The Bird Sanctuary is right across the street from the Quintana Town Hall. This site was the first stop on my trip on the morning of Sunday, April 18, 2021.

Neotropical Nirvana– Three Days At The Texas Coast

Prologue…

On my January 2021 birding trip to the Valley, I had the good fortune to meet a gentleman from Dallas named Steve Jordan.  Steve and I had a lot in common and enjoyed each other’s company, so we planned a trip together for the last weekend in April, 2021.  Unfortunately, Steve had to cancel due to a health issue.  Dorothy and I got our second covid vaccine on March 29, 2021, so, as of April 14 I was supposed be the enjoying about 95% immunity from the disease.  To celebrate I decided to take a little birding trip by myself, focusing on migratory traps along the upper Texas Coast.  This post is my account of that little trip.

Quintana Does Not Disappoint…

As is my custom, I left McQueeney bright and early (4:30 a.m.) on Sunday morning, April 18, 2021, headed for Quintana, Texas.  I had heard of Quintana’s Neotropical Bird Sanctuary on many occasions and a visit there was one of the main objectives of this trip.  I had a pleasant drive down to Quintana, arriving there shortly before 7:00 a.m. that morning.

Quintana is on a barrier island, reached by a bridge that crosses over the Intracoastal Waterway. This bright sign greets you as you reach the island and Quintana.
The Bird Sanctuary is located a few miles down the road, near the east end of the island. The main entrance to the Bird Sanctuary is right across from the Town Hall, seen in the picture at the beginning of this blog. This signage greets you as you walk from the overflow parking lot to the main entrance.

I began my day by walking all of the trails at the main Bird Sanctuary.  It has a nice Observation Tower, and several water features and feeding stations for the birds.  I immediately began to see lots of colorful birds!

Almost immediately I began to meet birds that were new to me. This Blue-winged Warbler was a nice addition to my life list.
This feisty Hooded Warbler was also a new bird for me. He hung out near the bathrooms, and didn't seem to be bothered much by people.
I was delighted to meet and watch my first Painted Bunting of the season. I never tire of watching this beautiful bird!
There were a number of brightly colored Summer Tanagers at the sanctuary....here is one!
There were many Baltimore Orioles at Quintana, and were a crowd favorite. Throughout the day they could be seen at the main feeder by the Tower.

After spending several hours at the main Bird Sanctuary, I walked down 8th Street to the beach.  I walked along the beach to the Jetty, exploring two boardwalks as I went.  After walking out to near the end of the Jetty, I made my way to the Xeriscape Reserve area by way of 2nd street.  Xeriscape has several water features and viewing areas and I enjoyed my time there.  After spending a couple of ours at Xeriscape, I made my way back to the main Bird Sanctuary, where I spent the rest of the afternoon. 

This little map shows the three areas I explored at Quintana: 1. Neotropical Bird Sanctuary; 2. Quintana Beach & Jetty; 3. Xeriscape Preserve.

I really enjoyed my day at Quintana.  I watched 73 species of birds while there, 11 of which were new to me.  To see the eBird Checklists I submitted for each area, click here:  Quintana Neotropical Bird Sanctuary; Quintana Beach and Jetty; and Quintana Xeriscape Nature Preserve.  For each of the 11 species that I added to my life list at Quintana, I made a gallery page that contains a few photos of the bird as well as information about the bird.  To see the gallery, click on the species:  Blue-winged Warbler, Ring-billed Gull, Ruddy Turnstone, Least Tern, Sandwich Tern, Black Skimmer, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, Tennessee Warbler, Hooded Warbler, and Wood Thrush.

Here are a few more photos from the wonderful day I spent at Quintana.

Ring-billed Gull at Quintana Beach, April 18, 2021.
Ruddy Turnstone at Quintana Jetty, April 18, 2021.
Catching a ride! Laughing Gull fishing from the back of a Brown Pelican. Quintana Jetty, April 18, 2021.

Day Two:  Galveston and High Island

I left my motel in Clute, Texas, early on the morning of Monday, April 19, 2021, and headed east for Galveston Island.  I decided to spend the morning birding two hotspots on the island:  Lafitte’s Cove Nature Preserve and Corps Woods.  I enjoyed the early morning drive along Surfside Beach and Christmas Bay, and then reaching Galveston Island by paying a $2.00 toll and crossing over the San Luis Pass Causeway.  

Very little traffic on the San Luis Pass Toll Bridge-- I was able to stop in the middle of the causeway and take this picture! April 19, 2021.

A couple of miles after crossing the causeway, I stopped at an un-named Nature Trail that had a nice little boardwalk out to the beach.  I enjoyed this walk and watched a number of birds, but found nothing special.  It was good to stretch my legs and breathe the exhilarating fresh air that you find at a beach. 

Signage at the trail-head of the un-named Nature Trail on the west end of Galveston Island. April 19, 2021.
The sky was blue and the boardwalk was deserted. I saw no one else on the little Nature Trail on the early morning of Monday, April 19, 2021.
This immature male Orchard Oriole greeted me along the boardwalk at the Nature Trail.
As I headed to Lafitte's Cove on FM 3005, I saw this metal bird folk-art sculpture...unique!

Next stop–  Lafitte’s Cove Bird Sanctuary, which is in the heart of the Pirate’s Cove development on the west end of Galveston Island.  I had heard a lot about this hotspot and I am glad I got the opportunity to visit.  The Sanctuary has a nice variety of habitat and the trails were well maintained and nicely laid out.  I spent two hours and forty-five minutes there, and encountered 30 species of birds, two of which were new to me:  Lesser Yellowlegs and Swamp Sparrow.  For my ebird checklist for my visit to Lafitte’s Cove, look here.  Here are a few photos from Lafitte’s Cove. 

Signage at the trailhead into the woodlot portion of Lafitte's Cove Bird Sanctuary.
This Lesser Yellowlegs was one of the first birds I watched at Lafitte's Cove on the morning of April 19, 2021.
I enjoyed watching this Scarlet Tanager eating a blackberry at Lafitte's Cove.
Great-crested Flycatcher at Lafitte's Cove. This is on of my favorite photos from that morning.
This Scarlet Tanager was not afraid of people and seemed to enjoy posing for pictures! Lafitte's Cove, April 19, 2021.
Roseate Spoonbill at Lafitte's Cove, April 19, 2021.

After I finished up at Lafitte’s Cove, I drove to Corps Woods where I spent a little over an hour and visited with 14 species of birds, all of which were known to me.  Corps Woods is a small site, but I am glad I took the time to make a relaxing visit there.  For my eBird checklist from my visit to Corps Woods, look here. I then hopped on the Bolivar Ferry (no waiting!) and headed over to the Bolivar Penninsula and High Island.  Here are a couple of photos from Corps Woods. 

Blue Grosbeak at Corps Woods on Galveston Island. April 19,2021.
Summer Tanager at Corps Woods, April 19, 2021.

I enjoyed the drive along Bolivar Peninsula from the ferry to High Island.  It looks like Gilcrest and other areas have recovered from the devastating effects of Hurricanes during the last few years.  It is still strange to see Rollover Pass filled in, and I miss seeing the people fishing there.  As I entered High Island, I make a stop at Hooks Woods Sanctuary.  It was very, very crowded and, while I saw a few birds, it was not an enjoyable stop.  Too much movement and chatter from birders!  I didn’t see any new birds, but you can see my eBird Checklist here. 

Kentucky Warbler at Hooks Woods Sanctuary, High Island, Texas. April 19, 2021.

I departed Hook’s Woods Sanctuary and headed over to Boy Scout Woods (BSW).  I had hoped to visit Boy Scout Woods during my May, 2020 Trip to High Island, but it was closed due to the Covid Pandemic.  I arrived at BSW around 2:30 p.m. and stayed until a little before 5 p.m.  During that time I observed 22 species of birds, three of which were new to me.  The three species that I added to my life list that day at BSW were:  Yellow-throated Vireo, Acadian Flycatcher, and the Worm-eating Warbler.  Boy Scout Woods is a popular place, perhaps a little too popular for my tastes.  I am glad I got to visit the site, but the number of people there made the bird watching difficult.  Here are a few photos from BSW.

Welcome to Boy Scout Woods!
Common Yellowthroat at Boy Scout Woods. April 19, 2021.
Chestnut-sided Warbler at Boy Scout Woods, High Island, Texas.
Yellow-throated Vireo at Boy Scout Woods, April 19, 2021.
Worm-eating Warbler at Boy Scout Woods, High Island Texas, April 19, 2021.

Heading out of High Island that evening I stopped in at the Roadside Park on the north side of town (eBird calls this High Island Historical Park).  I spotted a Raptor high up on the dead top of a large tree.  The light was not good, but I got a photograph that was good enough to identify the bird as a Merlin, which was a new species for me.  A great way to end the day!

Merlin at the Roadside Park on the north side of High Island, Texas. April 19, 2021.

Day Three–  Return To Sabine Woods

I left High Island Monday evening, April 19, 2021.  I drove to Port Arthur and checked into my motel, then headed over to Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp for a dinner of fried shrimp and gumbo.  I slept like a baby that night!

The morning of Tuesday, April 20, 2021 found me headed down to Sabine Woods near Sabine Pass for one final day of birding.  With the exception of an over-abundance of mosquitoes, it was a perfect day, with good light and lots of birds. Over the course of the next 7 hours and 45 minutes, I met, watched, and photographed 31 species of birds, as per my eBird Checklist.  Five of the species I encountered this day were new to me and I was able to add them to my life list.  The five ticks from Sabine Woods were:  the Prothonotary Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and Red-breasted Nuthatch.  Here are a few photos from my day at Sabine Woods. 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Sabine Woods, April 20, 2021. Love this beautiful bird!!
Cerulean Warbler at Sabine Woods on April 20, 2021.
The bright and energetic Prothonotary Wabler, as seen at Sabine Woods, April 20, 2021.
Wood Thrush at Sabine Woods, April 20, 2021.
Summer Tanager (immature male) at Sabine Woods, April 20, 2021.

Epilogue

I got up early Wednesday morning, April 21, 2021, and drove home.  To break up the drive, I stopped at the Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary and had a nice walk along the scenic bayou trails.  This beautiful property is located off Memorial Drive (near Wilcrest) in Houston, and is also home to the main offices of the Houston Audubon Society .  

As I reflect upon this little trip, I am filled with gratitude.  I am grateful that I met 22 new birds, and that life list is still slowly climbing (now at 234!).  I am grateful for the good health and financial resources that allow me these modest travels.  I am grateful for God’s beautiful creations and lovely landscapes.   And last, but not least, I am grateful for my loving and generous wife.  Thank you Dorothy!

Signage at the trailhead, Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary, Houston, Texas.
The main feeder at the Edith L. Moore Nature Center seemed to be a popular spot. Can you spot the Blue Jays and the Downy Woodpecker?!