TC BIRD WALKS with GLEN NOVINGER

New in 2015 ! Join us for monthly BIRD WALKS.

Get to know the common birds and migrants in Travis Country.

BIRD WALKS will leave the Community Assoc. Office in Blue Valley

at 9:00am on the following Saturdays in 2015.

1.) March 14

2.) April 11

3.) May 9

4.) June 13

·    Bring binoculars and a bird book, if you have them.

·    Young adults of 12+ years welcome if accompanied by parent.

·    Please understand that dogs will not be welcome.

·      Bird Walk will last 1 to 2 hours.

Glen Novinger

Glen@Novinger.com

TC BIRD NESTING SEASON BEGINS !!

Opossum nesting in one of our Owl Nest-Boxes at the Community Garden !

When I went to clean the Screech Owl Nest-Box at the Community Garden yesterday, I was surprised to find a large and sleepy opossum in it.  For some time I have been surprised that we have not had a screech owl in that box.  Now we know why !   So I too my trash tongs, grabbed the opossum by the tail and dropped him into a cedar bush.  From there he left in a great hurry.  Big question now is if he comes back or we get the intended screech owl for their nesting season which should start any day now.  Screech owls are good for gardens because they enjoy small rodents for their nightly food supply.

PURPLE MARTIN PARTIES

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

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:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/u7yl9sm0cm8r2p7/AADAyvcuD6WRiSdYg618TxTRa