We may have taken some liberties here, but in the spirit of The 12 Days of Christmas and the annual Christmas Bird Count, we’ve made our own 12 Days of Christmas Bird Countdown! Sing these birdy lyrics to the original tune and reflect on the birds that brought you joy this year. Plus, learn how your year-end donation to Travis Audubon will help Central Texas birds and their habitats thrive in 2021.
On the first day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
We all learned about White Wagtails this year, thanks to our special visitor at Roy Guerrero Park. Learn about the closer-to-home birds through Travis Audubon classes, offered for beginners and experts alike. A year-end gift to TAS will help us create and deliver new, high-quality education programs in the new year.
On the second day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
Travis Audubon’s Chaetura Canyon Sanctuary is the research capital of the world for Chimney Swifts, headed by stewards Paul and Georgean Kyle. Your donation to Travis Audubon will support conservation and research initiatives at Chaetura Canyon and our other wildlife Sanctuaries.
On the third day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
During the pandemic, more people are taking an interest in birds and nature, especially this loudest-bird-for-its-size, who provides a “soundtrack” for many home offices. By welcoming these new birders, we can do more for birds and the places they call home. Your donation to Travis Audubon extends an open invitation for everyone to experience the joy of birds.
On the fourth day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
Have you visited the pollinator garden at Blair Woods Sanctuary? A $50 gift to Travis Audubon will help us purchase more native plants and seeds to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other important pollinators at this urban oasis.
On the fifth day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
The top priority at our 715-acre Baker Sanctuary is to provide protected habitat for and conduct important research on the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler. A gift to Travis Audubon will help us study Golden-cheeks at Baker through banding, point counts, and other research and observation in 2021 and beyond.
On the sixth day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
What a hoot! We’re making Blair Woods Sanctuary more accessible and enjoyable for visitors. A $100 gift to Travis Audubon will help us restore the historic dairy barn and improve the trail system to be ADA compliant and more accessible for everyone.
On the seventh day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
We often see flocks of two kinds during the winter: Cedar Waxwings and volunteers! Did you know winter is when volunteers do the most work at Travis Audubon’s wildlife Sanctuaries? In a normal year, volunteers remove invasive plants and replace them with native plants, clear brush, maintain walking trails, and do other hard work to keep our sanctuaries beautiful, walkable, and welcoming habitat for native birds. Make a year-end donation to Travis Audubon in honor of your favorite volunteer!
On the eighth day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
Travis Audubon owns and manages three wildlife sanctuaries, each representing what is beautiful and unique about Central Texas. These sanctuaries provide habitat for even the most familiar birds, like the Blue Jay. Your donation will help us maintain our sanctuaries for native birds and other wildlife.
On the ninth day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
Some of the most important work we do is to conduct outreach to introduce our community to the joy of birds, like our famous Purple Martin parties! A donation to Travis Audubon helps us get the word out about birds and bring new birders into the fold.
On the tenth day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
This year, we took a “stab” at virtual programming. Perhaps you tuned into the Summer Speaker Series or birded in the Guatemalan cloud forest from the comfort of your couch with us. Your year-end gift to Travis Audubon will help support the costs of the technology we need to continue providing virtual events and programs in the new year.
On the eleventh day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
Did you know that we mix our own birdseed for our Sanctuary feeders? The Northern Cardinals appreciate our delicious recipe and are some of our favorite visitors! A $25 donation to Travis Audubon will help us purchase seed and supplies to feed native birds.
On the twelfth day of Christmas in my binocs I see:
We may not have the beautiful songs of these migratory visitors, but we can still call new friends to our flock. By welcoming new birders, we make our circle bigger, and can do more together for birds, their habitats, and the conservation efforts that will help them thrive. Invite a friend to become a member, or give a donation to Travis Audubon that helps even more people find joy in birding.
