About Our Speaker: Daniel Walker, Leader for the Coastal Bend Wetlands Ecosystem Project, grew up in Dallas, Texas where he was still able to find pockets of nature at parks and creeks in the big city. He received his BS and MS in wildlife biology from West Texas A&M University. After college Daniel went to work for Texas Parks and Wildlife at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area (WMA). There he conducted research on snakes, tortoises, horned lizards, and operated 2 MAPS bird banding stations, as well as conducted other birds surveys. The Coastal Bend Wetlands Ecosystem Project includes 5 WMAs: Powderhorn, Matagorda Island, Guadalupe Delta, Welder Flats, and Redhead Pond. A lifelong birder, Daniel still participates in bird banding, bird surveys, and leads birding tours.

Field Trip Description: The Guadalupe River Flood Plain, Gallery Forest.

Registration required one week in advance (by February 11, 2025). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. TEXT GENE AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Field Trip Group Meets: Field Trip Group will meet Meet at 7:15 AM, in Riverside Park near entrance of the Texas Zoo (110 Memorial Dr., Victoria, TX, 77901) most immediate to the park entrance.

Optional: Lunch at the Pump House Restaurant (Excellent).

Bathroom Availability: Bathrooms will be available throughout Riverside Park and at the Pump House Restaurant.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Trip Description: moderate.

Lunch: We can have lunch as a group at the Pump House Restaurant (1201 Stayton Ave., Victoria, near the Zoo), on veranda that overlooks the Guadalupe River.

Equipment: Beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend Bird checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

Birds of special interest: Wood Duck, Anhinga, Spotted Sandpiper, Red-shouldered Hawk, Bald Eagle (possible), Barred Owl, Green Kingfisher, seven species of woodpeckers ( possible), Couch's Kingbird, Blue-headed and White-eyed Vireos, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, American Pipit, Black-and-while and Pine Warblers, Eastern Towhee, Fox and Song Sparrows, and American and Lesser Goldfinches.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS online.

About Our Speaker: Mike Stewart’s interest in birds began in 2002 when a pair of Blue Jays nested outside his kitchen window, leading to 20 years of birding across the eastern U.S. and Texas. After retiring from the Army in 2019, Mike pursued his passion for ornithology at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he completed his M.S. in Biology studying Gray Hawks. He now lives in Alice, Texas, with his wife, Yvette, and their Green-cheeked Conure, Greenlee. In January 2022, Mike began his Ph.D. studies at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where his current research focuses on Gray Hawk habitat selection, range establishment, population growth rates, and identifying additional suitable habitats.

About Our Speakesr:  Kelli Stone is the Migratory Bird Biologist, Shorebird and Waterbird Specialist on the Migratory Birds Biology Team for the Southwest Region of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  Kellis’ region covers Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.  Kelli is also a member of the Science Team for the Gulf Coast Joint Venture. 

Dr. David Newstead is Director of the Coastal Bird Program at Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (CBBEP), which focuses on habitat management, stewardship, and conservation-oriented monitoring and research on the diverse coastal bird life of the area. His staff works with partners across the whole Texas coast and has also conducted projects with our neighbors in Louisiana and Mexico. David earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Houston, studied coastal fisheries for his Master’s degree from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, and completed his Ph.D. in Wildlife Science at Texas A&M University-Kingsville conducting research on an endangered shorebird, the Red Knot. David is a former President of Coastal Bend Audubon Society and continues to serve on its Board as Conservation Chair.

Dr. Newstead will speak about working with local landowners to implement the Shorebird Management Plan.

Field Trip Description: Northshore Woodlands, Southeast of Swinney, Switch and Riparian habitat along the Northwest shore of Lake Corpus Christi.

Registration required one week in advance (by Ocober 15, 2024). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. TEXT GENE AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Field Trip Group Meets: Field Trip Group will meet meet at the town of Swinney Switch at the intersection of Hwy 3024 and 534. Please use a restroom prior to the start of the trip as no restrooms will be immediately available.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Bathroom Availability: Note that there is not a public restroom at the meeting place, so participants are encouraged to stop at a public restroom before the start of the trip.

Trip Description: light to moderate, some walking.

Equipment: Beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend Bird checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

Habitat: Lake Corpus Christi - brushland, marsh, a large body of fresh water, and Mid -Low Tamaulipan and Marginal Riparian woodlands, adjacent to Lake Corpus Christi.

Birds of special interest: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mallard, Northern Bobwhite, grebes, Greater Roadrunner, Common Pauraque, Screech Owl (uncommon), Sandhill Crane (overhead), Osprey, Red-shouldered and Harris's Hawks, Great Horned Owl, Vermilion Flycatcher, Bewick's Wren, Black-crested Titmouse, Verdin, Eastern Bluebird, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, several other sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler, Pyrrhuloxia, Spotted Towhee (uncommon).

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS online.

Who's ready for the most plover-centric excuse to gather and have some beers for a good cause? It's time for the return of Okploverfest! Block out Saturday, October 19th, for this celebration of being the ploveriest place in North America (8 species depend on south Texas for some part of their lives). The artists from Full Court Press will be on site inking and custom-printing these incredible plover designs on t-shirts that you purchase at the event or that you bring to the event. All proceeds go to help purchase art supplies and expand our projects making the Texas coast a great place to be a plover.

Please note the change in venue for this year’s event: Lazy Beach Downtown Tap Room next to the Executive Surf Club. The address is 312B North Chaparral, Corpus Christi.

Field Trip Description: Shorebirds & Wading Birds in the areas of Tule Lake, Fulton Corridor, North Beach, Indian Point, and moist grasslands near Portland High School.

Registration required one week in advance (by September 14, 2024). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. TEXT GENE AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Field Trip Group Meets: Field Trip Group will meet Meet at Tule Lake Observation Platform. Tule Lake is a tidal lake located off Southern Minerals Road, Corpus Christi. (Tule Lake Physical Address 7201-7203 7201 Up River Rd, Corpus Christi, TX 78409). Take Exit 6 off 1-37 and follow Southern Minerals Road (51) north toward the river. Turn left on Up River Road and proceed to the overlook.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Possible stops: Carbon Black Road, Carbon Black Pond, Fulton Corridor, North Beach, Indian Point, and grasslands near Portland High School.

Fulton Loop Corridor: Continue North on Up River Road to the Joe Fulton Corridor (558), which will take you East along wetlands. Follow group from there to North Beach, Corpus Christi

Scheduled break at North Beach Whataburger.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Bathroom Availability: Note that there is not a bathroom in the vicinity of the Tule Lake Observation Deck, so participants are encouraged to stop at a public restroom before arriving at Tule Lake. Scheduled break / bathroom stop at North Beach Whataburger (Physical Address: 4444 E. Causeway Blvd, Corpus Christi 78402).

Trip Description: moderate, some walking.

Equipment: Beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend Bird checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

Birds of special interest: Waterfowl, grebes, shorebirds, wading birds, and marsh birds: Semipalmated Sandpiper, Upland and Buff-boasted Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalaropes and Horned Lark.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS online.

Texas has the greatest diversity of sparrow species of any U.S. state. One species, the Bachman's Sparrow, is limited in the state to the Pineywoods ecoregion, and has experienced severe decline in the last 25 years due to changes in habitat. In this talk, Liam Wolff will summarize the ecology of the species in the state, the history of its distribution, and one graduate student's attempt to help direct the management of the species in Texas by informing state and federal agencies on the habitat characteristics associated with its occupancy in the state and assessing its singing phenology.

About Our Speaker: Liam Wolff is a Research Specialist working in the Conservation and Biodiversity Lab at HRI. Liam is also serving as the current President of the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi.

Originally from Georgia, Liam received a B.S. in Ecology from Augusta University in 2018, pursuing an interest in birds and other wildlife. He moved to Texas in 2020 and received an M.S. in Forestry with an emphasis in Wildlife Management from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2022. His Master's thesis focused on the spatiotemporal factors that affect the occupancy and phenology of Bachman's Sparrow in Texas to inform private landowners and state agencies on optimal management practices for the species in the region.

Liam's research interests center on avian conservation and ecology as well as habitat management and restoration. In addition to his Master's work, he has previously worked with the Department of Defense, assisting with long-term monitoring of the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler in the Texas Hill Country. Later, he worked with the U.S. Geological Survey to identify important stopover habitat for migrating neotropical passerines on the Gulf Coast of Alabama.

Liam serves the birding and naturalist communities as a volunteer Regional Reviewer and Hotspot Editor for the citizen-science project eBird, as well as taking the role of Curator of Mosquito Taxonomy for iNaturalist. As the Research Specialist for the Conservation & Biodiversity Lab, Liam supports all aspects of research on the ecology, conservation, and management of waterbirds and their habitat in the Gulf of Mexico.

If you have ever thought about traveling outside of the USA for birding but were a bit nervous about doing so, this may be the talk for you!

If you are an experienced international birder but not been to Belize or want to go back and are looking for a new place to bird, this may be the talk for you!

If you just like seeing new birds and new places that you may never have the opportunity to visit, this talk may also be for you…

Belize is a small Central American country that is very friendly to eco-tourism. English is widely spoken and there is an especially well-organized birding tourism infrastructure that even a novice birder or infrequent international traveler can navigate. Larry and Paula McKinney recently spent two weeks exploring the western jungle and mountains of Belize. The birding was exceptional and thanks to careful planning and great travel expeditors, food, lodging and transportation were exceptional. Larry and Paula will share their trip through photos and include tips on how to make sure your international birding travel can be just as exciting, satisfying and safe!!

About Our Speaker: Dr. Larry McKinney is currently a Board Member and Director of Policy at Palacios Marine Agricultural Research. Larry received his PhD in Zoology from Texas A&M University in 1976. He retired as the Senior Executive Director of the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi after 17 years of service. Prior to joining HRI, Dr. McKinney directed environmental and aquatic programs at Texas Parks and Wildlife, retiring after 23 years of service.

Larry served on the Flower Gardens National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee (former chair), and the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s Policy Committee. He has served as a member and chair of the Texas Sea Grant Advisory Committee, NASA’s SSC Applied Sciences Steering Committee, the EPA Science Advisory Committee for the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Alliance’s Ecosystem Assessment and Integration Team, and the Texas Academy of Science, where he is also a past President.

As a biologist, Larry has had an interest in birds since college, but he developed a great interest in bird photography as he and his wife, Paula, began to bird-watch together more than a decade ago.

Registration required one week in advance (by April 27, 2024). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Field Trip Group Meets: Field Trip Group will meet in the parking area near the entrance to Packery Channel County Park and board walk, 14218 South Padre Island Drive (SPID) - when driving to the Packery Channel County Park from Corpus Christi: Drive to North Padre Island on SPID. Continue on SPID over the JFK Memorial Causeway Bridge. SPID becomes Park Road 22 once you are on North Padre Island. After you pass the light at Aquarius (Starbucks), continue for approximately .3 miles and turn LEFT. (The Texas Sealife Center is located at this turn.) Watch for the Packery Channel parking area and boardwalk in front of the Oak Motte on your LEFT.

Other sites of interest:

• The Field Trip Group will drive on to "The Willows” immediately adjacent to Sea Gull Condominium Resort (6613 TX Hwy 361, Port Aransas). From Packery Channel: Drive WEST to Park Rd. 22 and turn RIGHT, heading toward the JFK Bridge. Turn RIGHT on Hwy 361 at the traffic light. Drive approximately 10 miles on Hwy 361 and turn RIGHT on Seacomber Drive, then turn RIGHT at the next street when you see the Willow Trees/Wetland.

• Leona Turnbull Birding Center (1356 Ross Avenue, Port Aransas, approximately 8 miles from The Willows). Get back on Hwy 361, turning RIGHT toward Port Aransas. Turn LEFT on West Ave. G at the traffic light and continue on this street until it becomes Cut-Off Road. At the intersection of Cut-Off Road, 6th Street & Ross Ave, turn slightly LEFT onto Ross Ave. Drive 0.6 miles on Ross Ave until you reach the water treatment plant/Leona Turnbull Birding Center on your RIGHT.

• Joan & Scott Holt Paradise Pond (410 Cut-Off Road, Port Aransas). From the Birding Center, drive back 0.6 miles to Cut-Off Road and Turn LEFT. Paradise Pond is located behind the Restaurant San Juan, at the intersection of Cut-Off Road and Ave. C.

,Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Bathroom Availability: Packery Channel County Park has a restroom. After that portion of the trip, there will be no bathrooms available (unless you want to stop at a private business in Port Aransas on the way to the Leona Turnbull Birding Center). Field Trip Group will also be able to take a break near Paradise Pond (at Restaurant San Juan).

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Lunch: Field Trip participants may opt to eat lunch at Restaurant San Juan or another restaurant in Port Aransas.

Trip Description: moderate, a fair amount of walking with ramps.

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

Habitat: coastal

Birds of interest: Neotropical migrants, such as Black-billed Cuckoo (rare), vireos, thrushes, wood warblers (especially Townsend's, Hermit, Black-throated Blue and Cape May), tanagers (especially Hepatic and Western, and finches (especially Varied and Lazuli Buntings and Black-headed Grosbeak).

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

Registration required one week in advance (by April 16, 2024). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Field Trip Group Meets: At Rosehill Cemetery (3025 Upriver Road, Corpus Christi. Entrance to the Cemetery is located at the south end of Palm Street.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Bathroom Availability: Field Trip Group will take a break at McDonalds, nearby at 4101 Leopard St., Corpus Christi during the Rosehill Cemetery portion of the trip.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Packery Channel: Field Trip Group will meet in the parking area near the entrance and board walk (14218 South Padre Island Drive (SPID) - when driving to the Packery Channel County Park from Corpus Christi, stay on SPID over the JFK Memorial Causeway Bridge. SPID becomes Park Road 22 once you are on North Padre Island. After you pass the light at Aquarius (Starbucks), continue for approximately .3 miles and turn LEFT. (The Texas Sealife Center is located at this turn.) Watch for the Packery Channel parking area and boardwalk in front of the Oak Motte on your LEFT.

Bathroom Availability at Packery Channel: There is a County Restroom located at the Packery Channel park. There will also be a bathroom break at the Whataburger, North Padre Island.

Trip Description: moderate, some walking.

Habitat: At Rose Hill Cemetery, the habitat is over 30 acres of hardwood trees. At Packery Channel, the habitat is coastal.

Birds of Interest:

Rosehill Cemetery: warblers, Empidonax and Myiarchus flycatchers, both cuckoo species, three tanager species, nightjars, and hawks.

Packery Channel: Neotropical migrants, vireos, thrushes, wood warblers, tanagers, and finches.

The trip objective is to see varieties of migrating birds, most especially birds like shorebirds, Neotropical vireos, thrushes, wood warblers and Tanagers.

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

Birds of special interest: The trip objective is to see varieties of migrating birds, most especially birds like shorebirds, Neotropical vireos, thrushes, wood warblers and Tanagers.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

About Our Speaker: Tim Anderson is the Lower Texas Coast Coastal Program Manager for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He is based in Corpus Christi and has collaborated with private landowners and non-governmental organizations on projects to provide habitat for endangered species and migratory birds in Coastal and South Texas for over 20 years.

Please note that no registration is required for this trip, but it is a good idea to notify our Field Trip Leader, Gene Blacklock, that you are planning to participate. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AT AND PROVIDE HIM WITH YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

Meet: At Mustang Island State Park (9394 State Highway 361, Corpus Christi).

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Other Items to Bring: Gene suggests bringing a cooler with drinks, chair and beach umbrella. You may also want to bring sunblock.

Optional Lunch: North Padre Island, Snoopy's Pier, 13313 S Padre Island Dr, Corpus Christi, TX 78418

Bathroom Availability: There will be bathrooms available in the state park.

Trip Description: Energy Requirement: little, we sit at a designated location and count birds migrating north.

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend Bird checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage. Also, Texas Parks & Wildlife has a Bird List for Mustang Island State Park at:

https://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_p4000_0432.pdf

Birds of special interest: migrating waterfowl, Eared Grebe, migrating shorebirds, loon (uncommon), pelicans, migrating wading birds, hawks, Aplomado Falcon (nest in the park); migrating marsh birds and some passerines.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

Ben Horstmann will offer advice for birding in the State Parks of South Texas and using the EBird app.  He will talk about some of the special species that live in or migrate through each park, what to expect at each site when visiting, as well as go over some of the programs and guided tours available at the State Parks. 

About Our Speaker: Ben Horstmann is with Texas Parks and Wildlife and serves as the Regional Interpretive Specialist for South Texas State Parks.  His addiction to birding was a direct result of moving to the coastal bend and birding with the park staff and volunteers.  His favorite pastime is birding in the natural places of Texas.

Most of our CBAS members are familiar with Ben, who writes the “Ben’s Corner” section of our monthly newsletter, the Brown Pelican, offering recommendations on birds to look for in our area and giving rare bird sighting information and photos. Ben also gives regular updates on rare birds, good birding locations, and seasonal birding for our monthly seminar meetings.

Registration required one week in advance (by February 3, 2024). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Meet at 7:15 AM: Park in front of the Texas Zoo, 110 Memorial Dr, Victoria, TX 77901.

Reminder: Do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks. Reminder: Always wear cryptic clothing, never white or black, never bright colors like red.

Bathroom Availability: Bathrooms will be available at the Zoo.

Trip Description: slow walking, energy required: moderate – challenging.

Lunch: We can have lunch as a group at the Pump House Restaurant (1201 Stayton Ave., Victoria, near the Zoo), on veranda that overlooks the Guadalupe River.

Target Habitat and Birds: Guadalupe River Austral Gallery Forests and Woodlands.

Birds of special interest: Wood Duck, Anhinga, Spotted Sandpiper, Red-shouldered Hawk, Bald Eagle (possible), Barred Owl, Green Kingfisher, seven species of woodpeckers ( possible), Couch's Kingbird, Blue-headed and White-eyed Vireos, Blue Jay, American Crow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Brown Thrasher, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, American Pipit, Black-and-while and Pine Warblers, Eastern Towhee, Fox and Song Sparrows, and American and Lesser Goldfinches.

Target Habitat and Birds: The trip objective is to see varieties of migrating birds, most especially birds like shorebirds, Neotropical vireos, thrushes, wood warblers and Tanagers.

 CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported, eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

Antonio Cantu’ De Leija is a Graduate Research Assistant and Tunnel Fellow PhD student in the Conservation and Biodiversity Lab at at the Harte Research Institute (HRI) for Gulf of Mexico Studies, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. His research focuses on modeling wading bird foraging habitat availability and how it may be affected by sea level rise. Antonio is originally from Monterrey, Mexico and earned his B.S. in Biology from the Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon in Mexico and an M.S. in Renewable Natural Resources from Louisiana State University.

His research interests include wetland ecology, waterbird ecology, restoration ecology, habitat management and conservation; particularly the study of wetland ecosystem drivers and processes to inform habitat restoration and management for birds and other wetland-dependent species. For his dissertation research, Antonio will be studying the hydrologic dynamics of intertidal zones that control the availability of foraging habitats for wading birds in the west coast of Florida and potentially expanding to other regions across the Gulf of Mexico.

To learn more about Antonio’s research and interests, you can watch this short YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWc25yh0QPY

Migratory shorebirds are one of the fastest declining groups of North American avifauna, suffering an estimated population decline of 40% since 1970. As an obligate grassland shorebird and long-distance migrant, the Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Calidris subruficollis) is a species of global conservation concern that uses the Texas Gulf Coastal Plain during southbound and northbound migrations.

Buff-breasted Sandpipers migrate from their breeding grounds on the Arctic tundra through Canada and United States to a narrow region near the Atlantic Ocean in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, where they spend the winter. They complete their annual migration by returning to the Arctic the following spring.

About Our Speakers:

Tara Rodkey is a Master’s degree graduate student at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University - Kingsville.

Kelli Stone is the USFWS Region 2 Migratory Bird Biologist in charge of shorebirds in the region

Registration required one week in advance (by November 11th). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Meet at 6:45 AM at Gene Blacklock’s house, 107 County Road 391, Mathis, Texas 78368. The Field Trip group will caravan to Felicidad Ranch (privately owned, so you must enter with the Field Trip group.

Reminder: Do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks. Reminder: Always wear cryptic clothing, never white or black, never bright colors like red.

Bathroom Availability: Bathrooms will be available at the Ranch.

Trip Description: moderate, some walking.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Habitat: The habitats are a transition between Texan, Tamaulipan, and riparian.

Birds of Interest: Wild Turkey, White-tailed Kite (uncommon), Green Jay, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted and Black-crested Titmice, Bewick's Wren, Gray Catbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Lesser Goldfinch, and Audubon's Oriole (best opportunity).

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

 Red Knots were historically a very reliable sight along our beaches in the fall, to the extent that Oberholser mentions the tradition of local birders “going knotting” on the beaches of Mustang and Padre Islands. By almost all accounts, this activity has become less successful over the past several decades. In 2009, we began a series of studies trying to better understand this enigmatic species:  Where do they spend the winter? Do they wander back and forth across the Gulf? What might be causing the apparent decline? Tracking studies and an extensive project banding and resighting marked birds has yielded many new insights into this unique and very much “Texas” population. Long story short: they’re not doing great. Red tide events and increased human pressure on local beaches are among the factors impacting their population. I’ll review what we’ve learned over the past 14 years of study, emphasizing just how important the Gulf beaches are to this and many other beach-dependent species, and how important it is to advocate for them.

About Our Speaker: Dr. David Newstead is Director of the Coastal Bird Program at Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program (CBBEP), , which focuses on habitat management, stewardship, and conservation-oriented monitoring and research on the diverse coastal bird life of the area. His staff works with partners across the whole Texas coast and has also conducted projects with our neighbors in Louisiana and Mexico. David earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Houston, studied coastal fisheries for his Master’s degree from Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi, and completed his Ph.D. in Wildlife Science at Texas A&M University-Kingsville conducting research on an endangered shorebird, the Red Knot. David is a former President of Coastal Bend Audubon Society and continues to serve on its Board as Conservation Chair.

Live Oak County, "Carmel Hills, Mid – Low Tamaulipan and Marginal Riparian," adjacent to Lake Corpus Christi. 

Registration required one week in advance (by October 17, 2023). Minimum for the trip is three participants. NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE AND PROVIDE HIM WITH YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

Meet: At the junction of Hwy 534 & Carmel Drive, located on the Southwest Side of Lake Corpus Christi at 7:30 AM. To get to this location from Mathis, go south out of Mathis on Hwy 359 through the town of Sandia; approximately 5.5 miles south of Sandia, turn Right (West), on Hwy 534. Drive North on Hwy 534 approximately 16 miles to the intersection of Hwy 534 and Carmel Drive. Caravan begins at meeting site at Carmel Drive/Hwy 359 at 7:30 A.M.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Sites: Some walking and Stop and Go Driving along Carmel Drive.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Restroom Availability: No bathrooms available until lunch. Recommend stopping for bathroom facilities at private businesses in Mathis or Sandia area before trip.

Lunch: Lunch in Mathis optional.

Trip Description: moderate, some walking.

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend Bird checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

Habitat: Lake Corpus Christi - brushland, marsh, a large body of fresh water, and Mid -Low Tamaulipan and Marginal Riparian woodlands, adjacent to Lake Corpus Christi.

Birds of special interest: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mallard, Northern Bobwhite, grebes, Greater Roadrunner, Common Pauraque, Screech Owl (uncommon), Sandhill Crane (overhead), Osprey, Red-shouldered and Harris's Hawks, Great Horned Owl, Vermilion Flycatcher, Bewick's Wren, Black-crested Titmouse, Verdin, Eastern Bluebird, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, several other sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Warbler, Pyrrhuloxia, Spotted Towhee (uncommon). 

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

CBAS will participate in a trash cleanup in the vicinity of the JFK Causeway.

This cleanup will be done in collaboration with other groups, and will focus on removal of fishing line and other trash that can be injurious to wading birds, gulls, terns, and shorebirds. The half-day event will take place in the morning. More details will follow and will be shared via email, Facebook, and the CBAS website.

Who's ready for the most plover-centric excuse to gather and have some beers for a good cause? That's right - back by popular demand and following a 3-year hiatus, it's time for the return of Okploverfest! Block out October 7 for this celebration of being the ploveriest place in North America (8 species depend on south Texas for some part of their lives). The artists from Full Court Press will be on site inking and custom-printing these incredible t-shirts, or you can bring your own shirts, shorts, dresses, onesies, or anything else that you can fit a plover on! We'll also have some stainless-steel pint tumblers and other assorted merch, and you'll be grooving to a carefully curated bird-themed playlist while our friends at Nueces Brewing keep their delicious Octoberfest marzen flowing. All proceeds go to help purchase art supplies and expand our projects making the Texas coast a great place to be a plover. If you can't make it to the event, we'll be posting an order form soon so you can order shirts and other goodies and we'll mail them to you, so you can give everyone you know the gift of plovers the upcoming holiday season!

About Our Speaker:

Andrew Orgill is the Staff Supervisor at the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK), an organization that is part of the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve (Mission-Aransas NERR).  In turn, the Mission-Aransas NERR is part of the larger University of Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas.  The primary mission of the ARK is to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured birds, sea turtles, terrestrial turtles, and tortoises found along the South Texas coast and to return them to their native habitat.  To ensure the successful release of as many animals as possible, the ARK staff work with veterinarians and other wildlife management organizations to use the most up-to-date rehabilitation techniques. The ARK also strives to educate the public about the potential impacts of population growth and urban development on coastal wildlife.  In addition to his skills with capture, transport, treatment, and release of wild birds and other wildlife, Andrew is also an excellent birder and a proficient bird photographer.

"Shorebirds in Basic Plumage" and Birding 101 Identification

Registration required one week in advance (by September 23, 2023). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE AND PROVIDE HIM WITH YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

Meet: At the Tule Lake Observation Deck. This is a tidal lake on Up River Road, located immediately northwest of Southern Minerals Road, Corpus Christi. (Tule Lake Physical Address 7201-7203 7201 Up River Rd, Corpus Christi, TX 78409) Take Exit 6 off 1-37 and follow Southern Minerals Road (51) north toward the river. Turn left on Up River Road and proceed to the overlook.

Possible stops: Carbon Black Road, Carbon Black Pond, Fulton Corridor, and Indian Point.

Fulton Loop Corridor: Continue North on Up River Road to the Joe Fulton Corridor (558), which will take you East along wetlands. Follow group from there to North Beach, Corpus Christi

Scheduled break at North Beach Whataburger.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Bathroom Availability: Note that there is not a bathroom in the vicinity of the Tule Lake Observation Deck, so participants are encouraged to stop at a public restroom before arriving at Tule Lake. Scheduled break / bathroom stop at North Beach Whataburger (Physical Address: 4444 E. Causeway Blvd, Corpus Christi 78402).

Trip Description: moderate, some walking.

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend Bird checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

Birds of special interest: Waterfowl, grebes, shorebirds, wading birds, and marsh birds: Semipalmated Sandpiper, Upland and Buff-boasted Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalaropes and Horned Lark.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

400+ Audubon Chapters: Inspiring Change Across the Country and in Texas
Audubon Chapters are our boots on the ground. Together with our centers, state office, and national team our reach is unparallel. Chapters are integrated to the local community and provide numerous benefits from education, citizen science efforts, conservation, and advocacy. Together, we will review the 2021 impact of chapters across the U.S. and how Texas compares, discuss ways we can invite the next generation of diverse birders to join us, and explore the many resources available to help make this happen. Together, we are one Audubon making an impact for birds, today and tomorrow. 

About Our Speaker:

Chloe Crumley is the Engagement Manager for Audubon Texas! Her work involves connecting our 20 chapters across the state so we can build relationships and connect our grassroots and grasstops initiatives to protect and inspire action for bird conservation. She also oversees Audubon Texas’s Lights Out Texas and Bird City Texas campaigns with the goal to increase bird friendly spaces across Texas.

Originally from San Antonio, Chloe received her B.S. in Environmental Science and Public Policy at St. Edward's University in Austin. Her background includes leading non-profit campaigns and building non-partisan support for environmental efforts at local and national levels. You can often find Chloe out at Balcones Canyonland National Wildlife Refuge, a USFWS refuge for the endangered Golden Cheek Warbler, where she is a Board Member on the Friends Group or biking around Ladybird lake.

Registration required one week in advance (by June 3, 2023), but registration for the Boat Tour starts May 10, 2023. Minimum for the trip is 6 participants (see below for Boat Tour information). For the protection of all participants, all Field Trip attendees MUST be vaccinated against COVID 19. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Field Trip Description: Rockport, Rookery Tour, skimmer nesting site; highlight - breeding colonial waterbirds; also nesting shorebirds that breeds in South Texas, Little Bay Rockport. Co-leader and boat caption, David Newstead (complements of Coastal Bend Bays and Estuary Program).

Field Trip Group meets at 8:00 AM at boat ramp at Little Bay Park Harbor (please contact Field Trip Leader Gene Blacklock for directions to the boat ramp). Note: the boat can accommodate 6 people per excursion. The excursion will last approximately an hour each.

For reservations, first come first serve; note that before we can accommodate the first excursion, we must be guaranteed 6 participants, same for second group as well as for the 3rd. Example: 6 must be confirmed for 8 AM boat tour; following that 6 for the 9 AM tour and so on. Tentative schedule for boat tours: 8AM; 9AM; 10AM.

Concurrently while the rookery tour via boat is being successfully accomplished, all other trip participants will be observing the birds in and around Little Bay Park, including the breeding skimmer and gull colony, and hoping to see the Sooty Tern. Reservations for boat tour start May 10th.

Entrance fee for Rockport Beach Park is $10/vehicle.

Energy Requirement: light – moderate.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent, and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), hat, insect repellent, comfortable shoes (shoes preferably with ankle support), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Equipment: Binoculars, field guides, and if available a spotting scope.

Bathroom Availability: Please be sure to use local restroom facilities before boarding for the boat tour. (No restrooms available on the boat.)

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Birds of special interest: Clapper Rail, Black-necked Stilt, Snowy and Wilson's Plovers, Long-billed Curlew, Marbled Godwit, Willet, ten species of breeding wading birds, several species of terns, including the Sooty Tern and Horned Lark (perhaps).

Download seasonal Coastal Bend checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

Registration required one week in advance (by May 6, 2023). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. For the protection of all participants, all Field Trip attendees MUST be vaccinated against COVID 19. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

This Field Trip will be conducted in Corpus Christi & Port Aransas, on North Padre & Mustang Islands.

Field Trip Group meets at 7:00 AM at the parking area immediately adjacent to board walk and adjacent to the Oak Motte at Packery Channel County Park (14218 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi on North Padre Island).

Trip Description: Trip includes Packery Channel County Park, “The Willows” (on Hwy. 361 SW of Port Aransas), the Port Aransas Birding Center, and Paradise Pond in Port Aransas. Following the Packery Channel Park visit, the group will visit the other birding sites in Port Aransas, caravanning to each site.

• The Willows is located on the East side of Hwy. 361 at Seacomber Dr. (entrance to the Sea Gull & Sandpiper Condominiums).

• The Port Aransas (Leonabelle Turnbull) Birding Center is located at 1356 Ross Ave, Port Aransas. To get there from Hwy. 361, heading into Port Aransas, turn LEFT at the stop light at West Ave. G, which turns into Cut-Off Road. Follow Cut-Off Road for a short distance and then turn slight RIGHT onto Ross Road. This facility is located next to a city water treatment plant. There will be parking in front.

• Paradise Pond in located behind the San Juan Mexican Restaurant at 410 Cut-Off Rd. Port Aransas. Parking is available behind the restaurant.

Note: Road construction on the JFK Bridge to North Padre Island is scheduled for this time period, so please add extra time due to traffic delays between the causeway and North Padre Island. The Bridge is scheduled to have only one lane open in each direction.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Be sure to bring Insect repellent and appropriate clothing to keep mosquitoes off. Please wear comfortable shoes with thick soles (especially important for inland locations in South Texas because of thorns) and with good ankle support. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Bathroom Availability: Bathrooms are available at Packery Channel County Park and at various stops on the trip route. There will also be a bathroom break at the Whataburger, North Padre Island.

Lunch: The group can eat lunch at the San Juan Mexican Restaurant (410 Cut-Off Rd, Port Aransas) which is in front of one of the field trip sites, Paradise Pond.

Trip Description / Energy Requirement: moderate – considerable, all walking.

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Birds of Special Interest: Neotropical migrants, such as Black-billed Cuckoo (rare), vireos, thrushes, wood warblers (especially Townsend's, Hermit, Black-throated Blue and Cape May), tanagers (especially Hepatic and Western, and finches (especially Varied and Lazuli Buntings and Black-headed Grosbeak).

Download seasonal Coastal Bend checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

Registration required one week in advance (by April 19, 2023). Minimum for the trip is 3 participants. For the protection of all participants, all Field Trip attendees MUST be vaccinated against COVID 19. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Field Trip Group meets at entrance to Hog Bayou. (Be sure to get directions from Field Trip Leader Gene Blacklock for this site). Some parking is available adjacent to Green Lake, opposite side of Highway 35 at the intersection of Highway 35 & Farm Road 404.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Reminder: Please dress appropriately, suggest baggy cryptic clothing (never white or black, never bright colors like red), a light rain jacket (optional), drinking water and snacks. Be sure to bring Insect repellent and appropriate clothing to keep mosquitoes off. Please wear comfortable shoes with thick soles (especially important for inland locations in South Texas because of thorns) and with good ankle support. Recommend binoculars and field guide.

Bathroom Availability / Lunch: Nearest bathrooms will be available at the Stripes Convenience Store (405 Main Street in Tivoli) or the Dairy Queen (111 State Hwy 239 E., Tivoli). There will also be limited bathroom availability on the trip. Lunch: The group will be able to eat lunch (optional) at Pop's Place, 202 Park Road #13 (road going to Goose Island State Park), Rockport (361-729- 2862).

Trip Description / Energy Requirement: moderate – considerable, all walking.

Equipment: beginners, please have a field guide, binoculars or scopes if it is desirable.

Birds of Special Interest: waterfowl, rails, wading birds, Swallow-tailed Kite (rare), Barred Owl, kingfishers, Red-bellied, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers (Pileated is uncommon), flycatchers, vireos, Carolina Wren and Chickadee; Brown Thrasher and Gray Catbird, thrushes, Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, Wood Warblers, and finches.

Download seasonal Coastal Bend checklists from Coastal Bend Audubon Society's webpage.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported on eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.

Registration required one week in advance (by April 15, 2023). Minimum for the trip is three participants. For the protection of all participants, all Field Trip attendees MUST be vaccinated against COVID 19. NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.

NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. NOTIFY GENE BY TEXTING HIM AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDING YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S).

Meet at North Shore Cove Harbor Wetlands (160 Cove Harbor N., Rockport, TX 78382) at 6:45 A.M. To get to this location, drive to Rockport, Texas on Hwy. 35. Best route is to get on Business Hwy. 35, heading Northeast from Aransas Pass to Rockport. From Business Hwy 35, turn Right on Cove Harbor North. Parking lot for the Sanctuary will be on your Left.

Sites: In addition to the Sanctuary - Shell Ridge Road, Rockport Demo Gardens and Wetlands Pond (2405 Highway 35 N,), Castro Sanctuary (4140 Hwy 35 N.) and Cape Valero.

Energy Requirement: slight to moderate, some walking.

Please do not forget water, hat, insect repellent and snacks.

Trip Description: Drive to specific locations and short walks. There is an 800-foot boardwalk.

Bathroom Availability: Immediately south of parking location at North Shore Cove Harbor Wetlands and at Whataburger (1807 Hwy 35 N, Rockport), where we will take a break.

Lunch: For those interested, late lunch at Charlotte Plummer’s Restaurant, 202 North Beach Road, Rockport ( Telephone: 361-729-1185).

Habitat: The Sanctuary is a 100+ acre wetland. Also: marine, coastal spartina marshes, fresh water and brackish ponds, and Austral Oak Woodlands.

Birds of interest: Waterfowl, marsh birds, shorebirds, and wading birds, including Roseate Spoonbill. Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Clapper Rail, American Oystercatcher, Golden Plover, Snowy and Piping Plovers, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Buff-breasted and Pectoral Sandpipers, Little Blue Herons, Reddish Egrets, and hummingbirds.

CBAS field trips are an extension of a classroom learning experience, so please bring binoculars & field guide references (books, phone apps). Questions are encouraged and are welcomed.

Field trip summary will be reported, eBird, Facebook, Twitter and CBAS on line.