Fall 2025 class schedule
Whether you’re just beginning your birding journey or looking to deepen your skills and knowledge, our Fall 2025 class lineup offers something for everyone. From hands-on beginner workshops to advanced ID classes, from conservation advocacy to nature-based wellness, these programs are designed to inspire, educate, and connect you more deeply with birds and the natural world.
BIRD-401: eBird Workshop with Shelia Harris begins on August 13. eBird can do so much more than just track your bird list—it’s a powerful tool for discovering new birding locations, tracking current migration trends, contributing to bird conservation on a global scale, and more! This class is designed for beginners and newer users who want to unlock the full potential of eBird, from logging checklists to exploring its many features for better birding and science.
BIRD-301: Shorebirds with Jeff Patterson begins on August 17th. Can you tell the difference between those little brown birds on the mudflats at Hornsby Bend? If not, join this class which is intended for intermediate birders who would like to increase their skills at identifying sandpipers, plovers, godwits, phalaropes, dowitchers, and other shorebirds.
BIRD-104: Intro to Wading Birds: Herons and Egrets in the Austin Area (FULL – Waitlist available) with Dave Read begins on August 19th. Herons and Egrets are found in lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks all around Central Texas. This class will introduce the discuss the special biology and behaviors of these beautiful birds, introduce some common species, and equip you to identify them by sight.
BIRD-001: Getting Started Birding Workshop with Lisa Zapalac on August 23. This new hands-on workshop is designed for beginners who want more than just a casual bird walk. In a small group setting (limited to 8 participants), you’ll build foundational birding skills through guided observation, interactive conversations, and thoughtful reflection.
BIRD-101: Intro to Birds and Birding with Dave Read begins September 2. This class is for those who want to take an active role in seeking out birds and learning to identify them. It promises to start you down the road toward a life-long love and enjoyment of birds by providing you with the tools to discover, identify and understand the birds that surround you every day.
BIRD-203: Bird Behavior Workshop: Migration: with Shelia Hargis starts on September 3. The migration workshop will go into detail on topics such as the biology of migration, navigation, how geography and weather influence migration, technology for studying migration, and tools for tracking migration. The field trips will provide opportunities to see migrating species along their journey and observe their behaviors. This workshop will deepen your enjoyment, understanding and appreciation of birds. Having completed the Introduction to Bird Behavior class is highly recommended but not absolutely required.
BIRD-420: Advocacy Workshop with Dave Mintz, Paul DiFiore and Chloe Crumley on Tuesday, September 16 at the Yarbrough Branch Library. Conservation is increasingly at the forefront of policy discussions, with important implications for birds and their habitats. This free workshop will provide a brief update on key local, state, and national policy issues, then dive into how to build relationships with elected officials and communicate effectively to influence outcomes.
BIRD-120: Birding by Ear with Mikael Behrens on Saturday, September 20 or Saturday, October 18. The Texas Hill Country supports many species of birds, but its dense oak-juniper woods can make them difficult to see. Birding by ear is a way of finding and identifying birds without having to see them. And it’s so much more! Tuning into the subtle sounds birds make increases awareness and mindfulness, enhances bird behavior interpretation, and helps to make your birding a strong and lasting form of nature connection.
BIRD-001: Getting Started Birding Workshop with Lili Agraz and Jessica Milburn begins on September 27. This new hands-on workshop is designed for beginners who want more than just a casual bird walk. In a small group setting (limited to 8 participants), you’ll build foundational birding skills through guided observation, interactive conversations, and thoughtful reflection.
BIRD-405: Photography Basics with Dave Read starts on October 7. If you have never held a camera, don’t know what all the buttons and dials do, or just want to make sure you understand how it all works, this class is for you. We will cover all the important concepts and dive into the details of how to get pictures that will thrill you. We will also cover photographic equipment choices and how to select the best camera setup for your budget and photographic goals. This class is not specific to bird photography but we will set the stage for understanding how to configure your camera for birding.
BIRD-430: Nature Immersion & Mental Health Workshop with Chi-Wei Chang on Saturday, September 27 or Saturday, October 25 at Chaetura Canyon. Did you know that birdsong is one of the sounds that most effectively calms our nervous system? This new workshop explores how tuning the senses into elements in nature affects our nervous system, and why this is key to our mental health.
BIRD-303: Raptor Identification in Central Texas with Byron Stone begins on Sept 30. Hawks are fun to watch, but they can be difficult to identify. Central Texas annually hosts 19 species of diurnal raptors (hawks, vultures, eagles, kites and falcons), with another 5 species that occur occasionally. This class will help you become familiar with the 15 most commonly-occurring raptor species in the Austin area, and teach you how to tell them apart.
BIRD-402: Gardening for Wildlife: with Ryan Fleming begins on Oct 12 For everyone who loves birds and wants to introduce them to your backyard, this class will teach you how to use native plants to support robust ecosystems and provide habitats for birds, butterflies, bees and more in your garden. In this four-part series, discover how ground cover, water features and lighting affect livability for wildlife. All levels of gardeners are welcome with no prior experience necessary.
Austin School of Furniture Owl Nesting Box Construction Class (NEW date available on Monday, August 25) Travis Audubon is working with Austin School of Furniture to promote their Community Class: Owl Nesting Box. Austin School of Furniture will donate a portion of their proceeds to Travis Audubon Are you new to woodworking or maybe never tried but always wanted to? Then check out this Community Class that builds an Owl Nesting Box in only a few hours. This class is perfect for beginners, couples or nature enthusiasts alike. Travis Audubon’s Master Birder Susanne Harm will give a brief presentation on the specifics of when and where to place your newly constructed owl box. Note: Registration for this class will be handled by Austin School of Furniture.
Travis Audubon’s Education Committee is dedicated to providing high-quality educational opportunities geared toward environmental conservation, bird identification, and bird-friendly habitat awareness for all ages. We focus on topics related to birds but also offer other nature topics as appropriate, and suggestions for new courses are welcomed. Our classes are led by expert instructors with significant, relevant experience to the topics. We charge tuition (with a discount for Travis Audubon members) to help cover our expenses in offering the classes. Many of the classes fill up early, so if you are interested, register on-line and pay the fee as soon as possible. If the class is full there is an option to be put on the waiting list, but the waiting list is only for the current year. Please note that by attending any of these classes, you agree to our Travis Audubon Event policies and Liability Waiver.
