No Flights Canceled for Birds or Butterflies

Mother Nature isn’t canceling any flights to Comal County this spring.

Birds

South Central Texas and the Texas Hill Country are in the central flyway for migratory birds flying north for spring and summer breeding, according to Bexar Audubon Society (BAS) in San Antonio, which is officially the local National Audubon Society (NAS) chapter for Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall, Medina, Bandera and Wilson counties.

“While the world’s thoughts this Spring turn to social isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic, colorful warblers, bright red tanagers, orange orioles, and other avian gems will still be migrating through and can be enjoyed locally, even in your own backyard and neighborhood parks,” said Lora Reynolds, BAS’ editor.

“The next few weeks will be exciting for birders as the migratory species fly through,” said Patsy Inglet, BAS president. “We can expect migrant activity to continue until about mid-May. We would love to arrange field trips to counties outside of Bexar once the COVID-19 outbreak has passed and would certainly enjoy having local birders serve as guides and leaders for us. Help us explore your area.”

Click here to see a birder’s guide to Landa Park in New Braunfels. Click here to see Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) guide to birds of Guadaulupe River State Park and Honey Creek State Natural Area.

Learn more at bexaraudubon.org. To read more about relieving stress by birdwatching, click here.

Butterflies

Texas Butterfly Ranch reports Monarchs aren’t canceling any flights from Mexico, where they over-wintered. They’re just beginning to alight in the Canyon Lake area, part of the critical “Texas funnel” where they will lay eggs on milkweed plants before dying. Their descendants, caterpillars, will soon hatch and metamorphose into orange-and-black adults who will fly up to the north before returning in the fall.

However, Texas Butterfly Ranch warns that incoming Monarchs may be suffering from a few health problems of their own and that the migratory population preparing to land here could be 53-percent smaller than last year. Read more.

Experts hope that anticipated rain, abundant wildflowers and blossoming milkweed, augur well for butterfly lovers.

To learn more about the spring migration of Monarchs, click here.

JourneyNorth.org’s Estela Romero coordinates the Symbolic Migration program from her home in Angangueo, Mexico.

She observes: “Monarchs convey many messages of courage, happiness, celebration, and hope.”

To track migration in real-time, click here.

Of note: To the untrained eye, Monarch butterflies look a lot like Queen butterflies. Click here to learn more.