The breeding season has finally ended in the Rookery. There were almost no birds there today at midday but the woods were busy. Warblers were here and there and me with no binoculars. Everywhere we went there was some activity. Heavy rains have filled the ditches and fields up and down the peninsula and shorebirds are all over. Mostly Yellow-legs and stilts the numbers are impressive. Herons are also working the fields and ditches I guess grasshoppers are floating and crabs have been flooded out. All in all a very birdy day.

On August 2nd, 42 volunteers gathered from 6:30 to 9:30 AM to rescue plants on the Saums Road Prairie. The Saums Road Prairie is one of the last remaining large tracts of pristine prairie left in Harris County. This 100+ acre hayfield is an example of the highest quality coastal prairie remaining in our area. It is slated for development beginning September 28th.

Houston Audubon's volunteers transported approximately 150 native plants to a new Brays Bayou Wildscape Garden installation in the 3200 block of S. Braeswood, just west of Buffalo Speedway. This is a high profile site along the Brays Bayou Hike and Bike Trail. It is an ideal location for education outreach to Houston residents and visitors who want to learn more about our coastal tallgrass prairie.

Saums Road Prairie on August 15th, 2008.

Relocating as many plants from Saums Prairie as possible will greatly benefit wildlife. There is less than 1% of our coastal prairie remaining, and loss of this habitat has had devastating effects on grassland birds and other wildlife. Birds that were once common in our area, Eastern Meadowlarks, Northern Bobwhites, and Field Sparrows have population declines as high as 80%. As we unloaded the Saums plants at the new Brays garden we were delighted to see a large number of dragonflies and butterflies investigating the new plant material. The native plant garden should attract birds, butterflies, beneficial insects, and hopefully, many interested visitors.

Houston Audubon is serving as consultants to Terry O'Rourke, Project Manager for the new Brays Bayou Wildscape Garden. Citizens League for Environmental Action Now (CLEAN) is the sponsoring organization for the project. Houston Audubon donors contributed funds towards a large scale plant relocation from Saums Prairie to the new garden that occurred Friday, August 15th. Chip Davis, of Chipco, Inc., and his crew mechanically moved over 1000 sq. ft. of the Saums Prairie plant material.

Volunteers planting Saums plants at Brays Bayou Wildscape Garden

An additional plant rescue will occur Saturday, September 6th. If you are interested in participating, please contact me at fhannah@houstonaudubon.org for a liability waiver that is required by the Saums Prairie landowner, Mr. Eric Ho. All waivers need to be in my hands by noon, Thursday, September 4th. No waivers will be available at the event. We encourage everyone to join us rescuing as many plants as possible. The plants will be held in the Edith L. Moore Nature Center nursery for a new demonstration pocket prairie in a midtown Houston park. The new site should be ready in a few months.

I encourage all volunteers to take some of the Saums Prairie rescued plants home. Adding native plants to your home garden is essential for wildlife in our urban landscape. This is a good opportunity to acquire plants that are native to our area. I hope to see you at dawn on September 6th. Thanks!

Fortunately today's storm caused no significant damage at High Island. We have definitely had our share with Rita and Humberto. When we were preparing for the storm yesterday several Broad-winged Hawks were circling over head. Not an unusual sight in Sept. but I don't remember them in August.

Last Thursday7/31 there were good numbers of hummingbirds all over and quite a few Orchard Orioles in the hummingbird gardens. We have had little time for "real" birding as there has been much work to be done.

On Thursday July 31, 4 volunteers from the Student Conservation Association joined Houston Audubon Sanctuary Steward Andrew Beck and Summer Intern Logan West to work on privet in Boy Scout Woods. Sweat poured off of everyone as the day was very hot and there was no air moving in the woods. We sure do appreciate the help as there is lots of privet to get rid of.

Andrew and Logan spent Friday sprucing up Smith Oaks for Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson's visit August 13.

Hummingbirds and orioles were moving through the sanctuary on Thursday. Not as many were found on Friday.

By the way I spent Thursday and Friday watering the trees and shrubs planted in March. As of 5:30 pm August 4, it is still VERY dry on High Island. Hopefully tomorrow we will get some rain and not much wind.

Rough Green Snake that found its way onto a branch that I was using to clear Golden Orb Weaver Spiders from the path.

Bolivar Flats was full of birds this morning as terns and gulls park their chicks there while they feed in the gulf and shorebirds return. Many pelicans are have finished nesting and chicks and adults are everywhere.

During the late summer and fall Bolivar Flats is a fun place to be at sunset. You can watch thousands of birds come in to roost as the sun goes down. Not a bad way to end the day.