The Panhandle Bird Club Created in 2024

Almost every person who becomes a birder has a "spark bird" that caused them to pay much closer attention to the avian life around them. For me, it was a Bald Eagle that hung out one wnter near Randall High School. I had lived in Amarillo for more than 25 years, but I had never realized that Bald Eagles could be spotted in this area.

So I did some online research and found out that Bald Eagles spend time in the Texas Panhandle every year between November and April. They don't breed or nest in Amarillo, but Bald Eagles follow ducks and other waterbirds down from their northern breeding grounds in the fall. The eagles usually winter near lakes or prairie dog towns in our area, often sitting on a power pole for hours at a time.

While I was watching that eagle, I also observed Ferruginous Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, American Kestrels and other raptors who have similar diets. So I had to identify and research those birds also. Then I became curious about the water birds on the playas that the raptors were watching. And the next thing you know, I was a birder! And because I have had a life-long passion for photography, that eagle also caused me to become a bird photographer.

But I immediatly faced these questions: How does one become a birder in the Texas Panhandle? How do I learn to identify the birds I see? Where are the birds I want to see and photograph? Can I attract birds to my own backyard? And most importantly, are there other like-minded people in this area who share this hobby and can help me learn or learn alongside me?

The Panhandle Bird Club has the answers to those questions. At our first meeting in November 2024, more than 40 people showed up, eager to meet and learn from other people interested in wild birds, nature, and conservation.

Through monthy meetings, social events, and field trips in the Texas Panhandle plus areas generally within a day's drive of Amarillo, we hope to create a birdwatching community that will educate, entertain, and provide fellowship for all of you who want to explore the amazing avian diversity in the top 26 counties of Texas. We already have a packed calendar of events on our home page.

There is no fee for joining the Panhandle Bird Club, at least as long as Amarillo College is generously providing space for us to meet in their beautiful new science building, the STEM Research Center. If you reside in the Texas Panhandle, just show up for a monthly meeting or fill in our membership form on our home page. You'll receive email invitations to the club activities. We look forward to birding with you!