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Signal Smoke Blog

  • Catio Stories: Nan Hampton

    on February 25, 2021

    By Nan Hampton When my last cat, Neko, died, I asked my daughter to help me find new cats. She found Harry Potter and his mom, Annie, at…

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  • Catio Stories: Liz Adams

    on February 23, 2021

    By Liz Adams My husband and I love cats. We spent several years volunteering with rescue groups and fostering cats and kittens. Over the years a good number…

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  • Peanut Butter for the Masses!

    on February 12, 2021

    We have great habitat for birds at Chaetura Canyon that provides shelter and food.  However, we are real suckers for having them feed up close and personal – basically…

    Sanctuary News, Signal Smoke Home

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  • Catio Stories: Rhonda Marple

    on February 11, 2021

    By Rhonda Marple When Hurricane Harvey took out a small tree in my yard, it presented the perfect opportunity – and place – to build a small catio….

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  • Postcards from South Austin: Robins

    on February 8, 2021

    Welcome to Postcards from South Austin! In this series, Michael Jewell will share interesting facts about birds that you might be enjoying in your backyards. Have you been seeing a…

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  • Catio Stories: David Murphy

    on February 5, 2021

    By David Murphy, Cat Carpenter In 2008 I got laid off from a corporate accounting job, wanted to take a…

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  • Don’t Tangle With That Guy. He’s Too Blue.

    on January 26, 2021

    By Jim Pauff Grosbeaks are placed in the family Fringillidae—finches—making them cousins to cardinals and house sparrows, deflating their mystique.  Their un-finchlike quality is unique to themselves.  Go…

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  • The Saga of Rico Mauve

    on January 20, 2021

    by Chris Murray, Land Manager The Ecuadorian-American poet Gerardo once wrote in his masterpiece, “Rico Suave” – ‘And there’s not a woman that can handle a man like me That’s…

    Sanctuary News, Signal Smoke Home

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  • Winter Residents at Chaetura Canyon

    on January 15, 2021

    Chaetura Canyon is best known for the Chimney Swifts that chitter and twinkle above the canyon and over the residence during the summer.  But the cooler months are just…

    Sanctuary News, Signal Smoke Home

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  • Growing Up Near Blair Woods

    on January 14, 2021

    This post was written by long-time East Austin resident and neighbor of Blair Woods, Andrea Petit. We met Andrea, her mom Catherine, and other long-time neighbors of the Stonegate…

    Sanctuary News, Signal Smoke Home

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  • U.S Supreme Court rebuffs effort by conservative Austin group to gut endangered species protections

    on January 13, 2021

    by Asher Price Resposted from the Austin American-Statesman An effort by a conservative Austin think tank to gut the Endangered Species Act by…

    News Corner, Signal Smoke Home

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  • The Twelve Days of Christmas Bird Countdown

    on December 26, 2020

    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…

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  • What’s Happening at Blair Woods?

    on December 11, 2020

    Blair Woods, one of Travis Audubon’s Sanctuaries, is a true diamond in the rough. The ten-acre property on East MLK was gifted to the Society in 1985 by Dr….

    Sanctuary News, Signal Smoke Home

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  • Ask-a-Birder: Hawk ID

    on November 20, 2020

    Travis Audubon receives many bird questions throughout the year, and occasionally they have some pretty interesting supplementary photos. We received the following questions (and photo) from Crystal: We saw this…

    Ask a Birder, Signal Smoke Home

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  • Rare Bird Alert: Oct. 16 – Nov. 6

    on November 10, 2020

    This is the Austin Area Rare Bird Alert.  Last update on 11/6/20.  Send interesting sightings, complete with species name, location, and contact information to Vincent O’Brien at

    Rare Bird Alert, Signal Smoke Home

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About Signal Smoke

Signal Smoke Travis Audubon's newsletter. For questions about Signal Smoke submissions, contact info@travisaudubon.org. We reserve the right to edit content and to accept or reject newsletter submissions.

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3710 Cedar St., Box 17
Austin, Texas 78705
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