MATAGORDA COUNTY , TEXAS, USA -- Because if its location in the middle of the Texas Coast, Matagorda County is right on the central flyway for migratory birds. The county's terrain, a flat plain that rises from sea level to a maximum elevation of 70 feet, is divided by the Colorado River and bounded on the south by the Gulf of Mexico. Numerous bays dot the area which is also criss-crossed by streams. Agricultural land, salt marshes, timber forests, coastal prairies, and vast stretches of sandy beaches provide habitats for numerous species of land and sea birds. The diversity of the landscape offers birds a banquet of feeding opportunities and plenty of places to nest.

Year Round Birding

With over 333 species, plenty of birds can be found in Matagorda County all year long, but late spring and late fall, AKA migratory season, brings bird watchers the chance to observe birds normally found elsewhere as they pass through coastal Texas on their way north for the summer or south to the Yucatan peninsula for the winter.

For six years running, a steadily growing group of birders has documented the largest number of species for the prestigious annual Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count, making the Texas Coast a world class birding destination. More than 1700 sites across the US conduct Christmas Bird Counts, with more than 64 million birds reported nationwide. Matagorda County's Mad Island Marsh Bird Count has reported the largest number of birds for over eight years now. In 2004, 246 different species of birds were spotted, including snowy egret, roseate spoonbill, northern harrier, American kestrel, eastern phoebe. Ash-throated flycatcher, and logghearted shrike.

Birds can be found all over the county, but for the best in Matagorda County birding, head to the newly constructed Matagorda County Birding Nature Center (MCBNC). Conceived by local birding and nature enthusiasts, and completely volunteer staffed, the 35 acres facility contains examples of most of the county's diverse habitats within its borders. We were especially impressed with the number of active volunteers and their ongoing committment to the project. Many, like the gentleman pictured at left, take their voulnteer positions as seriously as they do paid jobs, devoting countless hours of work in order to make their community a better place.

The MCBNC encompasses interpretive trails, educational kiosks, butterfly and hummingbird gardens, a constructed wetland, indoor and outdoor educational facilities, as well as a boat dock where you can launch for a tour of the Colorado River.

For an in-depth exploration of a coastal Texas wetlands environment, make a reservation to visit the natural classroom that is the Mad Island Marsh Preserve. The Nature Conservancy of Texas stepped in to help preserve the Mad Island Marsh, a delicate and fast disappearing eco-system where bay and freshwater inflows come together. Today the preserve contains 7048 acres of intertidal and freshwater wetlands, coastal prairie, cordgrass meadows, coastal brush habitat and rice fields that support such diverse wildlife as ducks, shorebirds, wading birds, songbirds, owls, hawks, rails, quail, and peregrine falcons. The preserve is also one of the most important goose roosts on the Texas coast with over 80,00 geese wintering on Mad Island marsh before migrating north to their breeding grounds.

Practicalities

The Matagorda County Birding Nature Center is located 1.7 miles west of Bay City, Texas on Highway 35 South at the junction of SH 35 and SH 60. For more information, click to www.mcbnc.org.

Visits to the Mad Island March Preserve are available on a reservation basis only. For more information call 512-972-2559.

Contact the nature Conservancy of Texas by calling 361-972-3295 or clicking to www.nature.org.

For general information about planning a visit to Matagorda County, Texas, click on www.visitmatagorda.com or contact the Matagorda County Economic Development Corporation at 979-245-8913.

Cheri Sicard, in addition to being the editor of FabulousTravel.com and its sister site, Fabulous Foods.com is the author of The Great American Handbook: What You Can Do For Your Country Today and Every Day and The Low Carb Restaurant Guide, and the co-author of US Citizenship for Dummies. To learn more about Cheri, click here.