HORNSBY BEND BIRDING BLIND Hornsby Bend is a biosolid management plant stretching along 3.5 miles of the Colorado River in Austin, Texas. In addition to treating the city’s biosolids and yard trimmings, it is known nationally as one of the state’s best birding locations. The site has a range of biodiversity, resulting from the nutrient rich treatment process and the many habitats along the riverfront. Birds of different habitats behave differently, and thus parts of the walkway have different restrictions. Certain birds scare easily, and by lowering the deck of the walkway while keeping the handrail at a constant level, birders are hidden where necessary. This raising and lowering establishes a rhythm, providing views and taking them away. The watchers are able to see out of the walkway through operable “windows,” manually slid up or down to the birder’s comfort. The walkway ends at a tower in the middle of the site’s lake. The tower’s surprising height negates the stark horizontality of the lake, and entices visitors with an extrodinary space in addition to the opportunity for birdwatching.
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