Record number of skimmers available for viewing at the 2011 Black Skimmer Open House Saturday June 25

This year a record number of black skimmers and gull-billed terns have made their home in the oyster shell parking lot Dow Texas Operations in Freeport, TX and on Saturday, June 25 Dow employees and members of the public will be able to see them up close at the Black Skimmer Open House from 9 a.m. to noon.

The event is free and open to the public and provides the rare opportunity to view one of the largest nesting colonies of black skimmers on the Texas Gulf Coast. The lower half of the skimmer's bill is longer than the upper half and shaped like a flat knife blade. This allows the bird to fly just above the surface of the water with its lower bill skimming along the surface, picking up morsels of food – hence their name.

James Heller, a member of the Texas Operations Wildlife Support Team (TOWST) and one of Dow’s resident skimmer experts, says it all started in the 1960s when Dow employee Maurice Garner noticed the birds nesting in the parking lot and put up some ropes and barricades to keep them from being disturbed.

“It started out as a simple effort to protect the birds and has become one of the great examples of the high regard Texas Operations employees have for our local wildlife,” says Heller. “We’re proud to continue that tradition of conserving and protecting wildlife and their habitat and so having the skimmers back this year gives us another opportunity to promote conservation as a corporate and individual responsibility.”

He adds the Black Skimmer Open House provides an exciting experience for everyone, from first-time bird watchers to seasoned birders.

“It is a great way to educate people about the skimmers and the importance of coastal habitat preservation,” he says. “It’s also a lot of fun to watch the birds and how they interact with the chicks. For many, this is the only opportunity they’ll ever have to see a skimmer in the wild.”

Anyone interested in attending the Skimmer Open House should arrive at the Dow A-41 Gate located on FM 523, approximately one mile south of the intersection of Highway 332 and FM 523. A bus will shuttle visitors to the location of the colony between 9 a.m. and noon. For more information about the Dow Black Skimmer Open House, visitors can call (979) 238-2753.