Birding in Bastrop County
Bastrop
Elgin
Smithville
With our two state parks, McKinney Roughs, Lake Bastrop and the Colorado River, Bastrop County is a birding paradise with 277 different species of birds spotted by state park officials. The county is also in the Central Flyway coming through Texas, comprising 54 percent of migrating birds in North America. With our habitats and the Colorado River running through the county, bird lovers will have a field day of exploration fun.
Each year, volunteers can join one of two local Christmas Bird Counts in November through January: the Bastrop-Buescher Christmas Bird Count (Bastrop and Buescher state parks and area) founded in 1977, or the Lost Pines Christmas Bird Count (Lost Pines Hyatt and LCRA McKinney Roughs Nature Park) begun in 2011.
The local Bastrop County Audubon Society also hosts the Great Backyard Bird Count in February where people sit in their backyards and count birds for 15 minutes, getting the entire family involved.
For those serious birders, use the State Parks Checklist found on the Audubon Society’s website listing each feathered friend seen in the county parks. We’ve also got some great public places for birdwatching year round.
How many can you spot?
