Membership Meeting
Thursday March 19, 2026 7:00 p.m.
Garden Center, Tyrrell Park, Beaumont
An Ecuador Birding Journey
Dania Sanchez and Greg Reynolds
Ecuador, a South American Country the size of Colorado, is the host for approximately 1,700 species of birds. Join us this March 19 to enjoy a program focusing on a 12-day Journey that entailed a variety of climate, elevation and challenging terrains resulting in an adventure of a lifetime. Join us to see and hear how Dania Sanchez, Greg Reynolds, and seven enthusiastic birders from Corpus Christi challenged themselves and their Ecuadorian guides to identify a record breaking 540 species. From Tanagers to Hummingbirds, an interesting Tennessee Warbler sighting, Oilbirds and the recent discovered Olinguito your eyes will feast on a photographic ride to the beautiful landscapes of the Andes and Amazon. The result was an incredible collection of stories, images and experiences of travels in a country rich in biodiversity and eco-tourism making anyone who goes one happy birder. By the end of this program you might just put Ecuadorian Birding on your list of places to visit and things to do.
We plan to have the doors open at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Field Trip to Bolivar Flats
This trip will occur as spring shorebird migration is well under way, but while the wintering birds are still present. Bolivar Flats is an internationally important shorebird location. This trip offers an opportunity to compare many of the "true" shorebirds with lots of help in identifying them. If you want help in identifying, gulls, terns, plover or sandpipers, this is the trip for you.
Meet at the vehicle barrier at 9:00 a.m. From Winnie, take TX 124 south to High Island. At the shoreline, turn right (west) on TX 87 and proceed through Gilchrist and Crystal Beach until you reach the intersection where Loop 108 turns right (north). Turn left (the opposite way to Loop 108) along Rettilon Road. At the beach, if conditions permit (beware of soft sand), proceed onto the beach and turn right (west) about 1/2 mile to the vehicle barrier. Follow recent tire tracks, and be careful to avoid any cuts that may have developed. It takes at least 90 minutes to drive from the Golden Triangle. We will leave the vehicle barrier at about 9:15 a.m., although the group will be visually obvious on the flats should you be a few minutes late. Some walking is necessary on this field trip. If the tide is a long way out, the leaders may walk up to 1/2 mile or more from the vehicle barrier, but you can turnaround at any point.
Important Note: If you park on most parts of the beach, including the part next to the Flats, you must have a parking permit on your windshield. The fee for the permit is $10.00 a year and permits are obtainable from most merchants on the Bolivar Peninsula including the Big Store, which opens at 7: 00 AM