Ask a Naturalist: Most Unusual thing seen in park

What’s the most unusual thing you’ve found in Hardberger Park?

By Wendy Leonard, PHP Park Naturalist

The most unusual thing I have found in the park was the golden-cheeked warbler in spring 2012. Unfortunately, the warbler only stayed around for a day before moving on to territory further north.  Golden-cheeked warblers are endangered song birds who nest only in central Texas. Every spring, they fly up from their wintering grounds in Central America to raise young right here in Texas. They have specific habitat requirements so their presence in the park was exciting to say the least.