ANNUAL REPORT 2018 1Welcome from the executive Director 2Places anD Programs Blair WooDs 3 Baker sanctuary 5 chaetura canyon 7 commons forD 8 PeoPle 11finances financial statement 12 our generous memBers & Donors 13 our generous Program Partners 18onWarD 20Join us! 21cONTENTsdEAR mEmbERs & fRiENdsMadeleine L’Engle said, “The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” How apt! As we get older, we change, but we stay who we are, who we always were. This seemingly contradictory assertion turns out to be one of the best things about life.Travis Audubon is now almost 67 years old, and the past couple of years have been ones of transition. We have grown, we have changed, and we are thriving. We can hold on to the things that have always been true about us, and we can continue growing— older, but perhaps also better. These “opposites” can be a part of our experience at the same time, and can define us as a nonprofit moving into an exciting new phase of its life.We face many challenges as we keep on with the important work of conservation and education, especially as the Austin population continues to increase. But we feel well-equipped for the road ahead with the help of our members, volunteers, and the ever-growing community of birders committed to conservation. With such strong support, we are confident that our effectiveness and reach as an organization can only grow as we move forward. It’s an exciting time to be a part of Travis Audubon.We are in the prime of life as an organization: we have experience to draw on and can remain agile in changing times. And we couldn’t do our important work without you, our friends and members. Birding isn’t just a pastime, and birders aren’t just nice people—both are honest-to-goodness communities that make real change for the environment, locally and around the world. Here’s to these communities, and to the part you play in them. And here’s to doing more good work for birds, their habitats, and the people who love them in the coming year. Thank you for being a part of our flock, and for all the ways you support our mission. And thanks for making 67 a pretty good age, indeed. With appreciation and best wishes,Nicole NethertonExecutive Director, Travis Audubon2bLAiR wOOds sANcTUARyIn 1985, noted zoologist and University of Texas Professor Frank Blair gifted Travis Audubon his 10-acre property located three miles east of I-35 on Martin Luther King Blvd. In his lifetime, Dr. Blair used his land as a teaching laboratory. In an area of Austin with little access to nature, Travis Audubon aims to honor Dr. Blair’s legacy by providing the surrounding community a place to experience outdoor learning and develop a love of wild spaces.Blair Woods is truly an urban oasis; as surrounding East Austin develops, the Sanctuary remains a place where Austinites can escape concrete and traffic lights, sit and listen to Northern Cardinals and American Bullfrogs, and forget they are in the middle of one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. In 2017, Travis Audubon embarked on an exciting project to revitalize Blair Woods, in the hopes of getting more youth and diverse audiences out into nature. In partnership with Westcave Outdoor Discovery Center, we began hosting an after-school program for students from Norman/Sims and Ortega Elementary schools. This program, which has resulted in more than 720 interactions between children and nature in its pilot year, is led by a dedicated Westcave staff member and facilitated by enthusiastic Travis Audubon staff and volunteers.In addition to the after-school program, Travis Audubon invited the public to weekend “Family Nature Days” at Blair Woods, four of which occurred during Fall 2017. These free Nature Days cater to families with children of all ages and include nature-oriented crafts, games, and guided hikes along the trails. They have been tremendously successful and are a source of educational activities to families in East Austin.Travis Audubon also has been improving the facilities at the Sanctuary to enhance our visitors’ experience:• A welcome kiosk with a map of the Sanctuary and common wildlife in the area was erected at the entrance to the trails• eight educational signs featuring the Blair Woods mascot, Rusty the Lizard (inspired by Dr. Blair’s herpetology work), have been placed along the trails and discuss ecological concepts• wooden benches were installed at scenic areas of the sanctuary for visitors to relax and enjoy nature• a pier was constructed at the pond so visitors can easily view the wildlife near the water water featureOur programming’s reach has continued to increase. Several more East Austin elementary schools have participated in the After-School Program, and more Family Nature Days have been held—attendance has doubled! We have partnered with local organizations of all kinds, including the Austin Zoo, Austin Bat Refuge, Lost Pines Master Naturalists, and Little Herds.The success of the pilot programming at Blair Woods can be attributed to our partnership with the Center for Place Based Initiatives at Dell Medical School, which strives to find local solutions to local problems. In addition to financial support for our programming, the team from the Medical School provided a toolbox for data collection to help us determine the neighboring community’s perceptions of Blair Woods. Through walking focus groups, built environment assessments, and trail counts, we better understand how to create a more welcoming and accessible sanctuary. Getting more people in nature is our main goal, and Blair Woods fills that need. 3Because of the success of our pilot, both Travis Audubon and Westcave are committed to continuing our education programming. Future work will aim to increase the number of children and families served and to provide solutions for the recreational needs of the community while protecting wildlife habitat. Prospecting for funding is underway.Another important project at Blair Woods is to restore native habitat by removing as many invasive species as possible, including ligustrum, Chinese tallow, Chinaberry, and Japanese honeysuckle. Throughout 2017, 91 volunteers spent 285 hours removing 40 cubic yards of invasive trees. The space that opens up as invasives are removed will provide opportunities for oaks, cherries, pecans, and other native plants to flourish. Removed trees are chipped and recycled as mulch for the hiking trails at the Sanctuary. This project will continue over the next five years, and though it’s a huge task, we know it’s possible through the dedication of our staff and volunteers. With all the education initiatives and habitat restoration happening at Blair Woods, its future looks incredibly bright! Travis Audubon is so thankful to Dr. Blair for gifting this land, which is transforming lives through the gift of nature.45bAkER sANcTUARyBaker Sanctuary, Travis Audubon’s largest at 715 acres, has been alive with activity over the past year, both of humans and wildlife! From Sanctuary maintenance and habitat restoration to public outreach and education, biological monitoring and management to welcoming hikers and birders to the property, Baker is full of progress and potential. A dedicated core of volunteers makes the maintenance of the Sanctuary possible. In 2017 —2018, 212 volunteers invested a total of 840 hours on projects ranging from brush management to trail maintenance to Golden-cheeked Warbler (GCWA) monitoring. Baker Sanctuary was also the fortunate recipient of two Eagle Scout Projects: a new Chimney Swift tower constructed by Sean Smith and Troop 202 and a twenty-four foot bridge installed by Brendan Ryan and Troop 271. Baker saw more than 1,000 visitors, with roughly half experiencing the Sanctuary on their own as they hiked one of the eight miles of trail or attended one of the many public events organized by Travis Audubon, including the Baker Nature Day, Great Backyard Bird Count, guided GCWA hikes, and the annual Youth Nature Camp. In addition to events hosted at Baker, approximately 800 students were served off-site with presentations at elementary and middle schools located throughout Leander ISD.Baker Sanctuary was founded in the 1960s as the first GCWA preserve in the world, a good 30 years before the species was listed as endangered. Now, as a member of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve (BCP), Baker Sanctuary continues to be managed as high-quality breeding habitat for the approximately 70 pairs of GCWA that call the Sanctuary home.Beginning in the spring of 2017, a new project was launched to determine the distribution and density of GCWA throughout the entire preserve, an endeavor which has not been accomplished in the past. For the inaugural year, Steward Chris Murray mist-netted and color-banded the resident male GCWAs on a 65-acre plot east of Baker Cabin. These now-individually-identifiable males were monitored for the entire breeding season to determine territory size and reproductive success. Over the following seasons, the study plot will be rotated throughout the Sanctuary until the entire preserve has been thoroughly covered. Fifty GCWA point count stations have also been installed at the Sanctuary to add to our data.The Baker Steward also had the opportunity to assist the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge and Ft. Hood staff biologists with the launch of a new research program whose aim is learn more about where and how GCWA migrate between their breeding and wintering grounds. Twenty male GCWA were netted at the BCNWR and outfitted with a tiny harness and “backpack” carrying a geo-locating device. This geo-locator can detect and record light levels that can be used to approximate latitude and longitude, which can tell us more about their migration. When the geo-locators are retrieved the following season, they should contain data about both migration south and the return north, providing invaluable information as we endeavor to identify and conserve wintering ground and fly-way habitat. This technology is adding to our knowledge about these vulnerable birds.715 AcREs1,0002018 visiTORs840vOLUNTEER hOURs2,429iNvAsivEs REmOvEd6Biological monitoring is a tool to inform habitat management. We can’t do much to help these birds survive but to help provide healthy habitat; if the ideal habitat is present, we hope to have a healthy population. While Baker Sanctuary does fall within the current and accepted definition of high quality habitat for GCWA, there is much room to improve the Sanctuary, namely by removing non-native invasive plants and encourage more hardwood species into the canopy layer.Over the last year, 2,429 non-native invasive plants were removed from Baker Sanctuary, the majority of which were from disturbed areas of dead juniper caused by the drought of 2011. The non-native invasive plants found on the Sanctuary are sold by local nurseries as quick-growing, attractive landscape plants. Unfortunately, once they are planted in a homeowner’s yard they grow rapidly and typically produce much fruit whose seeds are spread far and wide by wildlife.To help with increasing hardwoods into the canopy at Baker, we try to keep deer from eating oak and elm seedlings. We have an annual management White-tailed Deer hunt, which certainly helps to keep the population low but doesn’t do quite enough to aid hardwood recruitment. Beginning in 2014, a hardwood caging program was initiated where volunteer seedlings of Shin Oak, Spanish Oak, Cedar Elm, Escarpment Black Cherry, and Texas Ash are located, caged, monitored for growth. An average of 4 cm – 12 cm growth/year (depending on species) has been observed in caged seedlings, suggesting that keeping the deer in check is helping the diversity of hardwoods at Baker.Travis Audubon Society was the forerunner in GCWA conservation when we purchased the original 94 acres back in 1966, and we remain deeply committed to preserving this species. Our education, public outreach, and management strategies are doing everything we can to ensure that the GCWA will be enjoyed by many generations of birders to come.7chAETURA cANyON sANcTUARyChaetura Canyon Sanctuary is an emerald island in a sea of rapidly disappearing Central Texas Hill Country. This special Sanctuary provides habitat for 169 documented avian species, more than 30 of which have nested on the property. Chaetura Canyon is also the only major Chimney Swift Observatory in the world. Last year more than 370 visitors enjoyed this 12-acre jewel. In 2017-2018, we began a Docent program, providing advanced training to volunteers who then lead events at the Sanctuary. Four Docents now manage several new tours, discussing flora, fauna, geology, habitat restoration, and water conservation. These tours have been especially popular with Sanctuary neighbors. Mikael Behrens’ Birding by Ear walks have been well-attended, as well as the usual Second Saturday Swift Watches and Morning Canyon Crawls in the summer. Stewards Paul and Georgean Kyle also hosted Girl Scout Troop 1295 for work on their Animal Habitat Badge. The annual Chalupas and Chimney Swifts and Mediterranean Feast fundraisers were great successes! In 2017, the Stewards constructed a nature-viewing area known as the “Windows on Nature,” made entirely from recycled materials. It includes bird feeders, a water feature, and seating for 24. To date, more than 50 species of birds have been observed there, as well as Grey Foxes, Fox and Rock Squirrels, Opossums, Raccoons, and many butterflies, beetles, and reptiles. A pair of Broad-tailed Hawks nested nearby, and their fledglings were observed by many visitors. A beautiful new trail wanders across three tributaries of the creek through the southern end of the Sanctuary. Three benches now provide a welcome rest after climbing from the Lower Canyon Rim. The entire trail system is now two miles long. Construction of deer fencing continues, as well as other trail work and habitat restoration. Several Stewardship Days enlisted the help of volunteers to remove Juniper slash. The Kyles donated more than 2,400 hours to maintain the Sanctuary, with an additional 200 hours given by loyal volunteers. What a labor of love for this wild and beautiful place!12 AcREs370 visiTORs169AviAN sPEciEs10,000+ fT. Of TRAiLscOmmONs fORdCommons Ford is a 215-acre park nestled between woodlands and the Colorado River in West Austin. Once bursting with native prairie, this grassland degraded due to overgrazing and development. In 2010, a group of concerned citizens formed the Commons Ford Prairie Restoration Organization. Led by Ed Fair, the group built a coalition of partners, created a restoration plan, conducted surveys, submitted grants, and solicited private donations. In 2016, this organization became a part of Travis Audubon to ensure the prairie’s long-term sustainability. Commons Ford Prairie contains 40 acres of restored prairie habitat that supports an amazing diversity of wildlife, including grassland birds. This preserve, a shining example of what we can achieve when faced with the degradation of our native landscapes, was the focus of a dedicated volunteer committee this year. Habitat restoration and conservation projects included spot treatment of non-natives in the prairie followed by seeding of native grasses, as well as the addition of 1,000 plugs of Antelope Horns (milkweed) and designation as a Monarch Waystation through Monarch Watch. Research projects such as native vegetation surveys by St. Edward’s professor Dr. Amy Concilio and quarterly bird surveys of the entire park continued our understanding of how the restoration process has positively changed the prairie ecosystem. Improvements were also undertaken, including new signage for the new Monarch Waystation and renovation of the park’s kiosk. There are even plans for a bird blind and water drip, which has already been designed and in the approval process with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department. Programming included bird walks reaching more than 150 people, a Big Sit that counted more than 50 species, and a “Kids at Commons Ford” event that drew in 75 Fifth Graders from local schools. Everyone who participated in these events came away with more knowledge of and appreciation for our native prairies.We are thankful for this partnership with the City of Austin, which provides Travis Audubon the opportunity to care for and teach others about native prairie. We’re excited to spread the joys of grassland birding in this rare and wonderful place.8215 AcREs40AcREs Of REsTOREd PRAiRiE150biRd wALk ATTENdEEs1,000NEw miLkwEEdPLANTsNext >