People who want to view wildlife at LCRA parks and recreation areas would do well to follow these tips from LCRA wildlife experts:

• First, try early or late in the day, as close to dawn and dusk as possible, when animals are most active.
• Second, take your time and get quiet. Animals get scarce when groups of people come tromping down a trail.
• Finally, March and April are among the best times of year to spot both flora and fauna, but particularly birds and other animals that are apt to move around during breeding and migrating seasons.

So, what are you waiting for? Dust off your hiking boots and hit the trails.

What might you see? LCRA biologists and environmental staff are compiling a lengthy list of birds, small mammals and other animals that they have either personally spotted on LCRA’s some 40 nature properties or that state biologists would expect to find on such properties in Central and South Texas. While these “resource assessments” are not yet complete for all properties, reports recently have been completed for recreation areas along Lake Travis. (See LCRA parks animal list, McKinney Roughs animal list, Lake Travis bird list, McKinney Roughs bird list and Matagorda County bird list.)

These include many animals most Texans have heard of but may not have seen ─ or at least not seen much of – such as foxes, bobcats, coyotes, turkeys, great-horned owls and eagles (particularly when taking the Vanishing Texas River Cruise from Canyon of the Eagles Nature Park on Lake Buchanan.)

This is also a great time of year to spot endangered songbirds found in Central Texas: golden-cheeked warblers and black-capped vireos. (Keep in mind, however, that it’s also breeding season and some trails on LCRA properties are off limits to protect these rare species at this time of year.)

You also can catch other migrating birds, particularly “neotropical migrants,” birds that travel north after wintering in Mexico and Central and South America.

“Typically, the height of spring bird migration is usually mid-April,” said Melanie Snyder, LCRA environmental coordinator and endangered species specialist.

Be sure to bring a camera along...you never know what you might spot along the way.

Also be sure to pack your binoculars and a birding book to help you identify songbirds you see while hiking.