Ted L. Eubanks, Jr., Robert A. Behrstock, and Ron J. Weeks, Foreword by Victor Emanuel
If there were a dream team to take you on a birding journey to Houston and the Upper Texas Coast, these guys are it. Between the authors and Victor Emmanuel, this book represents over 140 years of ardent birding and chronicling the birdlife in the Houston area. Not to be confused with a field guide, this book serves as the authoritative record of the details of the birds that can be found or have been found along the Upper Texas Coast. The lead author began birding around the age of seven, and when you talk to him, or read his posts on TexBirds, it seems he remembers not only every bird he’s seen, but when and where, when to expect them to leave and return from migration and any anomalies in their occurrence or abundance, and everything that has been published about each species. The descriptions and familiarity of the 480 species described in the book are a case in point for the value of field notes. Behrstock not only makes his living as a wildlife photographer, but he is a much sought after guide for birding, butterflying and dragonfly trips. Both his knowledge and unusual sense of humor make for great field trips. Weeks is one of the co-authors of the Birder’s Guide to the Texas Coast, an authority on when and where to go birding along the Upper Texas Coast.
I envision this book with a place of honor in home libraries, right next to the retired copies of beat up field guides, a reference guide within easy reach. It fills in the details lacking in a field guide. Wondering if the American robin is just a winter bird here, or if it’s unusual not too see any one winter, you’ll find not only that one sub-species of robin nests in Houston, and where! There are discussions on changes in population, be they fluctuations, or tragedies like the Eskimo Curlew. Anyone with more than a passing interest in birds will enjoy sitting down with this book, whether they live in the Houston area, plan a visit to the Upper Texas Coast, or just like learning by reading a well written book.
From the publisher: “In the last thirty years, the Upper Texas Coast has become a "must go" destination for birders around the globe. This book will serve as an essential companion to the customary field guide and pair of binoculars for all visitors to Houston, High Island, Galveston, Freeport, or any of the area's other exciting birding spots. It also places the birdlife of the region, a seven-county area with a larger bird list than forty-three states, into historical and ecological contexts.
Authors Eubanks, Behrstock, and Weeks—all recognized authorities on the migrant and resident birds of this region—present a thorough introduction to the area's history, physiography, and avifauna. Then, in generous discussions of bird families and species, they synthesize years of records, tracking the comings and goings of more than 480 birds and incorporating their own lifetimes of experience to create an "ornithological mosaic" of lasting significance.
TED L. EUBANKS, JR. is president of Fermata Inc., a nature tourism, national trails, and wildlife-watching consulting business. A resident of Galveston, he is a recipient of the Roger T. Peterson Excellence in Birding Award. ROBERT A. BEHRSTOCK is an Arizona-based biologist, writer, photographer, and nature tour leader (Naturally Curious note, and a former long-time resident of Houston!). RON J. WEEKS is a chemical engineer at Dow Chemical Company in Lake Jackson and a subregional editor for North American Birds.
What people are saying about this book:
"The book will be of enormous benefit to the increasing number of birders and other naturalists drawn to the popular venues along the Texas coast."—John L. and Gloria A. Tveten
"It is a wealth of knowledge and is more detailed and in depth, as well as better constructed, than virtually all other such treatises." —Paul Kerlinger
"[Eubanks and Behrstock] are excellent writers, both clear, entertaining, and well organized."—James M. Stevenson, MBed, Executive Director of the Galveston Ornithological Society
". . . an essential part of the library of every birder who lives in the region or who visits it."—Victor Emanuel”
Hardcover, 8 1/2x11. 328 pp., 50 color photos, 1 b&w photo, 3 maps. 16 tables, 2 apps. Bib., Index, October 2006.
