About the Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary, a project of El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist
The Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary is located at Bird and Bee Farm, off Highway 77 between Rockdale and Milano Texas. It’s open Thursday through Sunday, 8am to noon (or by appointment) for birders and nature lovers to enjoy.
Our Story
The Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary was inspired by our chapter’s resident bird expert, Ann Collins. She envisioned a spot where people could come spend quiet time observing birds in their native habitat, learn from Master Naturalist on guided tours, and hold educational events to highlight the birds of Milam County.
Many volunteer hours (including heavy machinery work by Gene Rek), donations of materials and equipment from members and friends, and planning time are combining to make this place a sanctuary for all nature.
Our dedication was on August 19, 2024, and we are just getting started! We plan to get a designation on a Texas birding trail and other certifications.
NEW! Birding Resources – save and print!
Visitors, remember to take only memories, and to remove or dispose of anything you bring in. Please do not feed the birds bread or other human food. We provide supplements to their natural diet and want to keep them healthy.
Progress updates
Check out these blog posts to learn more about how our sanctuary is progressing.
From our blog…
Lots of Bird Action at Wild Wings
By Sue Ann Kendall I’ve been making up for lost time at our Chapter’s little bird sanctuary, Wild Wings. Fall and winter are the best times to visit, anyway, since winter visitors may appear. I brought all my birding equipment for the past few weeks, so I could see all the little guys flitting around…
Get Your Birding Resources at Wild Wings
By Sue Ann Kendall I went out to Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary yesterday to see what birds were out there and to take some new resources for visitors. I joined Ann Collins, who was as happy as I was to see new bluebird houses have been put up, one in the sanctuary and two others…
Learning about Nature Observation Apps
by Sue Ann Kendall Today we had one of our first educational sessions at the Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary, sponsored by the El Camino Real Texas Master Naturalist chapter. Although there’s no denying the weather was toasty and humid, the attendees all learned about Merlin Bird ID and iNaturalist. I enjoyed leading the discussion, since…
An Earth Day Gift for You
Happy Earth Day! by Sue Ann Kendall As Master Naturalists, we think every day is Earth Day, but today is the official day to honor and celebrate the planet where we and all the myriad lifeforms we share the planet with live. Please go out and do something to honor Mother Earth. Plant a plant,…
Monthly bird counts
Each month volunteers record the birds we observe at the Wild Wings Bird Sanctuary. Observations are both visual and auditory (with assistance from Merlin Bird ID).
- May 2025 (38 species)
- April 2025 (29 species)
- March 2025 (11 species)
- February 2025 (18 species)
- January 2025 (17 species)
- December 2025 (2 species)
- October 2024 (25 species)
- September 2024 (26 species)
- August 2024 (17 species)
- July 2024 (11 species)
Here’s a running list of birds we’ve identified so far.
Donations wanted
We are strictly a volunteer organization, so we greatly appreciate donations of bird food, material, or native plants, please contact any member of our Master Naturalist Chapter. Here are some items we would especially like to receive:
- Niger thistle
- Black sunflower seeds
- Suet
- Fruit (oranges)
- Bird feeders
- Native plants for Milam County (especially shade lovers)
Nature Along the El Camino Real 