Travis Audubon Field Trips

Travis Audubon Society
3710 Cedar St., Box 5
Austin, Texas 78705

512.300.BIRD (2473)
info@travisaudubon.org

Two Hour Tuesdays!

Seasonal eight-week series of free, accessible bird walks,
perfect for students, seniors, newcomers to Austin, or anyone
who can spare two hours on a Tuesday morning. Most sites
visited will be in the city limits and convenient (on alternate
weeks) to those who live north or south of downtown - it's a
great way to explore your own neighborhood hot spots! No
registration required, just follow the published directions and
spend a couple of hours birding with a group led by TAS field
trip leaders. Beginners welcome, but bring your own binoculars!
Scroll down for upcoming dates and locations or check out our
calendar.

September

Tuesday, September 7th, 7:00am to early afternoon
Super Tuesday! at Milton Reimers Ranch Led By Terry
Banks

Spend a morning in the Hill Country exploring this diverse
location in western Travis County with Terry Banks. Target birds
will be residents of the Edwards Plateau and fall migrants.
Participants will meet at a central location and carpool and will
have the option of lunching at an area restaurant. Entrance fee
at this County Park is $10.00 per car and free for those lucky
cars containing a Senior. Limited to 12 people. Please contact
Terry Banks to register.

Saturday, September 11th, 7:00am and 4:00pm
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend

Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird Conservatory. All
levels of birders are welcome and no registration is required.
Contact Eric Carpenter for more information.

Saturday, September 11th, 7:30am
Beginner’s Bird Walk at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center Led by Virginia Rose and Shirley LaVergne

The Beginner’s Bird Walk for September will be led by Virginia
Rose and Shirley LaVergne at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center. TAS is also lucky to have Travis Gallo of the Wildflower
Center as a guest leader for this trip which is limited to 15
participants so please register with Virginia Rose. Meet at the
cistern near the front of the Wildflower Center (inside the gates)
at 7:30am. The walk will conclude at approximately 10:30am.
This field trip will take place on wheelchair accessible trails.
More information on the center is available at the Wildflower
Center's website.

Saturday, September 11th, 6:30 – 8:15pm
Jonestown Chimney Swift Roost Led by Kathy McCormack

Join Kathy McCormack for dinner at the True Grits restaurant
on FM 1431 in Jonestown from 6:30 – 7:30 PM and then walk
across the street to watch thousands of Chimney Swifts swirl
into their roost in an old cistern at sunset (picture the Congress
Street Bridge bat emergence in reverse). This is one of the
national “A Swift Night Out” weekends (see www.chimneyswifts.
org for details) and we will be submitting our count data from
this field trip. The viewing area for the Chimney Swift roost is
wheelchair accessible. No reservation is required, but contact
Kathy McCormack via e-mail or calling 698-9880 if you have any
questions.

Tuesday, September 14th, 8:00am to 10:00am
Two-hour Tuesday! at Champion Park, led by Dan Callaway

Visit this relatively new park in Williamson County located along
the beautiful Brushy Creek Regional Trail. It is fall migration
time, so who knows what will show up. From the intersection of
MOPAC and Parmer Lane, take Parmer Lane west for
approximately 8 miles. At Brushy Creek Road turn right and go
approximately 1.1 mile to the Champion Park entrance at 3830
Brushy Creek Road. No registration required.

Saturday, September 18th, 7:30am to noon
Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend with George Kerr and
Stu Wilson

Join field trip leaders George Kerr and Stu WIlson at Austin’s
premier birding site. For more information go to the Hornsby
Bend website. All levels of birders are welcome and no
registration is required.

Sunday, September 19th, 7:00 am - 12:00 pm
Bird Survey at Baker Sanctuary with the TAS
Conservation and Sanctuary Committees

NEW! The Conservation Committee, in collaboration with the
Sanctuary Committee, is planning regular bird surveys at Travis
Audubon's Baker Sanctuary near Cedar Park. To help kick off
the "Make Your Birding Count" initiative, the committees are
inviting experienced and novice birders to come to Baker
Sanctuary to enjoy a morning of birding while performing an
area count of all of the birds. The participants will split up into 4
groups to provide coverage of the entire sanctuary; all species
and numbers of individuals will be counted. The results of the
survey will be entered into Cornell University's eBird database
for the sanctuary. Specific details of the survey will be discussed
on site. We'll have our countdown at 11:30 at the Jackie Arnold
Education Center, and participants are welcome to bring their
lunch and to picnic together afterwards. This is a great
opportunity to see what bird surveys are like and to get to know
our sanctuaries. Future surveys at Baker Sanctuary will also
include transect surveys and point counts, so watch for those.
Registration required by emailing Shelia Hargis.

Tuesday, September 21st, 8:00am to 10:00am
Tuesday Mystery Bird Walk! led by Ken Zaslow

Are you feeling lucky? Let's explore a south Austin park looking
for resident birds and possible late migrants. The location will be
sent to registrants a few days before the trip. Limited to 14
people. Contact Ken Zaslow to register.

September 24-26
Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch with Jeff Patterson and
Noreen Baker

One of nature’s “don’t miss” spectacles is the huge “kettles” of
raptors heading south on fall days in south Texas. The peak
time period for this event is late September when single days of
over one hundred thousand raptors may occur. Jeff Patterson
and Noreen Baker will lead a field trip to Hazel Bazemore County
Park in Corpus Christi during the Celebration of Flight weekend
of the Hawk Watch and Birding Festival. More information on
the festival can be found at this website. In addition to watching
for hawks during the afternoon, mornings will be spent at
several of the local birding locations in the area such as, Oso
Bay, Polliwog Pond, Blucher Park and others.

The trip will depart Austin at 3:00pm on Friday September 24th
from a South Austin location and will return by approximately 3:
00pm on Sunday September 26th. Car-pooling will be required
and all riders will share gas costs. The Best Western Hotel in
Corpus at 902 Navigation Blvd. will be the target hotel with
participants making their own reservations (approximately
$60/night). To maximize birding time, quick breakfasts and
picnic lunches will be encouraged and dinners will be at a local
restaurant. There will be a $xx fee for participants (to cover a
portion of leader expenses and provide a small donation to
TAS) which does not include lodging, food or gasoline.
Participants must be willing to share rides to keep the caravan
length to a minimum. The trip is limited to 15 participants so
please register with Jeff Patterson via e-mail or by calling 512-
487-2755.

Sunday, September 26th, 6:20 am - 1:00 pm
Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, Co-
sponsored by TAS and Friends of Balcones Canyonlands
National Wildlife Refuge Led by Deb and Lee Wallace

Led by Deb and Lee Wallace, our fall quarterly field trip to the
Refuge will take participants to Doeskin Ranch, one of the
publicly-accessible tracts of the refuge. This field trip will cover
lowland riparian habitat to hilltop meadows habitat and
everything in-between. If you have never been to the Refuge,
this will be an excellent introduction to an area of the Refuge
that you can visit on your own at any time. Participants will meet
at The Container Store at US 183 and Capital of Texas Hwy at 6:
20 am and then carpool to Doeskin Ranch from there. The
Friends of Balcones Canyonlands NWR will have lunch available
for you to purchase afterwards for a donation of $10 at the
Flying X Ranch where participants can enjoy a recap of the field
trip. We expect to be driving back to the Container Store no
later than 1:00pm. Registration required by e-mailing Laurie
Foss.

Tuesday, September 28th, 7:00am to early afternoon
Super Tuesday! in San Marcos, led by Deb and Lee
Wallace

Take a trip south to San Marcos to visit the grounds at
Aquarena Springs and walk the boardwalk around the wetlands.
We will also visit nearby lesser known birding hotspots in Hays
County. Participants will carpool from a location in South Austin.
Bring a bag lunch for a picnic at one of the parks along the San
Marcos River. Limited to 12 people. Contact Ken Zaslow to
register.

October

Saturday October 2nd, 8:00 am 10:00
Beginner’s Bird Walk at Richard Moya Park Led by
Virginia Rose and Shirley LaVergne

October’s Beginner’s Bird Walk will take place at Richard Moya
Park south of Bergstrom Airport at 10001 Burleson Rd. To get
to the park, travel south from the intersection of Hwy 71 and
Hwy 183 approximately 2 miles and turn left (east) on Burleson
Road. Then travel 1.2 miles to the blinking light at General
Aviation Avenue and turn right (south) into the park. Meet near
the first parking area. This field trip will take place on
wheelchair accessible trails. For more information on the park
see this website. No registration is necessary for this field trip,
but for further information you may contact Virginia Rose.

Tuesday, October 5th, 6:00am to early afternoon
Super Tuesday! at Inks Lake State Park, led by Terry Banks

Explore 1200 acres of woodlands, wildflowers, and pink granite
outcroppings in this beautiful location on the Colorado River in
Burnet County. Participants will meet at a central location and
carpool, with the option to have lunch at an area restaurant.
Entrance fee at this State Park is $5.00 per person, or free for
those in a car with a Texas State Parks Pass. Limited to 12
people so please contact Terry Banks to register.

Saturday, October 9th, 7:00am and 4:00pm
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend

Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird Conservatory. All
levels of birders are welcome and no registration is required.
Contact Eric Carpenter for more information.

Tuesday, Oct. 12th, 8:00am to 10:00am
Tuesday Mystery Bird Walk!, led by Ken Zaslow
Are you feeling lucky? Let's explore a park in eastern Travis
County to look for resident birds and possible early-winter
migrants. The location will be sent to registrants a few days
before the trip. Limited to 14 people so please register with Ken
Zaslow.

Saturday, October 16th, 7:30am to noon
Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend
Join two of TAS’s field trip leaders at Austin’s premier birding
site. For more information go to the Hornsby Bend website. All
levels of birders are welcome and no registration is required.

Sunday, October 17th, 6:30am – 1:00pm
Lake Buchanan Area Led by Jeff Patterson and Judith
Bailey

Jeff Patterson and Judith Bailey will lead this ½ day trip to bird
Canyon of the Eagles Park, Cedar Point Recreation Area and
other Lake Buchanan area stops. Meet at the Half-priced
Books Store at the northwest corner of Hwy 183 and Anderson
Mill Road in north Austin at 6:30 am to car pool. Contact Jeff
Patterson via e-mail or at 512-487-2755 or to register for this
trip. We will plan to be back in Austin at about 2:00pm after a
picnic lunch, so bring your lunch.

Tuesday, October 19th, 9:00am to 11:00am
Two-hour Tuesday! Butterflies in Sunset Valley, led by
Stan VanSandt

Meet at the Sunset Valley City Hall located at 3205 Jones Road
at 9:00am. We will look at birds, of course, but at this time of
year butterfly populations should be at a peak. With luck we can
expect to see a nice variety of butterfly species and good
numbers of individuals. No registration required.

Saturday, October 23rd, 7:30-11:00am
Smith Memorial Trail & Bull Creek

Stu Wilson will lead birders on a short hike along the Smith
Memorial Trail and Bull Creek. The 1.5-mile public educational
hike-and-bike trail runs through the 60 acre Bull Creek land
management unit located near the intersection of Loop 360 and
Spicewood Springs Road. This short hike will conclude at about
11:00am. No registration required. Meet at the gravel parking
area for the Irving and Hazeline Smith Memorial Trail in
northwest Austin off Loop 360 at 7:30am. This is found by
turning north onto "Old" Spicewood Springs Rd from Loop 360,
and then making a quick right on the "shortcut road." Note that
"Old" Spicewood Springs Rd only goes north, i.e. out, from Loop
360 while Spicewood Springs Rd is the one with the big hill.
"Old" Spicewood Springs Rd is about 0.3 miles west of
Spicewood Springs Rd along Loop 360, while Spicewood
Springs Rd is about a mile west of the Loop 360/Hwy 183
intersection. Remember, the correct meeting place is "outside,"
not "inside," the 360 Loop- we're not meeting at the paved
parking area with the restrooms.

Tuesday, Oct. 26th, 7:00am to 11:00am
Super Tuesday! at Cedar Breaks Park, led by Dan Callaway

Spend a crisp Fall morning exploring the south shore of Lake
Georgetown in Williamson County. Winter migrants should be
arriving, so brush up on your sparrows and waterfowl.
Participants will meet at a central location and carpool with the
option to have lunch at an area restaurant. Limited to 14
people so please register with Ken Zaslow.

NEW! Saturday and Sunday, October 30th 8:00 am -
October 31st, 12:00 pm Travis Audubon Members-only
Field Trip and/or Family Camp-out at the CL Browning
Ranch in Johnson City With Laurie Foss and Shelia Hargis

The privately owned 977-acre CL Browning Ranch is located in
Blanco County in the Texas Hill Country, sixty miles north of San
Antonio and forty-eight miles west of Austin. A clear spring-fed
creek runs through the property and feeds the lush landscape
that we will enjoy this weekend. Laurie Foss, Shelia Hargis and
Scott Gardner (ranch manager) will lead this field trip and
camping experience. The fun is only available to Travis
Audubon members, so if you are not a Travis Audubon member,
it's not too late to join! New members are especially welcome.
There are three options for Travis Audubon members to
participate in this weekend’s adventure. One is to attend the
Saturday morning field trip which will begin at 8:00am and finish
at 11:00am. Another option is to arrive around 1:00 pm or so
and camp for the night. Campers will have the opportunity to
participate in fields trips around the ranch Saturday afternoon,
Saturday night (owling anyone?) and Sunday morning. We’ll
break camp around noon on Sunday. Leaders will be on hand
to identify the birds, plants and critters of the ranch. Bring a dish
to share for a potluck dinner Saturday night. There is a
swimming hole and plenty of Hill Country land to explore on foot
or mountain bike. Cost to camp is $20 per family to cover the
cost of the porta-potty and water. The third option is to arrive for
the Saturday 8:00 am field trip and stay until the camping is
complete on Sunday. Registration for the field trip and the
camping is required by e-mailing Laurie Foss. Please address
questions to Laurie via email also.

Click on the image above to
enlarge the view of a mother
and baby Northern Cardinal
near their nest in a North
Austin front yard, June 2006.

A Yen to Lead?

Have you thought
about leading an
informal bird walk for
Travis Audubon? You
do not have to be an
expert. To find out
more, contact Laurie
Foss at fieldtrips at
travisaudubon.org.

Travis Audubon Field trips

Northern Cardinals
(Evan Quenon)