Passport to Texas

Eastern Screech Owl, Image TPWD

Recreation: Calling Critters at Night Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Wildlife viewing at night presents a challenge. I mean, it is dark, after all. Yet, some species become more vocal when the sun sets, and will “talk to you” and even come into view if you know how to speak their language. State park interpreter, Kelly Lauderdale, has a few tips for enticing wildlife to come out of the shadows.

There are apps you can download for free or for minimal cost – like Audubon Reptiles. I use it for my night hikes to play those calls and to identify those different calls. Visitors can easily use those themselves. And this is what I do on my hike: I play the call, and do it for a little while and see if anything answers.

If using a recorded call – animals might call back – but does that ever draw the animals to you? And if it does, what should you
do?

I have had success with calling in an eastern screech owl. So, I play the call, it answers back, and it comes in. If you’re lucky you may be able to see the full owl sitting up in the tree talking to you. In that case – enjoy it! Don’t shine your flashlight up and blind him or her. Just sit and listen and enjoy and then go on.

State parks frequently offer guided night hikes. Find one near you on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

On the lookout for migrating bird species.

Birding/Wildlife: Where to See Migrating Birds Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

The Texas coast attracts a wide variety of species of birds during spring migration. But what if you live inland and don’t have plans to visit the coast?

07— Folks that are inland can probably scout and look for big groves of trees and watch the weather.

Cliff Shackelford is Parks and Wildlife’s non-game ornithologist.

23—I’m here in Nacogdoches, and we have a place in town called Pecan Park – it’s right next to Stephen F. Austin State University – and it is a migrant trap. So what I do is I look at the weather; if it rained the night before during a window of time when I know birds are passing through, that would be late April, early May, I would immediately get out there at eight in the morning and see what’s there.

Inclement weather grounds birds as it does some aircraft. Shackelford said a location with large trees and an open understory is ideal for birders to glimpse migrants high above in the canopy. Of course, if you want to encourage migrants to visit your backyard…

26— Provide a wildscape; that’s landscaping for wildlife. And in that you’ll start to see that ‘hey if I want berry-eating birds like tanagers and grosbeaks and buntings, I should put some of these berry-giving shrubs and trees out. If you’re wanting to attract fly-catching birds, then just having a wildscape means you’re going to have a lot of insect fauna – flies and bees and things like that – that a lot of birds feed on.

Find wildscaping and birding information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Looking for migrant bird species coming through Texas.

Birding/Wildlife: Bird Migration Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Texans perk up as the monochromatic birds of winter give way to their colorful counterparts of spring.

11—Like the orange and black of the Baltimore Oriole, or the red and black of a Scarlet Tanager. So, all of a sudden you see this splash of color that you haven’t seen in months, and it’s very exciting.

Cliff Shackelford, Parks and Wildlife’s non-game ornithologist, says to witness these colorful migrants, location is only part of the equation.

14—Location is important, but if a storm hit – like a blue norther – in late April, that grounds those birds just like it would ground small aircraft. And so, they’re seeking shelter, and that could be your backyard.

Public hot spots where you can view large concentrations of migratory birds are plentiful – the Texas coast is one of the best.

23— Places like High Island, Sabine Woods near Sabine Pass, Blucher Park near downtown Corpus Christi, the South Padre Island Convention Center. Birdwatchers go to those spots, typically in April and May. They can be very productive. Those are just a few of the really important hot spots we call “migrant traps” that are great for the birds and the bird watchers.

Find birding information on the Texas Parks and Wildlife website.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Birders on the lookout for…well…birds.

Birding/Wildlife: Birding Classic, 2 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Texas provides important habitat for species migrating throughout the US and North America. The annual Great Texas Birding Classic – April 15th through May 15th –raises money to conserve that habitat.

09—By paying entry fees, by getting a sponsor for your team, you are donating money to grants that we’re going to award for habitat projects here in our state.

Shelly Plant nature tourism manager for TPW, says the tournament is statewide this year, with an expanded date range, creating new opportunities for birders.

26—We have made this so easy for anyone, anywhere in the state to participate. You can now go in your backyard; you can go down the street to your favorite park. You can travel wherever you wanted and you can do this anywhere. In addition, by having it open from April 15 to May 15, it makes it very easy to blend with whatever your schedule is. So, hopefully, we’ll have more teams than ever before, which means more registration fees, which means larger grants than we’ve ever given, which is better for the birds.

There are tournaments for all ages, interests, and abilities…and registration fees are lower than they’ve ever been.

06—So, hopefully, by taking these steps, we’ve made this as easy as possible for anyone who likes biding or birds to get out here and participate in the birding classic.

The Great Texas Birding Classic is April 15 through May 15, and registration deadline is April 1st. Find details at birdingclassic.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Bird watching along the coast

Birding/Wildlife: Birding Classic, 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

What started 18 years ago as a way for Texas Parks and Wildlife to promote its Coastal Birding Trails and fund conservation projects, the Great Texas Birding Classic has since become one of the country’s premier birding tournaments.

08—The birding classic allows you to test your skills and see how you rank against other birders here, in one of the best birding locations in the world.

Shelly Plante oversees nature tourism for the agency. Once held exclusively along the Texas coast, in 2013 the tournament became statewide.

07—You can now go in your backyard; you can go down the street to your favorite park; you can travel wherever you wanted, and you can do this anywhere.

The Birding classic has an expanded date range.

17—From April 15th through May 15th. You get to pick what day you participate. You can pick that based on the weather, on your team’s schedules –whatever works for you. In the past we designated specific days for a tournament, and everybody had to compete on those specific days regardless of weather.

Register your team for the Great Texas Birding Classic by April 1, and compete April 15 through May 15. There’s more information at birdingclassic.org.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.