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Ethel Kutac Memorial Bench Installed at Blair Woods
By Jane Tillman Ethel Kutac was a long-time Travis Audubon member who passed away in 2021. She was a regular fixture at Travis Audubon meetings and participated in many field…
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Bird of the Week: Pyrrhuloxia
Adult female Pyrrhuloxia. Courtesy of Mike Charest. Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) Often called the Desert Cardinal, the Pyrrhuloxia is gray or brown with…
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Bird of the Week: Belted Kingfisher
Photo credit: Johann Schumacher Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) By Abby West There’s no shortage of gorgeous photos of kingfishers on the internet. These peculiar birds fly sort of like a…
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Update on the Texas Centennial Historical Marker at Blair Woods
If you have been to Travis Audubon’s Blair Woods recently, you may have noticed a large stone marker encased in burlap cover near one of the trail segments. What’s…
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Summer Surprises
Photo: Immature Black-crested Titmouse fed by Parent By Jaya Ramanathan Once Warblers and migrants depart, I prepare myself for a listless summer. But nature…
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Bird of the Week: Black-chinned Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) Regardless of the species, it’s always a thrill to see hummingbirds at my feeder. Their graceful flight coupled with their active defense of the food source…
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Travis Audubon Board Member Nitakuwa Barrett Orsak Recognized as a Net-Zero Hero
Photo credit: Sustainable Austin Blog The City of Austin’s Office of Sustainability recently recognized Travis Audubon Board Member Nitakuwa Barrett Orsak as a Net-Zero Hero. The
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Window Strikes Take a High Toll on Birds
Bird-friendly glass at The Audubon Discovery Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo credit: Luke Franke. Bustling Austin is growing not only out but up, and that poses a…
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In Memoriam: Dr. Peter Beck and Susan Rieff
Travis Audubon lost two incredible friends and members earlier this summer, both after long battles with cancer. We are grateful for the time we had with each of them…
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July Bird Forecast: “Summer Singers”
It might be hard for us to celebrate the overwhelming heat, but some birds find something to sing about. Get up a little earlier to hear them as they…
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Audubon Texas Honors Virginia Rose, Birdability Leader
Last month, Audubon Texas announced the 2023 honorees of the Terry Hershey Award, as part of the
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Observations from a First-time Visit to Blair Woods
Trail entrance with picnic benches. By Emily Reyner. In summer 2023 I made my first trip to the Blair Woods nature preserve in East Austin. While I had never…
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Bird of the Week: Chimney Swift
Many Chimney Swifts circling the top of a chimney. Photo credit: Ben Cvengros. Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) The sleek, elegant, speedy Chimney Swift brings summer to life for many…
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Bird of the Week: Red Knot
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Red Knots are sandpipers that migrate long distances. In fact, one Red Knot banded in Argentina in 1992 still “commutes” annually for 20,000 miles, flying between…
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Bird of the Week: Zone-tailed Hawk
A Zone-tailed Hawk in flight. Photo by Erick Houli. Before either of us got interested in bird-watching, my husband had a funny…
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