The Guide to
Austin-area Birding Sites
Good places to see birds in and around Austin
South Areas

4. Blunn
Creek Nature Preserve*-
804 Longbow Lane
Location: From IH-35 south,
take exit 232A (Oltorf
St.). Continue south on
the IH-35 frontage road
for 0.4 mile past the
intersection with Oltorf,
to the intersection with
St. Edward’s Dr.
Turn right onto St. Edward’s
Dr.; the Preserve will
be on the right after
0.2 mile.
Habitats: Riparian and
upland woods. Some small
open fields. Can be good
for wintering birds. Over
the years, 110 species
have been seen in the
Preserve; some of the
more unusual finds include
American
Bittern, Sora, Lark Bunting, and Brewer’s
Sparrow. Seventeen species
of sparrows have been
recorded. At the overlook
on the west trail, hundreds
of Chimney
Swifts can
be viewed toward dusk
in September, coming to
roost at the adjacent
Travis High School.
Facilities: Trails. No
parking lots – use
curbside parking on St.
Edward’s Dr. or
at the east end of Longbow
Ln.
Further
exploration: The
wet, wooded area at the
south end of nearby Mabel
Davis Park* may repay
a visit; American
Woodcock have been reported in
winter. From the Oltorf/IH-35
junction, go east on Oltorf
for 0.2 mile to the intersection
with Parker Ln. Turn right
(south) and follow Parker
Ln. for 0.8 mile; Mabel
Davis Park will be on
the left.

5. Barton
Creek Greenbelt* -
Location: The Greenbelt runs along
Barton Creek for 7.25
miles, from Zilker Park
upstream to the Lost Creek
subdivision. There are
three main access points:
(a)
From the Barton Springs
Pool area – park
in one of the lots and
head upstream. (b)
From Loop 360 (Capital of Texas
Highway) – just
south of the MoPac/Loop
360 intersection, look
for the large, rust-colored
building at Barton Creek
Plaza, 3755 Capital of
Texas Highway. The parking
lot for the Greenbelt
is at 3755B, just north
of the Plaza’s parking
lot (this access point
is sometimes called the
Gus Fruh trailhead). (c)
From Camp Craft Rd. – from
the MoPac/Loop 360 junction,
go north on Loop 360 for
2 miles and turn left
(west) onto Scottish Woods
Trail. Follow Scottish
Woods to its end at Camp
Craft Rd.
Note: No parking
on Camp Craft – use
curbside parking on Scottish
Woods. The Camp Craft
trailhead may be closed
in the near future, to
be replaced by another
trailhead closer to MoPac.
Habitat: Riparian woodlands;
juniper-covered uplands;
some open fields. A good
area during migration
and winter. Summer residents
include Indigo
Bunting, Summer
Tanager, Orchard
Oriole. A few Golden-cheeked
Warblers nest on steep
hillsides upstream from
the MoPac bridge, but
can be very difficult
to find here.
Facilities: Trails (some
wheelchair accessible),
picnic areas. Orientation
map at the Loop 360 trailhead.
Portable toilets near
the Loop 360 and Camp
Craft trailheads. Mountain
bikers and joggers are
numerous and trails are
narrow, so caution is
in order. Some stretches
of trail are quite steep.
6. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower
Center (National Wildflower
Research Center)
4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin
TX 78739, (512) 292-4100
Location: From Town Lake,
drive south on MoPac (Loop
1) for 8.8 miles to La
Crosse Ave. (the first
intersection past Slaughter
Ln.). Turn left (east)
onto La Crosse; the Center
will be on the right after
0.3 mile.
Habitat: Live Oak savannah.
Facilities: Visitors’ center,
gift shop, map, trails
(wheelchair accessible),
interpretive programs,
plantings, library, restaurant,
restrooms, water fountains.
Bird checklist available.
Entrance fee. On-site
parking may be restricted
during special events;
follow directional signs.
Further
exploration: Nearby
Slaughter Creek flows
through Slaughter
Creek Metropolitan Park* (Circle
C Metro Park). Habitat
here includes fields,
thickets, and woods. The
entrance is at 6401 West
Slaughter Ln., 1.1 mile
west of the Slaughter
Ln./MoPac junction. This
Park follows Slaughter
Creek downstream for about
2.5 miles, to near Bowie
High School. See also
Site
7.

7. Mary
Moore Seawright Metropolitan
Park* -
907 Slaughter Ln.
Location: Heading south
on MoPac (Loop 1), exit
at Slaughter Ln. heading
east. Follow Slaughter Ln.
past Manchaca Rd. and turn
south on Bilbrook Place
(the light between Manchaca
and United Kingdom). Follow
Bilbrook and follow it for
1.1 mile to Watchful Fox
Dr. Turn right onto Watchful
Fox and follow it for 0.1
mile to Decker Prairie Dr.
Turn left onto Decker Prairie
and follow it for 1/8 mile
to a small parking area.
Habitats: Riparian woodland
and mesquite-hackberry-cedar
woodland. The best part of
this park for birding is the
southwest part in and around
the paved jogging loop. There
are numerous dirt foot paths
dissecting this part of the
park, too. Several pairs of
Painted
Buntings nest here
in summer, but depart around
the third or fourth week of
July. There is one winter
record of a Sage
Thrasher at this part of the park.
Harris’s Sparrows are
regular winter residents here
as well.
Facilities: Trails, restrooms,
water fountains, picnic areas.
Austin-area Birding Sites
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, TX 78744
or send a message to: nature@tpwd.texas.gov