Travis Audubon

09/03/2026

What to watch for in September: Migrating Swallows

This September, expect to see swallows in droves! Swallows are small to medium-sized songbirds that mainly eat flying insects. In central Texas we have seven regularly expected species. Five species breed in the Austin area. They are joined in the fall months by their northern relatives heading south for the winter.

Read the whole monthly bird forecast here. https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/september-bird-forecast-5

09/02/2026

Meet our Bird of the Week: The Blackburnian Warbler!

Some birds you have to work for in Central Texas. The Blackburnian Warbler is one of them. It does not breed here, it does not winter here, and on a typical year a Travis County birder might pick up just one or two individuals during the brief spring rush in late April and early May, when migrants are pouring north out of the tropics and onto our oaks for a few hours of feeding before continuing on. But when you finally find one — usually near the top of an oak, ten or twelve seconds before it vanishes again — it stops you cold.

Learn more about our bird of the week: https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/bird-of-the-week-blackburnian-warbler-2

09/01/2026

September Virtual Speaker Series: Birds and Energy with Martin Ogle

Thursday, September 17
7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
Free and open to the public

Birds are full of energy—literally and figuratively! With the highest body temperatures of all animals, remarkable adaptations, and awe-inspiring migrations, they have much to teach us about energy. At the same time, human energy systems affect birds uniquely and severely.

Learn more about the speaker and register for this talk here. travis.app.neoncrm.com/event.jsp?event=29198).

08/31/2026

When asked for a list of their favorite bird species, something we request of each Victor Emanuel Conservation Award honoree, Dr. Chuck Sexton and Lisa O’Donnell both placed the Golden-cheeked Warbler at the very top. This beautiful, energetic warbler has grabbed the hearts of many—just look at our logo—but we wanted to know more about Chuck and Lisa’s connection with the species they’ve spent so much of their lives protecting.

Read more on our blog. https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/honoree-spotlight-why-golden-cheeks

08/31/2026

We need your help making Austin the FIRST major city in Texas to pass a bird-friendly building ordinance!

In 2024, the City of Austin passed a resolution directing the City Manager and staff to explore ways the city’s building code could be modified to be more bird-friendly and reduce collisions with buildings. Despite a thorough review of best practices from other cities, public stakeholder meetings, and support from various city commissions, the City Manager requests further data that Austinites WANT and birds NEED this ordinance to pass.

How you can help:
1. Sign the petition to let City Council know that you support bird-friendly building design in Austin.
2. Submit any bird collision observations you encounter – whether it’s at home, work, or your weekend errands, it only takes a few minutes and gets us one step closer to making Austin a more bird-friendly community.

Learn more here. https://travisaudubon.org/buildingcollisions

08/27/2026

Join our travel partner, JB Journeys, for a unique birding tour to beautiful Guatemala. 🇬🇹

On this 12-day adventure in January 2027, you'll have the opportunity to bird areas not offered by other bird tour companies, guided by Guatemala’s top birder, John Cahill.

Find out more details about how you can join us for this one-of-a-kind trip here. https://www.jbjourneys.com/2027-tas-gua-birding.html

08/26/2026

August Volunteer Spotlight: Sarah A. Ruiz

Sarah A. Ruiz is guided by a simple philosophy: “Life is short, and I want to use as much of it as possible to leave the world around me better than I found it.”
Sarah has put that philosophy into practice in many different ways over the years: by planting native plants, cleaning bird feeders, participating in FeederWatch, leading tours at Chaetura Canyon, presenting at Swift Night Out, and now serving on the Travis Audubon board.

Read more about Sarah's amazing contributions to the natural world here. https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/volunteer-spotlight-sarah-a-ruiz

08/26/2026

Meet our Bird of the Week: The Painted Bunting

Male Painted Buntings will fight vigorously to protect their territory during the breeding season. While courting female buntings during spring, males spread their colorful feathers resembling a tiny male turkey. Males and females are easily distinguished. Males sport bright blue heads, green backs, and a red throat, and chest. Females and juvenile birds are a bright green. All painted buntings have stubby and thick bills and pale eye rings.

Learn more about the Painted Bunting: https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/bird-of-the-week-painted-bunting-3

08/24/2026

Congratulations CJ!

Meet our newest Net-Zero Hero: CJ Williams. After finding their way into a green career, CJ recently became the newest Land Manager for Travis Audubon’s Blair Woods Nature Preserve.

08/19/2026

The stage is set, and our honorees are ready to tell you their stories. This year's Conservation Heroes, Dr. Chuck Sexton and Lisa O’Donnell, are two scientists who have devoted their careers to studying and protecting endangered species like the Golden-cheeked Warbler.

Our Victor Emanuel Conservation Award Celebration on October 3rd is about honoring our local conservationists, but it’s also about having fun and raising money for a good cause. The event promises plenty of networking opportunities with other conservationists, a wonderful meal provided by our friends at La Pera, and a live auction featuring your chance to go looking for Golden-cheeked Warblers with Chuck and Lisa in spring 2027.

Early-bird pricing, $200 per individual ticket, is available until August 22nd. After that, tickets will be $250 per person until sales end on September 5th.

We’re also adding an early-bird benefit for folks who sponsor a table before August 22nd: an invitation to a local Travis Audubon bird excursion in May 2027.

Secure early-bird pricing here: https://travisaudubon.org/vecal-2026