Our Wild Texas - Autumn 2017

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sent this bulletin at 09/28/2017 02:30 PM CDT

Hawks and Hummers and Monarchs, Oh My!

Fall migration has begun and Texas is the perfect spot to see a vast parade of birds and butterflies traveling south. Watch the antics of migrating hummingbirds in this live stream from West Texas. If you want hummers to visit your place, we've got tips to make them feel welcome.

Masses of monarch butterflies are headed south and will peak in Texas in October. Track their approach with this monarch movement map. If you're in their path, keep an eye out for overnight roosts – see what one looks like in this video.

About 700,000 raptors pass through the Hawk Watch site near Corpus Christi from August to mid-November each year, and it's open to the public. You'll find more raptor-rich spots on this list of 4 sites to see raptors.

Many towns and state parks also have migration-related events, or you can find a viewing spot on your own with the aid of Great Texas Wildlife Trails maps.

Foods From the Fruits of Native Plants

There are wild fruits all over Texas. Gathering them and making them into a special treat is the perfect recipe to connect with nature. Read our list of favorite native fruits and recipes.

Try growing your own harvestable native fruits like persimmons, agarita and mustang grapes. Check our plant guide for a list of trees, shrubs and vines that grow well in your ecoregion.

Texas Pollinator BioBlitz

Take photos of bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators and share them on iNaturalist and social media during the Texas Pollinator BioBlitz Sept. 23 – Oct. 8. Sign up for "Daily Challenges" and find out more about events at parks and other sites. #TXpollinators

Pollinators are vital to the health of our crops and environment in general. Over the years there has been a decline in pollinator species, including a major decline of the monarch butterfly. You can help by avoiding insecticides and creating butterfly habitat using native plants.

Help Us Find Alligator Snapping Turtles

If you're in an area recently affected by flooding, be on the lookout for alligator snapping turtles. If you spot one, please text a photo and the location to (281) 302-8033. (They can be aggressive, so give them space.) This video will help you distinguish this species from other turtles.

Alligator snapping turtles are a threatened species in Texas. To find out which species are rare, threatened or endangered in your area, use our interactive map.

A Moment of Clarity

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