Texas Birding Festivals by Sebastian Casarez

Texas hosts the BEST birding festivals ever! Some people are not aware how family friendly birding festivals are. Every Texas birding festival I have attended always has a family birding event day during their festival. I started attending birding festivals when I was 9 years old. The first birding festival I ever attended was the Rio Grande Birding Festival in Harlingen, Texas. I would have never imagined when I was 12 years old that I was going to present a bird call/talk presentation at the RGVBF. It was an awesome experience! The Rio Grande Birding Festival (RGVBF) is one of many favorite birding festivals to attend for birders. They always have well known guest speakers. The first time I attended RGVBF I got to meet David Sibley and got him to autograph my Sibley bird field guide book. There's also plenty of great birding trips like the King Ranch birding trip to look for many South Texas specialities like the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. Last year, RGVBF added Young Birders birding tour trips for ages 12-20. This year will be the RGVBF 25th Anniversary and Richard Crossley author of Crossley ID bird field guide books will be the guest speaker for the festival. Congratulations, RGVBF for reaching 25 years and many more to come. I look forward to this birding festival ever year!
Here are some South Texas Specialities that are MUST SEE:
Green Jay, Great Kiskadee, Olive Sparrow,  White-tailed Hawk, Altamira Oriole, Aplomado Falcon, Green Parakeet, Red-crowned Parrot, Least Grebe.

                                                                   *Green Jay photo by Sebastian Casarez

Texas Birding Festivals

Rio Grande Birding Festival (RGVBF)
 https://www.rgvbf.org/

South Llano River State Park Birding Festival
https://www.facebook.com/slrspbirdingfestival/
https://tpwd.texas.gov/calendar/south-llano-river/2nd-annual-south-llano-river-birding-festival

*I highly recommend the South Llano River State Park 2nd Annual Birding Festival set for April 26-28 2019. Family Fun Birding Events scheduled.

Whooping Crane Festival
https://www.whoopingcranefestival.org/

Birdiest Festival in America
https://www.birdiestfestival.org/

Balcones Songbird Festival
https://www.friendsofbalcones.org/www.balconessongbirdfestival.org

Rockport-Fulton Hummingbird Festival
http://www.rockport-fulton.org/HB

Davis Mountains Hummingbird Festival
https://fortdavis.com/2018-davis-mountains-hummingbird-celebration/

Laredo Birding Festival
http://www.laredobirdingfestival.org/

Matagorda Bay Birdfest
http://www.matagordabaybirdfest.org/

I probably forgot some but, these are the most popular birding festivals for birders and families.

Checkout their websites for more information about their birding festivals.

Happy Birding!
#GoneTexasBirding
#TheTexasBlueJayProject
#TexasBirdingFestivals

Barrington Elementary Green Park School Celebration Report by Sebastian Casarez

Hello Fellow Texas Birders!

Many Thanks to all who donated their used or new bird field guide book(s) to The Texas Blue Jay Project Bird Field Guide Book Drive for Barrington Elementary Green Park School in NE Austin! You have inspired many new future young birders by your contribution(s)! Back in late February, I had sent out an email to fellow birders (TexBirds) requesting used bird field guide books for The Barrington Elementary Green Park School Celebration for March 24, 2018. I was overwhelmed by the generous donations from all over Texas. With your generous bird book donation(s)  The Texas Blue Jay Project raised a total of 75 bird field guide books for the students at Barrington Elementary School. Thank you to all who made this happen for the kids! Special Thanks to The Rio Brazos Audubon Society and Travis Audubon Society for their support!

About 100 people attended The Barrington Elementary Green Park School Celebration on Saturday, March 24, 2018. This was their celebration for their new green space at their school campus. Along with several wonderful collaborators who made this possible for Barrington Elementary: Children in Nature of  Austin, Westcave Outdoor Discovery, City Councilman Gregorio Casar, District 4, Austin Police Department, Austin Parks and Recreation, AISD Superintendent Dr. Paul Cruz, Dr. Stephen Pont, Nature Rocks Austin, Mrs. Gilma Sanchez, Barrington Elementary School Principal, and many others who joined ceremony celebration for Barrington Elementary Green Park School.

 *Barrington Elementary Green Park School Ceremony photo by Sandra Casarez

*Seeding Ceremony for Barrington Elementary Green Park School photo by Sandra Casarez

After the Barrington Elementary Green Park School Ceremony, I headed back to my table ready to distribute your donated book(s) to the students at the celebration. 

*Photo by Sandra Casarez

I had a total of 75 donated used and new bird field guide books. I handed out 21 used bird field guide books to future young birders that attended the Barrington Elementary Green Park School Celebration. I handed 21 new or good condition bird field guide books to The Barrington Elementary School Principal Mrs. Gilma Sanchez for those bird field guide books to be used for the Classroom. One Austin birder generously donated 20 Golden Guide Bird Field Guide Books to the school and dropped them off at Barrington Elementary School. One Austin birder generously donated 13 used bird field guide books to the school and planned to drop the books at Barrington Elementary School.

Thank you for making so many happy young birders! Enjoy these photos of  some of  the Barrington Elementary Green Park School Students receiving your donated bird field guide books! 

Thank you, Mrs. Gilma Sanchez, Barrington Elementary School Principal for having The Texas Blue Jay Project participate at The Barrington Elementary Green Park School Celebration! I would not have been able to do this without the help of several generous Texas birders! Thank you, Texas Birders!

 *Me presenting the donated bird field guide books to Mrs. Gilma Sanchez, Principal of Barrington Elementary School. 

photo by Sandra Casarez

*Mrs. Gilma Sanchez, Principal of Barrington Elementary School with donated bird field guide books. Photo by Sandra Casarez

Stay tuned for our NEXT The Texas Blue Jay Project bird field guide book drive for another Texas Elementary School! #Gone Texas Birding #TheTexasBlueJayProject #TexasYoung Birders #TexasBirders

Celebrate Urban Birds Dove Springs Recreation Center by Sebastian Casarez

On Wednesday, March 14, 2018 was the Celebrate Urban Birds (CUB) event at Dove Springs Recreation Center in Austin, Texas. I had the pleasure of volunteering at this awesome event again for the second year. This was also a special day for me as this was the first time The Texas Blue Jay Project was represented and volunteered at this event. The Texas Blue Jay Project hosted a Bird Mask activity table at the event where several East Austin kids had fun making their creative masks for the event to wear. Many thanks to my mom Sandra for helping me with preparing the crafts and assisting me at the tables. Also, "Thank you" to Jennifer and Diana from the City of Austin Park Ranger Cadet Program, for assisting at the bird mask activity table. I really appreciate your help!

*Photo by Sebastian Casarez

As some of you know, that I love to make "bird calls."  I especially enjoy teaching kids how to make bird calls as well. The kids were having so much FUN making bird calls with me. There was one kid in particular that wanted me to make every bird call on his bird field guide. Of course, I was happy to make them for him. I had so much fun making bird calls for the kids!

*Photo by Sandra Casarez

When I started The Texas Blue Jay Project last June 2017, I wanted to make sure that I could reach as many kids out there and teach them about the joy of birds and birding. At this CUB event, there were about 250 kids attending this event. I hope that each of those kids that visited our Texas Blue Jay Project tables left this CUB event with excitement of wanting to know more about the birds in their backyard and discover the beauty of the sounds of birds. 

I invite you all to the next FREE Celebrate Urban Birds Austin Event on Saturday, March 31, 2018 at Austin Nature and Science Center 9am-12pm. The Texas Blue Jay Project will be there volunteering. I have a special guest joining me, my Great Horned Owl, BUBO. Check out our First puppet performance "Sebastian & Bubo Explore Birding" at CUB ANSC event! 

#GoneTexasBirding

Sebastian Casarez

The Texas Blue Jay Project

#AustinBirding

#TexasYoungBirders

#FutureBirdConservationists

ABA Blog: Birding Mentors Inspiring Young Minds by Sebastian Casarez

Birding Mentors do indeed inspire young birders! Thank you, Dr. A! 

Please read ABA The Eyrie Blog:

http://youngbirders.aba.org/2018/03/open-mic-birding-mentors-inspiring-young-minds.html

Become bird mentors for #Young Birders!

#TheTexasBlueJayProject

#GoneTexasBirding

#AmericanBirdingAssociation

The Texas Blue Jay Project Used Bird Field Guide Book Drive for Texas Students by Sebastian Casarez

The Texas Blue Jay Project goal is to encourage kids and their families to discover birds and birdwatching in their backyards, city and state parks. And to help bring more diversity and young birders into the birding community. This is why I am discovering several ways how to reach kids and families to get them started with birdwatching. First, with The Texas Blue Jay Project Pledge and visiting students at schools and libraries to teach about birds and birdwatching. Now, I am organizing a Texas Blue Jay Project Used Bird Field Guide Book Drive for Barrington Elementary School in NE Austin. I hope to continue this book drive to help bring bird field guide books to several schools around Texas as well. I was a self-taught birder at the age of 7 with an Audubon book. I would have never dreamed that an Audubon book would have changed my life. Now, I hope it will change several kids lives too.

*Photo above by Sebastian Casarez: The Audubon Book that changed my life at the age of 7.

AISD Barrington Elementary School became the 1st recipient of the Austin Children's Outdoor Bill ( Austin's Cities Connecting Children to Nature Initiative, the Parks and Recreation Department, along with dozens of partner organizations. November 1. 2016).
This grant provided Barrington Elementary School to build a garden center and several green space for their school. Next month, they will celebrate their completion of their greenspace. The Barrington Green School Park Celebration will be on March 24. I will be there volunteering leading birding by ear walks. I will have a table there to distribute birding resources and I hope to distribute used bird field guide books for the students. That's where  I need your help. I will need donated books by March 19. Please email me if you would be interested in donating a used bird field guide book. Thank you.

Happy Birding,
Sebastian Casarez
The Texas Blue Jay Project
#BirdBookDrive
#TexasBirding

Bird is the Word! By Sebastian Casarez

We are half way to reaching The Texas Blue Jay Project Pledge of 1,000 new birders! Thank you to all who have supported the cause.

I have exciting news! The Texas Blue Jay Project has caught the attention of KXAN Studio 512 Entertainment Reporter Joe Barlow. Mr. Barlow wanted to know more about The Texas Blue Jay Project and wanted to know how to birdwatch. I had such a fun time! I hope you all enjoy the interview video that aired in September:

The Texas Blue Jay Project
http://kxan.com/2017/09/18/bird-is-the-word-with-this-outdoor-hobby/


Thank you, Joe Barlow for spreading the word about The Texas Blue Jay Project!



Happy Birding,
Sebastian Casarez
The Texas Blue Jay Project
Founder/Coordinator

#GoOutside&Bird

STOP THE WALL! Save #MySantaAna by Sebastian Casarez

President Trump orders to build a border levee wall is coming to reality. Especially, at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in the Rio Grande Valley area. Recently, the levee wall efforts have begun in Santa Ana NWR. Workers have been measuring and preparing to build a border wall in the most vital part of the Santa Ana NWR. Important wildlife depends on the ability to roam freely back and forth to Mexico and USA. For example, the Ocelot, is an endangered small cat with orange fur and black spots, that lives in Mexico and comes to South Texas occasionally to breed. Building this wall will not only prevent Ocelots from roaming it will also have a big impact on their habitat.

There are roughly around 400 bird species counted in Santa Ana NWR that need their habitats to be protected as well. Especially, the South Texas specialties such as Plain Chachalacas, Green Jays, and other species. The sounds of the drilling and construction of the levee wall will scare many migratory and non-migratory birds. It will cause a lot of birds and wildlife to desperately relocate in search for new homes. The levee wall can also play a role in many fatal bird collisons.

*On left, Plain Chachalaca, Male Photo by Sebastian Casarez

*Green Jay Photo by Sebastian Casarez

Ways you can help protect Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge:

1. Contact your state representatives tell them to Stop the Wall at Santa Ana NWR and Save the wildlife and their habitats.

2. Write a letter to your state representatives.

3. Join me at the Texas State Capital on Thursday, July 27 at 8:30am-9:30am to show your support to Stop The Wall! #MySantaAna  Meet up in front of the State Capital Front Gates facing  E.11th St and Congress. 

4. Visit and Support Santa Ana NWR you will be in awe of the beauty of the rare tropical world in Santa Ana NWR!

#MySantaAna

Happy Birding!
Sebastian Casarez
The Texas Blue Jay Project

#TakeTheTexasBlueJayPledge