Balcones Birding

We dipped into the Texas Hill Country long enough to visit a cousin of Linda's in the Austin suburbs. That put us close to the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, so we stopped in to check the wildlife.


A stop at the headquarters gave us some touring information and the ranger said that there had been some sightings of the Golden-cheeked Warbler in the area that day.

The area offers a variety of rolling countryside with junipers, oaks and prickly-pear cactus.


It is the juniper that is home to the golden-cheeked warblers. We walked slong a well-marked trail through the junipers.


Unfortunately, we never saw a warbler except these that were painted on rocks at observation points.


But the views of Lake Travis to the south made the walk worthwhile.