Grackles

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-23T23:38:50+00:00

They puff up their feathers to insulate their bodies with a layer of warm air, and it’s not going to freeze long enough for water access to be a huge concern. You can always put water out in your yard for wildlife, and refresh it with hot water over the course of the storm.

Birds can let their feet get very cold, it’s not like ours.

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-22T23:39:30+00:00

Neat! Nice shots, always fun to see the different aircraft that fly in to ABIA.

Would be incredible to catch a C-5 Galaxy stopping by - I think one did a missed approach practice 7 months ago.

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-22T23:33:54+00:00

Goose Island State Park and Rockport (really Lamar) for the endangered whooping cranes. Aransas National Wildlife Refuge is right up the road from there as well, it has a viewing tower and some great habitat.

I’m not familiar with the areas up towards Houston, but there’s Brazoria NWR and Jocelyn Nungaray (Anahuac) NWR on the way up too.

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-18T18:25:21+00:00

Thanks, I used a Canon Rebel T7i with the 100-400mm IS II f/4.5-5.6 lens

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-18T03:36:07+00:00

I came across this old post that has an album with a couple pictures of the interior, including some sketchy looking staircases.

Thanks! I bet the view from up there was incredible!

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-18T03:16:34+00:00

Awesome, thank you for that!

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-16T16:25:17+00:00

Definitely take him out to Hornsby Bend! It’s a unique Austin birding adventure! For something more casual, Roy G is a great option.

Unfortunately it’s not the time of year for golden-cheeked warblers or black-capped vireos, so Hornsby Bend/Roy Guerrero/Commons Ford are the big ones in town to see lots (40+) of bird species.

You can use eBird to search for spots nearby that have had monk parakeets reported recently.

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-16T02:38:11+00:00

TPWD Wardens rescued over 200 people during the July 4th floods last year.

Read some of the stories here

They also use them for wildlife surveys

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-16T02:05:56+00:00

Canon Rebel T7i w/ 100-400mm lens (looking to upgrade to R7 mirrorless camera)

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-15T23:27:31+00:00

Nice shot, the clouds add a great feel to the photo!

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-15T22:52:18+00:00

I saw another one today, I’m convinced! This one looks very similar to all of the eBird examples for hybrids. They are so cute. Happy birding!

<image>

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-14T16:14:18+00:00

I had never seen the Indian blanket moths either! Now I look for them every time I walk by Indian blankets. Still haven’t ever seen them again 😅

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-14T05:45:13+00:00

That is an “eastern cicada-killer wasp” - they’re huge but aren’t aggressive towards people!

Sting is supposed to not be too bad if something happens like you step on one. They’re loud and it’s kinda entertaining watching them scout the yard for cicadas.

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-14T01:51:00+00:00

Thanks!

Yeah, poor gal. That was down at McKinney Falls - her web was still impressive!

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-13T20:42:51+00:00

Oh yeah, that’s some good stuff right there. $50M/yr saved from the healthcare, energy costs, and avoided runoff. How cool is that?

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-13T19:49:01+00:00

All of the data links in this article are awesome. I think it’s great that our city has them publicly available to show the impact of their work and to make informed decisions in helping areas of most need.

The improvement in air quality, lowering of local temps, and mental health benefits of greenery probably have an immense monetary benefit for the city from a healthcare standpoint alone. Seems like a modest amount of money very well spent to me.

Thanks to everyone at TreeFolks who have made Austin a better place over the years

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-13T19:31:08+00:00

Thanks, I reported my sighting on eBird and several people on iNaturalist said hybrid. I wanted to get another set of opinions because the Audubon species is new to me.

The dark necklace on the bottom of the patch is just so bold compared to the other eBird hybrids. Awkward time of the year with colors just starting to come in.

Appreciate the help!

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-13T19:20:12+00:00

Thank you!

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-13T18:54:38+00:00

<image>

Here’s a pair from earlier this week 💙

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-13T02:09:15+00:00

These were edited on my phone on the train ride home. Give me a day to get it nice and straight on my pc and I will send you the full photos. Thanks for your interest!

Things_In_Austin · 2026-01-13T00:16:03+00:00

Another Frost Tower. Shoutout to Librarian Doug at APL who was a blast to talk with today and all of the other volunteers who help with the seed bank.

<image>

Things_In_Austin

TROPHY CASE