Flock to the Garden for Family Fun
Is there anything more delightful than starting the day with birdsong in the morning? My kids and I like to try to count how many different birds we can hear.
I’m not a great birder, but I’m learning. At the Garden, I often see whistler ducks, goldfinches, hawks, and I’ve even seen an eagle! Walking down a path to the Coastal Prairie Garden, as a bluebird flew by and an egret rested in the marshy grounds, I was reminded that the ones who have likely noticed most the massive transformation as the Garden has taken root are our winged friends.
Mary Anne Morris, Education Director for the Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center, leads a monthly bird count through the Garden. This partnership started while the site was still a golf course. Through increasing habitat and plant diversity in transforming the golf course into a garden, the number of bird species observed has increased by 73 since opening (to almost 130 at last count)! The counts are submitted to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s database that researchers use to study birds’ migration and movement trends. As you enjoy the Garden, you can take note of bird-friendly plants by the bird icons on their plant label.
In addition to planting for birds, there are many things you can do to help create a bird-friendly Houston, like turning off non-essential exterior lighting from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. through May 7 to support peak bird migration. Our family is looking forward to implementing some new ways to care for the birds around our home.
Claudia Gee Vassar, President & General Counsel
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Read the May 2022 e-newsletter for more, including Horticulture Help with tips for attracting beneficial birds to your home garden; a profile of donors Susanne M. & Melbern G. Glasscock, who will be honored at the Garden’s Annual Luncheon on Oct. 13, 2022; and information on the various types and uses for bamboo.