January 31, 2025 Trip Prep

Jenny and I are about to embark on a two-week road trip to Austin, Texas. While a big motivation for the trip is to explore the food and culture, we have some nature-oriented goals, as well. For this post, I wanted to briefly describe what goes into preparing for a successful naturalizing expedition.

1. Identifying targets. A few months ago, when we settled on a drive to Austin, I began looking up interesting critters along the route. I plan my trips by using some amazing advanced search functions on specific websites. My three favorites are Calflora, eBird, and iNaturalist. With all of these sites, you can choose a geographic area and search for records that match specific parameters. For example, on iNaturalist I searched for February records of amphibians listed as threated within 100 miles of Montgomery. On eBird, I searched for birds found in Texas in winter that I had never seen before (based on my submitted checklists). After fiddling around like this for a couple hours (and consulting Jenny), I settled on three targets: the red hills salamander in Alabama, Whooping Crane on the Gulf Coast of Texas, and cave salamanders near Austin. I love having targets, because even if I don’t find them (for instance, the red hills salamander is a long shot) I end up visiting amazing places. That’s because unique species tend to hang out in unique habitats!
2. Researching. For each target species, I use the same websites as to determine accessible locations where folks have seen them. Then I plan my specific route. I like to have a main spot and a couple back-ups. I look up as much as I can about the organisms in field guides (both online and print). Specifically knowing the microhabitat requirements and behaviors of a species really helps me focus my search. Finally, I scout out what other critters might be in the area. Sometimes this “bycatch” ends up being the trip highlight!
3. Packing. Bringing the right equipment is also super important to a successful trip to Here’s a list of naturalist-related gear that I’m bringing to Austin:

Despite all the planning, success often involves being flexible enough to adapt the plan due to weather, road closures, or unforeseen opportunities. I’m definitely looking forward to this adventure!