A record crowd gathered for the 4th annual Migratory Bird Festival—our first as an official Bird City Texas—celebrating birds, art, and community at the San Marcos Discovery Center.

Join HCMN Sharon Moore as she takes us into the field and her own backyard. From prepping gear to chasing butterflies, her story shows how citizen science and a sharp eye for detail can make a big impact.

Texas alone accounted for 10% of all global observations, highlighting the state’s commitment to biodiversity and conservation. See how Hays County naturalists showed up.

Not everything clinging to your trees is a threat. Some of these strange hitchhikers are quietly cleaning the air, fixing nitrogen, and even helping hummingbirds build nests.

Capable of true flight and powered by echolocation, bats are nature’s insect controllers, pollinators, and more. Here’s why they matter.

From classroom to creek side, these Fireflies are lighting up Hays County—one master naturalist volunteer hour at a time!

A family of whistling ducks brightened my morning at Plum Creek—here’s what I learned about these interesting, red-billed beauties.

A weed? Don’t automatically demonize any Texas native because it sometimes misbehaves. Learn more about it. And then have a management plan based on restoring balance. But how?

If you’d like to minimize the deer feast in your yard, carefully select less palatable native plants. Sure, but which ones?

Twenty-eight new Hays County Master Naturalists shall now and forever be known as—Fatmuckets! Whaaat?  C’mon, let’s enjoy the HCMN Spring Reunion!

Whether you’re a seasoned naturalist or just love sharing your passion for nature with others, this event is a fantastic opportunity to meet the next generation of environmental stewards.

If a monarch butterfly or its caterpillar is cruising your spring milkweed, take your time to get a really good look. Why is this so mysterious?

Our program is designed to inspire people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Come see what’s brewing at free family science events, and spend more time exploring the natural world with us!

Get ready for one of the most exciting citizen science projects to hit the global stage. Join us the last weekend in April.

Our HCMN Fall Class of 2024 will graduate on April 12 and will forever be known as the…WAIT… what’s a Fatmucket?

Organizing, launching, and sustaining a volunteer project is no easy task. So it's only fair that we show them off!

Nature offers a sense of wholeness, but where do plants fit within this framework? If nature is chaos in motion, then what is a plant?

21st Annual Photography Contest
Entries accepted March 31 - June 23, 2025. Let’s make it the best one yet!

Dramatic nature is everywhere. Leave the headphones at home—watch, listen, smell. You might be surprised when you truly start seeing what’s around you.

The Prize
Congratulations! Hays County now claims three Bird Cities: Dripping Springs, Wimberley, and San Marcos, raising the total to 15 Texas cities so far.