Southeast Texas Spring Bird Migration tips

[SilverSurfer]

I was wondering if any of you would be willing to share your insights about which places in and around High Island have been productive for you in the past during the spring migration. I've been spending most of my time at Magee Marsh over the past 7 or 8 years and I was thinking about heading to Texas for a week. I'd be interested in knowing (in an average year) when the best days to go and if any places are better than the others based your experience. I'm mostly interested in warblers and such, but have not ruled out waders or shorebirds as well. I appreciate any help you could give.

Thanks.

 

[DavidT]

Sabine Woods is worth checking out.

 

[padrepaul]

I was wondering if any of you would be willing to share your insights about which places in and around High Island have been productive for you in the past during the spring migration. I've been spending most of my time at Magee Marsh over the past 7 or 8 years and I was thinking about heading to Texas for a week. I'd be interested in knowing (in an average year) when the best days to go and if any places are better than the others based your experience. I'm mostly interested in warblers and such, but have not ruled out waders or shorebirds as well. I appreciate any help you could give.

Thanks.

I'll be leaving for Texas on Monday, will be at Winnie/High Island 5 nights Tuesday-Sunday, then Corpus Christi/Port Aransas Sunday-Wednesday, and Junction/South Llano State Park Thursday before driving back to Minnesota from Junction (17 hours). I'm focusing on Boy Scout Woods and Smith Oaks near Winnie, and Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. I'll be at Sabine Woods a lot too. My hope is to get warblers at these spots, and then I'll hit Bolivar Flats towards sunset. Smith Oaks is also nice for egrets at the Rookery.

In Port Aransas I'll be at Leonabelle Turnbull; that is my favorite spot. I'll also visit Oso Bay Wetlands which is nice for painted buntings, and the beaches down there too.

South Llano River State Park is a great spot too in the Hill Country.

Boy Scout Woods has blinds you can rent; Sabine Woods has them for free.

Many of the warblers I'm after nest here come summer which is nice; I'm kind of warbler obsessed. I've been to Magee Marsh once, but hope to get back there - it was just so packed, and whats nice with Texas is you can go to the water drips, sit there and wait for them to fly into perches.

 

[SilverSurfer]

Thanks for the info. I'm down there now. Sabine Woods has been very good, the other two...not so much.

 

[padrepaul]

Thanks for the info. I'm down there now. Sabine Woods has been very good, the other two...not so much.

Thanks for the heads-up, Smith Oaks should be great - you should have the egrets and the little ones there. Boy Scout woods hopefully would be good too, but you have to reserve the blinds there. Have you had any other spots you've liked?