Travis Audubon Society
3710 Cedar St.
Box 5
Austin, Texas 78705
512.300.BIRD (2473)
info@travisaudubon.org
3710 Cedar St.
Box 5
Austin, Texas 78705
512.300.BIRD (2473)
info@travisaudubon.org
Two Hour Tuesdays! Led by Stan VanSandt
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 a TAS field trip leader.
Beginners welcome, but bring your own binoculars! All fall
walks will start at 8 a.m.
August 26 - Roy Guerrero Park (southeast Austin - on
Colorado River)
September 2 - Riata Pond (northwest Austin - Hwy 183)
September 9 - Blunn Creek Preserve (south Austin - Travis
Heights)
September 16 - St. Edwards Park (northwest Austin - Bull
Creek)
September 23 - Richard Moya Park (southeast Austin -
near airport)
September 30 - Wild Basin (west Austin - off Mopac)
October 7 - Mary Moore Searight Park (south Austin -
Slaughter Lane)
October 14 - Zilker Park/Barton Creek (south-central
Austin)
Other locations will be explored in the winter and spring,
including Laguna Gloria, Sunset Valley, SE Metro Park,
Turkey Creek, Walnut Creek, and possibly even Hornsby
Bend.
AUGUST:
Saturday, August 2nd, 5p.m. to Dark.
Back to the Bat Cave! Bat Emergence Field Trip, with
George Kerr
Join us at the Bat Cave as we watch the emergence of
millions of bats as they go on their nightly feeding foray.
This is an event held in the cool of the evening so it’s a
perfect way to spend a Texas summer night There are
several caves that we are looking at for this year’s
excursion so if you are interested, stay tuned to this “Bat
Channel” and contact George Kerr at George.kerr@austin.
rr.com or 785-3579 for more information and to register for
this event.
Saturday, August 9th, 7 a.m. & 4 p.m. Monthly Bird
Count at Hornsby Bend
Contact Eric Carpenter at ecarpe@gmail.com for more
information. Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird
Observatory.
Saturday, August 16th, 7:30 a.m. to Noon Monthly Bird
Walk at Hornsby Bend with Gary Newgord and Kirsti
Harms
Austin's premier birding site. No registration required.
Contact fieldtrips at travisaudubon.org for more
information. More information and directions to the site
can be found here.
Saturday, August 23rd, 6:30 – 11:00 AM, Cypress
Valley Canopy Zip-line Tour with George Kerr. Cost of
the tour is $70
The Cypress Valley Canopy Tour is a tree-top adventure
using sky-walks and ziplines. Contact Field Trips to reserve
your spot today - only 7 participants are allowed for this
trip so don't delay if you want to go! George will get back to
you with the trip particulars.
Location: 1223 Paleface Ranch Road in Spicewood,
Texas, just 30 miles west of downtown Austin. From
downtown Austin, take Highway 71 west towards Llano and
Marble Falls. About 10 miles past Highway 620, pass over
a bridge crossing the Pedernales River. From the
Pedernales River, drive almost 2 more miles and turn right
on Paleface Ranch Road. Follow Paleface Ranch Road for
1 mile to our signs on the right. At the gate, press "CALL"
to reach an employee.
Tuesday, August 26th, 8:00a.m. Two Hour Tuesday! At
Roy Guerrero Park, with Stan VanSandt
This will be the inaugural event of a 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 a
TAS field trip leader. Beginners welcome, but bring your
own binoculars! All fall walks will start at 8 a.m.
To get to Roy Guerrero Park, turn north onto Grove Blvd.
from E. Riverside Drive (second light past Pleasant Valley).
Drive to end of road, park in first lot on right. No
registration required.
SEPTEMBER:
September 2, 8 a.m., Two Hour Tuesday! Led by Stan
VanSandt
Riata Pond (northwest Austin - Hwy 183)Take Duval exit
from Hwy 183, continue past Duval on service road (from
points north loop under 183) about .6 mile, then turn right
onto Riata Trace Parkway. Pond is about 1 mile ahead on
right - park in office building parking lot just past the pond.
No registration required.
September 5 – Bird your favorite Travis or
Williamson County Park
Travis County is committed to sustaining a system of
signature parks and natural areas, linked by greenways
and riparian corridors, with a diversity of community places,
where people may enjoy nature through passive and active
recreation.
Williamson County has fantastic parklands, too and
Williamson County also maintains Endangered Species
Preserves and Habitat under the Williamson County
Conservation Foundation (WCCF). Some of the preserve
areas are open for low impact recreational use - hiking,
bird watching, primitive picnicing - and access is controlled
through a permitting process that includes a short
qualification and information session with trained park
employees or other designated trainers. You may learn
more about the county's preserve and open space areas
on the WCCF pages.
Links: Travis County Parks and Recreation
Williamson County Parks and Recreation
Williamson County Conservation Foundation
September 9, 8 a.m., Two Hour Tuesday! Led by Stan
VanSandt
Blunn Creek Preserve (south Austin - Travis Heights).
From E. Oltorf Street turn south onto I35 frontage road.
Drive .5 mile and turn right onto St. Edwards Drive - park
on road near trailhead. No registration required.
Saturday, September 13, 7 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.,
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend
Contact Eric Carpenter at ecarpe@gmail.com for more
information. Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird
Observatory.
Saturday, September 13, 6:00 – 8:15 PM, Jonestown
Chimney Swift Roost with Kathy McCormack
Join Kathy McCormack for dinner at the True Grits
restaurant on FM 1431 in Jonestown from 6:00 – 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. If there is interest, a short field trip may be
organized nearby in the late afternoon. No reservation is
required, but email to Kathy McCormack or call her at 698-
9880 if you have any questions, or if you are interested in
working up an appetite with a walk before dinner.
September 16, 8 a.m., Two Hour Tuesday! Led by Stan
VanSandt
St. Edwards Park (northwest Austin - Bull Creek). On
Spicewood Springs Road, about 2.3 miles from either Hwy
183 or Loop 360. Meet in main parking lot. No registration
required.
Saturday, September 20, 7:30 a.m. to Noon, Monthly
Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend
Austin's premier birding site. No registration required.
Contact fieldtrips@travisaudubon.org for more information.
September 23, 8 a.m., Two Hour Tuesday! Led by Stan
VanSandt
Richard Moya Park (southeast Austin - near airport). Take
Hwy 183 south past Hwy 71 (airport will be on left), turn left
on Burleson Road. After about 1 mile turn right into
Richard Moya - park in first lot. No registration required.
Saturday, September 27, 7:30 a.m. to Noon, Third
Annual Floating Field Trip, led by Claude Morris
This time of year the migrations are in full swing. There are
all kinds of birds passing through the area. Anything is
possible! Expected species are a variety of Flycatchers,
Orioles, Warblers, Hawks, Ducks, and shorebirds.
The trip will go from the park in the town of Webberville to
the Big Webberville Park. As a group we will meet in
Webberville at 8:00am. There we will unload gear. This
area is a very nice place to launch with lots of room.
We will then shuttle the cars to the Big Webberville Park.
We will all pile into as few cars as necessary to go back
upstream to the gear. This scenario leaves most cars at
the downstream location.
We will float together as a group. There is a huge island
about half way down stream where we can stop for lunch
and refreshments. When we get down to Big Webberville
Park, we load gear and the trip is officially done.
Everyone is welcome to join. This is about a 5-mile section
of river with slowly moving or still water.
DIRECTIONS:
Webberville is in eastern Travis County.
Take 19th Street / MLK / Hwy 969 and go east.
You will go east of Airport Blvd, east of Hwy 183, east of
Hwy 973. About 7 miles east of Hwy 973 is the town of
Webberville. When you get to town, there will be a sign
that says Water Street. Go right on Water Street. After
about a block the street turns back to the left. After
another block turn right into the park.
EXPECTED SPECIES:
Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Western Kingbird, Eastern
Kingbird, Orchard Orioles, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Indigo
Bunting, Painted Buntings.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
claude.morris@co.travis.tx.us , 512-619-4797 Cell
SAFETY:
As you are aware, there are inherent risks with this type of
activity., The weather is highly variable this time of year.,
The water should be warm., Extreme conditions are
possible., Be prepared for any condition that could arise as
a result of unexpected weather, river flow, or health
conditions. Some suggested personal gear to have
includes (but is not limited to): Protective clothing like hat,
long sleeves, etc, Sun screen, Plenty of fresh water,
Lunch, First Aid, Dry Bag, Dry clothes for afterwards
September 28, 7a.m. - 11:30a.m., Commons Ford
Ranch Park led by Ed Fair
Come join us at one of the most diverse parks in the Austin
Parks and Recreation Department system. Fall migration
is always interesting in the park and offers the opportunity
for a surprise. During the fall over 115 species have been
reported in the park including 7 raptor species (such as
Mississippi Kite, Swainson’s Hawk), 7 woodpecker species,
numerous flycatchers (including Yellow-bellied Flycatcher)
and 11 warbler species. We should also see early
wintering, as well as resident, sparrow species.
Commons Ford Ranch is located only a few miles west of
the intersection of Bee Caves Rd. and Loop 360. Specific
directions and further details will be provided to confirmed
participants. There will be extensive walking but mostly on
level ground. Bring water and a snack.
Limited to 15 participants. These trips are always full, so
please confirm your reservation early with Ed Fair at ezflaw
(at) sbcglobal.net or 512-560-1943.
September 30, 8 a.m., Two Hour Tuesday! Led by Stan
VanSandt
Wild Basin (west Austin - off Loop 360). Located on Capital
of Texas Highway (Loop 360), about 4 miles north of
Mopac intersection, or 7 miles south of Hwy 183. Watch for
small sign before turnoff. No registration required.
Notes from the Field Trips Chair ...
In the future, Travis Audubon hopes to entice experienced
birders to lead out-of-state field trips by paying their
expenses for the trip, financed by collecting the cost from
other participants (like we currently do with our popular
shorebird and warbler classes).
Remember, folks: we always need field trip leaders, and for
local trips you don't have to be an expert, just an
enthusiast! To volunteer, make comments, ask questions,
or get on a trip list, contact Laurie Foss or at 512-751-
3677.
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.
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.
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) |
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