Spring birding walks

   The first Saturday of May we started our walk along the San Marcos River at Rio Vista Falls. At 7:30 in the morning there were not many people out and about but the birds certainly were. Night herons fished below the River Pub, Turkey Vultures scavenged the trash, and Red-Shouldered hawks flew to their nest in Ramon Lucio Park. 

At Rio Vista Falls and great birding early morning

   A short hike across the closed Cheatham Street into Ramon Lucio and following along the river we spied numerous birds and even a few joggers and dog walkers. The river snakes through the park and provides habitat for a number of bird species and a few mammals. We found the hawk nest high in a sycamore tree with a resident parent.
   Along the river we watched a graceful night heron fly-in and land on a fallen tree. This would serve as a fishing platform for the heron.
   After we exhausted our search for additional birds we crossed over to Crook Park and the Nature Center grounds.  Another birder told us seed-eaters were devouring the mulberries but we didn’t see them. Cardinals proliferated as did mockingbirds.
   Our group of ten completed the hike in 90 minutes led again by Stephen Ramirez.     –LJ

The complete listing of birds seen:
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Yellow-Crowned Night Heron

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