It was a
beautiful day for a jaunt to High Island, Texas. April is nesting season
at High Island for many migratory birds. We started off at Skippers and
took the Boliver Ferry across the channel and drove up to High Island.
It was a beautiful sunny day. As you will see in the slideshow, there
were all kinds of birds. Most of the time was spent at the rookery
watching the nesting egrets, spoonbills and herons. There were a lot of
people out there and many had set up high powered telescopes which they
shared with us. We were able to see the chicks and feeding activities.
The most excitement was when a gator rushed up the bank and caught an
egret for lunch. We also saw some baby gators, turtles, a ribbon snake
(it had a fat belly so it must have just caught a mouse) flowers and
other stuff that you will see in the slideshow. This is the second time
I have been to the Houston Audubon Society Bird Sanctuary. I hope to
make it an annual event. Join us when we go next year!!
Weather
permitting... we will meet for breakfast at Skippers in Kemah and then
drive out to the High Island bird sanctuary and spend the day wandering
the woods and watching the bird in the rookery.
Skipper's is a
great little restaurant in Kemah, Texas that is a local's favorite.
It s located at
1206 Marina Bay Dr, Kemah, TX 77565-2447.
That is between
Hwy 146 and South Shore Harbor Blvd on 2094.
click here for the googlemap
The plan is to
meet at Skipper's before 9am and grab some breakfast. We want to head
out as quickly as possible since it would be nice to miss the ferry
lines. If we can get away before 9:45 that would be great.
We will caravan
down Hwy 146, exit just past the bridge to Harborside Dr in Galveston,
Head east on Harborside Dr toward 37th St, take left at Ferry Rd, Take
the Bolivar Free Fry ferry to Port Bolivar, go about 27 miles on
TX-87 to Hwy 124 and go north a couple of miles to the sanctuary. It
costs $5 per person to enter the sanctuary.
We can either
bring a picnic lunch or stop some place on the way back to grab a late
lunch. However, we will want to bring water or snacks to enjoy while we
are there.
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
