SIGNAL Smoke The Newsletter of Travis Audubon Society

INSIDE VOLUME 58, NO. 1 & 2 January/February 2009

THIS ISSUE ... 7th Annual Youth Birding Camp a Success

O
From the President...........................2 n October 18th, we enjoyed perfect weather and meeting18 fledging birders at Travis
Audubon’s Youth Birding Camp. We identified some 58 bird species at the ponds and
Blair Woods.........................................3 in the woods at Hornsby Bend Center for Environmental Research. We were delighted
by close up views of a colorful Yellow-headed Blackbird and circled by a flock of American
Naturalist’s Calendar.........................4 White Pelicans. The best “mom” moment was for our ED when her 20 year old daughter,
previously oblivious to birds, was the first to identify a Green-winged Teal and talked
The Dan Callaway Report...............5 endlessly about the Killdeer “running” by the ponds.
Hornsby Bend News.........................5
Virginia Rose started the
TAS Classes.........................................6 day with a wonderful
“how to ID birds” morning
Sabine Woods................. ...................7 presentation. “Spider
Joe” Lapp took us to the
TAS Monthly Meeting News...........8 greenhouses to find bugs
and spiders. And the finale
Notes from Chaetura Canyon........9
was Sallie Delahoussaye
Volunteers of the Month................10 with her live raptors!

Baker Sanctuary News...................11 Thanks to our YBC

coordinator, Julia Balinsky,
TAS Events..................................12-13 for once again surviving
the coordination of so
Hawkwatch 2008.......................14-15 many adults and kids.
Thanks to all of our volunteers: Andy Balinsky,
Travis Audubon Society
veteran camper Jesse Huth, Marsha
Membership Form............Back page
May, Shelia Hargis, Laurie Foss,
Claude Morris, Martha Renfroe,
Kenneth Zaslow, Jeff Patterson,
Denise Dickey, Kellie Allen, Dianne
TAS Regular Monthly Meetings & Bruce Calder, Bruce Atwell,
Thursday, Jan 15, 7:00pm Jocelyn Taijeron, Sarah Garry, Kyle
Torneten, Theresa Bayoud.
Birds of the Upper Texas Coast
Speaker:Ted Lee Eubanks Special thanks to Kevin Anderson
at Hornsby Bend and to Susan
d King for providing the Kaufman
Thursday, Feb 19, 7:00pm Field Guides. A BIG Thank You to
our sponsors who included Travis
Bird Tours Across the World Audubon Society, Clif Bar, Papa
Speaker: Victor Emanuel Johns on Oltorf, and Wheatsville.
Photo credits - group photos: Laura Auchterlonie We also thank our friends, Sandy
The Redbud Center Photo of Sallie Delahoussaye and owl: Nancy Manning and Randy, of Naturally Curious.
at 3601 Lake Austin Blvd. Austin TX Nancy Manning
Please note venue is subject to change

Doors open at 6:30 pm for social time

see page 8 for
additional details on both events
 Travis Audubon Society Mission Statement
Travis Audubon Society promotes the enjoyment, understanding, and
General Address conservation of native birds and their habitats.
3710 Cedar Street, Box 5
Austin, TX. 78705 From the TAS President

G
Phone numbers listed below without reetings! Travis Audubon Society needs your help – there
an area code are local numbers in the
512 area. are numerous ways for you to get involved in this wonderful
organization. Please go to our web site and check out the
Officers and Directors
descriptions for each committee at www.travisaudubon.org/comms.html.
2008-09
I am sure that there is at least one that could greatly benefit from your
President expertise.
Marsha May 300-BIRD
Vice President Winter’s cold winds soon warm into spring and with spring comes an
Valarie Bristol 300-BIRD array of incredible avian migrants. Hurricane Ike destructively impacted
Treasurer our Texas Coast last autumn. What will those migrants find when
vacant
they arrive? Winnie Burkett, Houston Audubon’s Sanctuary Manager,
Secretary
Claude Morris 300-BIRD currently has work days scheduled for January 10, February 14 and
Directors March 14. They may schedule more if needed. Please go to the Houston
Robin Doughty Audubon Society’s web site for information on what you can do to help:
Bill Edwards www.houstonaudubon.org/.
Shelia Hargis
Kelly Logan
Chris Masey Well, here’s to a brighter future and I hope you all have a Very Happy
Jeff Mundy New Year! Enjoy the Birds!
Terri Siegenthaler
Marsha May
Executive Director
Nancy Manning
300-BIRD
COMMITTEE AND SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS
Administrative Assistant
Jocelyn Taijeron 300-BIRD TAS Rare Bird Alert Eric Carpenter 300-2473
select option #3
Baker Sanctuary Steward Advocacy Jeff Mundy 334-4300
John Wilcox 219-8425 Bird Records Lawrence Buford 452-6344
Ethel Kutac 346-7659
Chaetura Canyon Sanctaury Habitat Conservation Valarie Bristol 300-BIRD
Stewards Education Byron Stone 970-5154
Field Trips Stan VanSandt 300-BIRD
Georgean & Paul Kyle 266-3861 Terry Banks 300-BIRD
Hornsby Bend Priscilla Murr 477-6192
ACT Representatives Hospitality Susan Moak 925-4590
Tony Wood (interim state president) Latin America Bob Warneke 300-BIRD
210 408-1284 Fundraising/Membership/Volunteer Nancy Manning 300-BIRD
Bryan Hale (state treasurer) 474-5599 Programs Ann Gardner 306-0737
Signal Smoke Editor Property and Finance Kelly Logan 320-8000
Tess Sherman 300-BIRD Publications Tess Sherman 300-2473
Sanctuary Chair Terri Siegenthaler 263-2237
TAS Telephone Society Historian John Kelly 331-8693
Youth Education Julia Balinsky 926-7312
The office number is 512-300-BIRD
Urban Habitat Jane Tillman 794-0058
(2473). To leave a message for Board
President Marsha May, press 1. To report ABOUT SIGNAL SMOKE
sightings of rare or unusual birds in Cen-
tral Texas, press 3. To ask a bird-related Subscription Information without permission in writing from Travis
question, press 4. Signal Smoke (ISSN 1931-9282), was pub- Audubon Society.
TAS Web Site lished 11 times yearly through Volume 56,
No.4, and beginning with Volume 56, No.5,
Newsletter Deadline
www.travisaudubon.org The submissions deadline is the first day of the
is published 6 times yearly. Subscription is
TAS Email month preceding the first month of publication
a TAS mem­­­ber­ship bene­fit. To join, use the
info@travisaudubon.org (for example, June 1 for the July/August issue).
form on the back page of this issue or go to
Signal Smoke (ISSN 1931-9282) Sub­mit uncopyright­ed arti­cles, ­an­nounce­­­­ments,
www.travisaudubon.org for an online form.
and art to Tess Sherman, tsherman1@austin.
For address or subscription changes, please
Signal Smoke is printed rr.com; or mail to 210 E. Walnut Dr., Austin,
call 512.300.BIRD (2473) or e-mail info@tra-
on recycled paper with soy ink. TX 78753. Sub­mis­sions by e­­mail or on a CD
visaudubon.org. The USPS does not forward
are pre­ferred but not re­quired. Call Tess at 300-
Signal Smoke. Copyright 2009. No part of this
BIRD if you have questions.
publication may be reproduced
2 S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY
Our Day at Blair Woods
BLAIR WOODS RESTORATION PROJECT
The Blair Woods Project Is Part of Nationwide Initiative to
Engage Volunteers in Conservation Efforts

S
tanding in awe at the top of the hill, we realized this had
not been the view on September 20th when we arrived with
our volunteers to begin restoration of Blair Woods. Only a
phenomenal amount of energy and dedication could be responsible for
the view at the end of the day on November 15, 2008.

With a grant received from TogetherGreen, a non-profit formed by

National Audubon Society and Toyota, we have managed to breath
life back into Blair Woods, our ten acre eastside sanctuary. This Photo Credit: Nancy Manning
project represents a new frontier for restoration of urban habitat on
the eastside of Austin. No less important is the success we have had
in engaging a new and diverse group of volunteers. Three 12-hour
work days have produced 70 brand new eager volunteers, working a
total of nearly 800 hours. On our last work day, we were proud to be
joined by 25 very talented kids (they even danced for us!) from Youth
Launch. If you don’t know about these amazing kids, please check out
the Youth Launch website and learn about “No kidding” and “Urban
Roots.”

Thus far we have chipped and hauled about 195 yards of non-native
brush and never quite believe how much more there seems to be! We
have reached the halfway mark in terms of the grant, but not in terms
of the work. The future of Blair Woods is a hopeful one. Stay tuned
for more of this success story.
Nancy Manning Photo Credit: Teri Siegenthaler

Annual Meeting & Board Member Election

Our annual business meeting will be held March 19, 2009.
At the meeting, current TAS members will vote on a slate of
candidates for the Board of Directors. The new term will begin Watch for sponsors, donors, and fun
on April 9, 2009. The entire slate, along with brief biographi-
cal information, will be published in the March Signal Smoke. photos from the Holiday Fiesta 2008
If you would like the information sooner, it will be available on in our next issue.
our website by February 15. If you don’t have internet access
but would like the information before the March Signal Smoke,
call Shelia Hargis at 291-1861. Make sure your membership is
current so you can vote in this election and have a voice in the
governance of Travis Audubon Society.

SparrowFest January 31, 2009 Steve & Judy Scott

Join us for a Sparrow Celebration! This ever-popular one-day Broker-Associates
workshop returns to Balcones Canyonlands NWR! Led by Office: 512-637-8107
Sparrow Experts Byron Stone, Bill Reiner and Chuck Sexton. Mobile: 512-656-4671
Located about 30 miles NW of Austin, TX. Space is limited. www.steveandjudyscott.com
kwscotts@kw.com
Online registration begins December 15, 2008
call: 512 965-2473
Keller Williams Realty
9430 Research Blvd. IV-180, Austin TX 78759
email: friends@friendsofbalcones.org
web: www.friendsofbalcones.org/sparrowFest.html

TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 3

 NATURALIST’S
CALENDAR by Bill Reiner
photo by Robert Baumgardner
C
old winter weather presents challenges for all animals.
Birds and mammals, including humans, have an advantage
over reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, in that
we are homeothermic – or “warm-blooded.” We can maintain
a stable body temperature from the food we eat rather than
depending upon external heat sources. A disadvantage is that
we must eat much more food to maintain that body temperature.
Through the winter, animals active during the day – including
almost all birds native to Central Texas, except for the owls and
nightjars – are particularly hard-pressed to find food in the fewer
hours of daylight.
Many birds, especially those that depend upon insects, migrate
southward to avoid starvation as those food sources become
scarce. Birds that stay must protect themselves from the cold
while finding enough food to sustain their metabolism.
On average, birds must maintain a higher body temperature
(ranging from 100° to 110°F) than do mammals. This
disadvantage is offset by the better insulating properties feathers
provide compared to mammal hair. Birds also lack fleshy
extremities such as ears, tails, and toes that can dissipate body
heat. Their bills are composed of bone and keratin, which are
much more resistant to cold temperatures than the skin. The scaly
legs and feet of birds are mostly tendenous, so are less susceptible
to freezing than the rest of the body.
The feet and legs do have blood vessels. However, in many birds,
the arteries that supply warm blood to the feet are situated next
to the veins that return cooler blood to the body. Heat from the
arteries warms the blood returning through the veins. The blood
reaching the bird’s feet is cooler, sometimes nearly the same as
the surrounding air, but still warm enough to keep its toes from
freezing. This is especially helpful for ducks and gulls, which may
stand for long periods on ice without their feet freezing.
There is still some heat lost through the legs. A bird can reduce
the heat loss by standing on one leg and pulling the other up into
its belly feathers. It can also squat down to cover both feet with its
feathers. The thinly feathered (or bare) skin around the eyes and
bill can also lose heat, so a bird will tuck its bill and face into the
insulating feathers of the back to sleep.
Feathers are terrific insulators, as anyone who has owned a down
vest or comforter knows. They work by trapping pockets of air,
which are then warmed by body heat. A sweater can help you stay
warm in much the same way, but, as with a sweater, the insulating
properties of feathers can be compromised by wind.
Winter weather forecasts often emphasize the wind chill, a way of
quantifying how air feels colder to us when there is a breeze. The
wind chills us by evaporating perspiration as well as by sweeping
away the body-warmed layer of air next to our skin. Birds do not
perspire, but they do lose body heat when the wind penetrates
their feathers. The outermost feathers offer some protection –
4 S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY
much like a windbreaker over a sweater – but the protection is not
absolute. Gaps in feathers are inevitable as a bird moves about in
search of food or to escape a predator.
Small birds are particularly vulnerable to heat loss, since they
have more surface area in relation to their body mass. This is why
many small birds seek sheltered valleys and the lee sides of ridges
and stands of trees on windy winter days. They must also “pig
out” every day on high-fat, high-calorie foods just to store enough
fat to survive the night.
Shelter at night is even more critical than during the day. Some
birds may lose a third of their body mass just maintaining their
temperature during long winter nights. Chickadees, titmice, wrens,
bluebirds, and woodpeckers roost in cavities in trees. Sparrows,
warblers, kinglets, goldfinches, and vireos seek dense thickets
or clusters of leaves to block the wind. A study of the winter
movements and roosting habits of juncos found that the roosts
– primarily in densely-foliated crowns of conifers – were not
especially warm, but effectively blocked wind. At five of seven
of these roosts, air temperature within the foliage was only about
2°F warmer, but winds of 18 miles per hour outside the roost were
reduced to less than 2 miles per hour within the foliage.
Inca Doves will huddle together for warmth, sometimes even
piling, pyramid-like, on top of one another. A study of tiny
European Goldcrests (cousins to our Golden-crowned Kinglets)
found that two huddled together at 32°F were able to reduce their
heat losses by 23% each; three together reduced the loss by 37%.
The tiny Verdins of deserts and mesquite savannas roost in nests
built specifically for winter shelter. The spherical clump of twigs
lined with feathers and other fine materials has a small entrance
hole at the side. It looks the same as a nest built for raising a
family, and sometimes it is the same structure, but it is usually
placed closer to the trunk of a tree or major limb. Though a
nest of twigs might seem poor insulation against winter winds,
particularly in windswept desert areas, a study in California
found that wind penetration inside the nests was only about 2% of
outside conditions.
The researchers also calculated how much energy would be lost
by a Verdin roosting in the open compared to one in a nest. They
found that, on a clear night, at 50°F, with a wind speed of only 3.4
miles per hour (rather mild conditions for winter), the exposed
bird would likely lose more energy than it could store. The
sheltered bird would, in comparison, expend only 50 to 60% of its
reserves. It would emerge in the morning probably very hungry,
but alive. That may seem an uncomfortably narrow margin of
error to us, but it’s a way of life for many animals in the winter.
Sources for this article included: www.ornithology.com, The Audubon
Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds, by John K. Terres.
“Energy Savings Attending Winter-nest Use by Verdins (Auriparus
flaviceps),” by William A. Buttemer, et al., in The Auk, vol. 104. “Habitat
Use and Flock Activity of Dark-eyed Juncos in Winter,” by Bradley M.
Gottfried and Edwin C. Franks, in The Wilson Bulletin, vol. 87, no. 3.
 THE
DAN CALLAWAY
Dan Callaway,
photo by Robert Baumgardner
REPORT
Birding to Pace Bend - 11/26/08
Participants: Ethel Kutac, Ingrid Huskey, Catfish Kelly and Dan
Callaway
W
e began birding at Bull Creek Park then headed West
on 71 and birded the county roads starting with Bob
Wire, (not barbed wire) and ending with Old Ferry
Road. Good sightings included Common Raven, American
Robin, Western Scrub-Jay, Chipping, Field, and White-crowned
Sparrow, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker,
Carolina Chickadee, Black-crested Titmouse, Canyon, Bewick’s,
and Carolina Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Orange-crowned
and Yellow-rumped Warbler, Eastern Phoebe, Red-tailed Hawk,
Hermit Thrush, American Goldfinch, and Spotted Towhee. At
Pace Bend Park we added Osprey, Ring-billed Gull, American
Kestrel, Great Blue Heron, and Vesper Sparrow.
Hornsby Bend News
T
his column shares my experiences on the monthly
bird survey at the Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory
(www.hornsbybend.org/). The survey has been going
on for close to ten years now, and I have been participating
on and off for most of that time. I’ve lived in Austin since
1983 and have been birding in the Austin area since 1996.
Unfortunately, these days I only visit Hornsby once a month
for the survey. Since 2006, most of my birding has been in
my neighborhood in far northwest Austin. (I blog about it
here: www.birdingonbroadmeade.blogspot.com).
November 8, 2008
For this month’s survey my group of three covered the ponds
and part of the river trail. The weather was excellent – cool
and clear with little wind. It was a joy to be outdoors and
looking for birds. Fall and Winter bring many ducks and
sparrows to the ponds. Around Pond 1 West in the tall grass
we found Lincoln’s Sparrows, Swamp Sparrows, dozens of
Savannah Sparrows, a single White-crowned Sparrow, and
we counted eight Marsh Wrens. American Pipits were also
back, flying over often. The only shorebirds we saw were
several of the year-round resident Killdeer, nine Spotted
Sandpipers, about sixty Least Sandpipers, and just two
Wilson’s Snipe. At about 8:30 we saw a dark column of
smoke rising from the road and we wondered what it was.
Pond 1 East and Pond 2 had hundreds of ducks, mostly
Northern Shovelers, Ruddy Ducks, and Green-winged Teal.
TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 5
In the afternoon we birded Paleface Ranch and Haynie Flats
Roads. At the golf course we stopped to check a water hazard
next to the road. Catfish took pictures of what we first identified
as a pair of Mottled Ducks. Since one had a shorter and not-so-
yellow bill as the other, we compared the pictures with Sibley.
The bill, head, and neck coloration resembled characteristics of
not only Mottled Ducks, but also Black and Mexican Ducks.
Sibley does note that all three do hybridize. If the ducks are
there later, we suspect they could be semi-domesticated.
Janene Rowan and Emil Levasseur birded Hornsby Bend
and South Park Meadows. Their interesting finds included
Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Eared Grebe, Ring-necked
Duck, Cooper’s Hawk, Crested Caracara, Sora, Greater
Yellowlegs, American Pipit, Savannah, Lincoln’s and Song
Sparrow, and Lesser Goldfinch.
Total species for Travis County: 71
We found smaller numbers of Blue-winged Teal, Gadwall,
Northern Pintail, Redhead, and Ring-necked Duck. (We
learned later that another group found some Canvasbacks,
which we missed.) There were a few grebes around too,
including a single Least Grebe which we were excited to see
in Pond 2.
At the southeast corner of Pond 1 we went into the woods
to see what songbirds we could find. Right by the pond we
found some newly returned winter residents like Orange-
crowned Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Yellow-rumped
Warbler and a Hermit Thrush. Walking downhill towards
the river we got to hear and then see a Blue-headed Vireo.
Then we entered the Black Willow Trail, one of my favorite
spots at Hornsby. The only bird we added to the list there
was a Red-bellied Woodpecker, but the tall sunlit tree canopy
was beautiful to see. So was the clear, glassy water in the
Colorado River with fallen leaves drifting on its surface.
We ended the morning with sad news. The column of smoke
over the road we had seen from the ponds earlier was from a
fatal traffic accident on FM 973. A young man had attempted
an illegal pass and had a head-on collision with an 18-
wheeler. The truck driver was OK but the young man died
at the scene. Please be careful on this road when visiting
Hornsby!
Mikael Behrens
TAS Classes
Waterfowl Identification Class
Begin the new year by learning how to identify those ducks!
If you’ve been walking around Town Lake and wondering
what kind of ducks you see, this class will provide you with
answers. Travis Audubon Society is pleased to announce that
Jean Martin will again teach the Waterfowl Identification
Class. Jean also teaches the Beginning Birding Class, and has
almost 20 years’ birding experience. This course will focus
on ducks, grebes, geese and other waterfowl found in Texas,
especially during the winter months. It is well suited for
birders who have completed the Beginning Birding Class or
for those who have ignored ducks because “all those females
look alike.”
The class will consist of two lectures (followed by field
trips) plus a third field trip on a different afternoon. Lectures
will be on Saturdays, Jan. 24 and Feb. 7, from 8 to 10 am.
at Hornsby Bend. The first two field trips will begin a few
minutes after the lecture sessions end and will last until about
2 pm.; locations will be announced at class time. A third field
trip will be held Saturday, Feb. 21, from noon to about 7 pm.
Participation in field trips is considered an important part of the
class learning experience. Tuition is $45 for Travis Audubon
Society members and $60 for nonmembers. The class will be
limited to 14 participants. To register, e-mail waterfowlclass@
austin.rr.com, or call Jean Martin at 343-7053.
Beginning Birding Classes
If you enjoy seeing birds in your yard and want to learn to
identify them, or if you’ve been looking for a new nature-
oriented hobby, perhaps a birding class is just what you need
to begin the new year right. Once again TAS will sponsor
both a daytime and an evening series of classes for beginning
birders. Participants may register for either series, and each will
include four lecture/slide sessions and four field trips. Because
field trips provide the opportunity to put into practice the skills
taught in the classroom, we strongly encourage registrants
to make a commitment to attend the field trips as well as the
lectures.
Jean Martin is beginning her 10th year teaching the classes,
which are designed to provide new birders with the techniques
and skills to help them identify unfamiliar birds. Participants
will receive a beginning birding booklet, plus many other
handouts. Among the topics to be discussed are choosing
binoculars and field guides, identification tips, bird biology, and
migration.
The lecture/slide presentations will be held at a location in
northwest Austin. Field trips will be taken to various locations
in Travis and nearby counties later in the same week as the
classes. Trips begin early in the morning and end between noon
and 2 pm.

Schedule for the Tuesday Afternoon Class

Our Donors Lecture/slide presentations will be held from 1-3:30 pm on Feb.
We thank these persons and groups who generously made re- 24, Mar. 10, Mar. 17, and Mar. 31.
cent contributions to Travis Audubon Society (as of press time):
Painted Bunting Field trips will be on Wednesdays beginning about 7 am. The
Michael Hatch first two field trips will end about noon and the last two will
Larry Ringstaff James Wills
Barbara Vinson end about 2pm; the dates are Feb. 25, Mar. 11, Mar. 18, and
Donald Davis Apr. 1.
Jill Hinckley Sally Mandell
Claudia Hisky Daniel Byrne
Schedule for the Thursday Evening Class
Vireo Jane Tillman
Lecture/slide presentations will be held from 7-9:30 pm on Feb.
Frances & Oskar Cerbins Larry Jones
26, Mar. 12, Mar. 19, and Apr. 2.
Cordelia Hanzlik Cleve Tandy Foundation
Joseph Acosta Field trips will be on Saturdays beginning about 7 am. The first
Joanna Hitchcock Memorial Gift in Honor of
two field trips will end about noon and the last two will end
Thomas Linker Maribel Cullen
about 2 pm; the dates are Feb. 28, Mar. 14, Mar. 21, and Apr. 4.
Thomas Camp Loren J. Okrina
Penny Potter The class tuition is $55 for Travis Audubon Society members
Bill & Ann Edwards Chaetura Canyon
and $65 for non-members. Class size is limited, so register
Cheryl Hazeltine Steve Janda, in memory of
early, especially for the evening class, which always fills
Anna Faye Peterson Bettie Janda
quickly. To register, send e-mail to Jean Martin at begbird@
Tess Sherman
Warbler austin.rr.com or phone her at 343-7053. Be sure to specify
Sarah Heather whether you want to attend the class with the Tuesday
Unrestricted Donations
afternoon lectures and Wednesday field trips or the class with
Janice Summer & Kay Little
Chimney Swift Tower in the Thursday evening lectures and Saturday field trips.
Mary Blackstock
Memory of Gray Jolink
Ingrid Huskey
Edward Travis
Olive G. Forbes
Mark Silverstone
The Powell Foundation
Robert Groves

6 S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY

 Hurricane Ike and Sabine Woods
M
uch of Texas Ornithological Society’s Sabine Woods,
just over four miles west of Sabine Pass in southern
Jefferson County, is on an old beach ridge which
is between five and eight feet above sea level, yet the woods
were inundated on September 13th, 2008 with six to eight feet
of salt water in the storm surge of the hurricane. Essentially
all the man made structures in the woods were destroyed by
the combination of wind and water. Boardwalk sections were
broken apart, and some deposited in various places around the
woods. Much of the former boardwalk is simply unaccounted
for, and presumably in small pieces somewhere in the marsh
north of the Woods. The picnic shelter is no more. Most, but
not quite all, of the benches are gone to places unknown.
Fortunately, there were no man made structures to the south of
Sabine Woods, and only marsh grasses came into the woods
from outside. The combination of the wind and salt water top
killed all the underbrush, and caused the leaves that remained on
the trees to turn brown. Many of the weaker trees in the Woods
had been felled by the winds in Hurricane Rita (September 25,
2005) and additional tree losses were only moderate at most.
Three large oaks were among the casualties. The ponds are filled
with salt water. The fence along the highway is now in relatively
poor shape; the fences on the other three sides were damaged,
but appear repairable. The water system is still intact, but we
have not been able to test it to see if there is any damage.
On the brighter side, almost all the trees have put out new green
leaves, and some of the underbrush is beginning to show new
growth. The Woods were completely brown when we were first
able to check them a week or ten days after the storm. Now,
they stand out as a green oasis. There was a good rain two days
before the first work day, but we still need many more such rains
to help wash the salt away, even though the rain did make the
going a little muddy on the work day.
With the much appreciated assistance of 29 volunteers, the first
work day at Sabine Woods was held on October 18th to begin
the process of recovering Sabine Woods from the ravages of
Hurricane Ike in weather that could not have been better: little
wind, pleasant temperatures and decreasing humidity as the
day progressed. On this first work day, essentially all the old
boardwalk sections were broken into pieces that can be moved
without heavy equipment. We considered attempting to salvage
portions of the boardwalk for reuse as boardwalk, but the more
we got into them, the clearer it became that is was not practical
to save any large sections. Most were wedged in and between
trees and many were badly buckled and otherwise damaged.
Many were in locations where it would likely be impossible
to bring in equipment without damage to trees. Boardwalks
section are very heavy! So, we broke and cut the boardwalks
into manageable sections and piled them out of the path of the
trails. When we had finished, the trails were almost all cleared,
save for three large trees that will need to be dealt with by
professionals.
TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 7
Birds are already beginning to use the Woods again, and we have
no doubt that there will be food for migrants in the spring. The
ground and underbrush dwelling species may not be very happy
with the relatively open understory. White-throated Sparrows,
Ruby-crowned Kinglets are among the wintering species already
present.
For the immediate future, we are still looking for a viable way to
drain or dilute the salt water in the main pond. We still have some
fence repair to do on the west and north boundaries. The fence
along the highway will eventually need to be completely replaced,
which will involve clearing a path for it, and which will likely
require a contractor, but it is not as urgent as it does not serve to
keep cattle out as the fences on the other three sides will need to
do again when cattle are brought back to the area. However, we
maybe should replace the gates and gateposts sooner rather than
later. It would be nice to have a couple of picnic tables to replace
those lost, and replacement of the shelter would provide some
cover when it rains. We will need to work on the water system.
We don’t currently know whether city water service is functional
at the location, although there is no obvious damage to our system.
We will need to have the back flow preventer tested and we plan
to add additional outlets for use when we plant trees using the
Birding Classic grant funds next winter.
While we will need almost certainly need to pay a contractor
or contractors for some work at the Woods in the intermediate
term future. TOS (Texas Ornithological Society) will continue
to appreciate your financial contributions towards such work.
Volunteer help on the work days is valuable way beyond anything
that you probably realize. Contracting for even simple tasks
means paying for travel time as well as the cost of the labor and
the very significant overhead costs that contractors have. The
ability of volunteers to distinguish between an oak tree and a
tallow tree and similar environmental sensitivities reduces the
need for management and supervision to a minimum. Contracting
for any work in the somewhat out of the way location of Sabine
Woods is not easy in the current environment in which there is a
great surplus of available work. We have considerable difficulty
in providing oversight of any weekday contractor work. In
short, TOS benefits enormously from the contributions of time
and effort by volunteers, and thanks them most sincerely for it.
Tentatively, we are proposing February 28th for the next work
day, and considering the possibility of a further one on March 28th
if necessary. The latter might be necessary to deal with invasive
exotics. We have a unique opportunity to access some areas
that are normally inaccessible underbrush, and we will need to
aggressively deal with any exotics – hopefully not many species –
that prove to be more salt-tolerant than the native species we want
to encourage.
John A. Whittle
Golden Triangle Audubon Society
December 9, 2008
 Monthly Meeting Information
TAS Regular Monthly Meeting - 7:00 pm
(doors open at 6:30 pm for social time, 7:00 pm for announcements, speaker at 7:30 pm)
Location: The Redbud Center, 3601 Lake Austin Blvd. Please note that this locaton is subject to change. Notification
will be made via the webpage and email blasts. Parking available in the adjacent lots. Refreshments provided. No
monthly meetings during June, July, or August.

January 15, 2009 February 19, 2009

Guest Speaker: Ted Lee Eubanks
Topic: Faces of Flight - Birds of the Upper Texas
Coast
Ted’s presentation will cover aspects of the avifauna as
outlined in his two books (copies will be available). More
importantly, he will describe the impacts of Hurricane
Ike, and what we can expect as a recovery over the next
several years.
Ted Lee Eubanks, currently residing in Austin and
Galveston, received a BA in Journalism from the
University of Houston in 1978, and since 1984 has been
involved in the founding and development of a series of
businesses. Eubanks founded Fermata in 1992, and since
that time has been engaged in studying and promoting
experiential tourism and outdoor recreation as sustainable
approaches to community revitalization and conservation.
Eubanks frequently speaks and conducts workshops
on nature-based tourism and its economic potential
for communities, agencies, and landholders. Eubanks
addresses state tourism conferences, wildlife meetings,
and economic development forums. Eubanks’s natural
history writings and photographs are widely published.
His books, published by Texas A&M Press, include
Birdlife of Houston, Galveston, and the Upper Texas
Coast, coauthored with Bob Behrstock and Ron Weeks,
and Finding Birds on the Great Texas Coastal Birding
Trail, coauthored with Bob Behrstock and Seth Davidson.
Alamo Inn
Lower Rio Grande * Lodging for
Birders
Guiding * Guides include Benton Basham
Artist’s studio * Grover Terry Beaman
Optics dealer * Brunton & Alpen
956-782-9912
www.alamoinnsuites.com
801 Main Street, Alamo TX
across from El Dorado Restaurant
Guest Speaker: Victor Emanuel
Topic: Bird Tours of the World
Join us for Victor’s presentation on over 30 years of bird
tour leading, how his company, VENT (Victor Emanuel
Nature Tours), got started, and some memorable moments
along the way. VENT is the largest company in the
world specializing in birding tours. VENT has played a
pioneer role in helping develop ecotourism and is a strong
advocate of supporting local conservation organizations.
Victor Emanuel started birding in Texas 60 years ago
at the age of eight. His travels have taken him to all the
continents, with his areas of concentration being Texas,
Arizona, Mexico, Panama, and Peru. He is the founder
and compiler for 50 years of the record-breaking Freeport
Christmas Bird Count, and served a term as president of
the Texas Ornithological Society. Birds and natural history
have been a major focus throughout his life. He derives
great pleasure from seeing and hearing birds.
Business Members
Travis Audubon is delighted to
recognize its Business Members:
Capital Printing Co.
Jeff Baker Stanberry Realtors
Powell, Ebert & Smolik, PC
To learn about the benefits of supporting Travis Audubon as
a Business Member, please go to www.travisaudubon.org and
click on Business Members, or contact Travis Audubon at
512.300.BIRD (2473).

8 S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY

 Notes from Chaetura Canyon
T
he primary remembrance for 2008 was the prolonged
drought. However, Chaetura Canyon did fair better
than many surrounding areas with a total of 19.95
inches as of December 1st. Comparing that total to the 45.49
inches in 2007 and 29.51 inches in 2006 (for the same time
period) is cause for concern.
In late October, the 153rd avian species was added to the
ongoing property list when a Downy Woodpecker spent
a few days on the Sanctuary. This brings the woodpecker
species count to six including Ladder-backed, Golden-
fronted, Red-bellied, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and Northern
Flicker.
Although not a
new species, we
were graced with
the presence of a
young Grey Fox
who spent an
inordinate amount
of time around
the residence. He
showed up on the
deck just outside
the kitchen to
Grey Fox on the side deck
Photo credit: Paul D. Kyle
Gray Jolink Memorial Chimney Swift Tower
Workshop at Chaetura Canyon
I
n 2008, TAS Board Member and long-time conservationist
Gray Jolink passed away unexpectedly. Friends and
colleagues have donated generously to build a Chimney Swift
Tower as a memorial to Gray. This Kiosk Tower will be located
at Mayfield Park.
You are invited to attend a free workshop sponsored by the
Education Committee, the Chaetura Canyon Management
Committee and the Gray Jolink Chimney Swift Tower Fund. If
you have ever wanted to learn more about Chimney Swifts and
how to provide new habitat for this fascinating and beneficial
species, there will never be a better time. Join Sanctuary
Stewards Georgean and Paul Kyle to participate in this unique
conservation opportunity.
The first part of the workshop is scheduled for Sunday, March
15th from 1:00 pm ‘til 4:00 pm at Chaetura Canyon Sanctuary.
Chaetura Canyon has been the epicenter for Chimney Swift
conservation and research world-wide for more than 20 years.
The workshop will begin with an introduction to Chimney
Swifts that includes video highlights from a typical nesting
season.
TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 9
partake of some pecans we had set out for the local Western-
Scrub Jays.
In mid November our neighbor Ron Wood helped process the
pile of cedar branches that had been accumulating from our
habitat management since the first of the year. There is now a
nice pile of mulch to use on the trails of the Sanctuary.
Throughout 2009 we will be hosting many of the events
that have been popular and successful over the past two
years: Chimney Swift Tower Workshop, Habitat Steward’s
Workshop and Lunch, Chalupas and Chimney Swifts
Mexican Food Buffet, Second Saturday Swift Watch (May
thru August), and the ever popular Dinner with the Swifts in
the fall. Check the TAS web site and calendar for dates and
specifics.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge a very generous
donation to Chaetura Canyon in memory of Bettie Janda.
Bettie, her husband Laddie and all of their children were
long-time supporters of conservation efforts at Chaetura
Canyon even before Travis Audubon took over ownership of
the Sanctuary.
Happy New Year!
Georgean and Paul Kyle
Sanctuary Stewards
Participants will then construct the nest chamber for the Chimney
Swift Tower. After the project is completed, participants will
take a one-mile walking tour of the Chaetura Canyon Bird
Sanctuary. There are currently 16 Chimney Swift towers on the
property that demonstrate a variety of designs and materials. One
of the towers will be opened, and the class will be shown
how to evaluate the nesting productivity of last year’s season.
Refreshments will be served on the deck overlooking the Canyon
following the tour. The second part of the workshop involves
installing the tower at Mayfield Park. This will include preparing
the site, pouring the slab, building the tower and attaching the
surrounding Kiosk. The date for the installation will be scheduled
to have the tower completed by April 1st. The finishing touch will
be a plaque to memorialize Gray’s commitment and contribution to
environmental conservation.
 
Registration is limited to 12 builders (16 years of age and older). 
For more information or to sign up for the workshop, please contact
Anne Donovan at 472-3030 or email her at ajdonovan@austin.
rr.com
For a preview of the walking tour, visit www.ChimneySwifts.org
and click on the “Chaetura Canyon Bird Sanctuary” link.
Volunteers of the Month(s)
F
or the months of January and February we are honoring
two committed volunteers; Claude Morris and Julia
Balinsky. Yes, we just happened to get a shot of them
together at Youth Birding Camp.

Julia Balinsky coordinates Youth Birding Camp for us

each year and is the chair person of the Youth Education
Committee. In her past life she was a teacher and now lends
that wisdom to us as she patiently juggles kids, parents,
presenters, and volunteers in the weeks before Youth Birding
Camp, somehow managing to bring it all together just in time.
Less known is the fact that she brings and then takes home
the dishes to wash each year so the kids will learn that plates
shouldn’t be thrown away!

Claude Morris is a current Board member, but you are

likely to know him because of his leadership of the monthly
Colorado River monitoring survey. Each month Claude and
his band of river birders collect data for Kevin Anderson at the
Center for Environmental Research. He also leads the floating
trips each September from Webberville to Big Webberville
Park and is known to help lead the Hornsby Bend Walks
several times a year. Claude is also the most likely person
to respond to requests for a bird survey and let’s not forget
his willingness and patience to teach the young fledglings at
Youth Birding Camp.
Photo credit: Nancy Manning

The 2009 TAS Copper Canyon Odyssey Escort from TAS

Easter in the Canyon
Join Fellow TAS members April 11 - 18, on a journey to
Barrancas del Cobre. Mexicoʼs Copper Canyon, offers
something for everyone: spectacular scenery, Mexican history,
indigenous population, an incredible train ride known for its
challenging engineering feat as well as amazing vistas, and of
course, great birds.
Dinner and presentation with representatives of Tierra Nativa
Basic gratuities for lodge staff and guide
Travel Guard Group Insurance Protection Plan
Tax deductible donation to Travis Audubon Society
Donation to Tierra Nativa

The canyons are home to 290 recorded bird species,including Checklist to the birds of Copper Canyon
the Military Macaw, Thick-billed Parrot, Russet-crowned Trip limited to 11participants (plus the TAS escort)
Motmot, Rufous-bellied Chachalaca, Sinaloa Wren, Bare-
throated Tiger-Heron, Eared Trogon, Red-faced Warbler and Sign up now & receive a detailed itinerary by e-mailing:
numerous flycatchers, trogons, and hummingbirds. Your Copper panamaboutique@yahoo.com,  subject line TAS Copper Canyon
Odyssey.
Canyon birding guide, Carlos Granados, is a native of the region
and while there are no guarantees to what you will see, he
looks forward to welcoming you to his hometown and showing
you around. Price per person in double room: $1895; Single
Supplement $300

WHAT’S INCLUDED?
More worms = More birds
Lodging for 7 nights with taxes and gratuities
For A Natural lawn building approach
All meals as listed
Call JR at 512-567-2024
Local transportation including Chihuahua al Pacifico train
between Chihuahua and El Fuerte Early birds get the free assessment!
Guide services of certified local tour guide with experience www.soilsalive.com
guiding birders

10 S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY

 Baker Sanctuary News

S
outh Central Texas is still
experiencing drought conditions.
In fact, the average rainfall for
our area is 30 inches for the year, but the
Sanctuary has received just over 18 inches
of rainfall as of November 2008.
Several state and federal agencies such
as NOAA, the Texas Forest Service,
USDA and Texas A & M University post
information on their web sites that include
maps displaying the Keech-Byram
Drought Index, the US Drought Monitor/
South, and the Palmer Drought Severity Photo courtesy of John & Marcie Wilcox
Index. The US Drought Monitor, issued through
the National Drought Mitigation Center on
October 30th, shows long-term drought conditions generally
ranging from abnormally dry to extreme across the region.
Rainfall deficits for 2008 continue to increase and have
reached as high as over 20 inches below normal in some areas.
Water usage remains high in our part of the state, so area
reservoir, lake and river levels continue to fall at a slow,
steady pace. Lake Travis’ normal pool elevation is 681.00
feet. As of October 31, 2008 Lake Travis was at 657.10 feet.
According to Texas Commission of Environmental Quality,
there are several public water supply systems with mandatory
water use restrictions in place across the Hill Country and
south Central Texas.
The Climate Prediction Center
Outlook for January indicates
a higher likelihood for above
normal temperatures across South
Central Texas. The outlook also
shows higher chances for below
normal precipitation in January
across the region.
The Texas Forest Service uses
the Keech-Byram Drought Index
(KBDI) as a system for relating
current and recent weather
conditions to potential or expected
fire behavior. By way of refresher, the
KBDI is a numerical index calculated
daily for each county. Each number is an estimate of the amount of
precipitation in hundredths of an inch, needed to bring the soil back
to saturation. The index ranges from 0 to 800, with 0 representing
a saturated soil and 800 a completely dry soil. At this time, all of
Travis County has a KBDI ranging from 600 to 700, which puts our
part of the state under D3 Drought-Extreme conditions. In addition,
as of October 30, 2008 the Texas Forest Service Fire Danger Impacts
map shows 49 Texas counties under burn bans (this year, the Volente
Volunteer Fire Department has begun posting burn ban notices,
when in effect, on the Travis County rights-of-way on both 2769 and
Lime Creek Road as part of their community awareness program).
The Baker Sanctuary is currently served primarily by two fire
department/first responder agencies. The Volente Volunteer Fire
Department (Travis County Emergency Services District #14) serves
the part of the Sanctuary south of Lime Creek Road and North Lake
Travis Fire and Rescue (ESD #1) serves the Sanctuary north of Lime
Creek Road. Each year, because of the critical mission of the Baker
Sanctuary, I include a donation to each of these agencies in the
Sanctuary budget as a token of our appreciation for their dedication
and commitment to our community health and safety.

Baker Sanctuary Stewardship Day

A Stewardship Day at the Baker Sanctuary is scheduled for February
14, 2009 from 8:00 am until 12:00 noon. We will line trim the tall
grass out of the Orange and Blue Trails (the South side of Lime
Creek Road) in preparation for the Golden-cheeked Warbler Season.
If you are interested in helping out and can donate your time and a
gasoline powered line-trimmer (the Sanctuary can furnish 50:1 gas/
oil mix and .095 trimmer line), please meet us at the parking lot at
12221 Lime Creek Road that morning.

NOTE:
The Baker Sanctuary will remain closed until January 31, 2009.

John Wilcox
TAS-Baker Sanctuary Steward

TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 11

 TAS Events - Jan 2009
Saturday, Jan 10 Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend
7:00 am & 4 pm Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird Conservatory. Contact Eric Carpenter at ecarpe@gmail.
com for more information.

Tuesday, Jan 13 Super Tuesday! at Pedernales Falls State Park

7:15 am to 1 pm 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, empidider@yahoo.
com, for more information. No registration required.

Saturday, Jan 17 Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend

7:30 am to Noon Austin’s premier birding site. Field trip leaders this month are Stu Wilson and George Kerr. No registra-
tion required - visit www.hornsbybend.org for information and maps.

Sunday, Jan. 18 Winter Bird Walk at Meadow Lake (Round Rock)

3:30 – 5:45 pm 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 re-
quired. Contact Kathy McCormack (VEFL21@yahoo.com, 512-698-9880) for more information.

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 am, one hour later than the fall
walks.

Tuesday, Jan 20 Two Hour Tuesday! at Walnut Creek Park

9am to 11am 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 ballfields). No registration required.

Saturday, Jan 24 Field Trip to Granger Lake led by Tim Fennell and Byron Stone.
7:30 am to 2 pm This Trip is FULL.
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
at empidider@yahoo.com to register.

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

9am to 11am Located in far south Austin off of Slaughter Lane. From I35, take Slaughter Lane west about two miles
and turn south (left) onto Bilbrook. Go about one mile and turn right onto Watchful Fox, then take sec-
ond 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 Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby Bend

9 am to 1 pm Every last Saturday of the month, For more information: Priscilla Murr at priscilla.murr@sbcglobal.net,
or Kevin Anderson, 972-1960.

12 S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY

 TAS Events - Feb 2009
Tuesday, Feb 3 Two Hour Tuesday! at St. Edwards Park
9:00 am to 11:00 am 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 Bell County Short-eared Owl Field Trip led by Rich Kostecke and Barry Lyon
10:30 am to after dusk 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 khz@att.net to register and for more information.

Tuesday, Feb 10 Two Hour Tuesday! at Hornsby Bend

9:00 am to 11:00 am 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 registra-
tion required.

Saturday, Feb. 14 through Field Trip to Junction, Texas led by Kathy McCormack
Monday, Feb. 16 Several local birders will join at least two TAS field trip leaders in exploring the Junction area, an easy 2.5-
President’s Day Weekend 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 (VEFL21@yahoo.com, 512-698-9880) to register and for more details (e.g.,
recommended hotel, birding resources, daily itinerary, etc.) regarding this trip.

Saturday, Feb 14 Monthly Bird Count at Hornsby Bend

7 am and 4:00 pm Sponsored monthly by the Hornsby Bend Bird Conservatory. Contact Eric Carpenter at ecarpe@gmail.com for
more information.

Saturday, Feb 21 Monthly Bird Walk at Hornsby Bend

7:30 am to noon Austin’s premier birding site. Field trip leaders this month are Gary Newgord and Eric Stager. No registration
required - visit hornsbybend.org for information and maps.

Saturday, Feb 28 Ecological Literacy Day at Hornsby Bend

9 am to 1 pm Every last Saturday of the month, For more information: Priscilla Murr at priscilla.murr@sbcglobal.net, or
Kevin Anderson, 972-1960.

FIELD TRIPS Committee Changes
Laurie Foss has stepped down after a pioneering year and a
half at the helm of the field trips committee. Laurie’s skill
and competence has been much appreciated by the Board
and staff. Her creativity in finding exotic birding locations
was only matched by her “exchange program” with Hous-
ton Audubon. We will miss her energy and creativity but
know she will stay involved with TAS.
Stepping up to the helm we have Stan VanSandt and Terry
Banks, chair and co-chair. We welcome them to this important
position and thank them for accepting the torch from Laurie.
Stan’s Two-Hour Tuesdays have been wildly successful and
provide an amazing opportunity for outreach. This type of
creativity and energy is exactly what ensures that this com-
mittee will take the lead in “promoting the enjoyment and
understanding…..of native birds and their habitats.”

About TAS Field Trips All TAS field trips are open to members and nonmembers and to experienced and inexperienced birders. Wear appro­
priate clothing and walking shoes, and bring binoculars and water. Unless otherwise noted, field trips are free. Please see the new Field Trips Poli-
cies at www.travisaudubon.org/fieldtrips.html. For complete, up-to-date information on field trips, includ­ing cancellations due to weather or other
circumstances, please check the TAS website at www.travisaudubon.org. Because of the fixed pub­lication schedule of the newsletter, be aware that
event days and times may change after publication. If you do not have Internet access, please contact the person(s) listed with the event description.

About Hornsby Bend Maps and other information about the Hornsby Bend facility may be found on the Hornsby Bend website at www.
hornsbybend.org

TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 13

 Hawk Watch 2008
2008 Hornsby Bend Hawk Watch
Final Report - October 31, 2008
T he 2008 Hornsby Bend Hawk Watch was conducted from
August 20 through October 23, 2008. The hawk-watcher spent
349.45 hours at the watch, averaging 5.46 hours per day. There
were 65 days in the watch period, including 9 days where no
watch occurred. The number of days where the hawk-watcher was
present totaled 57.
Weather conditions, late August through October 23
Five days had no watch due to weather conditions. The Austin
area has been in an extreme drought situation for much of 2008,
and little rain has fallen recently. On several days, the watch
was not held because of extremely clear skies. No clouds create
a situation where birds are difficult to find and to track, making
locating and identifying raptors very difficult. It was decided that
time and energy spent on these days was largely in vain, after a
few attempts were made to find birds in these conditions. I decided
that I needed to rest up for days when conditions were better.
Hurricane Ike passed well east of the Austin area on Sept. 13, and
had little effect in Austin other than high winds for several days.
In general, winds were higher than usual for much of the watch
period, which may have influenced bird movements. High winds
and the lack of rain also made it difficult to maintain the hawk
watch at the location previously used. This location is too close to
the Dillo Dirt production facility, and blowing dust and debris was
very heavy, especially on days with north or north-east winds. The
watch point was therefore moved to a spot between Pond 1-West
and Pond 2. I feel that this did not affect the number of raptors
observed, because the main track of most birds was over the watch
point, or slightly to the west.
Observations and comparisons to previous years
16 raptor species were observed, which is average for Hornsby
Bend. In past years, species numbers ranged from 15 to 17. No
unusual species were observed in 2008.
Vultures
Numbers were up from last year. Turkey Vulture numbers were
higher than in 2007, but did not exceed the peak number of 5277
observed in 2006. Turkey Vulture migration occurred in October,
with the peak number occurring on October 17. Migration in
Black vultures is harder to observe. These birds do not pass in the
large numbers observed for Turkey Vultures, and although large
kettles of Black Vultures were seen on several occasions, these
birds were not observed to leave the area. Only 68 Black vultures
were counted as migrants, with the highest number recorded on
October 9.
Kites
Mississippi Kites were low this year, especially compared to the
high number observed in 2007. Kites were observed on the first
day of the watch, and were observed regularly in low number until
late September (Sept. 24). Two very late Mississippi Kites were
observed on October 17, bringing the yearly total to 360. No other
Kite species were observed this season.
14 S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY
Accipiters, Osprey and Northern Harrier
Compared to the average from 2001 – 2007, numbers of these
birds were down in 2008. Osprey and Harrier numbers were
almost half of what might be expected, while accipiters were
about 75% of what might be expected. Accipiter numbers peaked
in early to mid-October, with the highest numbers coinciding with
high numbers of Turkey Vultures. Osprey and Northern harriers
passed through sporadically throughout the watch period. Osprey
numbers were difficult to judge, as two Ospreys moved into the
Hornsby Bend area relatively early, and were observed on an
almost daily basis thereafter.
Buteos
Five buteo species were observed during the watch period.
Numbers of buteos were down, compared to the average from
previous years. Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks are
difficult to count at Hornsby Bend, but numbers in 2008 were
about 1/3 to 1/2 of what are normally counted. Broad-winged
Hawk numbers were up in 2008 from the early years of the
watch, but were significantly lower than in 2007. Swainson’s
Hawks were also higher than 2007’s dramatic low, but were
nowhere near the high numbers reported from 2002 – 2004. A
single Ferruginous Hawk was observed in 2008, which is average
for Hornsby Bend, and no Zone-tailed Hawks were seen this year.
Falcons
Numbers of falcons observed were generally down 50% from
previous years. Only three falcon species were observed in 2008:
American Kestrel, Merlin, and Peregrine. No Crested Caracaras
were considered as migrants, although several were frequently
observed in the Hornsby Bend area. Prairie Falcon was not
observed in 2008.
Eagles
Bald Eagles were observed fairly often this season. A pair was
reported from the Webberville area, east of Hornsby Bend,
and these birds were observed somewhat regularly. Three Bald
Eagles were counted as migrants, including one adult and two
immatures. The highest number of Bald Eagles recorded in
migration over Hornsby Bend was 5 in 2006, so this is well
within the normal range. Eagles are considered rare in the Austin
area, so sighting them on a semi-regular basis was quite special.
General comments on the 2008 season
My general impression of this year is that of low raptor
movement through the Hornsby Bend area. The median number
of raptors observed per day was 9.5. The maximum number
of raptors in a single day between Aug 20 and Sept 29 was 78.
This is quite low compared to what might be expected. Numbers
fluctuated between 0 and 20 birds for 35 days during this period;
only 6 days had above 20 birds.
Between Sept 30 and October 23, there were 9 days with fewer
than 20 raptors observed, and 12 days with more than 20.
Maximum number of migrants during this period was 2628 on
Oct. 17. Most of these were Turkey Vultures. The second highest
day was October 4, with 2156 raptors, most of which were
Swainson’s Hawks. Only 7 days had more than 100 birds; these
all occurred between Sept. 30 and October 18.
It is difficult to state whether the low numbers of migrating
raptors observed at Hornsby Bend in 2008 indicate any trend in
the overall populations of these birds. In general, Hornsby Bend
probably does not reflect larger trends, but instead reflects local
and regional conditions. Most hawk watches are located along
the coast, or along mountain ridges, where prevailing winds
and updrafts help the birds to achieve lift, and make migration
easier. Hornsby Bend is basically a “random” spot on the
map, especially as far as migrating birds are concerned, so any
movements probably reflect local factors that the birds are either
seeking or are trying to avoid.
Reasons for the fluctuations in numbers of migrating raptors at
Hornsby Bend are not clear. Several possible factors include
the increased urban development near Hornsby and along the
I-35 corridor in general. We do not know if the raptors are
following any landmarks, or are guided by the Colorado River
through the Austin area. With the loss of habitat in and around
Austin, it is possible that the birds are steering around the
urban area, because the habitat they require for roosting is not
present any longer. This doesn’t completely explain the lack of
birds on good-weather days, but the birds may be sensitive to
the possibility of having to stop, and may “plan” their routes
according to the potential habitat should a halt in migration
become necessary. as the importance of preserving habitats such as Hornsby Bend,
The recent pattern of extreme drought in Central Texas may also
have been a factor this year. In 2001 and 2002, I was privileged
to observe both Mississippi Kites and Swainson’s Hawks stop
at Hornsby Bend to feed. Both species prey heavily on insects,
especially grasshoppers and dragonflies. The numbers of these
insects were down this year at Hornsby, and likely also across
the region. It may be that the raptors were avoiding drought-
stricken areas because of the lack of food available.
A third factor that may have contributed to the lower numbers of
birds observed was the difficult viewing conditions encountered
this year. Most of the season the weather was bright and sunny,
nice for sitting outside, but very bad for spotting distant raptors.
Sunny, cloudless days are especially difficult when birds are
coming through one or two at a time. Raptors can be virtually
invisible in a clear sky.
The lack of rain, and presence of a north to northeast wind for
many days also made conditions difficult in regards to blowing
dust and debris. I began the season at the “usual” Hawk Watch
corner, on the levee above the compost operations between
Pond 1-East and Pond 1-West, but I was forced to move back
between Ponds 1-West and Pond 2. Blowing “Dillo Dirt” made
it too difficult and unhealthy to remain at the old site. The new
position has a slightly different perspective, but I think that it
is perhaps better for several reasons. Most important was the
lack of dust getting in the observer’s eyes and nose. Second, the
track of most migrants was from the north, Platt Pond area, so
birds were observed that might have been missed from the old
site. Birds kettling in the hayfields were still visible, although
they were somewhat more distant, but since most eventually
went over the ponds, this did not seem to be a problem. Finally,
TRAVIS AUDUBON SOCIETY S I G N A L S M O K E / January/February 2009 15
the presence of more cover near the Hawk Watch allowed for
more “other” migrants to be observed. While these did not figure
into the official count, many more species of passerines were
observed than in previous years. Butterflies and other insects
were also easier to observe, and helped the slow hours pass more
happily. Eighty-seven non-raptor species of birds, and thirty-
four species of lepidoptera, plus numerous other insects were
observed over the duration of the watch.
Final thoughts
In general, I consider 2008 to be an interesting data-point for
migration of raptors over Central Texas. Overall numbers were
rather low, but this is likely to be due to climate conditions. I
think the Hornsby Bend Hawk Watch, while located in a non-
traditional place, is well worth continuing. Tracking trends of
migrants through the center of the United States might give
important information on where hawks are migrating when they
do not pass through the more traditional points such as Hazel
Bazemore and Smith Point. The Hornsby Bend Hawk Watch is
also a high-profile activity for TAS and the HBBO. I posted my
results on the TexBirds e-mail list, and received many replies
and began several interesting discussions regarding raptors and
migration. I also had many visitors from out-of-town stop by, and
was able to help in educating people on raptor migration, as well
for both birds and birders.
Acknowledgements
Thanks must go to Travis Audubon Society, and especially
Nancy Manning, for sponsoring the 2008 Hornsby Bend Hawk
Watch. The support from Travis Audubon made it possible
for me to sit out at Hornsby Bend for the two months. I
must also extend thanks to Kevin Anderson of the Center for
Environmental Research at Hornsby Bend for providing access
to the facilities, encouragement on slow days, and the foresight
to establish the Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory. I also want to
thank the workers of the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management
Plant, who made my time there much more productive and
comfortable by mowing the hawkwatch point, fixing the roads
around the ponds and by stopping by to chat from time to time.
The time was also made easier by the many visitors who stopped
by, and who let me know what was being seen elsewhere on the
site.
Finally, I must extend my thanks to Arnold Pfrommer, who came
by almost every day to sit with me. Arnie helped find birds, and
allowed me to take “breaks” without worrying about whether
the canopy would blow off into the pond (it didn’t!), or that I
would miss that kettle of 5,000 Swainson’s Hawks or another
Swallow-tailed Kite (I didn’t). Priscilla Murr was also a great
help, providing much encouragement (and pizza on Ecological
Literacy workdays!). And, to the many people from Austin and
elsewhere who stopped by or replied to my posts on TexBirds,
thank you all! It was gratifying to know that you were reading all
that, and really great to have met you.
Peg Wallace
Hawk Watch Coordinator and Official Counter for 2008
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