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Hornsby Bend is an excellent birding site just outside of Austin. Teaming with waterfowl all winter, a common stop-over for spring and fall migrations, and a breeding ground for dozens of species. A typical morning stroll will reveal dozens of species to the casual observer, many many more to those with a bit more focus and intent.
But Hornsby Bend isn’t only a home to birds. The late summer sees an explosion of dragonflies and damselflies. Soft shell turtles bask on the banks, lizards scamper across the trails on sunny days, and the occasional snake streaks by. If you like Armadillos, you are almost guaranteed to see one or more when walking the river trails. There are several families of White Tailed Deer on the grounds, moving from the hay fields to back behind Pond 3 in the mornings. The tell-tale signs of Coyote are evident, from tracks and scat to the occasional fresh deer carcass. Squirrels and raccoons are abundant, and while rarely seen, there is no shortage of assorted rodent species.
A month or so back, I had an unexpected encounter with another resident of the area, a Texas Bobcat (Lynx rufus texensis) and two of her kits. At first I thought the soft rustling of the leaves was another Armadillo, but it wasn’t quite the bulldozer-like racket the ‘dillos make, and the underbrush was too low to be hiding a cautious deer. It was a kit I spotted first, bounding out of the brush and down toward the river. It was followed by the mother Bobcat, who walked softly, keeping a cautious eye on me. As the first kit frolicked in the leaves, a second kit climbed up a nearby branch and settled in, eyeing me through the brush.
The mother Bobcat stepped out into a small clearing between me and the stationary kit, sat down, and kept an eye on me while casually grooming her fur. I took a few steps closer, she looked up, growled and made it clear that was quite close enough. I took two steps backwards, and she was satisfied, resuming her grooming, and occasionally posing for a portrait.
The Bobcat is relatively common across Texas, counted in every county of the state and well adapted to the expanding urban areas. Nonetheless, they are more often out after dusk, so a morning encounter was a bit of a treat. Next time you are out birding, take a moment to look around at some place other than the ponds and treetops. There is plenty more out there than our feathered friends.
But Hornsby Bend isn’t only a home to birds. The late summer sees an explosion of dragonflies and damselflies. Soft shell turtles bask on the banks, lizards scamper across the trails on sunny days, and the occasional snake streaks by. If you like Armadillos, you are almost guaranteed to see one or more when walking the river trails. There are several families of White Tailed Deer on the grounds, moving from the hay fields to back behind Pond 3 in the mornings. The tell-tale signs of Coyote are evident, from tracks and scat to the occasional fresh deer carcass. Squirrels and raccoons are abundant, and while rarely seen, there is no shortage of assorted rodent species.
A month or so back, I had an unexpected encounter with another resident of the area, a Texas Bobcat (Lynx rufus texensis) and two of her kits. At first I thought the soft rustling of the leaves was another Armadillo, but it wasn’t quite the bulldozer-like racket the ‘dillos make, and the underbrush was too low to be hiding a cautious deer. It was a kit I spotted first, bounding out of the brush and down toward the river. It was followed by the mother Bobcat, who walked softly, keeping a cautious eye on me. As the first kit frolicked in the leaves, a second kit climbed up a nearby branch and settled in, eyeing me through the brush.
The mother Bobcat stepped out into a small clearing between me and the stationary kit, sat down, and kept an eye on me while casually grooming her fur. I took a few steps closer, she looked up, growled and made it clear that was quite close enough. I took two steps backwards, and she was satisfied, resuming her grooming, and occasionally posing for a portrait.
The Bobcat is relatively common across Texas, counted in every county of the state and well adapted to the expanding urban areas. Nonetheless, they are more often out after dusk, so a morning encounter was a bit of a treat. Next time you are out birding, take a moment to look around at some place other than the ponds and treetops. There is plenty more out there than our feathered friends.