Jasper-East Texas Pre-trip

Red-cockaded Woodpecker © Erik Bruhnke

An Anniversary pre-trip option for those who want to see more of East Texas; the Jasper area sits in the heart of the Piney Woods region and is home to an assortment of birds—most notably Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Bachman’s Sparrow—not found outside the area.

Lying further inland of the sites we’ll visit during our 50th Anniversary Celebration, is an area known to Texans as the Piney Woods. This unique ecoregion, also known as the South Central Plains, extends from eastern Texas into western Louisiana and southeastern Arkansas. The gently rolling topography here harbors extensive Loblolly and Longleaf pine forest in higher areas, while low-lying bottomlands are dominated by tall hardwoods including Sweetgum, Magnolia, and Tupelo. Based out of the small town of Jasper, we’ll visit the prime birding hotspots of Angelina National Forest, Sandy Creek Park, and Big Thicket National Preserve, and focus on this area’s rich array of breeding species, many of which are absent or harder to find on the coast.

The signature species of the Piney Woods is the very uncommon and local Red-cockaded Woodpecker, and we’ll devote at least a full morning at Angelina National Forest to search for them. Red-cockadeds nest exclusively in old growth southern pine forest, particularly favoring Longleaf Pine. This species is unique among North American woodpeckers in that they usually nest in extended family clusters (often incorrectly referred to as colonies), typically making nest cavities in live trees afflicted with red heart fungus. The same cavities may be used for many years, and tiny resin wells dug around the cavities create a sticky resin shield, which protects the nest from rat snakes.

Although the Red-cockadeds will be a central focus, this typical East Texas pine forest harbors a rich assortment of other nesting birds including Red-headed Woodpecker, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Carolina Chickadee, Pine Warbler, and the much-sought Bachman’s Sparrow. Farther south, hardwood swamps around Sandy Creek Park and Big Thicket National Preserve may yield a dizzying array of breeding birds, including Wood Duck, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Swallow-tailed and Mississippi kites, Acadian Flycatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, Summer Tanager, and a long list of warblers including Prothonotary, Swainson’s, Kentucky, Hooded, Yellow-throated, and Prairie.

Good quality accommodations and decent food options; easy birding with light physical demands; mild temperatures and conditions expected, but rain always possible in the spring.

Yellow-throated Warbler © Michael O'Brien