Chief among these activities is without a doubt birding. Winter is a particularly good time for birders to scan the skies over Texas, as a variety of migrating species are found here November through March.
Good birding, in some form or fashion, can be found throughout the state. However, most serious birders concentrate on the Gulf Coast and South Texas regions. To this end, the state of Texas has developed a couple of resources for visiting and resident birders. The Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail covers 43 Gulf Coast counties and offers over 300 viewing sites. Additionally, the World Birding Center, headquartered in the Rio Grande Valley, considered by most the cradle of Texas birding, offers birders a vast amount of information, ranging from identification charts to birding trail maps. A number of chambers of commerce, conservation groups and others also offer resources and stage a variety of birding events.
Of course, there has also been a proliferation in the number of private groups and individuals offering birding tours across the state. Some of the more unique include Fins2Feathers Tours on South Padre Island and Rockport Birding and Kayak Adventures in Rockport. Fins2Feathers offers a variety of land and water based birding opportunities throughout the Rio Grande Valley and Laguna Madre Bay. Rockport Birding and Kayak Adventures allows birders to silently slip through the marshes surrounding Rockport via kayak or take one of their large boat tours through nearby Aransas National Wildlife Refuge where it is possible to view Whooping Cranes along with some 400 other species.
Of course, if you are still dead set on going the "do-it-yourself" route, there are a variety of State Parks and nature areas perfect for such outings. But, whether you go with a guide or on your own, make sure you spend a day in the field viewing the diverse bird life found in Texas.
