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High Island
High Island is on a tall salt dome on Bolivar Peninsula at the extreme eastern end of Galveston County, Texas. High Island is the highest point, 12 meters above sea level, on the Gulf of Mexico between Mobile, Alabama, and the Yucatán Peninsula. It is reported that mineral springs on the island attracted Indians, who originally called the area Doe Island. The island serves as the only point above water for protection during hurricanes and floods for residents in the nearby coastal lowlands. Two local bird preserves located on the island, The Houston Audubon Society's Louis Smith Bird Sanctuary and the Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary, are among the most renowned destinations for bird watchers in the U.S. The island is important for sulfur and oil production. Fishing is also a common activity. Coordinates: 29.57° N 94.40° W Nearest Largest City: Galveston, Texas, USA Community Structure: The island is a popular site for numerous shorebirds. As many as 125 species can be recorded in about an hour. Some of the more exciting species to be expected include reddish egret, roseate spoonbill, piping and Wilson’s plovers, whimbrel, marbled godwit, red knot, white-rumped and pectoral sandpipers, least tern and black skimmer. References: Bird Watcher's Digest. URL: http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/travel/texas.html The Handbook of Texas Online - High Island. URL: http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/HH/hlh44.html Additional Information: The Handbook of Texas Online - High Island Bird Watcher's Digest - Top Texas Birding Spots Keywords: Salt dome, Mineral spring, Sulfur, Oil, Reddish egret, Roseate spoonbill, Piping plover, Wilson’s plover, Whimbrel, Marbled godwit, Red knot, White-rumped sandpiper, Pectoral sandpiper, Least tern, Black skimmer |
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GulfBase is a project of the
Harte
Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
To give proper credit to the original authors, please cite information taken from GulfBase by the original source as displayed. 
To cite GulfBase, use:
M. Nipper, J.A. Sánchez Chávez,
and J.W. Tunnell, Jr., Editors. 2010.
GulfBase: Resource Database for Gulf of Mexico Research.
World Wide
Web electronic publication. http://www.gulfbase.org, 29 July 2010. |
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