Learn

The Coastal Bend is a laboratory, a place where a birder can study an amalgamation of birds available no other place in the U.S. Where else can you see Blue Jays and Green Jays together (and Western Scrub-Jays a short distance past Choke Canyon), or listen to Eastern, Western, and Couch’s Kingbirds singing simultaneously (and throw in kiskadee for “greater” measure)? The Coastal Bend is the perfect place to break out the toys, expand your skills, and to work on your birding “chops.”

Speaking of technology (toys), we have developed a number of tools that will help you learn about Coastal Bend birds. First, though, we need to know what is being seen and where (and now!). http://twitter.com/birdthebend

Working in partnership with the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology (CLO), we are able to directly feed Coastal Bend bird sightings to our website. CLO has devised eBird as a way to collect bird sightings from around the world. We are now linked to eBird, and are able to show you what is being seen at select Coastal Bend hotspots. You can also enter your own Coastal Bend sightings (please!). We also are feeding the rare bird sightings for Texas to the website as well.

We also have links to All About Birds (the CLO electronic field guide), as well as to the Birds of North America (the most comprehensive on-line guide for birds). We have Doppler displays on our homepage, and provide information about how Doppler radar can be calibrated for following the migration of birds (yes, birds are simply large raindrops and can be seen on radar!).

View our photo gallery, cruise the links to other birding resources, and immerse yourself in the birds of the Coastal Bend. Just like you, we are still learning, and we will constantly add new information, tools, and toys as they become available.