Dancing through the Canopy

A postcard for the 100th bird

Monday, April 27, 2026

Boy Scout Woods, High Island, Texas

American Redstart at Boy Scout Woods (Photo by Sinly Lim)

Dear Friends,

We got our 100th species! And what a bird it was—an American Redstart snatching insects from a mulberry mere feet away. We spoke in hushed tones, gasped at each flourish of its black-and-orange tail. What wonders we find dancing through the canopy! A silent awe permeates my being: how on earth did I get so lucky?

With love and gratitude,

Eric

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Action Items

• Support Bird-Friendly Building Design: Collisions with buildings are a dire threat to migratory birds, killing a billion birds in the United States every year. Sign this petition to encourage the city of Austin to adopt bird-friendly design, so we can begin to reverse this tragic trend. Don’t live in Austin? Contact your local Audubon chapter or Bird Alliance to ask how they are promoting bird-friendly design!

• Drink Bird-Friendly Coffee: Did you know that shade-grown coffee not only protects crucial habitat for birds and other wildlife, but can actually taste better? Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself! Look for “shade-grown” or “bird-friendly” coffee beans. My current favorite is SongBird Coffee.

• Join a Bird Walk: If you live in Austin, I hope you’ll join me for a lovely morning of birding at Richard Moya Park on Saturday, June 13th! Register here. Can’t make it? Check the Travis Audubon calendar for a multitude of other offerings. And if you don’t live in Austin, there are Audubon chapters and Birdability volunteers across the country leading bird walks that you can join. Or, you can form your own group: invite your friends, and head to a local park!