South Llano River State Park

While the Texas Hill Country is known for its spring Bluebonnets, the birding at South Llano River State Park is amazing. This park which is located 60 miles west of Fredericksburg near the town of Junction, Texas is a gem. The river, which is spring fed and flows all year, cuts through sharp hills. The combination of year round water in a near desert environment means birds, birds, birds!

While many folks head to this park to search for the Golden Cheeked Warbler, I took a different approach. I avoided the bird blind which was on the trail for people in a “warbler mode”, and spent the majority of my time hiking and using the two blinds off the campground loop. There is parking at the rest rooms, and the one blind yielded birds which preferred less mountainous terrain plus a small pond, while the second pond was just a short distance uphill in the juniper trees … resulting is some other species of birds … two unique environments within 600 yards of one another.

Here are some of my favorite images from a delightful half day of birding. If you are in the Texas Hill Country, head on over to South Llano River State Park.

Here is the scene that greeted me when I arrived shortly after sunrise. Not really certain what the purple flowers are named, but they were sure pretty.