Galveston, Texas is located on the Gulf and is part of the great flyway. I have been there a couple of times and have found it a great place to bird. The best time was in late April where I saw more than 30 new birds.

Just some of the birds that are common there are: Reddish Egret, Tricolored Heron, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Bonaparte's Gull, Brown Pelican, Double-crested and Pelagic), Roseate Spoonbills, Snowy and Great Egrets, etc. During migration many passerines and ducks fly through.

Below is a few of the places that I have visited and found enjoyable. I know there are more, and hope to get to them the next time I visit Galveston.

Eckert Nature Preserve

The ferry connects Galveston to the Bolivar Peninsula. It is free and takes about 15 minutes. Good for Grackles, Gulls and Brown Pelicans.

Lafitte's Cove

Lafitte's Cove is a small park that is just west of Galveston. It is small, but a great place for seeing migrating vireos and warblers.

Galveston Island State Park

Another good place to visit is the Galveston Island State Park. I saw the most raptors there and the highlight of my visit was a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. They also have an interesting visitor center.

Sportsman Rd & 8 Mile Road

Good place to look for a variety of ducks, shore birds and waders.

11 Mile Road

Another good place to look for a variety of ducks, shore birds and waders.

San Luis Pass

The turnoff to a good birding area at San Luis Pass is just before the eastern side of the toll bridge. Be careful if you drive on the sand. While there in April, I saw hundreds of Black Skimmers, three kinds of tern, and an assortment of shorebirds. It was fantastic!

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