Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge

Posted on | May 2, 2009 | 2 Comments


Prickly pear flower

Originally uploaded by Phisch

More photos on Flickr here.

Field trip today! I still can’t get over how much cool stuff is in and around Austin.

The boys and I packed up bright and all-too-early and headed north by north west to Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge. We made it there! Amazing because I got lost in Cedar Park when I ran out of State Hwy. 183. Technically, it went on but it turned into a—shudder!—toll road. Hubby kindly checked Mapquest for me and we re-routed and made it.

What a drive! Cedar Park is pretty but beyond that, we saw some real Hill Country. It was so gorgeous since the recent rains have brought us so many wildflowers. Our bluebonnets have gone and been replaced by swathes of yellow, orange and red against green grass. I really, really missed my Miata!

We did get there late but we still enjoyed all the stations that the US Fish and Wildlife Service people had set up. The kids learned insects were arthropods, what kinds are beneficial, how to catch them, all about birds, the endangered ones the Refuge was set up for, bird songs and calls, and what kinds of creatures live in the streams in the area.

That was the highlight.

Where my boys were very hesitant to participate in the discussions at the stations (at first, but they did warm up eventually), they were so excited about their stream expedition. What boy wouldn’t want to get in galoshes and traipse up a stream with a net? J, with mom’s help, caught a big pollywog and almost caught a froglet. N caught a water skipper but, with mom’s help, it managed to jump out of the net. Another in our party managed to catch a pollywog AND a water skipper, but one at the other. Predation in action!

After getting the galoshes off and soaking, socked feet in sneakers, the boys and I headed out on a short hike. They examined the corn crib of the old homestead that was built there and we got to hang out around another creek.

The drive home was just as fun but J missed most of it since he fell asleep after he was done eating his snack.

NM’s favorite part: going in the water.

J’s favorite part: going in the water.

Should we get them some mud boots?

* * *

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made…” Rom. 1:20

Category: Family Stuff, God is Great, Homeschool
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Comments

2 Responses to “Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge”

  1. Mai
    May 2nd, 2009 @ 5:24 pm

    Neat. That does not sound like what Kyla and I would do hehehe.

    Who knows, when the kids are grown up, we can get our Miatas and meet somewhere in the Hill Country for fun driving. :-)

  2. phisch
    May 2nd, 2009 @ 9:25 pm

    I’m looking forward to it! I’m told I’m getting a convertible when our oldest graduates from high school. We’ll see!

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