Birding in WESP

By Jennifer Vickers

Long known as an area birding hot spot, West 11th Street Park (WESP) has officially joined the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail. The Trail a state-designated system of trails, bird sanctuaries, and nature preserves along the entire length of the Texas Gulf Coast.

The Buffalo Bayou Loop, which the park is a part of, is one of 43 separate hiking and driving trails that comprise the Birding Trail. West 11th Street Park, a beautiful 20.2-acre wilderness, is the largest remaining native Texas forest inside the 610 Loop. With more than 1,800 mature trees, a rapidly growing and diverse understory, and 1.5 miles of wooded trails, the park is a haven for wildlife for those seeking a break from the urban landscape. Six species of woodpecker can be found here, as well as many nesting birds.

Interested in seeing some feathered friends yourself? Visit ebird.org/hotspot/L281716 to see recent sightings logged by area birders and print an illustrated checklist, so you too can be on the lookout. With 141 bird species spotted, you’re sure to see something cool Typically March is a good time to see Chimney Swifts, Red-headed Woodpeckers and White-eyed Vireo, among other species.