10 bucket-list hikes in the San Antonio area
Peter Rasmussen
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Blanco State ParkDale Blasingame / For the Express-News
There are so many hiking trails in and around San Antonio, it is difficult to come up with a definitive list of the best.
Not only do city parks offer great hiking experiences, there are plenty in the South-Central Texas region that are worth a day trip.
Some offer unique experiences think dinosaur footprints at Government Canyon and spectacular city skyline views at Comanche Lookout. Another park is known for its abandoned railroad tunnel that is home to up to 3 million Mexican free-tailed bats. At Blanco Sate Park, you can work up a sweat with a short hike and then cool off with a dip in the river.
What happened to Texas birds during the big freeze?
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Feathers shield this yellow-rumped warbler from the cold.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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Northern cardinals used bird feeders during the recent freeze to convert food into energy to maintain core body temperature.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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This rufous hummingbird is no stranger to cold weather on its breeding grounds in Alaska but it migrates to Houston for mild winters.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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Birds like this yellow-rumped warbler have intertwined arteries and veins in their legs to protect their feet in the cold.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
The meaning behind songbirds springtime calls
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A Carolina wren s song is loud enough to be heard by his female across the street.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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An male eastern bluebird sings from the top of his nest box. His song assures his female that he has staked out territory with a plentiful food supply for her chicks.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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Northern cardinals form lifelong pairs. His song reassures his female that they ve laid claim to a nesting site and inviting her to begin breeding.Kathy Adams Clark / KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
Cedar waxwings are the drunken revelers of the bird world
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Winter migratory flocks of cedar waxwings are unpredictable in their choices of feeding locations.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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The digestive system of cedar waxwings processes nutrients from fruits and excretes seeds embedded in gooey globs deposited on cars and driveways.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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Cedar waxwing migratory flocks tend to follow the ripening of wild berries such as yaupons.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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Cedar waxwing migratory flocks tend to follow the ripening of wild berries such as yaupons.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
American coots are waterbirds that don t deserve their crotchety moniker
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American coots are related to rails. They can flatten their bodies vertical shape to slip into dense vegetation the way rails do. Photo Credit: Kathy Adams Clark. Restricted use.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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American coots are found in wetlands, reed-covered marshes and lakes, ponds, and occasional saltwater bays. Photo Credit: Kathy Adams Clark. Restricted use.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less
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American coots are found in wetlands, reed-covered marshes and lakes, ponds, and occasional saltwater bays. Photo Credit: Kathy Adams Clark. Restricted use.Kathy Adams Clark / Kathy Adams Clark/KAC ProductionsShow MoreShow Less