600,000 PURPLE MARTINS ROOSTING IN 12 TREES !!
Each July we have a most amazing event in Austin, Texas !! Purple Martins from the surrounding countryside gather together each night in preparation for their departure to their wintering grounds in Brazil. For the past few years they have chosen to roost in 12 adjoining trees on the edge of the Highland Mall in north central Austin.
You may join in observing this amazing event which is facilitated by the Travis Audubon Society. Here is the info link: http://travisaudubon.org/get-outdoors/field-trips/purple-martin-party-purple-martin-roost-at-highland-mall
The Purple Martins will be leaving Austin in late July or early August on the migration as shown on the map below.
Click on the following link for a video of the birds which was taken on Friday evening, July 19, 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JPxZC9jvSk&feature=youtu.be
Enjoy Austin Birds,
Glen Novinger
Travis Country Birds, Bats & Nest-Boxes is a program of Glen Novinger supporting the enjoyment and appreciation of birds & bats through the installation of nest-boxes in the common areas of Travis Country Subdivision in Austin, Texas.
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Friday, July 18, 2014
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Carrington Prairie Open House
On May 21 the Clint Small Middle School held an Open House to introduce their project to restore the natural habitat of the Carrington Prairie, a 12.5 acre nature area in the center of Travis Country which is a.k.a. the "AISD Property". This restoration project started during the spring semester and will continue in the fall of 2014. Thus far the students have created a Monarch Butterfly Way Station and placed informative Nature Information throughout the 12.5 acres.
In addition, in cooperation with Travis Country, an initial 5 nest boxes of different sizes for several different species of birds have been placed in the nature area in preparation for the nesting season in the spring of 2015.
Please take a look at some photos from the Open House at the following link:
Saturday, May 10, 2014
NEST BOX PROGRAM SUMMARY
TRAVIS COUNTRY & CARRINGTON
PRAIRIE
On
April 17, 2014, the Board of Directors of Travis Country Community Service
Association approved the construction and installation by Glen Novinger of bird
and owl nest boxes in the Travis Country common areas.
On
May 2, 2014, Dr. Sherry Lepine, the Academy Director at Clint Small Middle
School's Green Tech Academy approved the installation by Glen Novinger of bird
and owl boxes in Carrington Prairie, a.k.a. the AISD property in the center of
Travis Country.
Since
the above dates ten nest boxes have been installed in Travis Country at the
Community Garden and near the Community Association office in Blue Valley. Five
nest boxes were also installed in the Carrington Prairie clearing on Trail West across from View West.
The Nest Box Program will initially include the installation of 5
different types of nest boxes which will accommodate birds ranging in size from
small Bewick’s Wrens, Chickadees, and Warblers that use a 1 1/8 inch entry hole
to our largest nest box with a 3 inch entry hole that will accommodate an
Eastern Screech Owl. We will later consider adding boxes for Purple Martins.
And, time permitting, we may add one or more Bat Houses for Mexican Free-tail
Bats.
Please follow this blog for further updates and information on the
Nest Box Program at Travis Country and Carrington Prairie.
Glen Novinger
Glen@Novinger.com
512-537-8772
512-537-8772
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