Friends of Lake Kirby

Friends of Lake Kirby This conservation effort is viewed as enhancing the current activities at the lake and park such as sports, picnicking, fishing, and youth activities.

The mission for Lake Kirby Nature Park is to improve and expand the conservation efforts, educational programs, and family friendly recreation of this valuable resource for the enjoyment of all visitors. Portions of Lake Kirby Park are envisioned as a conservation area by a group of Abilene civic leaders, educators, environmentalists and bird watching enthusiasts under the auspices of the West Texas Science Center. Other appropriate uses would be hiking and cycling with improved facilities and specialized areas.

09/29/2026

A lot happening at Kirby Lake along the east lakeshore recently. You might think these are small birds but they are actually a swarm of dragonflies, mostly Red Saddlebags and a Variegated Meadowhawk or two. It's been a great dragonfly season!

A Fiery Skipper on a Dotted Gayfeather wildflower. Skippers and another smallish butterfly called a Sulphur are active a...
09/28/2026

A Fiery Skipper on a Dotted Gayfeather wildflower. Skippers and another smallish butterfly called a Sulphur are active at Kirby on warm, sunny days throughout the fall. Fiery Skippers are often tagged as "that little orange moth" by many people. Skippers are small and their flight is fast and agile. I was really fortunate to get this photo. Adults rest with their wings closed and bask with their hindwings opened farther than their forewings. It's difficult to distinguish males from females but I am going with this being a male.

I photographed this Great Blue Heron yesterday on the east side of Kirby Lake. I look for herons at this spot on the lak...
09/26/2026

I photographed this Great Blue Heron yesterday on the east side of Kirby Lake. I look for herons at this spot on the lake often and was lucky today. Very fortunate to get the in-flight shot!

Question Mark butterfly on the rocks near the boardwalk. Can you see the “question mark” on the wings? Elm and Hackberry...
09/25/2026

Question Mark butterfly on the rocks near the boardwalk. Can you see the “question mark” on the wings? Elm and Hackberry trees are the major larval host food plants for the caterpillars.

Snow on the Mountain on the far east side of the park. This species is a native annual of late summer and fall seasons a...
09/24/2026

Snow on the Mountain on the far east side of the park. This species is a native annual of late summer and fall seasons and is a close cousin to poinsettia. The stems and leaves contain a caustic, white sap that can be a severe skin irritant. There are documented stories that the caustic sap has been used to brand cattle instead of using a hot branding iron. Please take care to avoid the sap!

Stopover on the way to South America! I took these images of a Pectoral Sandpiper this week at Kirby Lake on the east si...
09/23/2026

Stopover on the way to South America! I took these images of a Pectoral Sandpiper this week at Kirby Lake on the east side mud flats. This Sandpiper species breeds in the Arctic in the spring but winters in the grasslands of South America. Kirby is a birding hotspot for fall and spring migratory species.

Saying goodbye to summer! Today is the first day of Fall 2026. The Fall (or Autumnal) Equinox occurs today at 7:05 p.m. ...
09/22/2026

Saying goodbye to summer! Today is the first day of Fall 2026. The Fall (or Autumnal) Equinox occurs today at 7:05 p.m. local time. On the day of the autumnal equinox, the length of both day and night are about 12 hours each at all places on the Earth. I thought this past image along the Boardwalk had a great autumn or fall look to it.

Dotted Gayfeather now beginning to bloom in a few spots along the dam road despite the ongoing drought conditions. Gayfe...
09/21/2026

Dotted Gayfeather now beginning to bloom in a few spots along the dam road despite the ongoing drought conditions. Gayfeather has several adaptations to drought including an extensive taproot system and narrow leaves that reduce moisture loss in dry, hot conditions. Always a treat to see in bloom in early fall!

Yellow is the color of the day with a look back at some wildflowers from this past spring and early summer at Kirby. In ...
09/19/2026

Yellow is the color of the day with a look back at some wildflowers from this past spring and early summer at Kirby. In order of appearance: Plains Coreopsis, Yellow Evening Primrose, Engelmann's Daisy, Greenthread, and Grey Golden Aster. All but Yellow Evening Primrose are members of the sunflower family.

Kirby Birds: Black-necked Stilt, photographed by Jay Packer. A tall, slim shorebird of shallow, freshwater habitats. A s...
09/18/2026

Kirby Birds: Black-necked Stilt, photographed by Jay Packer. A tall, slim shorebird of shallow, freshwater habitats. A spring through fall resident at Kirby and will migrate south for winter. Some will spend the winter along the Texas Gulf Coast.

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5650 Maple Street
Abilene, TX
79602

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