We finally accepted a long-standing invitation to visit our traveling friends from Texas, Jo Wilson and Carol Bennett.  We first met them on a trip along the Dalmatian Coast in 2010 and soon discovered that we had many common interests, especially wildflowers and bird-watching.  Texas has plenty of both. We saw nearly 100 different species of birds, most of whom declined to be photographed.  

Galveston was our first stop.  This coastal city was one of the largest ports in the U.S. until it was devastated by hurricane in 1900.  Shipping is still big business, along with tourism and health care.   

Lafitte’s Cove Nature Preserve is said to be a great location for viewing spring migrants.  We walked trails throughout the preserve and saw only one bird – a big, hungry-looking Cooper’s hawk.  He might have been the reason that all the little guys were in hiding.  But … the wildflowers here (including the Texas state flower, the bluebonnet) and at Galveston Isle State Park were lovely. 

Across the ship channel from Galveston is the Bolivar Peninsula, one of North America’s most important wintering sites for birds.  The Audubon Society protects a large tidal sand/mudflat and marsh. where we were able to see some great birds, including these laughing gulls on the ferry and this tricolor heron in the marsh.  

 

Elsewhere on the peninsula, High Island is a salt dome covered with live-oak trees and known worldwide as a stopover for migrating songbirds.  We were a bit early for spring migrants, but just in time for lots of action at the pond-side rookery – a breeding colony of roseate spoonbills, neotropical cormorants, snowy egrets, and great egrets.  Noisy, constant movement, beautiful birds – under the watchful eye of an alligator hoping to grab a falling chick.

 

Roseate Spoonbills ...

 


Great Egrets .... note green color near eyes, seen only in breeding plumage.

 

 


Neotropical Cormorants ...

 

The Bolivar Flats Beach Sanctuary, managed by the Houston Audubon Society, includes long stretches of undeveloped beachfront along the Gulf side of the Peninsula.  Every year hundreds of thousands of birds come here to rest, nest and dine on a smorgasbord of fish and invertebrates.  

 

 

Our next stop was Austin, on the eastern edge of Texas Hill Country.  Austin is the state capital, home to the University of Texas, and the self-proclaimed “live music capital of the world.”  It’s also home to Jo and Carol, the Travis Audubon Society, and loads of wildflowers. 

Audubon’s 715-acre Baker Sanctuary protects critical habitat for the endangered Golden-Cheeked Warbler.  This mature hardwood-juniper forest is the preferred breeding ground for this little bird that nests only in a handful of counties in central Texas.  We got only a glimpse of this elusive bird, who refused to pose for pictures.  Here is a photo borrowed from Travis Audubon.

In spite of uncooperative birds, we enjoyed a great walk and guided tour provided by Chris, the property manager.  The wildflowers were just beautiful.

 

 

Audubon’s Chaetura Canyon Bird Sanctuary is a 15-acre green island of protected natural habitat surrounded by rapidly-growing housing developments.  The sanctuary is managed by Georgean and Paul Kyle, who donated their land and home to the Travis Audubon Society, white retaining a life estate and continuing their life’s work in conservation of chimney swifts.  More than 150 species of resident and migratory birds have been documented in this deep slot canyon that drains into the Colorado River.  This chimney-like structure is one of eighteen that the Kyles have constructed specifically for Chimney Swift nesting and roosting.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center was founded by the former first lady and actress Helen Hayes to protect and preserve North America’s native plants and natural landscapes.  Its 279 acres are filled with 175,000 native plants and miles of trails winding through gardens, meadows, exhibits and displays.

   

 

 

To top it off, the center has been home for several years to a nesting pair of Great Horned Owls.  They have chosen to nest in the planter above the entry gate, and we got a good look at one of the hungry owlets.

Last, but not least, Lady Bird Lake (formerly known as Town Lake) is one of three reservoirs on the Colorado River in Austin.  Lady Bird Lake, Lake Travis, and Lake Austin provide for flood control and recreation.  We checked out the recreation part with a nice walk on the Butler Trail, which circles the lake – turtles, wildflowers, and birds (scissor-tail flycatcher and neotropic cormorant).