Photo credit: Dana Nelson, Cattail Marsh, December 18, 2018
You are welcome to attend monthly meetings, featuring speakers on birding and natural history topics, and including a delicious member-provided evening meal -- with desserts! Our monthly field trips are fun and educational, and focus on locations along the coast, marshes, prairies, and forests of the area.
Saturday September 30, 2023
Field Trip to Smith Point Hawk Watch
It is hoped that September 30 will be nearer the peak of Broad-wing Hawk migration than if we ran the trip earlier, but there will always be some hawks. Any day from mid-September through mid or late October should produce a good number of migrating hawks. Our leaders will be there from about 8:30 a.m. but Bob Baez, the official hawk counter will be there from 8:00 a.m.
To reach the Smith Point Hawk Watch site from Winnie, take Highway 124 south towards High Island. After 12 miles, turn right on FM1985 and follow it about 14 1/2 miles until it meets FM562. Follow FM562 14 miles southwest to Smith Point. Continue straight until almost reaching the bay, and turn left, bearing left again to the parking area next to the Hawk Watch Tower on the Candy Abshier Wildlife Management Area. It takes at least 90 minutes from the Golden Triangle to reach the site. This Field Trip is much more a come and go as you wish trip, and help on hawk identification is always available on the tower during Hawk Watch season!
Our leaders may lead a group into the nearby woods looking for migrants, but you may stay on the tower if you wish. Mosquitoes are not normally a problem on the tower. Availability of food and fuel is essentially non-existent in Smith Point, so bring your lunch!
Membership Meeting
Thursday October 19, 2023 7:00 p.m.
Garden Center, Tyrrell Park, Beaumont
A Texas Mountains Getaway – NOT the Big Bend
Paul and Carol Gregg
The Guadalupe Mountains National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the United States. Paul and Carol Gregg have visited the park at least a dozen times over the years. They have hiked most of the 80 to 90 miles of hiking trails, and have photographed much of the landscape as well as wildlife, plants and birds. Camping there is mostly primitive and spending the night in higher elevations can be challenging with hikers having to hike with 50-pound backpacks. But the views at the top can be breathtaking and very much worth the strenuous hikes to get there. The park has the four highest peaks in Texas, the highest elevation being Guadalupe Peak at 8751 feet.
Paul is an advanced amateur photographer, with a genuine love for bird photography, and is retired from the Harris County Adult Probation Department, and retired from over 29 years in the U. S. Air Force active and reserve duty. Carol is retired from the oil business and is taking classes to become a Texas Master Naturalist.
We plan to have the doors open no later than 6:00 p.m., the meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. sharp.