Introduction

Jordan Weingarten started his journey into birding through photography in 2021. He had been a life-long photographer and was looking for something new to photograph. Birds were beautiful and plentiful—how hard could photographing them be? But he quickly learned that taking pictures of birds wasn’t easy: they hid, they flew away, they flitted around, they were backlit, they were in shadows, they refused to pose. Trying to learn more about birds and bird behavior to improve his photography skills, he stumbled upon the Travis Audubon Society’s webpage, signed up for a bird walk (led by TAS Board Member Chris Gunter), and was immediately hooked on birding. Since then he has completed the Master Birder program, gives community talks on birding through the TAS Speaker Committee, leads monthly Beginner Bird Walks,  and sits on the TAS Board of Directors.

Involvement with Travis Audubon

As a board member, Jordan strongly supports Travis Audubon mission of promoting the enjoyment, understanding, and conservation of native birds. Additionally, through the Speaker Committee he gives talks to local groups on The Marvels of Migration, Hummingbirds of Austin, and Common Birds of Central Texas. His monthly Beginner Bird Walks have helped introduce dozens of Central Texans to the joys of observing birds.

Where is your favorite place to go birding?

“Wherever I am at that moment”. Jordan explains that birding is an experience that it is not limited to one area. “You only see what you look for.” This is where his combined interests of birding and photography take flight. He says that a photograph of a common bird can always be improved through better lighting, better poses, different backgrounds. “You can always get a better picture.”

Although he claims to not have a favorite birding spot, Jordan excitedly talks about three main areas: Commons Ford Ranch Municipal Park, Roy G. Guerrero Park, and the Mueller Greenway complex.  Mueller is great for winter birding, with multiple species of waterfowl and a highly accessible path around it. Roy G. Guerrero hugs the Colorado River and is consistently “birdy”. And Commons Ford, with its 40-acre restored prairie nestled in a 215 acre park along Lake Austin, allows him to just enjoy a nature walk, regardless of which birds choose to show up.

Birding Recommendations

“Just get out there! While you will grow faster as a birder with help from someone more experienced, all you need to start is a pair of binoculars, a field guide or two, and perhaps the Merlin app on your phone. Walk your neighborhood, go to a park, sit and listen in your yard. And signup for a TAS walk.” And while birding can be a solitary and contemplative endeavor, Jordan almost never goes birding anywhere without his wife, Lyn.