Austin locations?

[N_Addy]

I'll be accompanying my lovely wife to Austin in early January for a class she wants to attend on one of her many hobbies. That will give me four hours each day, with camera in hand, looking for birds and wildlife (the natural kind, not the SoCo/6th Street kind).

I'm thinking McKinney Falls State Park. Anyone know it? Any better places to recommend?

Sorry for the dup post in the Wildlife forum.

[studiocygnet]

Currently we are under drought conditions, and there is not much water flowing in Onion Creek, so McKinney Falls isn't really falling. Who knows what the flow will be like in January though? There is a two mile trail that a lot of birders hike, the Homestead trail. Just watch for mountain bikes if it's a weekend. It is one of the closer to Austin parks. Also, I'd check out Pedernales Falls SP, or Hamilton Pool, or Westcave Preserve. All about 45 minutes out of town.

[futurshox]

Hornsby Bend seems to be a popular spot for bird watching around here. I have not yet made it over there although I keep meaning to go. It's near the airport. Here's some info. It's a wastewater treatment plant, so it has reservoirs. And I've heard people say it's one of the main stopping points locally for a lot of migratory species.

[jasond]

Hornsby is probably your best bet for birds. In the winter it is filled with hundreds and hundreds of ducks, all varieties. Check TPWD for some of the most common sites around the area:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild...eart/hot_east/

I had good luck during a winter stop at Richard Moya Park, which is just down the road from Hornsby.

[N_Addy]

Thanks for the good info, folks. I'll definitely check out Hornsby.

[Kalrog]

I can suggest Lake Georgetown for something a little bit out of the city. There are some trails around there that can be quite nice. And if you want to get a bit farther out, you could do something like Inks lake or Enchanted Rock. Those are certainly possible as day trips, but not really in just 4 hours.

[Robb in Austin]

There was an interesting article about a city park in the paper this weekend, Roy Guerrero Park, off east Riverside. Apparently the author has spied deer, various birds of prey, fox(!), etc there. If you go to statesman.com, under the opinion section, insight, tales of the city, is a story about it(requires free registration.) Not far from downtown. Might be a good place.

[N_Addy]

It was a good trip. 80 degree weather (on Jan 3rd).

I can see why Hornsby Bend is so popular. What a great place! Unfortunately there were few birds there that day but I've gotta think I hit an off-day. I did get a few GBH and a variety of ducks. Other than the aroma the place was great.

I did manage to hit McKinney Falls State Park. Do they have birds there? I didn't see one. The geology was cool though.

[N_Addy]

Delete accidental double post.