Birding with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our Birding the Border Feature Bird Photography Contest!

We loved seeing your incredible photos celebrating this year’s feature bird and are excited to highlight our winners!

Not only did your entries showcase amazing photography, but they also helped support scholarships for Rio Diablo Birding Camp and invest in the next generation of birders and conservationists.

This was our first year offering the contest, and we’re already looking forward to expanding photography opportunities through Birding the Border in the future. Thank you for helping make it such a success!

This is exactly why we believe so strongly in supporting youth birding and conservation education.

One of my Gillespie 4-H members wanted to start a Purple Martin project in Gillespie County. He did the research, created a proposal, and presented it to the city to advocate for putting up a Purple Martin house. He along with other 4-H members will be contributing to Project MartinWatch.

With grant support from and and support from and , we’re excited to share that the project is already making an impact — there are currently 68 eggs and 16 hatchlings, and all 18 gourds have eggs!

When young people are given opportunities, mentorship, and support, they can make a real difference for conservation in their communities.

We LOVE seeing our Birding with Extension family out and about and we love it even more when we get pictures of y’all birding together while we’re stuck behind our desks for the day! Don’t have to much fun without us!! .wildlife

Emily is picking out here Rio Diablo Birding Camp outfits -- let us know what you think?

🌳🧢 Steal the Look: Mourning Warbler

We’re staying on the trail… but only until we find 2 perfectly spaced trees. Then stop! It's hammock time. Just far enough cover to feel “off-grid”, but still suspiciously close to the parking lot.
Wide-open spaces? Hard pass. This bird is all about hiding out and so are we…
🟡 The fit helps keep us hidden, with olive tones and a pop of blue because even when hiding, we’ve got standards. With a setup like this (and a hammock doing the heavy lifting), we will be avoiding warbler neck this season.
Speaking of… they’ve arrived. Time to stretch!

Learn more in our bird library:
https://abcbirds.org/birds/mourning-warbler

Spring is here, nests are popping up everywhere, and this week on Cup Chat. Liz and Emily are talking all about nest etiquette!

Join us as we discuss how to responsibly enjoy nesting birds while helping protect them during one of the most important times of year.

We couldn’t be more thankful for the Texas Ornithological Society and their members continued support of our programs. Through grants, partnerships and their members participating in our virtual birding seminars we are truly grateful for their continued dedication to supporting our programs.

TOS is proud to encourage young birders both in competition and in the field. Alongside our sponsorship of youth teams in the Great Texas Birding Classic, we are excited to sponsor this year’s Rio Diablo Birding Camp and help inspire the next generation of birders.

Each summer, the camp welcomes birders ages 14-18 for an immersive experience in the extraordinary landscapes of southwest Texas. While birds are at the heart of the camp, participants also take part in hands-on workshops and discussions focused on ecology, geology, astronomy, Texas history, conservation, and careers in wildlife, while also building friendships, confidence, and a strong sense of community.

Learn more: https://wildlife.tamu.edu/birding/rdbc/

The rest of our 2026 Young Birder Networking Night schedule is HERE!

Come connect with other young birders, learn something new, and grow your birding community with us. We can’t wait to see y’all at the upcoming sessions!