Welcome to this issue of Stumped by Nature, where we notice nature lurking just beyond our screens, curate a list of outside-y events in Austin, and build community with other folks in the thick of the startup ecosystem.
In this week’s issue:
🐦 Birds, including a revolt and a revisit
🌤️ Upcoming outdoors events
Let’s dig in!
-Nicole
PS. ATX Outsiders is our community where people get to know each other IRL outside each month. Join us!
Upcoming events:
Sunday, July 19: Reverse Brain Rot: The perfect summer Sunday morning? We read. We write. We jump into Barton Springs as needed. This one’s gotten especially popular.
Monday, July 20: Austin Reading Club: Bring a book. Actually read it. Lightly socialize before and after.
Friday, July 31: Purple Martin Party: A true triumph to be able to host this. It’s going to be both very hot and extremely cool.
NATURE SPOTLIGHT
My original goal was for this newsletter to serve as a gateway drug to the Audubon Society.
I believe we need a world where we all get shit on by birds more often.
What better opportunity than the Purple Martin Party, with 100,000+ compliant birds.
But then, this:
I get it. Not everyone can hang with birder-level energy.
I chose to view this as:
a. an opportunity to look more closely at what exactly a trespassing charge means in the grand scheme of things
b. a decision to have a very reasonable Friday night bedtime, which would have been my airtight, cat-corroborated alibi
c. a sign that this roosting dynamic, with sturdy, well-communicated boundaries, and an emphasis on not-external-validation-seeking, is a signal of healthy growth. We love a healthy relationship.
But then the birders revolted:
Can you imagine the choice words of our lawn chair-wielding community members?
We had to fight for our right to party.
And it worked.
Did I have birders mobilizing to overthrow Big Parking Lots on this year’s Bingo card? Nope, but I am 100% here for it.
And you can also be 100% here for it on Friday, July 31—here’s our Purple Martin Party event link.
So in honor of the power of birds and the people who watch them, I’m resurfacing a flock from the Stumped by Nature archives. Dabble if you dare—it’s a slippery slope into retirement-aged hobbies and getting in disputes with property management:
Birding 101: A starter guide to the apps to help you distinguish between the sound of a grackle and what’s actually a squirrel
Imagine indulging in this community
Local celebrity birds and their power to unify a neighborhood
Backyard chicken tending, plus an honorary chicken: the rat snake
Great Horned Owls, inspired by Athena the Owl’s dynasty
Corvids. Y’all’ve made the connection between the Baltimore Ravens and Edgar Allen Poe?
Peafowl and how they initially gave Darwin a reason to shake his fist
Purple Martins, the center of the show for this week’s parking lot drama
And, bonus, this photo series of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, the hummingbirds we witnessed from egg to fledge:
May 27, 2026
June 3, 2026
June 10, 2026
June 12, 2026
June 16, 2026
June 18, 2026
If you’re ready to embrace your birding identity, our crew in ATX Outsiders will be on standby to hear your favorite bird call.
UPCOMING EVENTS
🗓️ July 16: The Drop-In: Lawn lounging + music
🗓️ July 17: Pitch and Run ATX: Lob that social touch and fitness together
🗓️ July 17: Birds of Austin ft. Travis Audubon. Ask them what really went down during that parking lot negotiation and send me your Granola
🗓️ July 17: Guided Hike at Northern Enchanted Rock Property: First look at the park's newest land grab
🗓️ July 17: EPIC Night Swim: Nature folks in their natural environment
🗓️ July 18: Woodland Faerie Trail Closing Celebration + Reclaim Day: Last stroll before the fae get evicted
🗓️ July 18: The Board Walks: Bring a topic. Get your steps in.
🗓️ July 18: Austin Ruck Club: do it for your bones
🗓️ July 19: Virtual Gardening for Wildlife Series: a four-week course in yard education
🗓️ July 19: Reverse Brain Rot: See you there!
🗓️ July 20: Austin Pond Society Sponsor Night Show-and-Tell: Meet the people who will sell you koi
🗓️ July 20: Austin Reading Club: Like, actually reading. Can’t wait to see what you’re paging through.
🗓️ July 22: Wednesday Workdays: Sometimes you just need to pull some weeds
🗓️ July 23: Pine Needle Basketry Workshop: the slow skill you’ve been pining for?
🗓️ July 23: Jeni's Ice Cream Fundraiser: 25% goes to Zilker Botanical Garden, 100% goes to your mouth
🗓️ July 31: Purple Martin Party: I’m piggybacking on an official Travis Audubon event. No trespassing required.
🗓️ August 2: Reverse Brain Rot: I’m hosting. Read/write, swim optional.
🗓️ August 10: Austin Reading Club: Zero judgement if you start exactly from your July 20 bookmarked spot.
🗓️ Through August 15: Singin’ in the Rain at Zilker Hillside Theater
That’s all for this week!
In the meantime, hold off on picking up a bird-based misdemeanor.
-Nicole
OPTIONAL SIDE QUESTS
🪵 Would my perspective be useful to a project you’re working on? Email me to get on my waiting list.
🪵 Are you looking for a community of people in the startup ecosystem who go outside together? I’ve got you.
🪵 Are you sitting on a misogi-esque story? Spill.
🪵 Follow my calendar to know when we’re rallying.
🪵 I also write essays: this one is about witnessing a bison harvest.
🪵 Is this newsletter not your vibe? Forward it to your enemies to make them suffer too.
💰It’s safe to assume there are affiliate links, and I’ll monetarily benefit from any purchases you make. Hooray, capitalism! So far, this newsletter has generated $4.48 of cold hard cash. 💸