Birding tours and field identification courses in the Houston area

For details, contact me at cintylee@gmail.com.

Shorebird identification - learn the basics of shorebird identification, or if you're trying to get to the level at which you can identify dowitchers or find rarities, this trip is for you.  This trip can be done year round although spring, fall and summer are best. Depending on date, this tour will take you along the Upper Texas Coast (Anahuac NWR, Bolivar Flats, Galveston, Brazoria NWR are some of the places we may go)

Shorebird chasing - If you want to do a shorebird big day or just want to spend the day searching for rare shorebirds, I can help. 

Gull and tern identification - learn the basics of gull identification or ramp up your skills to become a gull expert.  This tour is best to take in the winter, from November through February.  We will either focus on local dumpsites or head to the Texas coast.

Sparrow identification - learn the basics of shorebird identification

Spring or fall songbird migration - Hit the migrant hotspots along the Texas coast

General bird identification - Choose the group of birds you are interested in and I will cater a course around that.

General birding in Texas - If you are in need of some special birds, whether that be Texas specialties or county specialties, I can help.

Other courses

Custom bird tour - I am willing to lead personalized tours further afield, such as in south Texas, west Texas, east Texas, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, New England, as well as various foreign countries). Cost would have to be negotiated.

The art of scientific illustration and field sketching

Cin-Ty Lee's articles on bird identification

Arctic versus Pacific Loons (article 1, article 2, other loons)

Gulls of Houston

Mottled versus Black Ducks

Empidonax flycatcher identification

Shorebird identification

Dowitcher Identification

Pewee Identification

Buff-bellied Pipits (American versus Japanese Pipits)

Double-crested versus Neotropic Cormorants

Sparrow identification

Baltimore versus Bullock's Orioles (main article, supplementary)

 

Publications

21. Lee, C.-T., Birch, A., 2023. Field Guide to North American Flycatchers: Empidonax and Pewees. Princeton University Press, 192 pages.

20. Lee, C.-T., Birch, A., Field identification of Tropical and Couch’s Kingbirds, Texas Birds Annual 18:7-19.

19. *Lee, C.-T., Aquila, G., Birch, A., 2021, Acoustic survey of nocturnal bird migration at Rice University in Houston, Texas during fall 2020, Bulletin of the Texas Ornithological Society. 54: 37-57

18. Lee, C-T, 2011, Answers to the January Photo Quiz, Hard Shorebirds, Birding 43:54-57.

17. *Lee, C-T A, Wen, Y-Y, 2010, Breeding-plumaged Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea in Taiwan during the northern winter, Birding Asia Bulletin of the Oriental Bird Club 13:79.

16. Lee, C.-T., Wen, Y.-Y., 2009, The natural history of the Galapagos Islands, Natura-Aviflora Press, 156 pages, ISBN-13: 978-0-9842192-0-9.

15. *Lee, C-T A, Birch, A, Hveding, H., 2009, ID av bekkasinsniper – ett steg videre, FeltOrnitologen, in press.

14. *Lee, C-T, Birch, A, Eubanks, T., 2008, Advances in the field identification of Western and Eastern Wood-Pewees, Birding 40: 34-40.

13.  *Lee, C-T and Birch, A, 2006, Advances in the field Identification of North American dowitchers, Birding 38:34-43.

12. *Lee, C-T and Birch, A, 2002, Notes on the distribution, vagrancy, and field identification of American Pipit and “Siberian Pipit”, North American Birds 56:388-398.

11. *Lee, C-T and Birch, A. 2001, Wing covert pattern as a diagnostic feature in identifying immature and female Bullock’s and Baltimore Orioles: reply to A. Jaramillo, “Wing covert pattern as an aid to identifying female and immature Bullock’s and Baltimore Orioles-Another look”, Birding, 33: 64-68.

10. *Lee, C-T and Shany, N 1998, Birding Taiwan, Birding 30:492-503.

9. *Lee, C-T and Birch A, 1998, Field identification of female and immature Bullock's and Baltimore Orioles, Birding 30: 282-295.

8. *Lee, C-T and Birch A, 1998, Answers to the June photo quiz, Birding 30: 296-298.

7. *Birch, A. and Lee, C-T, 1997, Field identification of Arctic and Pacific Loons, Birding 29: 106-115.

6. Lee, C-T, 1996, Birding Taiwan: 1996 report. In Foreign Field Note Series, American Birding Association.

5. *Lee, C-T, 1995, "Birdwatching in Riverside, California", San Bernardino County Museum Association, Redlands, volume 42, 218 pp., 117 figures.

4. *Birch, A and Lee, C-T, 1995, Identification of the Pacific Diver - a potential vagrant to Europe, Birding World 8:458-466.

3. Lee, C-T, 1994, A teenaged birder's syndrome, A Bird's Eye-view 2:6.

2. *Lee, C-T, 1994, More records of breeding Barn Swallows in Riverside, California, Western Birds 26:155-156.

1. Lee, C-T, 1994, Birding Taiwan: Trip report from summer 1994. In Foreign Field Note Series, American Birding Association