Ginny Lindzey of Wild Birds Unlimited watched a Baltimore Oriole come down slowly through the trees to her oriole feeder for grape jelly and nectar. In the West Lake Hills October newsletter, she says that is how fall migration showed up in her backyard. When the oriole is gone, a Ruby-throated Hummingbird works the same feeder. It shares the yard with House Finches, Lesser Goldfinches, Northern Cardinals and the ever-present White-winged Doves. She writes that peak migration runs through October 29.
That leaves four weeks. Most of the birds moving through will fly at night, above houses that have been covered by a city outdoor lighting code since 2014.
What Is Passing Overhead Right Now
In her column, Lindzey points to the Travis County Rare Birds Alert on eBird as a sign that orioles, warblers and other birds are heading to winter homes in Mexico and Central America. She lists the birds people in the area have identified so far:
- Canada Warbler
- Wilson's Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Magnolia Warbler
- Yellow-throated Warbler
- Orange-crowned Warbler, which often stays for the winter
Most of these birds eat insects and hunt high in the treetops, so they seldom come to feeders. Lindzey recommends the Merlin Bird ID app, which listens and identifies birds singing in the canopy that you can't see. In a city with a full tree canopy, the best birding spot may be a back porch at dawn with a phone set to record.
The canopy explains why lighting matters here. A warbler that feeds high in a live oak during the day crosses the region in the dark. That is why a statewide program asks Texans to change their outdoor lights on fall nights.
What Lights Out Texas Asks For This Fall
Lights Out Texas lists the 2026 fall migration as August 15 through November 30. Its critical peak runs September 5 through October 29, the same end date Lindzey gives. The program says migration dates change from year to year, so these are this year's dates. Audubon Texas now runs the statewide effort. Texas Conservation Alliance and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are listed among its founding partners.
For homeowners, Audubon Texas makes these requests:
- Turn off nonessential lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Don't light up trees or gardens.
- Close the blinds.
- Shield and aim essential lights downward, or put them on motion sensors.
Across most of Texas, these are voluntary habits. In West Lake Hills, much of the list is already law.
The Ordinance That Got There First
West Lake Hills adopted Ordinance 295 on May 28, 2014. Its outdoor lighting article opens with a statement of what the city is protecting. The text names "rugged terrain, beautiful views, dense foliage, unspoiled creeks, wildlife, large areas of relatively low population density, and dark night skies" as the source of the city's special quality. Its general rule is that outdoor fixtures be fully shielded. Security fixtures that are manually operated or motion-sensing may go unshielded if they stay within set shutoff or timer limits. It also sets specific limits that line up closely with the Lights Out list.
| Lights Out Texas request | West Lake Hills code, Article 24.03 |
|---|---|
| Don't light trees or gardens | Landscape lighting may not be used after 11 p.m., and each fixture is capped at 800 lumens |
| Shield and aim essential lights down | Outdoor fixtures must generally be fully shielded |
| Use motion sensors | Unshielded motion-sensing security lights must shut off within 10 minutes |
| Turn nonessential lights off at 11 p.m. | Sport court lights must be off by 11 p.m. and on only during play |
The ordinance also gave residents ten years to bring outdoor lighting installed on or before May 28, 2014, up to code. Until then, nonconforming residential lights had to be off from 11 p.m. until one hour before sunrise. Security lights at doors, windows and garage doors were exempt. That ten-year window closed in 2024. This fall, every outdoor fixture in the city has been expected to meet the full standard for more than two years.
The code has no general 11 p.m. curfew for compliant fixtures. Its year-round limits on shielding, landscape lighting and sport courts still cover much of the Lights Out list. The city's code doesn't reach indoor lights or blinds, so those are what's left for a resident who wants to go further during peak migration. Drawing the blinds after dark and switching off a lamp that faces a big window take care of both.
Rollingwood Weighed the Same Question
Rollingwood looked at the same issue more recently and chose a lighter approach. Its 2025 residential code review describes how a citizen committee considered "dark sky" standards. The committee instead proposed a rule based on Rollingwood's commercial corridor lighting ordinance to limit light trespass onto neighboring property. In April 2025, the City Council approved that proposal as a "reference guide." It did not become an ordinance change.
Rollingwood residents who want to follow the Lights Out schedule have a written local guide to start from. Through November 30, the Audubon Texas checklist covers the rest. Austin has a citywide Lights Out Austin initiative under a 2021 Council resolution. Participating city facilities turn off nonessential lights from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during migration. Austin's broader bird-safe building policy was still in the study and recommendation stage as of 2026.
Where to Hear Migration Before the Peak Ends
Dark skies help birds at night. These outings give you a chance to see them in daylight, mostly within a short drive of Bee Cave Road.
Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve. St. Edward's University runs daily operations, and Travis County oversees land management. Weekday hiking is free and needs no reservation. Weekends and federal holidays require a reserved pass for a three-hour visit, and parking is limited. The 0.6-mile Arroyo Vista loop and the 1.5-mile Creek Loop are the gentler routes. The Woodland Trail is steep and rocky. Pets, bikes, drones and picnics stay at home. The visit page still lists "summer hours," so check current hours before you go. The preserve's First Friday Walk and Talk runs October 2.
Travis Audubon walks at Commons Ford Metro Park, 614 N. Commons Ford Rd.
- Tuesday, Oct. 13, 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Led by Chris Gunter and Andy Filtness. Registration required, limit 15. Free for members, $10 for nonmembers.
- Sunday, Oct. 25, 8 to 10:30 a.m. Beginners Bird Walk, open to all levels, limit 50, loaner binoculars available.
Travis Audubon at Barton Springs and Zilker Park. Wednesday, Oct. 7, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Limit 10, registration required.
Wild Birds Unlimited, 3535 Bee Caves Road, Suite A. The store sits next to Barton Springs Nursery, and the phone number is (512) 328-9453. It doesn't list a public event this fall, but groups can contact the store to book a nature presentation.
November, When the Peak Is Over
The critical peak ends October 29, but the full migration period runs through November 30, and so does the 11 p.m. guidance. The local calendar stays busy into November.
The West Lake Hills Art Committee's exhibit, "Native Birds and Sustaining Plants of West Lake Hills," hangs at City Hall from October 23 through November 20. It features local birds, seasonal visitors and the native plants that support them. The reception is Wednesday, November 4, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Travis Audubon's Barton Springs walk is the same morning, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., so you can do both in one day.
On Friday, November 6, Wild Basin hosts "Wild Stories: Stories of 50 years of co-managing a treasured wilderness preserve." Social time starts at 5:30 p.m. and the talk at 6 p.m. Reservations are required and cost $10. Travis Audubon's Sunday, November 15 walk at Commons Ford runs from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. with a limit of 15. It covers creekside, oak-juniper and restored prairie habitat for both resident birds and migrants.
Whether the Orange-crowned Warbler stays for the winter, as Lindzey says it often does, will show up in the same canopy and the same Merlin recordings through the colder months.
At Drew & Co., we think the details written into a city's code, like a 2014 lighting ordinance, shape a place's character as much as anything built on it. If you'd like to talk about how West Lake Hills or Rollingwood rules apply to lighting, landscaping or a planned project on your property, contact us.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
