Birding at Breckinridge Park, Richardson

 Today visited one of the parks that was the first park I visited after coming to Dallas. Breckinridge park has been a good place to visit. I saw my first Merlin here.

ebird hotspot : https://ebird.org/hotspot/L385293

Started the day at 7:30AM. I started at the lake near Moroney drive and started walking the Breckinridge Trail. The lake was very quite. I saw a lone Great Blue Heron, few Mallards, a Pied-billed Grebe and some Cormorants here. Along side the lake in the reeds I saw some White-throated Sparrows, Cardinal, Chickadee and other birds. As I kept walking I saw Cooper's Hawk. It sat for a very brief moment before flying away. I started walking back on the trail. Near the first bridge over the Rowlett Creek I saw my Hermit Thrush for the first time this season. There was also a Ruby-crowned Kinglet here along with a bunch of White-throated Sparrows. 

Cooper's Hawk

Great Blue Heron

White-throated Sparrow

Hermit Thrush

Northern Cardinal

There used to be a loopy trail here which was less developed few years back. Now I see the trail road is big. This loop used to be very good for birding but today I saw less of them. I felt that widening of this road seems to have some kind of impact with the birds here. Also here I used to see a roosting Barred Owl. I tried to find the same but could not find it today. I saw couple of White-breasted Nuthatches here. 

Downy Woodpecker

Carolina Chickadee

White-breasted Nuthatch

Dark-eyed Junco

After this along the trail I kept seeing lot of White-throated Sparrows. But hardly any other sparrows except of Lincoln Sparrow. Some of the other birds that we saw during the day are Dark-eyed Junco, Eastern Bluebird, Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Phoebes and Yellow-rumped Warblers.

Eastern Bluebird

Cedar Waxwing

Eastern Phoebe

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Lincoln Sparrow

Near the next small creek crossing I saw lot of American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Lincoln Sparrow and White-throated Sparrows. There were couple of Cardinals as well. At the end of the trail where there are lot of big trees I saw my first of the season Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.

American Goldfinch

Pine Siskin and American Goldfinch

White-throated Sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Dark-eyed Junco

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Northern Flicker

Carolina Wren

Eastern Bluebird

Returned after a good birding day. Always have a great birding experience here in this park.

ebird : https://ebird.org/checklist/S77205385

Birds seen during the day :

1. Mallard
2. Pied-billed Grebe
3. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
4. Mourning Dove
5. Ring-billed Gull
6. Double-crested Cormorant
7. Great Blue Heron
8. Black Vulture
9. Turkey Vulture
10. Cooper's Hawk
11. Red-shouldered Hawk
12. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
13. Red-bellied Woodpecker
14. Downy Woodpecker
15. Northern Flicker
16. Eastern Phoebe
17. Blue Jay
18. American Crow
19. Carolina Chickadee
20. Tufted Titmouse
21. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
22. White-breasted Nuthatch
23. Carolina Wren
24. Brown Thrasher
25. Northern Mockingbird
26. Eastern Bluebird
27. Hermit Thrush
28. American Robin
29. Cedar Waxwing
30. Pine Siskin
31. American Goldfinch
32. Dark-eyed Junco
33. White-throated Sparrow
34. Song Sparrow
35. Lincoln's Sparrow
36. Great-tailed Grackle
37. Yellow-rumped Warbler
38. Northern Cardinal

Birding at Bob Woodruff Park and Oak Point Park

After a while went back to the Bob-woodruff park to see the wintering sparrows. The Oak Point Park has been very good for sparrows. Its been a while since I visited Oak point park. I decided to get a long walk today and try covering both of them by walk. 

ebird hotspot : 

Bob-woodruff park - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L276308

Oak Point Park - https://ebird.org/hotspot/L381517

I reached the park by 7AM. It was very chilly. I should have checked the weather and left a little late :-) Anyways I started the walk around the pond which was very quite. The Pond had only Great Egrets, lone Great blue Heron and some Mallards. I also saw some Great tailed Grackles near the pond. There were couple of Phoebes flying near the pond. 

Black Phoebe

Great Egret

Great-tailed Grackle

After this I started walking towards the Parula bridge. Near the picnic tables it was very busy. There were American Goldfinches, Pine Siskins, Cedar Waxwings, Tufted Titmouse and Carolina Chickadee's. As I reached the bridge saw a Carolina Wren. After crossing the bridge I saw some of the Eastern Bluebirds, American Robins and White-breasted Nuthatch. 

Cedar Waxwings and Pine Siskin

White-breasted Nuthatch

Eastern Bluebird

Carolina Wren

American Robin

After crossing the next bridge into the oak point park where the habitat changes completely I started looking for the sparrows. First of the birds that I saw were a group of Eastern Bluebirds. On the trail I saw lot of small insects crawling. I guess the bluebirds were hunting/eating these. Also along the road saw some Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. Near the pond I saw couple of Mourning Doves and a Song Sparrow. 

Black Phoebe

Northern Mockingbird

House Finch

House Finch(Female)

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Mourning Dove

Song Sparrow

One of the reed patches near the entrance was teeming with birds. I saw Fox Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln Sparrow, Field Sparrow and Savannah Sparrow. Also there were American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins. A group of Dark Eyed Juncos visited the patch. Also close by were couple of Eastern Bluebirds hunting. This turned out to be a very productive good patch to stay and just bird. It was really good here. In the lake there Double-crested Cormorants and Ring-billed Gulls. I should probably make time and just bird around the Oak Point park next time around. It was really good to see so many sparrows here. Did not get time to park the walking trails here. 

Pine Siskin

American Goldfinch

Fox Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Song Sparrow

Double-crested Cormorant

Downy Woodpecker

Lincoln Sparrow

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

Dark-eyed Junco

Savannah Sparrow

Savannah Sparrow

Started heading back to the woodruff park towards my car. Again I had to do a quick stop near the Picnic tables since it was teeming with the same birds. Saw my first Golden-crowned Kinglet here along with Finches and other birds. After this headed towards my car where I saw a Hawk coming and sitting near the cars at the parking lot. Maybe it was trying to get away or take away the attention from the Grackles which were making lot of commotion. It was good to get a decent photograph of the Coopers Hawk for the first time. Great way to end the day.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

House Finch

Carolina Chickadee

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Tufted Titmouse

Downy Woodpecker

Bluejay

Cooper's Hawk

ebird : 

Bob Woodruff Park : https://ebird.org/checklist/S77201624

Oak Point Park - https://ebird.org/checklist/S77201885

Birds seen during the day :

1. American Coot
2. American Crow
3. American Goldfinch
4. American Robin
5. Black Vulture
6. Blue Jay
7. Canada Goose
8. Carolina Chickadee
9. Carolina Wren
10. Cedar Waxwing
11. Cooper's Hawk
12. Dark-eyed Junco
13. Downy Woodpecker
14. Eastern Bluebird
15. Eastern Phoebe
16. Field Sparrow
17. Fox Sparrow
18. Golden-crowned Kinglet
19. Great Blue Heron
20. Great Egret
21. Great-tailed Grackle
22. House Finch
23. Lincoln's Sparrow
24. Mallard
25. Mourning Dove
26. Neotropic/Double-crested Cormorant
27. Northern Cardinal
28. Northern Mockingbird
29. Pine Siskin
30. Red-bellied Woodpecker
31. Red-tailed Hawk
32. Ring-billed Gull
33. Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)
34. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
35. Savannah Sparrow
36. Song Sparrow
37. Tufted Titmouse
38. Turkey Vulture
39. White-throated Sparrow