Enjoy breakfast with our Education Ambassador raptors, hosted by Houston Audubon's Education Director, Mary Anne Weber at our Raptor and Education Center in southeast Houston. The Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center (HAREC) at Sims Bayou is a picturesque 1.1-acre sanctuary located in historic Park Place on the original channel of Sims Bayou. The center is home to Houston Audubon’s education department, including our raptor ambassadors and other education animals. The sanctuary contains raptor mews (or aviaries), a log cabin, a barn, a nature store, a gazebo, gardens, a pond with native plants, and seasonal wetland trails that afford a unique opportunity to experience nature in a dense urban setting.

Step back in history as you tour the center built on the original land grant of John Richardson Harris who founded Harrisburg near the site in 1825. Enjoy meeting the raptors up close and personal and explore native gardens, tall grass prairie, woods and the historic bayou during this morning adventure. The Raptor and Education Center is located in southeast Houston near Hobby Airport at 3997 River Drive, Houston, TX 77017.

Do you have a budding wildlife biologist, ornithologist, or zookeeper in your house? This is the perfect opportunity to learn what it takes to run a nature center and care and feed for birds and other animals. This exclusive opportunity for one child, aged 10+, will include spending 4 hours on a mutually agreed upon day with the Education Team to shadow their work.

The Houston Audubon Raptor and Education Center (HAREC) at Sims Bayou is a picturesque 1.1-acre sanctuary located in historic Park Place on the original channel of Sims Bayou. The center is home to Houston Audubon’s education department, including our raptor ambassadors and other education animals. The sanctuary contains raptor mews (or aviaries), a log cabin, a barn, a nature store, a gazebo, gardens, a pond with native plants, and seasonal wetland trails that afford a unique opportunity to experience nature in a dense urban setting. Many of our education programs are held at the Raptor and Education Center, including camps and field trips as well as programs for schools, scouts, adults, and other community outreach events. The Raptor and Education Center is located in southeast Houston near Hobby Airport at 3997 River Drive, Houston, TX 77017.

More information: https://houstonaudubon.org/sanctuaries/raptor-center.html

Adorn yourself with these beautiful earrings and cuff bracelet from Kendra Scott.

Looking to turn heads? Try these stunning statement earrings. With a modern disc shape that allows our signature filigree to take center stage, the Diane Gold Statement Earrings in Gold Filigree are guaranteed to be rotating through every outfit you wear. From a day at work to a night out with friends, there's nowhere you can't wear these statement earrings.

• 14K Gold Plated Over Brass

• Size: 2.625"L x 2.125"W on post

Bookended by two frameless oval stones, the Edie Gold Cuff Bracelet in Dichroic Glass is a staple for your stack. This timeless cuff bracelet can be worn anywhere and with anything, and even features an adjustable fit. If you're ever in doubt about how to accessorize, the Edie Gold Cuff Bracelet will never let you down.

• Metal: 14k Gold Plated Over Brass

• Size: 2.286" inside diameter

• Adjustable

• Material: Dichroic Glass

Enjoy a date night at home with a gourmet meal prepared just for you by Chef Lionel Flores Jr. Chef Lionel specializes in dinner/brunch parties, pop up restaurants, and special occasion dinners. He has over 13 years of cooking experience, 6 of which have been as a full time personal chef. He has also been awarded the 2015-2018 BestOf awards for personal chefs, has been hired by celebrities and athletes, and is one of the executive producers of Houston's very own filmed cooking competition, Cowboy Kitchen TV. He has experience in all types of cuisine, but a lot of his dishes are influenced by local flavors/ingredients while using European styles of cooking.

Your meal will be prepared using fresh ingredients from local vendors, ranchers, fisherman, and farmers. Dinner comes with a complimentary charcuterie and homemade bread board with meats and cheese, an appetizer, salad, main course, sides, and dessert. Everything is made fresh in front of you and your guest, with the exception of the premade bread, sauces, and slow cooked meats.

Chef Lionel will arrive 1.5-2 hours before the first course is served to prep and set up. He will then cook, plate, serve, and leave the kitchen as clean or cleaner than it originally was. All you have to do is enjoy your delicious meal. Chef Lionel will take several precautions to prevent the spread of COVID, including using disposable gloves and aprons, disinfectant before and after he works, the use of hand sanitizer, a mask, and social distancing. Due to this, tableware will not be provided.

Adorn your home with collectibles from the estate of the legendary Houston icon, Terry Hershey. Includes a pair of framed bird prints, a black & white wood auk with stand, and a coffee table book, The Audubon Society Book of Wildflowers.

Decorate your space with these beautiful hand-carved and hand-painted wooden bird figurines from The Estate of Terry Hershey.

From the Estate of Terry Hershey,  this framed 17" x 21" watercolor painting of a Canada Goose is signed by the artist.

From the Estate of Terry Hershey, this 18" x 15.5" lithograph of a Northern Bobwhite is signed by the artist and numbered.

Start your morning right with delicious bird-friendly coffee in a birdy coffee mug! Birds and Beans is the only US company that solely sells Smithsonian Bird Friendly Coffee, which is independently considered the best guarantee of environmentally sound, sustainably grown coffee farming. The Chestnut-sided Warbler is a medium-dark roast from farmers co-op UCA San Juan del Río Coco in the Northern Nicaraguan Highlands. Earthy, roasted almond, dark chocolate. Medium-full body. Add to your morning routine by listening to the news or playing music (or nature sounds!) on your Amazon Echo Dot or Google Home Mini.

Enjoy a half-day birding experience with Greg Whittaker for up to 4 people. Greg Whittaker is Moody Gardens’ animal husbandry manager and a birding enthusiast. He chairs the Galveston County Audubon Group and serves on both the Houston Audubon and Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council Boards of Directors.

Join Greg on a private birding tour of the Moody Gardens complex, including the Rainforest, Aquarium Penguins, and the birdiest areas of the 240-acre property. Finish your experience with a craft beer at the nearby Galveston Island Brewery. 

Enjoy a beachfront 3 day/2 night stay in a brand new home in Gilchrist, Texas. This is the ideal location for a birding getaway, just 10 minutes from High Island and 20 minutes from Bolivar Flats. Perfect during spring migration! Take in the beach views from a large covered deck or bay views from the back deck - great for watching the sunrise and sunset. There is a spacious first floor with direct access to the beach.

Accommodates up to 8 people. 3 bedrooms/2 bathrooms. 1 king bedroom, 1 queen bedroom, and a bunk room with 4 twin beds. Date to be mutually agreed upon with owner.

Virtual Fund-a-Need to support Bird-Friendly Communities

Bird-Friendly Communities is a Houston Audubon program that aims to transform the greater Houston area into a thriving community that supports birds. As Houston grows, it is up to us to ensure that the wonders of nature remain a vital part of our great city. Your support will help us build and improve urban habitats, inspire and educate Houstonians to take actions in their own yards and parks, and uphold birds and wild spaces as an invaluable part of a sustainable city.