Travis Audubon Society
3710 Cedar St.
Box 5
Austin, Texas 78705

512.300.BIRD (2473)
info@travisaudubon.org

Two Hour Tuesdays! Led by Stan VanSandt

Two Hour Tuesdays!
Seasonal eight-week series of free, accessible bird walks,
perfect for students, seniors, newcomers to Austin, or
anyone who can spare two hours on a Tuesday morning.
Most sites visited will be in the city limits and convenient
(on alternate weeks) to those who live north or south of
downtown - it's a great way to explore your own
neighborhood hot spots! No registration required, just
follow the published directions and spend a couple of
hours birding with a group led by TAS field trip leaders.
Beginners welcome, but bring your own binoculars! All
winter walks will start at 9 a.m., one hour later than the fall
walks.

November 18 - Sunset Valley (SW Austin - Brodie Lane)
November 25 - Mayfield Park/Laguna Gloria (west-central)
December 2 - SE Metropolitan Park (Del Valle)
December 9 - Riata Pond (NW)
January 20 - Walnut Creek Park (north Lamar)
January 27 - Mary Moore Searight Park (south Austin -
Slaughter Lane)
February 3 - St. Edwards Park (northwest Austin - Bull
Creek)
February 10 - Hornsby Bend (ponds and river trail)

JANUARY:

Saturday, Jan. 10 7am & 4 pm
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend

Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird
Conservatory. Contact Eric Carpenter at ERIC for more
information.

Waste Management Landfill Wildlife Habitat Park,
January 10th, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. with Shelia
Hargis and Laurie Foss

Located near Hwy 290E and Giles Rd. on Springdale Rd.,
the Waste Management Wildlife Habitat Park is not what
you would expect at a landfill. Waste Management has kept
part of their land in its natural state and certified it as a
wildlife habitat. They are continually working to improve the
habitat, both the natural area and the areas impacted by
the landfill operations. So far they have installed trails,
nestboxes, a butterfly garden and a bee garden. Join us as
we survey the birds in the natural area as well as check out
the gulls that congregate at the landfill during the winter.

Meet at the landfill office at 9708 Giles Rd. at 8:00. We will
carpool to the habitat park from there. When we return to
the office after the field trip we'll check out the landfill itself
to see if the gulls are present. Contact Shelia at 512-294-
0272 or Laurie at 512-751-3677 if you need more
information.

Tuesday, Jan. 13 7:15 am to 1 pm Super Tuesday!
at Pedernales Falls State Park

Meet at the park-and-ride in Oak Hill (near Jim's
Restaurant) to carpool to the state park.
Bring picnic lunch, money for park entrance fee and for
gas. Contact Stan VanSandt at STAN, for more
information. No registration required.

Saturday, Jan. 17 7:30 am to Noon
Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend

Austin's premier birding site. Field trip leaders this month
are Stu Wilson and George Kerr. No registration required -
visit HORNSBY BEND for information and maps.

Sunday, Jan. 18 3:30 – 5:45 pm
Winter Bird Walk at Meadow Lake (Round Rock)

There should be plenty of ducks to scope out in the late
afternoon on this suburban lake. Directions: From IH-35,
take Exit 254 (FM 3406) and go east on Old Settler’s Blvd.
Go straight through two traffic lights (Mays St. and Sunrise
Rd.), then turn left onto Settlement Drive. Go about a
quarter mile, and park along the side of the road (the park
and 65-acre lake will be on your right). No registration
required. Contact Kathy McCormack,  or 512-698-9880 for
more information.

Tuesday, Jan. 20 9 am Two Hour Tuesday!
at Walnut Creek Park

A large city park with 15 miles of wooded hiking trails off of
North Lamar. Entrance to the park is on west side of Lamar
between Braker and Yeager, continue on entrance road to
large parking lot on left (across from ball fields). No
registration required.

Saturday, Jan. 24 7:30 am to 2 pm -
Granger Lake led by Tim Fennell and Byron Stone

   SOLD OUT BUT CONTACT STAN TO BE PLACED
   ON WAITING LIST

Mountain Plover, Sprague's Pipit, McCown's Longspur,
Grasshopper Sparrow, Sedge Wren and many more - this
trip's possibilities are mouth-watering. Sign up early for one
of TAS's most popular outings - limited to 14 participants.
Bring water and snacks and gas money for carpooling.
Contact Stan VanSandt to register.

Tuesday, Jan. 27 9 am Two Hour Tuesday!
at Mary Moore Searight Park

Located in far south Austin off of Slaughter Lane. From
I35, take Slaughter Lane west about 2 miles and turn south
(left) onto Bilbrook. Go about 1 mile and turn right onto
Watchful Fox, then take second left onto Decker Prairie
and drive to parking lot at end of road. Note: we do not
meet in the main parking lot off Slaughter. No registration
required.

Saturday, Jan. 31 9 am to 1 pm
Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby Bend

The last Saturday of the every month. For more
information contact Priscilla Murr or Kevin Anderson at 972-
1960.

FEBRUARY:

Tuesday, Feb. 3 9 am Two Hour Tuesday!
at St. Edwards Park

Located on Bull Creek in northwest Austin, take Spicewood
Springs Road about 2.3 miles from either Hwy 183 or Loop
360. Meet in main parking lot. No registration required.

Saturday, Feb. 7 10:30 am to after dusk
Bell County Short-eared Owl Field Trip
led by Rich Kostecke and Barry Lyon

Starting with a picnic lunch on Ft. Hood or at Stillhouse
Hollow Lake, this trip will explore the lakes, fields and
woods of this area and culminate, hopefully, with sightings
of the ghostly Short-eared Owl. Limited to 14 participants
so sign up soon. Bring water, lunch, snacks for later, and
gas money for carpooling. Contact Ken Zaslow at KEN to
register and for more information.

Tuesday, Feb.10 9 am Two Hour Tuesday!
at Hornsby Bend

Take Hwy 71 east, turn left at first light past airport (FM
973), continue north about one mile and take paved left
into Hornsby Bend. Turn right after first gate into parking
lot at Ecological Research Center. No registration required.

Saturday, Feb. 14 through Monday, Feb. 16
President's Day Weekend Field Trip to Junction,
Texas
led by Kathy McCormack

Several local birders will join at least two TAS field trip
leaders in exploring the Junction area, an easy 2.5-hour
drive from Austin. Four fully-stocked blinds at South Llano
River State Park should be hopping with sparrows, the
WWTP ponds should have ducks, and Black Phoebes and
all three species of kingfishers should be found along the
river in town. A one-hour bus tour is scheduled for Sunday
afternoon through the turkey roosting area at the state
park, and we may also investigate the river bottom on the
Texas Tech campus and the grasslands around the airport.
You will be responsible for arranging your own
accommodations at a Junction hotel. Contact Kathy
McCormack (KATHY, 512-698-9880) to register and for
more details (e.g., recommended hotel, birding resources,
daily itinerary, etc.) regarding this trip.

Saturday, Feb. 14 7am & 4 pm
Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend

Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird
Conservatory. Contact Eric Carpenter at ERIC for more
information.

Saturday, Feb. 21 7:30 am to Noon
Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend

Austin's premier birding site. Field trip leaders this month
are Gary Newgord and Eric Stager. No registration
required - visit Hornsby Bend for information and maps.

Saturday, Feb. 28 9 am to 1 pm
Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby Bend

The last Saturday of the every month. For more
information contact Priscilla Murr at Priscilla or Kevin
Anderson at 972-1960.
Click on the image above to
enlarge the view of a mother
and baby Northern Cardinal
near their nest in a North
Austin front yard, June 2006.
TAS Logo
A Yen to Lead?
Have you thought
about leading an
informal bird walk for
Travis Audubon? You
do not have to be an
expert. To find out
more, contact Laurie
Foss at fieldtrips at
travisaudubon.org.
Travis Audubon Field Trips
Northern Cardinals
(Evan Quenon)
Rare Bird Alert
POLICIES
the Board of Directors
approved:

Extended Field Trip
Travel Policy.

Reimbursement Policy,
Amended 10-9-08