Memories of Kickapoo Caverns State Park

In October-2022, I spent two nights at Fort Clark in Brackettville Texas. It was my base camp during my tour of Kickapoo Caverns State Park, about 30 miles away. In the spring of 2021, I tried visiting Kickapoo Caverns on my way out of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, but my timing was bad. My visit was on a Wednesday, but I learned they only open for operations on a Friday through Monday schedule. Had I known how nice the RV park at Fort Clark was, I’d have doubled back and stayed a couple of days, and returned to enjoy the State Park… Ah well! You know what they say about hind-sight.

I paid two visits to Kickapoo Caverns State Park; first on Friday afternoon and again at dawn on Saturday morning. After checking into my space at the Fort Clark RV Park at about noon, I drove the thirty-odd miles to Kickapoo Caverns. I’d heard glowing reports about the bird blind located near the visitor center. People widely recognize Kickapoo as a reliable location to spot Black-Capped Vireos and Golden-Cheeked Warblers, but I had been in the Lower Rio Grande Valley for the past two months, which offered some of the most promising weeks for finding these specialties here, so I had tempered expectations of finding them. 

I’d heard glowing reports about the bird blind in the park, but when I arrived Friday afternoon, I found the water feature that attracts the birds was down for maintenance. A staff volunteer stopped by and I mentioned the issue to him. He’d only started his tenure here a day earlier, and he didn’t know how to get the water pumping. But he left to find someone who knew how to sort out the problem. Fifteen minutes later, they returned and revived the water flow. With the pump now working, I hoped birds might begin to trickle in. But the only birds that made an appearance was a pair of Bewick’s Wrens, and these stayed in the tangle of leaves and branches that surrounded the water feature. I took a few shots, but later rejected them as substandard. 

I returned to the bird blind at dawn on Saturday morning, knowing the water would have been running through the night. I still held out on the faint hope that I might meet vireos and warblers. And meet them, I did! Just not the ones I was hoping for. The first birds to approach were Olive Sparrows. Of all the birds I met here, these were the most generous. There were a couple of mini rush hours, blended with longer lulls in the action. For most of the morning, I had the blind to myself, but later, after most of the action had diminished, another young birder arrived to enjoy her opportunity to meet the birds in this pine-juniper canyon community. She dedicated the early morning to meeting the bats that spend their days in the caves and caverns that Kickapoo is known for. She mentioned a plan about returning early Sunday morning to try for the early birds, just as I had done on this Saturday morning.

Before I wrapped up my time at the bird blind, I’d met Bewick’s Wrens, Hutton’s Vireos, Lincoln’s Sparrows, Northern Cardinals, Olive Sparrows, Orange-Crowned Warblers, and Ruby-Crowned Kinglets. While I didn’t capture their photos, I heard Golden-Fronted Woodpeckers and saw a Black-Crested Titmouse. Given it was now mid-day, and the birds seemed to have taken off to spend their ‘siesta’ time, I gathered up my gear and drove back to my space at the RV park.

Fort Clark is no longer a military property. It is owned and operated by a homeowners association whose agenda centers on the preservation of the history for the old fort. They constructed most of the buildings with large limestone blocks, which they quarried from the surrounding region. Many of the residents of the base owned their abodes. Some residents lived in the old barracks, which the base had converted to small dwellings. Some lived in other quarters, while others bought parcels and lived in mobile homes or housing developments. The property covers 88 acres, and still has quite a bit of thorn forest land with a creek. Roaming the property, is a herd of Axis Deer, or Chital, as they are sometimes called. People brought these animals to Texas in the 1930s to enhance the hunting experience here, and they still attract hunters who are willing to pay up to $2500 to kill one of these deer.

In late June-2023, after my tour of Ontario Canada and the Appalachians, I drove away from High Island with a plan to cut the distance to my next stop in Brackettville. When I finally arrived in Brackettville on a Wednesday, I lied low until Friday, when Kickapoo Caverns opened. They only open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. I spent all day there, but I could not seem to catch a break. This was my third visit (or attempted visit). I made a poor choice in timing my first attempt for the mid-week. 

On Friday, my arrival was better timed for meeting vireos, but unfortunately, the water feature was still not working. I notified the staff, and this time the problem required several hours to restore the water flow. I spent the morning beating the bushes, and I met some lovely birds, including the Black-Capped Vireo. Unfortunately, the meetings were less intimate than they would have been with a working water feature.

Believing that the water flow might be restored, I took a mid-day break. Later, I stayed inside the blind for several hours, but no water flowed at the blind while I was there. Even if the water had started, I expect it would have taken a while, even days for the birds to discover it. So I drove away somewhat disappointed.

I reserved a spot at my Fort Clark camp, 22 miles away in Brackettville for four nights. Saturday night was my last night there. I thought I’d call the staff at Kickapoo for an update about the water system at the photo blind. Later, the site supervisor (Ken) called me back. He thanked me for letting them know about the water issue. He assured me it started flowing shortly after I left on Friday. We spoke for quite a while, and I enjoyed the conversation. I learned some interesting background information about the mission of the park. The Texas park system took control of the ranch, with protection of the Black-Capped Vireo as one of its objectives. The species was struggling and the park system placed it on a “protection” list. Apparently, the programs put in place have had a positive effect. Some researchers suggest removing the bird from its “protected” status. I attempted to book a campsite in the park for Sunday night, but all their sites were already reserved. So I booked a day-pass and Sunday morning drove back out to the State Park. 

Did I mention I can’t seem to get a break? Saturday night it dumped about two inches of unexpected rain at the park. While the rain was much needed, it diminished the viability of the water at the photo blind for bringing in birds. Still, I was determined to explore my opportunities there. During my conversation with park superintendent Ken, he informed me about the location where Montezuma Quail and their babies had been spotted three weeks earlier. The trail started very near the entrance to the park. So I parked the RV, intending to carry my gear down the trail.

Before I could start my trek, I noticed a swarm of swallows working over the ant hills near the highway. They looked like Cliff Swallows, but I knew that they might prove to be Cave Swallows. So I backed the RV into a position as close to the action as I could, and took a ton of shots of the still distant birds. Later, when I reviewed my images, I realized I’d met Cave Swallows for the first time. 

It was a warm and sunny morning and the night’s rain rose as steam in the air. There was no shortage of birds in the nearby shrubs and trees. But getting them to pose was no simple task. I heard way more than I saw. At the top of my list of ‘missed birds’ were the Yellow-Billed Cuckoos that occupied the territory. Even with these ‘misses’, it was an interesting tour.

I walked back to the RV and met some of the park staff on their side-by-side ATV headed out on some mission. They stopped to chat, and I assured them I had paid my park entry fee online, and would check in with the staff headquarters two miles away as soon as I got there. That satisfied their concerns, and I completed my walk back to the RV, then I spent the rest of my day at the photo blind and surrounding area.

Yes, my visit may not have been ideal, but it was my best visit to this iconic place. I hope it will not be the last.