Galveston Bay Area Chapter - Texas Master Naturalist

08/23/2026

What’s Blooming at Bayside — August

It’s hot out there! But even in the dog days of summer, there’s plenty to notice at Bayside. Here are four things that caught our attention this month.

Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) — This native legume, with its happy yellow flowers, is capturing lots of attention these days. Native bumblebees bury their heads in the flowers and shake their bodies with such force that the whole flower shivers and shakes. Check out the video and see for yourself!

Scarlet Sage (Salvia coccinea) — Scarlet Sage is a colorful workhorse of the pollinator garden, blooming continuously for half the year or more. This month, a mysterious black butterfly has been dancing among the scarlet blooms. Our garden experts say Pipevine Swallowtail. iNaturalist says Spicebush Swallowtail. Google says Black Swallowtail. What do you think?

Ashy Sunflower (Helianthus mollis) — A patch of Ashy Sunflowers makes a beautiful display in the summer garden. Helianthus comes from the Greek words helios, meaning sun, and anthos, meaning flower. Mollis means soft—and if you touch the downy leaves, you’ll understand why. Their soft texture makes them distinctive from other sunflowers in our area.

American Basketflower (Plectocephalus americanus) — At the eastern edge of the pollinator garden lies a virtual forest of Basketflowers. The blooms are long spent, but now comes another part of the plant’s life cycle: seeds! Texas Master Naturalist Cheryl Barajas is shown here doing some happy harvesting.

Come out and see what you can discover in the August garden. Our volunteer workdays are held most Fridays from 8:30 to around 11 a.m. We always have a great time working in the garden—and checking out what’s blooming, buzzing, and going to seed.

08/20/2026

Knowledge sharing - Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) - We welcome sharing of our posts.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher can be found throughout Texas in the summer. This bird appears pale gray overall with dark wings while perched, but when it opens its wings to fly, a stunning array of peach and salmon colors under the wings and down the flanks can be seen. It is unmistakable due to its extremely long black and white forked tail, which flares out dramatically in flight.
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers prefer open areas like farms or grasslands. They will perch high on trees or power lines to watch for insect prey. A very agile flier, this bird will often catch insects midair, returning to a perch to eat them. They sometimes display a hovering technique while hunting. Fruit also makes up a small portion of their diet.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is part of a group known as the “tyrant flycatchers”, a title they’ve earned due to their relentless aggression towards potential threats. This group of flycatchers will fearlessly divebomb any bird larger than themselves that comes close to their nest. Due to its beauty and uniqueness, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher has also earned another nickname: the Texas Bird-of-Paradise.
Photos and information shared by Chapter members Elizabeth and Elisha Hehir.

08/18/2026

2nd Annual Beach Hero Teacher Supply Drive: DONE!
Our Beach Hero team just delivered over $1,100 in requested supply donations to teachers and schools participating in our Beach Hero program — plus supplies to the Sunshine Center! 💙

Huge thanks to our Galveston Bay Area Chapter Texas Master Naturalist members for showing up for our teachers and our coast. Sharon Manzella Tirpak Margaret Dodge Carlos Rios Maureen Nolan-Wilde

08/14/2026

🚩 RED TIDE RANGERS — at your service! 🌊
A big thank you to Galveston Coastal & Marine Resources - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension for bringing this hands-on program to the Galveston Bay Area and giving our volunteers another way to help keep an eye on our coast.
Local people. Local knowledge. Local service. 💙

08/13/2026

Want to stay connected with what’s happening across the Texas Master Naturalist Program?
The State TMN Office has an email listserv that’s a great way to keep up with 2026 Annual Meeting updates, along with potential advanced training opportunities, news, events, and other announcements for Texas Master Naturalist volunteers throughout the year.
If you’re not already on the list, consider signing up so you don’t miss out on statewide opportunities and updates!

Wanting to stay up-to-date on all things Annual Meeting? Join our email listserv! Not only will you get updates for the 2026 TMN Annual Meeting, but you will receive information on potential advanced training opportunities, news, events, and other announcements pertaining to Texas Master Naturalist volunteers year-round!

To join, visit: https://txmn.tamu.edu/chapter-resources/email-listserv

08/13/2026

Knowledge sharing - Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) - We welcome sharing of our posts.
Great Blue Herons are year-round residents in the Galveston Bay Area. These huge herons are easily recognizable. They are slaty gray with two black crown stripes, a black belly, and long black plumes on the head. In breeding plumage, the leg feathers are rufous and they have impressive pale display plumes on their necks and backs. The very heavy yellow bill and black borders of the wings are also distinguishing characteristics.
The Great Blue Heron is a very adaptable bird that can be found near almost any type of water. From wetlands to beaches to manmade ponds and ditches, these herons will go almost anywhere there are fish. They stalk slowly in shallow water and will take not only fish, but also small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and even birds as large as rails.
As the largest heron in North America, the Great Blue Heron needs quite a lot of food. They have been known to swallow fish nearly as long as their neck, and they always swallow prey whole! They hunt slowly and patiently, unlike the smaller herons that tend to have more active hunting styles. They sometimes even swim to find food!
Photos and information shared by Chapter members Elizabeth and Elisha Hehir.

08/06/2026

Knowledge sharing - Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) - We welcome sharing of our posts.
The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a common bird that can be found in the Galveston Bay Area all year long. They are mostly pale tawny or gray in color with black and white barring on the wings and tail. Males have a red cap and nape, while females have red only on the nape and lack the forehead coloration. Though it can be difficult to see, they do have red-washed bellies. They can also be identified by their calls: a loud repeated “churr” call and a noisy “chi-chi-chi” call that becomes faster while descending in pitch.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers like wooded areas. This can include anything from dense mixed forest to backyard trees in the suburbs. They are often seen clinging vertically to tree trunks, foraging on bark for insects, nuts, fruits, and small arboreal vertebrates. This omnivorous behavior makes them a common backyard feeder bird, and they have readily adapted to human encroachment.
Like most other woodpeckers, the Red-bellied Woodpecker pecks at tree bark to seek food. They have long tongues that can reach far into holes dug by insects. However, feeding isn’t the only reason they might peck at a tree. They not only nest in excavated tree holes, but they also “drum” on trees to attract partners. Unfortunately, in urban settings they often find even more resonant surfaces to drum on, like the metal gutters of homes!
Photos and information shared by Chapter members Elizabeth and Elisha Hehir.

08/04/2026

CHAPTER MEETING THIS THURSDAY - Dr. Cindy Howard to present on Jellies, Man O'Wars and Dragons. Join us!

08/03/2026

Registration for the Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting is OPEN!!!

Our Texas Master Naturalist 2026 Annual Meeting registration is LIVE!

We have an awesome lineup of speakers this year, with 124+ classroom presentations and 28+ field sessions, covering a variety of topics presented by a variety of speakers from around the state. It's going to be another great event full of learning and exploration, and you can now register and save your seat!

Here are some tips for a seamless registration:

📓 Know what's happening! Read through the agenda before you begin the registration process and make note of the sessions you're interested in.
⏰ Plan for time! The registration process includes questions for demographic information, registration type, session registration, optional items and checkout. This process takes time.
📝 Make a plan B! Have a ranking system of your preferences so you know what to sign up for if your first choice is full.
😅 Don't stress! We have over 150 classroom and field sessions to choose from. There is something for everyone!

Early bird registration ends August 31. Standard registration ends September 30.

To see the full agenda and register for the Annual Meeting, visit our website at: https://txmn.tamu.edu/2026-annual-meeting/