Follett’s Island is just across the San Luis Pass toll bridge from Galveston Island, yet few people are familiar with its name. This pre-festival trip will introduce you to the importance of this ecologically sensitive and narrow barrier island as we explore some of the best birding hotspots along the Bluewater Highway. We’ll begin at San Luis Pass County Park on the Brazoria County side of the bridge, which hugs the shoreline of the pass and provides excellent birding of both beach and dunes habitat. We’ll then caravan a short distance to a hotspot on Christmas Bay with wonderful estuarial and coastal prairie habitat that offers close views of a wide variety of shorebirds, herons and egrets, gulls, and terns. We’ll have lunch on the beach on the Gulf of Mexico side as we continue watching for species of interest, then move to our final stop on the bay side, which will provide scope views of an active rookery. (Map will be provided to participants.)
Likely sightings include Reddish Egret, Great Blue and Little Blue Heron, Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned Night-Heron, Roseate Spoonbill, Northern Crested Caracara, White-tailed Kite, and Boat-tailed Grackle. Many spring migrants such as Baltimore and Orchard Oriole, Painted and Indigo Bunting, Summer Tanager, and Yellow Warbler are also possible, as are lingering winter migrants including White Pelican, Osprey, and Belted Kingfisher.
Bring: lunch, water, snacks, sunscreen, and insect repellent.
Driving directions to the meeting site will be emailed prior to the festival.
