It’s summertime on Galveston Island, and the birding is easy! Many people stop birding after the excitement of spring migration has waned and temperatures have begun to rise. Although it’s definitely too hot to go hiking down trails looking for birds, here in Galveston there’s really no need to do that. It’s possible to see dozens of species without leaving the air-conditioned comfort of your vehicle! Not sure where to visit? Check out our self-guided Birding Itineraries on the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council site.
If you haven’t birded by car before, this is the perfect time to try it! Vehicles make great mobile blinds, allowing close views of many birds – if you resist the temptation to exit, which usually prompts them to fly. It’s also possible to get some wonderful photos, often at eye level. This is particularly true of our summer resident the Common Nighthawk. If you haven’t seen this lovely species, try driving down 8 Mile Road on the West End and keep a close eye on the fence line. You’re sure to discover a sleepy-looking nighthawk perched atop a fencepost or gate along the way!
Common Nighthawk
Clapper Rail
Summertime also provides the opportunity to see a lot of fascinating behavior, as birds busily engage in courtship and nesting activities. Many otherwise shy species perch out in the open, singing and displaying. Hopeful mates enthusiastically gather nesting materials and build nests, while others like the Killdeer simply lay their eggs in a scrape on the ground. Once the young have hatched, parents work busily feeding them and teaching them to forage on their own. Clapper Rail families often come out to preen and bathe before the day’s end; watch for them lurking along the edges of the East End Lagoon in the late afternoon.
This is also the best time of year to see our most exciting summer resident, the Magnificent Frigatebird. This amazing angular-looking seabird has a 7-foot wingspan and spends most of its life soaring over open ocean waters. Interestingly though, because its feathers aren’t waterproof, it can’t land in the water to catch its prey. Instead it resorts to kleptoparasitism, stealing desirable prey items from other birds in mid-air with acrobatic flair. If you’d like to see this species, try riding the free ferry over to Bolivar Peninsula and back. There are often several frigatebirds soaring overhead, ready to chase any unsuspecting gulls and terns that pull prey from the water churning behind the boat.
Magnificent Frigatebird
There’s so much to see in Galveston in the summertime, without much effort! Be sure to bring water to stay hydrated and snacks to boost your blood sugar levels if needed, and don’t forget your insect repellant. Most importantly, have fun!
#BirdGalveston
Contributed by Kristine Rivers
Kristine Rivers founded Birding for Fun in 2015, and is a popular tour guide and speaker whose enthusiasm for nature is contagious. A lifelong birder, she has been an area leader for the Brazoria Columbia Bottomlands Christmas Bird Count since 2011, and has been President of the Texas Master Naturalist Cradle of Texas chapter since January 2017.
Photo Credits: Kristine Rivers