Blair Woods Preserve is the perfect place to bring your family and explore! This fall Travis Audubon has been thrilled to host our first ever Blair Woods Family Nature Days. We have been working hard to get kids and families out to the preserve, in part of a larger initiative to connect children to nature and creating meaningful, formative, experiences outside. We want future generations to value the natural world, and hopefully Blair Woods can play a part in this noble goal. Gifted to Travis Audubon by Dr. Frank Blair in 1985, Blair Woods Preserve is truly a hidden gem of Austin. These 10 acres feel like so much more with winding trails, tall trees, and a pond bustling with wildlife activity.

During our Family Nature Days, visitors are invited to explore the preserve and participate in fun activities related to important environmental topics. On October 21st the theme was Water and kids were able to learn about watershed, discover aquatic insects that live in our pond, and explore other aquatic wildlife with Austin Park Rangers.

Making seedballs to continue with the habitat restoration at Blair Woods

This past Saturday visitors learned about Migration. Participants were able to engage in a bird migration game provided by Capital Area Master Naturalists. We were also joined by Dianne Odegard and Lee Mackenzie of the Austin Bat Refuge (and several of their adorable bat friends), to talk about all things bats – including migration! Teacher Ari Colasanti and her student Elder from Lanier High School showed off their fabulous monarch photo display and were eager to talk about the amazing monarch butterfly garden they have created at their school. A migration bird walk led by Travis Audubon volunteer Terry Banks revealed some wonderful feathered visitors to Blair Woods including several Yellow-rumped warblers!

Fun at the Lanier High School photo booth!

Family Nature Days have something to offer the whole family. If you have missed out, don’t despair! We have two Family Nature Days left in 2017: this Saturday, November 4th, come and learn about our Native Plants and Trees. We will be making seedballs, going on a scavenger hunt, and you can participate in a guided plant hike. Our last Family Nature Day is on Saturday November 18th, and the theme is the Wildlife of Blair Woods. We will once again be joined by Austin Bat Refuge and have many fun family activities. Come on out, join us, and get to know Blair Woods. Who knows what you might discover?