Outings
Many Bexar Audubon Society trips take place in San Antonio, but we sometimes venture farther afield to explore state parks and natural areas. Wherever we go, we hope you’ll join us!
Visit our Conservation News page to sign up for Birding with a Purpose Surveys at local ranches in October and November.
Bexar Audubon Outings
If a walk you'd like to attend is full, please email Sherie (o[email protected]) and ask to be placed on a waiting list.
Riverside Golf Course | 203 McDonald, San Antonio, TX 78210
Wednesday, September 20 | 7:30 to 9:30 AM
Commons Ford Ranch Park | 614 N. Commons Ford Road, Austin, TX
Wednesday, October 4 | 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Joint Travis Audubon and Bexar Audubon field trip on Wednesday, October 4 at 8 a.m. at Commons Ford Ranch Park, one of the best birding locations in Central Texas. With more than 274 bird species having been identified at the park, you're sure to see a variety of feathered friends. The park is located at 614 N. Commons Ford Rd. in Austin.
The park contains diverse habitats, including riparian, oak/juniper woodland, and a restored forty-acre prairie. We'll be looking for year-round residents and migrants, so bring your binoculars and get ready to bird! Learn more about the prairie restoration project at Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park here.
Trip details:
- We will meet at the barn at the top of the main entrance road at 8 a.m. and will bird for approximately 3 hours.
- Bring binoculars, comfortable footwear, water and snacks. There are restrooms and a porta-potty on site.
- We will break into groups depending on the number of people who register.
- The field trip is free, but please consider a donation to either Audubon chapter to support their conservation work.
Please sign up here if you plan to attend.
Warbler Woods | 19349 Old Wiederstein Rd., Cibolo, TX 78108
Friday, October 6 | 9:00 AM
Lucy Spade will lead a BAS outing to Warbler Woods Bird Sanctuary and owner Susan Schaezler has the group booked for that day. Lucy will send out maps and the gate code to those who sign up to attend.
Our group will meet at 9:00 AM inside the gate. Please observe all visitor instructions as given on the Warbler Woods website.
We will spend about 2 hours walking (trails are easy and flat; max walking distance 1 to 1.5 miles total) and visiting three bird blinds and maybe an hour at the viewing area in the yard. People are free to stay longer if they want.
It’s very important that the participants wear natural, dark, or muted colors if they want to go into the yard. No pinks, reds, bright blues...Warbler Woods is very particular about that. Let us know if you need to borrow binoculars. If you have questions or last-minute changes in plan, please contact Lucy Spade at 210/262-3127.
Click here to sign up.
Mitchell Lake Audubon Center | 10750 Pleasanton Road, San Antonio, TX 78221
Tuesday, October 10 | 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
The second joint Bexar Audubon/Travis Audubon field trip will be at the iconic Mitchell Lake Audubon Center in San Antonio. A National Audubon sanctuary, Mitchell Lake is a 1,300-acre nature preserve that provides habitat for more than 300 species of birds, including shorebirds, waterfowl, and songbirds. Admission is $5; $3 for National Audubon members. Please sign up here.
Visit our Conservation News page to sign up for Birding with a Purpose Surveys at local ranches in October and November.
eBird Trip Reports Feature is Now Available!
The new eBird Trip Reports feature is an exciting new way to tell your birding story through eBird. eBird Trip Reports bring together your eBird checklists to create a fun summary of where you went and what you found, along with your photos and audio recordings, all in one easy-to-share place. You’ve never seen your eBirding like this before!
Tuesday through Thursday, 7:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Center is closed on major and/or Federal holidays.
Ten Best Hiking Trails in San Antonio
From the rocky hills of the far north side to the riparian areas near the Spanish Missions on the south side, San Antonio offers a variety of topography to explore while hiking and birding. Check out these recommended trails from the AllTrails.com website.
Best Ways to Preserve Nature While Hiking
Getting outdoors to hike is a fantastic way to reap the benefits of spending time in nature. Studies have shown that spending time in nature will cause your stress level to drop. And the physical exercise of hiking will keep your heart healthy and give you a great workout without the boredom of working out in the gym.
Every year more than 40 million people go hiking, and that number is increasing rapidly. But, all of those people hiking can cause serious damage to the natural world if they’re not careful. Even hikers who don’t mean to can damage the ecosystem of the trail or cause damage in the area without knowing it. Read the rest of the article here.
Visit Warbler Woods
Warbler Woods Bird Sanctuary, located just northeast of San Antonio, is open year-round. Click here for visitor information.
Use iNaturalist to Post Observations, Help with IDs
You can take pictures of plants, birds, insects, and animals to upload to iNat for identification. Or, you can help identify others’ photos. The observations in iNaturalist uploaded by others always have species in need of identification. If you need instructions on helping with the IDs, please read this helpful guide. Watch our iNat presentation by Craig Hensley of TPWD and Texas Nature Trackers.