After years of diligent work to help people protect birds and their habitat, Dripping Springs has been certified as an official “Bird City” by the Texas Audubon Texas and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). With only seven other designations throughout the state, this is an honor for our city and its partnering organizations!
This designation is exciting news for the nearly 2.2 million Texas enthusiasts looking for their next bird watching destination. At Hill Country Casitas, we are birding people! And birds love us in return. Located on 13 wooded acres, in the Pedernales River Valley, Hill Country Casitas is an attractive home for many of our feathered friends. This Spring, we installed 10 bird feeding stations around the property, at almost every Casita, the pool, and the Pavilion. Plans are in the works to build a bird blind viewing area.
The Casitas are great for birding for MANY reasons. Located on a migratory flight path, millions of birds fly over every night during peak migration. A wide range of visiting birds hang out at the Casitas in Spring and Fall. We have seen several different types of Hummingbirds, colorful Tanagers, Painted Buntings, and even the Endangered Golden-Cheeked Warblers. A recent bird survey conducted at Hill Country Casitas by Chance Boatright, a local Wildlife Biologist, discovered 28 different species in a four-hour timespan, including 2 sets of the famous, and endangered, Golden-Cheeked Warbler. This picture is of one our very own Golden-Cheeked Warblers caught enjoying the bugs and berries on our woodedacreage.
While Spring is the ultimate season for birding due to the massive quantity of migratory birds, the Casitas are home to dozens of species year around. Birding helps people connect with nature. It's a fun, affordable hobby for people of all ages and skill levels. No experience necessary!
How does one enjoy “birding”? Just watch them. Take note of their different colors, different bird calls, and how they communicate and interact with other birds. The Merlin Bird ID app is an excellent tool for identifying birds by sound or picture. Birds are out all day and night. During peak migration, millions of birds fly by night. At night, you may hear an owl, or a Whip-Poor-Will. During the day, birds will flock to feeders or the nearest water source. Just sit on your Casita porch and wait. It won’t be long before you see true beauty!
Throughout the year, Dripping Springs holds a variety of events, activities and initiatives to help protect birds and their habitats, including its bi-annual Lights Out Dripping Springs campaign and the Festival of Flight event that celebrates World Migratory Bird Day.