event

Join the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists for a guided bird walk along the Texas City Dike in honor of Houston Bird Week. This walk is for birders of all ages and all skill levels! Be prepared to see some a variety of seabirds and shorebirds and to learn tips and tricks for identifying the birds you’ll see.

We're conducting a biweekly census on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. During migration periods, we may schedule more frequent counts. Meet at 7:00 AM in Intramural Field 6, which is between the Tudor Field House and Wiess College. Park in the Moody Center Visitor Lot, which is accessed from the entrance to campus at the intersection of University Blvd and Stockton St. From the Moody Center parking lot, walk east along the paved road past Reckling baseball park to the intramural area. We begin at Harris Gully. From there, we will make a circuit around campus and end at the café at the Brochstein Pavilion.

Hawks, falcons, owls and more await you at Houston Audubon's Raptor Photo Shoot during Houston Bird Week. You will have the opportunity to photograph Houston Audubon’s education raptors in an intimate setting at the Houston Audubon Raptor & Education Center. Whether you use a simple point and shoot or serious photography equipment, you will enjoy meeting and learning about these awesome birds. Light refreshments will be served on the deck for all to enjoy during the shoot.

$40/person; registration required.

Houston Audubon Bird Week Event

Join Houston Audubon's Young Professionals Advisory Council (YPAC) for a guided fall migration bird walk through the Houston Arboretum. We will have a pop-up birding station set up, and the guided walk starts at 6.

Free to attend; paid parking at Houston Arboretum

Do you live on the west side of Houston and are you looking for a fantastic place to see an amazing array of birds? Well join us in celebration of Bird Week at Archbishop Fiorenza Park (Phase 2) between Eldridge and Highway 6 for the chance to see a multitude of species, get a good healthy walk in and enjoy the company of other outdoor loving folks. This park has miles of paved trails, wooded thickets, open grassy areas, large detention ponds with bird islands and much more. It is north of the Westpark Tollway and just north of the original Archbishop Fiorenza Park on Eldridge.

Free to attend.

Bird Week Partner Event

Interested in birdwatching? Whether you are a novice or an expert, join our FREE guided bird walks through Russ Pitman Park. Warblers, vireos, thrushes, flycatchers, tanagers & hawks are just a few of the types of fall migrants you may see. If you bring your lunch, plan to eat it before or after the walk.

Bird Week Partner Event

Birding is one of the largest and fastest growing hobbies in the United States. Millions of people venture out into nature every year to observe, photograph, and catalogue the approximately 1000 species found in the United States and Canada. The allure of birds runs deep through history, with countless examples of birds being used and represented by humans in cultural, religious, and political contexts. In contemporary culture, the publication of books, articles, and other media that explore the relationship between birding and mental health has become increasingly popular, with numerous examples in the past year alone.

As part of Houston’s Bird Week, through prepared remarks, experiential activities, and storytelling, we invite the audience to consider the relationship between birds, health, and the human spirit in thought provoking and potentially transformative ways.

Registration required. $15/person, please register here:

https://spiritualityandhealth.networkforgood.com/events/14936-birds-health-and-the-human-spirit

Bird Week Partner Event

Join the Gulf Coast Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalists for a guided bird walk along the Texas City Dike in honor of Houston Bird Week. This walk is for birders of all ages and all skill levels! Be prepared to see some a variety of seabirds and shorebirds and to learn tips and tricks for identifying the birds you’ll see.

Get ENRaptored with our Birds of Prey!

Can’t get enough of hawks, falcons, owls and kites? Well, join us at the Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center for this special evening. Our program begins with a fun interactive program on raptors. You will then meet some of the Houston Audubon education raptors and learn more about their natural history. This is a family–friendly program for all ages. Space is limited. Pre-registration is required. The cost is $10 for adults and $6 for children (3-17 years old). The program lasts 7-9 PM.

In celebration of Houston Bird Week, Kleb Woods and Houston Audubon are having a Swift Night Out at Kleb Woods. Pam Smolen will talk about Chimney Swifts, their amazing biology, and their migration. Pam will be joined by Mary Anne Weber, Education Director for Houston Audubon. After the presentation, take a walk out to the Chimney Swift Tower to see if any swifts are roosting in. This program is suitable for all ages.

Free to attend.

Bird Week Partner Event - Buffalo Bayou Partnership and Houston Area Bat Team

Join Alisa Kline, a Texas Master Naturalist, and the Houston Area Bat Team for an evening of birding along Buffalo Bayou at Waugh Drive Bridge where a colony of more than 250,000 Mexican free-tailed bats resides. Find out which birds and other critters are attracted to the bats during their nightly emergence. We cannot guarantee hawks will be on the job, but make sure to bring your binoculars. It will be hard to catch the action without them!

Meet at the Waugh Bridge Bat Colony Observation Deck (Allen Parkway at Waugh Drive).

Free to attend.

Bird Week Partner Event

ABNC is partnering with Houston Audubon to celebrate their 50th Anniversary with an Early Morning Birding Hike! Ages 12 and up

ABNC Members: $10, Non-Members: $12

Don’t miss this opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes tour of the Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center during Houston Bird Week. Learn about our native raptors and raptor conservation, meet the raptors up close with lots of photo ops and discover what it takes to run a raptor center. This private event occurs before our open hours, and space is limited.

$20/adult $15/child

Clean-ups provide great opportunities to witness the wildlife of Bolivar, the activity on the ship channel, and experience hands-on conservation by keeping our beaches clean. Beach parking permits are not required during clean-ups. Meet us at the vehicular barrier located on the beach approximately 3/4 mile west of Rettilon Rd. in Port Bolivar. Email Pete Deichmann at pdeichmann@houstonaudubon.org if you have any questions. All ages are welcome. Hope to see you there.

Meet at the vehicle barrier. We provide gloves and bags. Please bring your own water bottles.

ABOUT BOLIVAR FLATS SHOREBIRD SANCTUARY

DIVERSE HABITATS
At first glance, you might not see the special qualities of Bolivar Flats, a unique area combining salt marsh, mud flats and beach, each habitat quite different from the other. Every year hundreds of thousands of birds discover that Bolivar Flats is a special place. Here they find a resting place and nesting habitat where a smorgasbord of invertebrates and fish is spread. Decomposing plant material derived from the salt marsh and delivered by the coastal currents feeds millions of small worms, shrimp and clams which live in the mud flats. Thousands of birds, small fish and crabs hunt the shallows for these invertebrates and small fish that venture into deeper water.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
Bolivar Flats is a Globally Important Bird Area, the highest designation, and an International site in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

IT'S FOR THE BIRDS
People are encouraged to walk along the beach and enjoy watching the birds and other wildlife that is protected here. Observe wildlife from a distance at which they feel comfortable. Walking in vegetated dunes and marshes is discouraged. These areas contain hidden nests and venomous snakes. The vehicular barrier was erected to protect nesting and roosting birds, most of which live on the ground. In addition, vehicles compact the sand, killing the plants and animals that live there and making it more difficult for birds to find food and cover. Regulations also prohibit fires in the sanctuary.

Bird Week Partner Event

Celebrate Houston Bird Week by helping to clean up this special urban park where, since January 1st, 112 bird species have been reported. Unfortunately, plastic, Styrofoam, rubber, and other trash riddles its grounds, so we need your help!

Free, RSVP required.

Join us at the Edith Moore Nature Sanctuary for a morning of gardening and sanctuary maintenance. We work 9 AM – 12 PM, once a month on the 4th Saturday from September through April (3rd Saturday in November and December). Activities include trail maintenance, filling bird feeders and baths, litter pick-up, native gardening, and invasive species removal. It's a great way to enjoy the outdoors and meet like-minded friends! Bring water, sunscreen, bug repellent & gloves/clippers if you have them. Wear closed-toe shoes & long pants. Bring a sack lunch if desired. Children of any change are welcome with their parent/chaperone. (Minimum age without a parent/chaperone is 14 years.) There is a maximum of 30 participants on a workday.

All volunteers must pre-register by the Wednesday before workday using the link below.

Help us celebrate Houston Audubon’s 50th anniversary and the conclusion of all the Bird Week activities. Eat delicious food, listen to good music, win prizes at bird bingo, meet our education raptors and more! Bring your family and friends and come out to support 50 years of bird conservation.

Free to attend, family-friendly.