Looks like we will have great weather.
Bay Area Divers, friends and anyone who wants to join us – will meet at
Noah’s Ark in Bacliff at around 9am for breakfast. At 10am, when we are
done with breakfast, we will all head out. The trip will take us south
on i-45 to the Galveston. We will take the ferry across to Bolivar and
continue on to High Island which is on the east end of the Bolivar
Peninsula.
High Island consists of 4 different
Bird Sanctuaries. Spring migration is between March and May. The rookery
is full of nesting birds around mid-April. A fee is charged at High
Island to help defray the costs of maintenance, utilities and
improvements. A day pass costs $5, or for $25 a patch may be purchased
which gives you an unlimited number of admissions to all High Island
sanctuaries for one year.
See past trip to High Island at
http://bayareadivers.org/event-highislandtexas-birdsanctuary-04-20-08.htm
Bring some food, water and beverages.
There are picnic tables near the parking lot. We will just have a
leisurely day of walking through the woods and going into the
observation platforms. Bring some insect repellent, binoculars and a
camera.
This will consist of people bring both
motorcycles and cars. Whatever your chosen mode of transport is – works.
If you want to bring kids – I highly recommend it. There is enough to
keep them busy and they probably will sleep all the way home.
The highlight of
the trip is the Rookery. This is an island which the nesting birds have
built nests upon nests because of the relative safety of the nesting
area. The water between the land and the island is patrolled by
alligators which prevents predators like opossums and raccoons from
getting to the nests, eggs and chicks. You will see spoonbills and
various species of egrets, herons and other birds jockeying for space.
Also, there are paths through the woods and old structures and buildings
from back when this was a working farm. Expect a pleasant day of
wandering through forested areas and seeing birds both in the rookery
and throughout the park. It is migrating season and there is no telling
what birds might have stopped on their way north.
For more
information about
Houston Audubon Society - High Island bird sanctuary and rookery
click here to go to their website
