South Texas Ecotourism Center

09/01/2026

Week of 8/24/2026 - 8/30/2026

BIRDS
Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus)
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus)
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Northern Yellow Warbler (Setophaga aestiva)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)

MAMMALS
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)
Rio Grande Ground Squirrel (Ictidomys parvidens)

REPTILES
Brown Anole (Anolis sagrei)
Common Spotted Whiptail (Aspidoscelis gularis)
Spotted House Gecko (Hemidactylus parvimaculatus)

AMPHIBIANS
Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Lithobates berlandieri)

FISH
American Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum)
Gulf Killifish (Fundulus grandis)

INVERTEBRATES
Fiddler Crab (Family Ocypodidae)
Red Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus)

08/27/2026

Please join us Thursday, September 10th from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. for our STEC 2026 Fall Speaker Series featuring Kirsten Jo (K.J.) Ayres-Guerra speaking on the "The Lower Laguna Madre Hydrodynamic Characterization". Ms. Guerra is a Coastal Resources Specialist with Cameron County Department of Resilience and Natural Resources, working on estuarine and water quality projects across the Lower Laguna Madre, and serves remotely as GIS/IT Data Scientist for the Indian River Lagoon Estuary Program in Florida. Sher holds a Master of Science in Marine, Coastal and Environmental Science from UTRGV, where her graduate studies focused on the Lower Laguna Madre Estuary, plus a bachelor's in environmental science with a Geographic Information System (GIS) minor from the University of West Florida. She also teaches introduction to GIS and Python Programming as an adjunct professor. She is a Texas Master Naturalist, Texas A & M Master Gardener, and an active volunteer, passionate about using science and storytelling to help communities understand and protect the coastal ecosystems they depend on. She will share an inside look at the Lower Laguna Madre Hydrodynamic Characterization project- a Texas GLO-funded efforet to undersand how water moves through Camron County's estuary and what it means for our coast's future. The STEC is located W. State Hwy 100, Laguna Vista, TX. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on holidays. Free Admission. The presentation will be on Facebook live. (South Texas Ecotourism Center). stec-lv.org (956)772-0210. @topfansDavid A. Garza, Cameron County Commissioner, Pct. 3Office of Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr.Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife RefugeUTRGV Gulf Scholars Program South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce

08/25/2026

Week of 8/17/2026 - 8/23/2026

BIRDS
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)
Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus)
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
Tropical Kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)

MAMMALS
Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)
Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
Long-tailed Weasel (Neogale frenata)
Nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)

REPTILES
Texas Indigo Snake (Drymarchon melanurus)

AMPHIBIANS
Rio Grande Leopard Frog (Lithobates berlandieri)

FISH

INVERTEBRATES
Fiddler Crab (Family Ocypodidae)
Red Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus)

Be sure to join us for the last of our "AFTER DARK" events this season. We will have the Happy Kitchen having cooking demos for locally grown food. ( free tastings). also showing "Borderlands Jaquar" at 6 and 8 pm. Also Black Light Mothing, live invertebrate showings, night hikes! Family fun. 501 W. State Hwy 100, Laguna Vista, TX. Open daily 8 am to 5 pm. Free admission. (956) 772-0210. stec-lv.org Facebook/Instagram. @topfansSouth Padre Island Chamber of CommerceCameron County Parks and RecreationDavid A. Garza, Cameron County Commissioner, Pct. 3City of South Padre IslandCity of Brownsville, TX - Municipal GovernmentCity of McAllen TX GovernmentCity of Los Fresnos

08/25/2026

https://www.stbctmn.org/post/anita-s-blog-gardening-for-fireflies

08/25/2026

https://www.stbctmn.org/post/just-another-bird-story

-- The many ways winged adults protect their youngPublished August 22, 2026, in the McAllen MonitorStory and photos by Anita WesterveltMost everyone who has watched birds for any length of time has a great story of how adult birds protect their young.One of the more famous stories in the Rio Grande....

08/25/2026

This inaugural event in partnership with South Texas Ecotourism Center(STEC) is not connected with the TPWD drawn hunts. This event will have a nilgai cooking competition (contact STEC for more information on the nilgai cook-off), food & drinks, local vendors, informational booths, exhibits, family-friendly activities and more!
📅Saturday, October 17, 2026
🕑 10:00 A.M.-5:00P.M.
📍South Texas Ecotourism Center
501 W. State Highway 100, Laguna Vista, Texas 78578
https://www.fws.gov/event/last-shot-draw-hunt

08/20/2026

Attached is our Fall and Winter Events schedule with the Speaker Series starting in September through December. Speakers to be announced. On October 17th, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. we will be having the first annual Nilgai Cook-off and Market Day. Nilgai tastings, cook off contest, food, craft and information booths, games and hands -on activities and more. Free admission. On October 30th, we will be having our Halloween at the STEC from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with trick or treating, food, crafts and information booths, haunted train ride, a costume contest with prizes and more. A safe and family oriented event. And on December 11th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. we will be celebrating Christmas at the Stec, with student holiday performances, hot cocoa, food, craft and information vendors, Holiday train ride and of course a visit from Santa Claus. Fee Admission.

The South Texas Ecotourism Center is an outdoor nature museum and information center open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 501 W. State hwy 100 in Laguna Vista, Texas. Free admission. Stec-lv.org , Facebook, and Instagram. @topfansSouth Padre Island Chamber of CommerceCameron County Parks and RecreationDavid A. Garza, Cameron County Commissioner, Pct. 3City of Los FresnosCity of Brownsville, TX - Municipal GovernmentCity of Los FresnosCity of Brownsville, TX - Municipal GovernmentCity of Harlingen
City of McAllen TX GovernmentCity of South Padre IslandThe Texas Bucket ListThe Valley Land Fund

08/20/2026

Greetings Everyone,

We will be having our last of the After Dark Summer Events this coming Wednesday August 26 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. We will be featuring the Happy Kitchen at 7 p.m. with cooking demonstrations for kids and their families. We will be showing the film “Borderlands Jaquar” at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. We will have Matthew’s live invertebrate Presentation and Black Light Mothing. Be sure to bring your flashlights, black lights and telescopes for the night hikes. Free admission. There will be free snacks and refreshments. Bug spray will be available. The South Texas Ecotourism Center is an outdoor nature museum and information center open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 501 W. State hwy 100 in Laguna Vista, Texas. Free admission. Stec-lv.org , Facebook, and Instagram. @topfansSouth Padre Island Chamber of CommerceCameron County Parks and RecreationDavid A. Garza, Cameron County Commissioner, Pct. 3City of Los FresnosCity of Brownsville, TX - Municipal GovernmentCity of South Padre IslandCity of McAllen TX GovernmentCity of HarlingenPort Isabel Chamber of CommerceRGV.com
RGV NatureThe Texas Bucket ListThe Butterfly Garden at Oleander Acres RV ResortThe Valley Land Fund