One of the most wonderful things about living along the Texas bays is the incredible bird life. From seagulls to sandpipers, pelicans to plovers, herons to hummingbirds, and terns to turkeys, we have hundreds of bird species both resident and seasonal. This time of year, of course, is baby bird season. A time when our feathered friends are laying eggs and raising chicks. And this is where we all have an opportunity, and responsibility, to help our avian friends by Sharing the Shore.
As much as we enjoy our beaches, these areas are essential places for certain types of birds. Wilson’s Plovers, Least Terns, Oystercatchers, and Black Skimmers all use sand or shell shorelines for nesting and raising their young. While we are out boating, beach combing, fishing, or walking our dogs, we need to be aware that these areas may have young bird families who need their space.
To understand just how and where birds are using our beaches, Audubon and other organizations have biologists monitoring numerous sites along the Gulf coast. One of these sites is Boggy Nature Park in Port O’Connor where last week I met up with Gautam Apte, an avian biologist working for Audubon. Tagging along for a bird survey, we spotted two pair of Wilson’s Plovers but did not see signs of nesting yet. Wilson’s Plovers are recognizable with their big “Jimmy Durante” bill. In total, we spotted (but it was mostly Gautam’s who spotted) 55 species of birds in just two and a half hours.
Boggy is a true hotspot for birds and is just one of several sites that Gautam is monitoring every couple weeks around Matagorda Bay.
The project, funded by money from the Deep Water Horizon/BP Oil Spill money, will last for five years so scientists can get a good grasp on just how well our shorebirds are doing. This is just one project that Audubon is investing in to help breeding and migrating birds.
Next time you are on the beach or any shoreline throughout our bay systems, watch for birds and give them plenty of space to raise their families. Also, check out Audubon’s Share the Shore website for more tips on how to help our feathered friends. https://tx.audubon.org/conservation/share-shore
Brigid Berger, Texas Master.Naturalist, Mid-Coast Chapter
