Ashe Junipers on the trail above the lake
The terrain on the border of the Hill Country is familiar, with its juniper and oak woodlands, limestone outcroppings flecked with fossils and colorful blaze of bluebells and other wildflowers in the spring.
The Bosque Hiking Trail (2.5 miles) circles Lake Meridian, following its grassy shores and climbing the steep limestone ledges that overlook the lake and lush forest to the north. The rugged Little Forest Junior (0.7 mile) and Little Springs (0.4 miles) trails climb farther above the ledges and cut through a dense Ashe juniper and oak forest.
On the opposite side of the lake, the Shinnery Ridge Trail (1.64 miles) is broader, relatively flat and includes a stretch of paved path. From March through early July, look and listen here for the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler, which thrives in these juniper and oak woodlands.
Meridian’s field checklist describes some of its many other seasonal birding opportunities:
In spring and summer, the Black-chinned Hummingbird, Red-bellied and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Bewick’s Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Painted Bunting and Rufous-crowned Sparrow often are found with little effort. Depending on weather conditions during migration, visitors may see numerous ducks, occasional hawks, flycatchers, vireos, many species of warblers and some sparrows as they pass through the park. In winter, one may find [the] Pied-billed Grebe, Northern Flicker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow.