As daylight fades, Mitchell Lake Audubon Center transforms; wildlife stirs, the air cools, and nighttime sounds like coyotes and Common Pauraques begin to rise. This year, we’ve leaned into that magic by expanding our evening programs and reimagining how after‑dark experiences can connect our community to conservation.  

Through a new partnership with Bat Conservation International, staff and interns completed Bat Walk Ambassador training, allowing us to identify bat species using acoustic monitors that translate echolocation into frequencies we can see and hear. These real‑time encounters turn curiosity into connection, bringing biodiversity to life right in front of our guests.  

But bats are just the beginning. Visitors also enjoy breathtaking views of the moon through our new moon scope, an experience that often sparks conversations about dark‑adaptation and our Lights Out, Texas! initiative, which helps protect migrating birds from bright city lights. Many participants now track migration themselves using tools like BirdCast.  

Night hikes continue with a stop at “Scorpion City,” where UV flashlights reveal glowing scorpions and open the door to fun discussions about adaptation and ecosystem balance. And some moments remind us that nature engages all our senses like the time a skunk announced itself long before anyone saw it.  

Community science is woven throughout the experience. Guests document moths on iNaturalist, record nocturnal birds using Merlin and eBird, and learn how their contributions support migration tracking, biodiversity monitoring, and conservation planning. They leave knowing they are not just observers, they are part of the effort to protect birds and wildlife. 

If you haven’t joined us after dark, consider this your invitation. Whether you’re listening for owls or watching bat calls dance across a screen, every night offers something unexpected at Mitchell Lake.