Travis Audubon

Did you attend one of this year's Purple Martin Parties? Tell us your thoughts for a chance to win a complimentary one-year Travis Audubon membership!

The survey takes less than two minutes to complete and will help us continue to improve the party experience.

Take the survey: https://travis.app.neoncrm.com/forms/purple-martin-party-feedback-survey?utm_source=social-media

Many thanks to Aly Clark for installing a new Chimney Swift tower at Baker Sanctuary as part of her scout project! It is expected that next season the tower will be occupied by a breeding pair of swifts who will raise 1-4 fledglings over the course of the summer. With the loss of primary forest, fewer chimneys, and caps on many chimneys that do exist, swifts have faced serious challenges in finding suitable breeding habitat in Texas. This new tower will help the species thrive and remain a heartening sight and sound in the skies over central Texas for the years to come.

Happy Purple Martin Conservation Day! 💜

Thousands of you joined us the past month to celebrate the magical migration of Purple Martins. Together, we’ve ooh-ed and ahh-ed at their amazing aerial displays and pondered the mysteries of nature that allow hundreds of thousands of birds to harmoniously cram into a handful of trees. 🌳

The parties may be over for the year, but your commitment to Purple Martins doesn’t have to be!

If you’ve been as inspired by the birds as we have, join us in celebrating Purple Martins today in any way that suits you:
💵 Donate to our Purple Martin Committee. The “Purple People,” as we lovingly call them, tirelessly care for Purple Martins during their nesting and migration seasons. When they aren’t directly caring for the birds, they’re educating the community about these amazing aerialists.
🥾 Provide boots-on-the-ground volunteer work. If you’d like to join the Purple Martin Committee and contribute to hands-on conservation work, we’d love to have you!
🐦 Purchase a Travis Audubon membership. Join the flock of thousands who back our vision to inspire conservation through birding.

Use the links in our profile to donate, become a volunteer, and learn more about our membership program!

Photos credit: Keith Kingdon, Susanne Harm

One more weekend to join us at our Purple Martin Parties
August 7 & 8 | 8:00 - 9:00 pM
Greenlawn Crossing
Free and open to the public

Click here for more information. https://travisaudubon.org/purple-martin-parties

Be a Part of Purple Martin Research 👨‍🔬

Since bird conservation is a prime objective for Travis Audubon, we have recently added a research component to our Purple Martin work by banding nestling Purple Martins.
One of our Travis Audubon Purple Martin landlords, Amber Burnette, a federally licensed bird ba**er, has been banding nestlings and adult martins at several colony sites. Banding birds is the process of marking individuals so that they can be identified and monitored by observers.

Learn how you can help here. https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/be-a-part-of-purple-martin-research

Meet our Bird of the Week: The Forster's Tern!

Recently featured in our August Bird Forecast, the Forster’s Tern is s a migratory bird expected to begin returning to Texas in August. These birds are the only medium-sized tern species to winter within the mainland United States. Very similar in appearance to the Common Tern, a way to distinguish them is by their choice of habitat, as the Forster’s Tern spends more time in marshes and spends its winters along southern coasts. They have forked tails and black caps, and while bearing their non-breeding plumage, they bear a distinctive black eye patch.

Learn more about the Forster's Tern here. https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/bird-of-the-week-forsters-tern

BIRD-001: Getting Started Birding Workshop
📆 Saturday, August 15
🕐 8:00 - 10:00 AM
$25 for members
$40 for non-members
Space Limited, Register ASAP

This hands-on workshop is designed for beginners who want more than just a casual bird walk. In a small group setting (limited to 8–10 participants), you'll build foundational birding skills through guided observation, interactive conversations, and thoughtful reflection. Over the course of the workshop, you’ll learn how to:
Use binoculars with confidence
Observe and describe birds beyond just their names
Understand how habitat influences bird behavior
Use apps like Merlin, Sibley, and eBird as helpful tools—not shortcuts

To learn more and register, click here. https://travis.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/travis/event.jsp?event=27416

Which birds should you watch for in August?
Here’s the Central Texas bird forecast for the month, courtesy of Travis Audubon.

Bird watchers have been keeping records of birds’ arrivals and departures for their geographic areas for years. Austin is no different. Travis Audubon has bird records with data back to 1925 and it reflects this information in its seasonal checklist. So what are some species to watch for in August? A variety of shorebird species, Black-chinned, Ruby-throated and Rufous Hummingbirds, Yellow-bellied and Least Flycatchers, Yellow, Wilson’s and Black-throated Green Warblers, and Yellow-breasted Chats should start showing up soon.

Read the full August Bird Forecast. https://travisaudubon.org/murmurations/august-bird-forecast-6

Purple Martin Parties start THIS WEEKEND!

Swipe to learn more about what to expect, bring, and do before you arrive for the amazing aerial avian show. Get the full details, including location and parking instructions here.
Thank you to our sponsors Barrio Burrito Bar Round Rock & Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt Round Rock
https://travisaudubon.org/purple-martin-parties

With thousands of attendees annually, our Purple Martin Parties wouldn't be possible without our volunteers. We asked a few of our party volunteers what motivates them to donate their time and knowledge to these events.

If you've ever considered volunteering with Travis Audubon, we encourage you to check out the many ways to get involved. Purple Martin Parties are just the tip of the iceberg; get your hands dirty at one of our nature preserve workdays, represent us at community events, and monitor birds through a variety of citizen science initiatives.

Learn more about volunteering here. https://travisaudubon.org/jobsvolunteer