By Jeanette Larson, Travis Audubon Master Birder
Number one on eBird’s list of 100 Hot Spots in Travis County is Hornsby Bend, with 349 species listed for this interesting place. The 1200-acre location in southeast Austin is home to Austin Water and the Biosolids Management Plant (wastewater treatment). Hornsby Bend is known for its biodiversity, attracting different birds throughout the year. Birding areas available to the public include ponds, wooded areas, agricultural fields, abandoned pasture, and 3.5 miles of Colorado River bottom. Birds can also often be spotted in the composting pads and digesters for the wastewater treatment and there are feeders and bird houses around the Center for Environmental Research building.
Birds to be seen change seasonally and even daily. Binoculars and scopes help to see birds in the treatment areas and reports indicate that birders on foot will see up to 50% more birds than can be viewed from cars. Many migrating birds fly over Hornsby Bend but do not stop, so keep an eye on the sky.
A seasonal checklist is provided online here. A glance at the species list on eBird shows that the highest counts are for Northern Shovelers, Green-winged Teal, and Swainson’s Hawks, not counting the ubiquitous Grackles, Cowbirds, and Starlings. In the current year, some of the least reported birds include Common Gallinule and Anhinga. This spring, Least Sandpipers were in abundance and easy to see on a sandbar in the pond. Birders also reported sightings of various ducks, including Ruddy Ducks, Ring-necked Ducks, and Green-winged and Blue-winged Teal.
Summers tend to be quieter at Hornsby Bend as most of the migrators have left. A few straggling flycatchers may be around but you should start to see summer residents like Red-eyed Vireos, Dickcissels, Barn Swallows, Coots, and Black-necked Stilts. As the summer heats up in July, most of the shorebirds will have left for cooler climates. As in many places, September is prime time to visit as the southward migration brings many visitors. 213 species have been reported on eBird in September and you might spot Greater Yellowlegs, Black Terns, and Yellow-headed Blackbirds. By November, the southbound birds are largely gone but the ducks and coots are settling in for the winter.
An interesting note: friend of Travis Audubon Eric Carpenter did a Hornsby Bend Big Year in 2005, tallying 249 species on or over the property. That broke the record set in previous years.
This top e-Bird Hot Spot is easily accessible off Farm-to-Market Road 973 off the intersection with Highway 71 just east of Austin-Bergstrom Airport. Normally open from dawn until dusk, roads surround the ponds for easy access and there is parking for access to the Colorado River. Access is free; just tell the guard you are going to the Bird Observation area. Visit https://www.hornsbybend.org/ for information (especially about COVID-19 closures) and a map.
Photo of Least Sandpiper above courtesy of Jeanette Larson.
