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People AT TRAVIS AUDUBON

Office Staff

Executive Director Nicole Netherton Land Manager and Educator Chris Murray Education and Program Coordinator Caley Zuzula Operations Coordinator Judith Allen Design Director & Website Producer Nora Chovanec

Committees Advocacy Clif Ladd Baker Team Clif Ladd

Chris Murray Blair Woods Management Mark Wilson Commons Ford Shelia Hargis

Ellen Filtness Chaetura Canyon Management Paul Kyle

Georgean Kyle Adult Education Byron Stone Field Trip Dennis Palafox Hornsby Bend Eric Stager Outreach/Member Meetings Jane Tillman

Cindy Sperry Youth Virginia Rose

Mary Kay Sexton

Board of Directors President Frances Cerbins President-Elect Eric Stager Treasurer Carol Ray Secretary Julia Marsden Directors Karen Bartoletti

Clif Ladd Suzanne Kho Dennis Palafox Sharon Richardson Virginia Rose Mark Wilson Jo Wilson

Advisory Council

J. David Bamberger Valarie Bristol Victor Emanuel Sam Fason Bryan Hale Karen Huber Mary Kelly Susan Rieff Andrew Sansom Carter Smith

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Upcoming Events WITH TRAVIS AUDUBON

Super Tuesday! At Emma Long Metropolitan Park with Jane Tillman and Suzie McCann 1600 City Park Rd, Austin, TX 78730 02MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Beginner Bird Walk: Camp Mabry 2200 W 35th St, Austin, TX 78703 02MAR, 19 CLASSES, SANCTUARY EVENTS Birding by Ear with Mikael Behrens 03MAR, 19 YOUTH & FAMILY Young Birders Club: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center 05MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Two-hour Tuesday at Lake Creek Trail with Jane Tillman 06MAR, 19 CLASSES CLASS: Introduction to Birds and Birding Spring 2019 09MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Hornsby Bend Monthly Bird Count 09MAR, 19 SANCTUARY EVENTS Baker Sanctuary Restoration Day 12219 Lime Creek Rd, Leander, TX 78641, USA 10MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Guadalupe River State Park Field Trip led by Deb & Lee Wallace 10MAR, 19 Ruffled Feathers Book Club Meeting 3710 Cedar St., Austin, TX 78705 12MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Super Tuesday at Mitchell Lake with Lee and Deb Wallace 14MAR, 19 YOUTH & FAMILY Birds of Lake Pflugerville with Sebastian Casarez 18216 Weiss Ln, Pflugerville, TX 78660 16MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Hornsby Bend Monthly Bird Walk 16MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Birdability: Govalle Metropolitan Park 20MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Wild Wednesday at Brushy Creek Regional Trail 21MAR, 19

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TAS 67th Birthday Party + Annual Business Meeting + Speaker Series 4700 Grover Ave, Austin, TX 78756 23MAR, 19 YOUTH & FAMILY, SANCTUARY EVENTS Blair Woods Family Nature Day: Celebrate Urban Birds 5401 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, TX 78721, USA 24MAR, 19 SANCTUARY EVENTS Blair Woods Restoration Day 5401 E. MLK Jr. Blvd. 24MAR, 19 SANCTUARY EVENTS Chaetura Canyon Video Premiere 26MAR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Two-Hour Tuesday at City of Bee Cave Central Park with Amy Sugeno 02APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Super Tuesday at Pedernales Falls State Park with Terry Banks 03APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Birding at Bamberger Ranch 05APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Migratory Birds in the Landscape 06APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Cherry Springers 06APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Beginner Bird Walk: St. Edward’s Park 7301 Spicewood Springs Rd, Austin, TX 78759 06APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, SANCTUARY EVENTS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Mindful Birders 07APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, SANCTUARY EVENTS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Warblers at Baker 07APR, 19 YOUTH & FAMILY Young Birders Club: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center 09APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Two-hour Tuesday at Camp Mabry with Jane Tillman 13APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS Hornsby Bend Monthly Bird Count 17APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Birding at Los Madrones 19APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Birding at Jandarosa Ranch 20APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS

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Hornsby Bend Monthly Bird Walk 20APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Powderhorn Ranch 20APR, 19 SANCTUARY EVENTS Blair Woods Restoration Day 5401 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, TX 78721, USA 23APR, 19 CLASSES Class: Spring Warblers 27APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Coastal Migrants and East Texas Warblers 27APR, 19 YOUTH & FAMILY, SANCTUARY EVENTS Blair Woods Family Nature Day: Migration 5401 E Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Austin, TX 78721, USA 28APR, 19 FIELD TRIPS, BIRDATHON Birdathon: Early Birders 30APR, 19 Speaker Series: Exploring New Guinea’s Lost Worlds and Elusive Birds of Paradise with Bruce Beehler 4700 Grover Ave, Austin, TX 78756

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Updates AT TRAVIS AUDUBON

Austin Tree Experts Visit Blair Woods POSTEDONJANUARY15,2019

ManythankstothegoodfolksatAustinTreeExpertswhograciouslydonatedtheirtimeand

expertiseatBlairWoodsthelastseveralweeks.ThecrewfromAustinTreeExpertsremoved

non-native,invasiveplantsliningtheBlairWoodsdrivewayandalsocutandremovedseveral

large,technicalsnagswhichhadloomedovervariouspublicspacesatthepreserve.

Volunteers Keep Baker Beautiful POSTEDONJANUARY28,2019

Manythankstothe18hard-workingvolunteerswhospenttheirSaturdaymorningatBakerlast

weekend!Withtheirhelp,approximately12cubicyardsofmulchwasspreadonhikingtrails,

hundredsofSpanishOakacornsweresown,andover600feetofanold,rusty,barbedwire

fencewasremoved.Greatworkandthanksforyoursupport!

January Bird Forecast POSTEDONJANUARY30,2019

By:JimSpencer

WhattowatchforinJanuary–UnusualBirdsatyourFeedersHere’stheCentralTexasbirdforecastforthemonth,courtesyofTravisAudubon.Learnmore

aboutCentralTexasbirdsandbird-relatedeventsforallagesattravisaudubon.orgorbycalling

512-300-BIRD.Followusatwww.facebook.com/travisaudubon

Areyoufeedingthebirds?Ifso,keepaneyeoutfortwouncommonspeciesthathaveshownup

thiswinter.

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PurpleFinchesandRed-breastedNuthatchesaretwonorthernspeciesofbirdsthatare

consideredirruptivespecies.TheTexasOrnithologicalSocietyHandbookofTexasBirdsdefines

irruptivespeciesasthosethatare“normallyabsentfromthestateoragivenarea,butsubjectto

large-scalenon-annualincursions.”Oftentherearevariablenumbersofyearsbetweenthese

events.Usuallytheirruptionsareduetofoodshortagesintheirnormalrange.

Ofthetwo,thePurpleFinchisrareintheAustin/TravisCountyarea,whileRed-breasted

Nuthatchesseemtoshowupinverylownumberseveryyear.ForPurpleFinches,thereare

scatteredrecordsin2015,2014,2011,2004,2003,2002,1979,1976and1974.Sofarthislate

fallandwintertheyhavebeenseenorheardatlocationsincludingEmmaLongandCommons

FordRanchMetropolitanParks,ataprivateresidencenorthwestofSt.Edward’sParkandin

TravisCountry,andatMcKinneyFallsStatePark.

PurpleFincheshavelargeconicalbillsandwillvisitbackyardfeeders,particularlyenjoying

blackoilsunflowerseed.TheyareHouseSparrowsized,about6incheslong,withnotchedtails.

Themalesandfemaleslookverydifferentfromeachother.Thefemalehasabrownishbackand

tail,withcrispshort,darkstreaksonawhitebreastandbelly.Themostdistinctivehead

featuresarethestrongwhiteeyebrowmostlybehindtheeye,andthebrowncheekpatch.

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ShecouldbeconfusedwiththeverycommonHouseFinch,lesscommonPineSiskin,orsome

nativesparrows.Besuretocheckyourfieldguide.Onewaytomaketheidentificationistotake

adecentphotoandusetheCornellLabofOrnithology’sMerlinPhotoIDApp.

AHouseFinchfemalewillhaveblurrygrayishstreakingonherbreastandflanksandaplain

head.WhileitseemsthatmostTravisCountyrecordsareforfemalePurpleFinches,youmayget

luckyandseeamale.No,itisnotpurple.Comparethemale’sextensiveredcoloringonitsback

andhead,andredonitsflanks,withthebrownblurrystreakingontheHouseFinch’sflankand

lessredonthehead.

TheRed-breastedNuthatchisthelifeofthepartywithitsendearingtootingcalls.Itisashame

wedon’thavemoreofthisnorthernbird.ItcouldbemistakenforaCarolinaChickadeeifyou

onlygetaquicklook,butisquitedifferent.TheRed-breastedNuthatchisalittlesmallerthana

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chickadee.Ithasalongpointedbillitusestoprobeforinsectsinbarkasitbusilymovesdown,

upandaroundtreetrunksandbranches.Ithasalmostnoneck,andaflathead,withawhite

eyebrowandthroatandstrikinglyblackeyeline.Itsbellyispaleorangeandthetopofitshead,

itsbackandtailarebluishgray.Thesenuthatchesaregenerallysolitary,butwillfollowmixed

flocksofchickadees,titmice,andothersmallsongbirds.

CompiledbyJaneTillman,TravisAudubonVolunteer

REPOSTEDWITHPERMISSIONFROMKXAN’SWEATHERBLOG

Meet the 2019 Board Nominees POSTEDONJANUARY31,2019

Learnmoreaboutthe2019BoardNomineesbyreadingtheirbiosbelow!Electionwilltake

placeattheMarchMemberMeeting–moredetailsforthatmeetingcomingsoon.

ChristyEsmahan,Ph.D.ChristyreceivedaB.A.inMicrobiologyfromMiamiUniversity,inOhio,andthenaPh.D.in

MolecularBiologyfromtheUniversidaddeLeóninSpain.Sheworkedfor15yearsasan

educatoratthehighschoolanduniversitylevel.Nowsheworksasabiomedical/pharmaceutical

translator(Spanish/English)andwritesnovels.Shehasalwaysbeeninterestedinbirds,buthas

hadmoretimetodevotetobirdingsinceshebecameanemptynester.Shehasbirdedin

Thailand,TaiwanandMexico.ShevolunteeredwithAmigosdelasAmericasinHoustonfor7

years,andwasaboardmemberfor3years.Currentlysheisaboardmemberofanon-profit

press,KallistoGaia,hereinAustin.Sheandherhusbandareavidbirdersandhavebeen

membersofTravisAudubonsincetheymovedtoAustinafewyearsago.Herinvolvementwith

TASincludesbeingamemberoftheAdvocacyCommitteeforthelast2years,takingseveral

birdingclasses,includingcurrentenrollmentintheMasterBirderClass,andparticipatinginthe

RuffledFeathersbookclub,birdathonsandnumerousbirdingoutings.In2017shewasselected

bytheNationalAudubonSocietytoparticipateina2-dayadvocacyworkshopinWashingtonDC.

ShewouldlovetobecomeaboardmemberofTAS.

LinoMendiolaIIILinoisanAustinattorneyspecializinginelectricenergylawandisapartneratEversheds

Sutherland.LinograduatedfromHarvardLawSchoolin1994andthenclerkedfortheChief

JusticeoftheTexasSupremeCourt.Hehaspracticedlawinaprivatelawfirmhisentirecareer

withtheexceptionofaone-yearsabbaticalduringwhichheservedastheReginaldF.Lewis

FellowforLawTeachingatHarvardLawSchool.Linoisanexperiencednon-profitleader,

havingservedonvariousboards.HecurrentlyservesontheBoardofTrusteesoftheSt.David’s

FoundationandontheBoardofDirectorsofChild,Inc.,theTravisCountyHeadStartprovider.

Lino’stermontheChild,Inc.BoardwillexpireinMay,2019.Linobeganbirdinginthespringof

2014afterparticipatinginaTravisAudubonmonthlybirdwalkatHornsbyBend.Sincethen,

Linohasbirdedaroundthecountryandhasparticipatedinacoupleofinternationaltrips.Lino

isamemberoftheTASFieldTripCommitteeandisagraduateoftheMasterBirderprogram.

JuliaMarsdenJuliaMarsdengrewupinWestTexas(whereshesawherfirstshorebird,anavocet,atthelocal

sewagetreatmentfacility).Afterlotsofyearsaway–incollegeinMissouri,andlifeinMaine,

PuertoRico,andMaryland–shereturnedtoTexasin1990.

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Ms.MarsdenspentelevenyearsonthestateboardoftheLeagueofWomenVotersofTexas;

nineofthosewerespentasAdvocacy/LegislativeVice-PresidentandStateWaterChair.During

thistimeshespenttenyearsasthepublic(citizen)memberontheLowerColoradoRiver

RegionalWaterPlanningGroup,appointedtothefirststatewaterplanninggroupfollowingthe

passageofSB1.

Abiologistandretiredsecondaryscienceteacher,shevolunteersattheBloodandTissueCenter

inAustinandservesasadocent/volunteerattheLadyBirdJohnsonWildflowerCenter.She

lovestotravelandbird!

DennisPalafoxPictureandbiocomingsoon!

Found a Baby Bird? Here’s What You Should Do

POSTEDONFEBRUARY4,2019

Springisjustsixweeksaway,whichmeansit’salmostbabybirdseason.Sincetheyaresosmall

andlooksovulnerable,itisnearlyinstincttopickitupandtrytocareforit.However,that’s

oftennotthebestthingforthebird.Here’sacleverinfographicbyRosemaryMoscothatshows

youwhattodowhenyoufindababybird:

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Ifthebirdneedstoseealicensedwildliferehabilitatororwildlifecarecenter,pleasecallAustin

WildlifeRescueat512-472-9453.

Texas Judge Upholds Endangered Species Act Protections for Golden-cheeked Warbler POSTEDONFEBRUARY7,2019

AUSTIN,Texas—AfederaljudgeinAustinyesterdayruledthatthegolden-cheekedwarbler

shouldremainprotectedundertheEndangeredSpeciesAct.TheTexassongbirdisseverely

threatenedbyrampanturbansprawl.

InaffirmingtheU.S.FishandWildlifeService’sdenialofapetitiontotakethegolden-cheeked

warblerofftheendangeredspecieslist,thecourtfoundthatthewarblercontinuestobe

threatenedbyhabitatlossandfragmentation,predationandclimatechange.

Thatpetitionwassubmittedbyseveralright-wingthinktanksandSusanCombs,currentlythe

actingsecretaryofpolicy,managementandbudgetintheTrumpadministration’sU.S.

DepartmentoftheInterior.

Conservationgroupsparticipatedinthelegalproceedingstodefendthesongbird’sprotection.

“We’rethrilledthatthiscynicalattempttotakeprotectionawayfromthewarblerhasbeen

stopped,”saidRyanShannon,astaffattorneyattheCenterforBiologicalDiversity.“Withthe

continuedprotectionoftheEndangeredSpeciesAct,hopefullythisTexasnativewillcharm

birdersfromallovertheworldforalongtimetocome.”

Thegolden-cheekedwarblerisasmallsongbirdendemictotheHillCountryofcentralTexas

andhasstrikingyellowmarkingsonitscheeks.Lossofhabitatduetoranchingandurban

sprawlhaslongendangeredit.ThespecieswasprotectedundertheEndangeredSpeciesActin

1990.

AustinandcentralTexasarehometothematureashejuniperwoodlandsthataretheonlyplace

intheworldwherethewarblerbreeds.Theareasarealsosomeofthefastest-growingregions

inthecountry.Between1999and2011,29percentofthebird’shabitatwasdestroyed.

“It’ssimplytoosoontoremoveprotectionsforthewarbler,whichcontinuestolosehabitatto

urbansprawl,”saidNicoleNetherton,executivedirectorofTravisAudubon.“CentralTexasis

theonlyplaceintheworldwheregolden-cheekedwarblersarebornandraised,andcontinued

protectionswillhelpencouragetheirbreedingsuccessforyearstocome.”

Likesomanyotherimperiledanimals,thewarblerhasgreatlybenefitedfromEndangered

SpeciesActprotection.Althoughthebird’snumbersaredifficulttoestimate,surveyscontinueto

documentmorewarblerseveryyear,andseveralhabitatareashavebeenprotected.

“TheEndangeredSpeciesActhasaprovenrecordofsuccessbringingspeciesbackfromthe

brinkfromextinction,”saidJasonRylander,seniorcounselatDefendersofWildlife.“Thegolden-

cheekedwarblercouldbeanothersuccessstory,butastheFishandWildlifeServicerecognized,

realthreatstothespeciespersist.Thecourtmadetherightdecisionforthewarbler.”

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“WebelieveJudgeSparks’rulingreflectsthetruestatusofthegolden-cheekedwarbler,”said

SheliaHargisofTexasOrnithologicalSociety.“Thesciencedoesnotsupportdelisting,andmuch

moreworkisneededtobetterunderstandandaddressthechallengesfacingthisspecies.

FortunatelytheseeffortsarestrengthenedbythecollaborationofnonprofitssuchasTravis

Audubon,theNatureConservancyandlocal,countyandfederalgovernmententitiessuchascity

ofAustin,TravisCountyandU.S.FishandWildlife.”

TheCenterforBiologicalDiversityisanational,nonprofitconservationorganizationwithmorethan1.4millionmembersandonlineactivistsdedicatedtotheprotectionofendangeredspeciesandwildplaces.

Baker’s GBBC Draws Birders of all Ages POSTEDONFEBRUARY21,2019

ThefifthannualGreatBackyardBirdCountatBakerSanctuarywasasuccesswithoverfifty

birdersofallagesinattendance!Whileitwasabitchillyandwindy,thebirdersstillmanagedto

tally15speciesoverthecourseofthetwohoursurvey.AmericanRobinswerebyfarthemost

commonspeciesseenwithover500tallied.

Picture This: Birdathon 2019 Photography Contest + Fundraiser POSTEDONFEBRUARY22,2019

Doyouenjoybirdingthroughacameralensasmuchasthroughbinoculars?Showoffyour

birdingfinesseANDyourphotographyskillswhilesupportingTravisAudubon!

Forthefirsttimeever,TravisAudubon’sBirdathonwillincludeaphotographycontest.

Therearesomeguidelinesforthephotosthatcanbesubmitted.Photosshould:

–containbirds(andnopeople!)

–betakenbetweenApril1andMay5,2019(youknow,Birdathondates!)

–betakeninTexas

–besubmittedbythephotographer(orguardianifthephotographerisaminor)

Sincethisisafundraiser,entryintothecontestis$5perphoto.PhotosdonotneedtobetakenduringanofficialBirdathonexcursion.Ifyouhaveagreatphoto

opwhiledrinkingcoffeeonyourbackporch,thenthat’sgreat!

What’sinitforthewinners?ThetopfivephotoswillbefeaturedonTravisAudubon’ssocialmediaplatforms(Facebook,Instagram,andTwitter)withphotographerrecognition.

ThefirstplacephotowinnerwillbefeaturedinourSignalSmokeblogandwillhavetheirphoto

includedinourAnnualReport.

Whoisjudgingthephotos?Weareintheprocessofsecuringjudges.Wewillletyouknowassoonasweknow!

Submityourphotosbysendingthemtobirdathonphoto@yahoo.com.Youwillreceiveareplythatasksyouafeweasyquestionsandprovidesalinktopaytheentryfee.