Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Episode 20, Season 41 of Texas Parks & Wildlife, a weekly PBS series about the great outdoors. Birding is a great outdoor hobby that’s easy to get into, especially during the Big Sit, where birders of all skill-levels come together to spot migrating birds. Visit Lake Casa Blanca International State Park, a natural oasis in the city of Laredo. Follow an angler fishing for dinner and sport in Trinity Bay.
The Great Texas Birding Classic: The Big Sit - 1:40
Birding is a great outdoor hobby that’s easy for anybody to get into, especially during events like the Big Sit, where birders of all skill-levels come together to spot birds during the spring migration. It’s a great entry point for novice birders, and a chance to make friends with fellow bird nerds.
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park - 6:24
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park is located near the Texas border town of Laredo. The park's 1,650-acre lake is a great spot for fishing, boating, and birdwatching. The park is a popular gathering spot for locals seeking a getaway from urban life and for winter Texans (or "snowbirds") who enjoy the area's mild winter climate. The park offers facilities for picnicking, camping, and group gatherings.
Fishing Tradition - 12:04
Fishing for dinner and sport in Trinity Bay is what she loves. Cindy is a committed angler from Houston who finds connection to her family and cultural heritage through the sport of fishing and cooking what she catches with friends.
From the Fire: A Legacy of Longleaf - 17:05
The Nature Conservancy in Texas and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas are working together to restore and manage the imperiled longleaf pine tree using prescribed fire. Beyond its ecological value, the longleaf has historically played a critical role for the tribe, with its needles being used for woven basketry and medicinal purposes. Together, TNC and the Alabama-Coushatta are partnering to put more beneficial fire on the ground and once again help this natural community—and the species it supports—flourish in East Texas.
Postcard From Texas: Congress Avenue Bats - 23:50
The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, located in the heart of downtown Austin, hosts the largest urban bat colony in the world, estimated at 1.5 million bats. It is a maternity colony, and female Mexican free-tailed bats raise an estimated 750,000 pups each year at the bridge. For more information: Bat-Watching Sites of Texas
Chapters:
Intro - 00:00
The Big Sit - 1:40
Lake Casa Blanca - 6:24
Fishing Tradition - 12:04
Longleaf Legacy- 17:05
Austin Bats - 23:50
Share a story from this episode:
youtu.be/UuBg8ZSRxQQ
youtu.be/c2S11FikqFI
youtu.be/5XOR_5f-QQc
youtu.be/8X1vQZTn7uk
Episode 20, Season 40, Program 3420 Air Dates: February 15-21, 2026 & August 30-September 5, 2026
When to watch on Texas PBS stations: tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/tv/tvwhere.phtml
Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/texasparksandwildlife
Join us on Instagram: instagram.com/texasparkswildlife
#texasoutdoors #outdooradventure #outdoors #texas #nature #documentary #fullepisode #texasstateparks #stateparks #statepark
Episode 20, Season 41 of Texas Parks & Wildlife, a weekly PBS series about the great outdoors. Birding is a great outdoor hobby that’s easy to get into, especially during the Big Sit, where birders of all skill-levels come together to spot migrating birds. Visit Lake Casa Blanca International State Park, a natural oasis in the city of Laredo. Follow an angler fishing for dinner and sport in Trinity Bay.
The Great Texas Birding Classic: The Big Sit - 1:40
Birding is a great outdoor hobby that’s easy for anybody to get into, especially during events like the Big Sit, where birders of all skill-levels come together to spot birds during the spring migration. It’s a great entry point for novice birders, and a chance to make friends with fellow bird nerds.
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park - 6:24
Lake Casa Blanca International State Park is located near the Texas border town of Laredo. The park's 1,650-acre lake is a great spot for fishing, boating, and birdwatching. The park is a popular gathering spot for locals seeking a getaway from urban life and for winter Texans (or "snowbirds") who enjoy the area's mild winter climate. The park offers facilities for picnicking, camping, and group gatherings.
Fishing Tradition - 12:04
Fishing for dinner and sport in Trinity Bay is what she loves. Cindy is a committed angler from Houston who finds connection to her family and cultural heritage through the sport of fishing and cooking what she catches with friends.
From the Fire: A Legacy of Longleaf - 17:05
The Nature Conservancy in Texas and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas are working together to restore and manage the imperiled longleaf pine tree using prescribed fire. Beyond its ecological value, the longleaf has historically played a critical role for the tribe, with its needles being used for woven basketry and medicinal purposes. Together, TNC and the Alabama-Coushatta are partnering to put more beneficial fire on the ground and once again help this natural community—and the species it supports—flourish in East Texas.
Postcard From Texas: Congress Avenue Bats - 23:50
The Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, located in the heart of downtown Austin, hosts the largest urban bat colony in the world, estimated at 1.5 million bats. It is a maternity colony, and female Mexican free-tailed bats raise an estimated 750,000 pups each year at the bridge. For more information: Bat-Watching Sites of Texas
Chapters:
Intro - 00:00
The Big Sit - 1:40
Lake Casa Blanca - 6:24
Fishing Tradition - 12:04
Longleaf Legacy- 17:05
Austin Bats - 23:50
Share a story from this episode:
youtu.be/UuBg8ZSRxQQ
youtu.be/c2S11FikqFI
youtu.be/5XOR_5f-QQc
youtu.be/8X1vQZTn7uk
Episode 20, Season 40, Program 3420 Air Dates: February 15-21, 2026 & August 30-September 5, 2026
When to watch on Texas PBS stations: tpwd.texas.gov/newsmedia/tv/tvwhere.phtml
Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/texasparksandwildlife
Join us on Instagram: instagram.com/texasparkswildlife
#texasoutdoors #outdooradventure #outdoors #texas #nature #documentary #fullepisode #texasstateparks #stateparks #statepark
