High Island, Texas: A Birding Nirvana
High Island is a small town in Texas located at the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. It literally is an area of land pushed up by a large salt dome underneath the surface. Don’t get too excited though. The elevation is only 38 feet (11.5 m) but it does make this region the highest on the Gulf Coast.
This elevated metaphorical “island” is heavily wooded and is a natural refuge for migratory birds who, each spring, make their way across the Gulf of Mexico from the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Needless to say that each year bird watchers from all over the country are beckoned by this birding Mecca. I am not going to lie; visiting High Island has been on Bert’s bucket list for many years too!
Early in the morning, we started our visit at the Smith Oaks Sanctuary, which offers diverse habitats such as woods, wetlands, and ponds. A beautifully maintained boardwalk took us up to the tree canopies making it easier to watch the tiny, exhausted little warblers. There were so many! We didn’t know where to look first! My favorite by far was the Hooded Warbler while Bert eagerly observed the Prothonotary Warbler.
Hooded Warbler (e-bird)
Prothonotary Warbler (e-bird)
We made our way down to the pond and were treated to one of the largest rookeries I have ever seen. It was gigantic!
Hundreds of egrets, spoonbills, and cormorants were roosting right in front of us. Some were tending to their young while others were still brooding. What a remarkable wildlife spectacle this was!
After indulging in the wading bird extravaganza, we made our way back to the car so we could drive to some of the other nearby Audubon sanctuaries. But not before we witnessed a gorgeous orange and black Baltimore Oriole devouring the berries in the trees surrounding the parking lot.
Baltimore Oriole (e-bird)
To our right stood a large group of photographers who were trying to capture a perfect shot of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. What a treat it was to see this magnificent bird!
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (e-bird)
We drove to the Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary which is known for the large concentration of shorebirds.
Sure enough, hundreds of shorebirds such as terns, Black Skimmers, sandpipers, and Red Knots had gathered on the mud flats to feast on shrimp, small fish, and crabs. It was impossible to sneak really close to the enormous flock of birds, so we has to use the spotting scope to try and identify the many species in front of us.
I was honestly a bit disgusted by the amount of trash strewn on the beach. This is a wildlife sanctuary after all so I did not expect birds pecking through piles of plastic bottles and junk. I found the whole scene to be very disturbing. I mean, how difficult can it be to pick up after yourself when visiting the beach and especially if it is a protected area? It’s upsetting, really!
It was becoming a little bit too hot for birding and we decided to drive back to Winnie, the closest town to the Audubon sanctuaries. We enjoyed a Mexican lunch in the one and only decent restaurant in town, before making our way to the Texas Ornithological Society Hooks Woods Sanctuary. By now it was close to 3 pm, making it prime time again for hunting down exhausted, famished, and dehydrated little birds that flock to the refuges after their15 hour-long grueling journey.
Hooks Woods offers a lot of scattered drips and small artificial ponds that are greatly desired by the thirsty migrants. Bleachers make perfect perches for the many birders as they are conveniently placed surrounding the drips.
After a while I grew tired of listening to the many Cat Birds who imitate the meowing sound of cats and watching warbler species I had already seen 500 times. I went for a stroll on a lesser traveled path and heard rustling in the bushes. At first I thought it was a snake but suddenly a cute nine-banded armadillo showed its face. I stayed as still and quiet as possible because armadillos are known to jump up 3 to 4 feet in the air when spooked.
Nine-banded armadillos are insectivores and they mainly feed on ants and termites. It is the only species found in the United States. The animal’s body is covered with a ringed armor-like plates but contrary to popular belief, it cannot roll up into a ball.
Suddenly there was more stirring and to my joy, two more armadillos crawled from under the bushes! They made my day!
When I made my way back, I encountered an overly excited husband. Exhilarated, he told me all about how he spotted two lifers: the Golden-winged and Blue-winged Warblers. He was as happy as a kid in a candy store! This sighting meant that he has seen all but one warbler species in America. That’s no less than 49 species!
Golden-winged Warbler (e-bird)
Blue-winged Warbler (e-bird)
Back at the parking lot, a group of birdwatchers enthusiastically waved us over. They had spotted the colorful and very secretive Painted Bunting and wanted to show us where to find it. And wow, what an extraordinary looking bird this was! With its vivid colors, it looked like it flew right out of a coloring book! It was dazzling!
Painted Bunting (e-bird)
The next day, we started all over again but this time we visited the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge instead of Bolivar Flats. Here, an auto tour took us through coastal marshland where we were treated to beautiful scenery and an abundance of wildlife.
In spring, the main attraction for birders is seeing the Fulvous Whistling Duck and there were many. Additionally, many egrets congregated in the ponds while alligators lay in wait for a tasty meal.
Here and there, a Glossy Ibis sat showing off its stunning deep maroon, bronze, and violet colors. I had forgotten how elegant and magnificent they looked in the sunlight.
Three entire days we rose early, searched for birds, ate, and looked again to the point where I was beginning to suffer from the “warbler neck” syndrome. Imagine looking up into the trees all day long and you’ll understand what I mean!
It was an interesting and fun little trip but I doubt I’ll ever return. As for Bert, I am not so sure…
