Dates: April 16-19, 2026

Leaders: Michael O'Brien and Louise Zemaitis

E-bird

Total Species: 95 birds

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Overall Summary

This short pre-trip to the pineywoods and hardwood swamps of East Texas was a wonderful way to kick off VENT’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. With a focus on the region’s breeding specialties, we began just north of Houston at W.G. Jones State Forest, a tract of open pine flatwoods where the uncommon and very local Red-cockaded Woodpecker occurs. It didn’t take long for us to find several of these special birds, including one going to and from its nest hole! We also enjoyed sightings of Pileated Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Carolina Wren, Eastern Bluebird, and Pine Warbler. Our next stop found us in the bottomland hardwood swamps of Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge, home to a variety of nesting songbirds including Swainson’s Warbler. With a little patience, we eventually had excellent views of this furtive and subtly handsome species. Later, on our drive to Jasper, we had quick but superb views of a Swallow-tailed Kite soaring along the roadside!

We began the next morning at Angelina National Forest, again in the pineywoods. On this calm, misty morning, birdsong echoed through the forest, including the melancholy whistled notes of Bachman’s Sparrow. Just listening to this bird in such an idyllic environment was simply enchanting. But of course, we wanted to see it, and with a good bit of patience and lots of scanning, we eventually found the songster perched atop a small shrub. Thankfully it stayed put and we enjoyed prolonged scope views of this bird. Elsewhere in the forest, we found additional interesting birds, including Louisiana Waterthrush, Pine and Hooded warblers, and another Red-cockaded Woodpecker.

In the afternoon, we moved on to Big Thicket National Preserve, a mosaic of habitats from longleaf pine forest to hardwood and cypress-tupelo swamps, to acidic bogs. We enjoyed a variety of songbirds here, including impressively large flocks of Cedar Waxwings. But top highlight was a woodpecker palooza – Red-headed, Red-bellied, Pileated, Downy, and Northern Flicker all in one spot! Another big highlight was the Pitcher Plant Trail where a boardwalk led us to a high density of pitcher plants and sundews, both carnivorous plants found only in acidic bogs. It was a thrill to have spectacular views of Kentucky Warbler and Brown-headed Nuthatch here, as well as sightings of Five-lined Skink, Green Anole, and Northern Cottonmouth.

On our last day, we spent the morning at Martin Dies Jr. State Park. Having seen all our prime “target” birds, we enjoyed a wonderfully birdy morning in this beautiful park. Under clear blue skies and with a slight chill in the air, birds were remarkably active and visible. At a leisurely pace, we enjoyed excellent views of Ruby-throated Hummingbird, White-eyed and Yellow-throated vireos, a Summer Tanager feasting on wasps, Northern Parula, and Prothonotary, Pine, and Yellow-throated warblers. Out by the lake, we saw numerous herons, egrets and swallows, plus Wood Duck and large flocks of Anhingas soaring overhead. In the afternoon, we made our way down to Beaumont to begin the 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Day-by-Day Summary

April 16 - Arrivals and 6:30 p.m. meeting at Houston Marriott North; night at Houston Marriott North.

April 17 - W. G. Jones State Forest; Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge; Liberty Park; Big Thicket National Preserve; night at Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Jasper.

April 18 - Angelina National Forest; Boykin Springs Recreation Area; Big Thicket National Preserve (Visitor Center, Pineville Road, Pitcher Plant Trail); night at Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Jasper.

April 19 - Martin Dies Jr. State Park; CR-151 near Sandy Creek; drive to Beaumont and begin 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Wildlife Seen: 

MAMMALS:

Eastern Gray Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)

Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Swamp Rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus)

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

AMPHIBIANS & REPTILES:

Blanchard’s Cricket Frog (Acris blanchardi)

Heard (Northern)

Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes versicolor)

Heard Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Dryophytes chrysoscelis)

Heard Squirrel Treefrog (Hyla squirella)

Heard Green Frog (Lithobates clamitans)

Heard Rio Grande Chirping Frog (Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides)

Heard Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Five-lined Skink (Plestiodon fasciatus)

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)

BUTTERFLIES:

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)

Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes)

Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)

Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)

Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae)

Pearl Crescent (Phyciodes tharos)

American Lady (Vanessa virginiensis)

Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)

American Snout (Libytheana carinenta)

Question Mark (Polygonia interrogationis)

Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis)

Carolina Satyr (Hermeuptychia sosybius)

Whirlabout (Polites vibex)

OTHER CRITTERS:

Ebony Jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata)

Common Green Darner (Anax junius)

Eastern Pondhawk (Erythemis simplicicollis)

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