Look up! Millions of birds are traveling through Texas this week as part of the annual spring migration.

Why it matters: Texas sits in the Central Flyway, a superhighway for birds traveling south before the winter months and back north during the spring.

State of flight: Fall migration happens between August and November. Spring migration peaks from mid-April to mid-May.

• Warblers, ruby-throated hummingbirds and northern parulas are among the dozens of species that travel through Texas.
• Most of the migration happens at night, and some birds travel as far as the Arctic in the spring.

By the numbers: An estimated 4.3 million birds crossed Texas between Monday night and Tuesday morning.

• Roughly 341,500 crossed Dallas County, per Cornell University's BirdCast dashboard.

Threat level: Drought, urbanization and heat can threaten birds by making it hard for them to find food and reproduce, per the National Audubon Society.

• Brightly-lit buildings can also be disorienting to birds.

What to do: The Lights Out, DFW program asks businesses and homeowners to dim their outdoor lights during the bird migration seasons.

• North Texans can turn off unnecessary lights 11pm-6am, close their blinds at night and aim any lit outdoor fixtures downward.

One fun thing: Texas Parks and Wildlife has this list of birds grouped by when they typically migrate.

• White Rock Lake, the Trinity River Audubon Center, Joppa Preserve and Arbor Hills Nature Preserve are among the best bird-watching spots in North Texas.

NASA sent five hot sauce varieties on Artemis II, deeming the spicy staple an essential item.

Why it matters: Even in space, flavor matters.

The big picture: NASA declined to release the list of brands on the mission, but we like to think Tabasco and Sriracha made the cut.

Context: Hot sauce serves practical and behavioral health functions in space, says Victoria Segovia, a public affairs specialist at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

• In microgravity, astronauts often experience a shift in their olfactory senses, which can dull flavor perceptions. "Spicy and bold" condiments help enhance taste, Segovia says.

How it works: Astronauts and NASA's food scientists help select the hot sauces.

• Astronauts taste-test and provide input on flavor preferences, variety and compatibility with the menu.
• Selections are evaluated for safety, shelf stability, nutritional value and suitability for the spaceflight environment.

Fun fact: Sauces on Artemis II include spicy mustard, honey and maple syrup, NASA says.

• Menu items include spicy green beans, barbecued beef brisket and mango salad. They also have shrimp cocktail and mac and cheese.

What's next: The Artemis II crew is headed back to Earth and is scheduled to make a parachute-assisted water landing in the Pacific Ocean on Friday.

⚖️ A former FedEx driver pleaded guilty to the 2023 killing of 7-year-old Athena Strand in Wise County. A jury will decide his sentence. (CBS11)

🐂 A Decatur High School sophomore leaned on her rodeo roots to help the school win back-to-back state championships in girls basketball. (Star-Telegram)

🏫 UT Dallas' business school and TCU's education school are among the North Texas programs with higher spots in this year's U.S. News ranking of graduate schools. (CultureMap)

Last week, we asked Axios Dallas readers to share their favorite bluebonnet pictures.

• It's apparent you love our state flower as much as we do.

Nikhil Labhsetwar drove to Ennis to see bluebonnets and captured this glamour shot of cattle.

• "We followed the country route recommended by the Ennis Welcome Center. They were incredibly helpful and shared a lot of details on the best way to explore the countryside and see the bluebonnets," Nikhil says.

Gabby Cruz-Guajardo says this is her favorite photo of her son, who has an excellent sense of style already.

Marianne Lanphier spread bluebonnet seeds by her house a few years ago and gets to enjoy this view every year.

Dallas Arboretum CEO Sabina Carr used to oversee the San Antonio Botanical Garden, where she fell in love with maroon bluebonnets developed by Texas A&M AgriLife.

• "They made very tasty honey from our bee hives that feasted on these unusually colored bonnets," Sabina tells Axios.

The bottom line: Thanks to everyone who sent in a photo for this mid-week pick-me-up.