Mel Cooksey (Corpus) and Ron Weeks (Lake Jackson)
As the title implies, this bird finding guide sticks pretty closely to Texas' Gulf Coast, with a few detours into the South Texas Brush west of Corpus and Houston and the Big Thicket for 'eastern' birds. My only 'complaint' is that the coverage map is hidden behind the back cover flaps so it's hard to find, but once you know where it is, easy to use! I also like the 'abbreviated table of contents' they tucked into the last section of the index, so it faces the map page. The maps for each section are easy to read and follow, and the birding advice well thought out. Out of state and country birders will benefit from the descriptions of birding seasons in Texas, so can choose between spring migration, fall migration, or if you are limited to traveling during certain seasons (summer vacation, winters), where to go. Besides the thorough introduction on birding the Texas coast and the 17 chapters covering different areas to bird, other chapters list area specialties, other vertebrates, butterflies and dragonflies that can be seen on the Texas coast.
As with all printed guides, the minute you commit something to print, it can become outdated. This book was almost finished when Hurricane Rita struck the coast, and as the authors note, not all areas were able to be reassessed. Even without hurricanes, we always recommend travelers double check information using the internet and calling their intended destinations.
Paper with back flap, 334 pages, 5 1/2 x 8 ½ inches, x + 334 pages, b&w photographs, b&w illustrations, maps, 17 chapters covering different sections of the Texas Gulf Coast, abundance and status bar graph/checklist, May 2006.
