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Old Birding Texas website had 4014 visitors from 9/26/98 to 6/29/00 Send questions and comments to [email protected] Golden-cheeked Warbler photo by Greg Lasley |
Cool Birds of North Central Texas If you ever come to North Central Texas looking for birds, here's a list of a few interesting species you may want to look for. Of course there are tons of specialties in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and Big Bend and whatnot, but this is only for North Central Texas. Black-bellied Whistling Duck - local summer resident and nester in low numbers at Village Creek Drying Beds in Arlington and Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant in Dallas. Mottled Duck - scarce year-round resident, mainly at Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant Ross's Goose - increasingly common winter resident. Often found with Snow Geese. Ross's Goose is most common at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, north of Dallas, where you can see large flocks during winter. Where ever you see Snow Geese, inspect them carefully to turn up Ross's. Swainson's Hawk - common spring, summer, fall resident. They nest around here, so just look around. Common Moorhen - very local nester at Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant and sometimes Village Creek Drying Beds. Black-necked Stilt - local nester at Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant and sometimes Village Creek Drying Beds. Usually noisy and conspicuous while nesting at Southside. Can occasionally be found in migration elsewhere. Buff-breasted Sandpiper - uncommon to common spring and fall migrant. Sometimes can be found in flocks numbering in the 100's in grassy fields, dirt fields, and sometimes on mudflats with other shorebirds, especially at Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant. Franklin's Gull - common to abundant migrant from March to May and October to November. Sometimes flocks of dozens migrate high overhead. They are very rare in winter. Least Tern - uncommon migrant and very local nester. The endangered inland subspecies nests at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge and in low numbers at Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant. Monk Parakeet - several colonies, in Ft.Worth, Dallas, and other places. The best spot is at White Rock Lake just east of downtown Dallas. They nest in the electrical structure at the south end of the lake. Greater Roadrunner - fairly common year-round resident throughout. You just have to get lucky and see one along the road when you're out the dry rural areas. Western Kingbird - common nester from late April to August. They are common along telephone lines, even in urban areas. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - same as Western Kingbird, but some stick around through November, and a very few even in winter. Black-capped Vireo - rare and local. Gone from Dallas County. Ft. Hood is a good spot. Don't expect them in North Central Texas. Go down to the Hill Country to find them, around Austin and San Antonio. Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge near Austin is a good spot to find them. Golden-cheeked Warbler - rare and local in North Central Texas. The one reliable spot to find them nesting is Meridian State Park, southwest of Dallas/Ft.Worth. They are more common and easier to find in central Texas. Bewick's Wren - common year-round in drier, rural areas. Painted Bunting - common summer resident from late April to July. Check open rural areas. Listen for their beautiful warbling song, and you can usually find the male singing from an exposed perch, often at the very top of a small tree. LeConte's Sparrow - rare in most areas, but can be fairly common migrant and winter resident locally. Some good spots are the tall grassy fields below the dam at Lake Tawakoni, Village Creek Drying Beds, Southside Wastewater Treatment Plant, Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, and Spring Creek Park Preserve. Harris's Sparrow - common winter resident. Harris's Sparrow can usually be found in good numbers in rural areas. Check the road sides. Often hangs out with White-crowned Sparrows. Smith's Longspur - very local but regular winter resident at Lake Tawakoni, east of Dallas. They usually come in with real cold weather, and the one reliable spot in Texas to find them is at the grassy airstrip below the dam at Lake Tawakoni. Good luck... |
