K B Srinivas: Winter birding at Lake Tawakoni and nearby fields

This year returned to Lake Tawakoni after about 4 years. Wanted to try my luck with loons, sparrows and other birds that are reported around the Lake area. The Longspurs which are quite rare around here are regularly reported from here. Wanted to try my luck with the same this year. I'm yet to see any of the longspurs.

Ebird hostspot : https://ebird.org/hotspot/L260437

Reached the lake at around 7AM, It was quite cold. The entrance fee for this state park is 5$. The office opens a little late. The early visitors can deposit the entrance free in the envelopes near the entrance area. Once depositing the entrance fee I headed inside the park. It was freezing cold inside in the morning. After getting down from the car headed towards the lake to see if I can find some ducks. I immediately saw Belted Kingfisher which came from the other side of the lake and parked itself on one of the twigs in the lake. By the time I took my camera out to get a picture it flew back to the place from where it had come. This was the first kingfisher sighting for me this season. In the lake the only birds I could see were American Coots, Mallards and some Cormorants. On the bund I could see lot of Killdeers and American Pipits. The trees around had lot of Yellow-rumped Warblers along with Dark-eyed Juncos and some Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

After this I headed towards the Spring Point Trail. Here I saw lot of Savannah Sparrows, American Gold-finches and White-throated Sparrows. There were some Ruby-crowned Kinglets and a lone Winter Wren singing his morning song. As I walked through the trail a little I saw few White-tailed deers with no care in the world :-) They were not worried with any human presence. Along the trail I saw a skulking Brown thrasher and lot of White-crowned Sparrows. Since it was getting quite I decided to head back towards the parking lot and head towards the Tawakoni Dam area. On the way out saw my first of the season Field Sparrow. Its been quite sometime since I saw a Field Sparrow.

Savannah Sparrow

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Winter Wren

Field Sparrow

Eastern Phoebe

Red-tailed Hawk(Juvenile)

Savannah Sparrow

Northern Mockingbird

Meadowlark

I headed towards the dam area and parked near the Boat Ramp area. Here near the parking lot I could see couple of American Pipits. And along with them there were lot of Yellow-rumped Warblers. They were all over the place here. Along with them I saw some American Goldfinches, there were some Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmouses and some field sparrows here. I also saw juvenile Bald Eagle flying over the lake here. One of the birder mentioned about hearing a Sprague's Pippit but I could not find the bird. The only Pipits I could see were American Pipits.

Tried to find the Longspurs along the road here but with no luck. The only birds I could see were the Savannah Sparrows. After trying for a while decided to head back to the National Park to do another round of birding along the trails here.

On the way got to see my first of the season Crested Caracara. He was watching over the fields from a tree along the road. The lake on the road towards the National Park had some ducks. There were some Lesser Scaups, Northern Shovellers and some Gadwalls. The day had been slow for ducks. There also was a perching raptor along the road. It looked like Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk.

American Pipit

Carolina Chickadee

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Field Sparrow

Crested Caracara

Red-tailed Hawk

At the National Park parking lot I could see lot of American Pipits. They were everywhere. Along with them I saw some Dark-eyed Juncos and Northern Cardinals. I was told the Spring Point Trail was very productive for birding. I headed towards the same. I found some Eastern-bluebirds along the trail. Saw lot of White-crowned Sparrows along with couple of Brown Thrashers. As I kept walking the trail started to become very active. There were Orange-crowned Warblers and Pine Warblers everywhere. I had not see so many Pine warblers before. Both the male and female were very busy finding the bugs among the dry leaves and twigs. Even the Orange-crowned warbler and the Kinglets(both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned) were busy trying to find the bugs in these dry leaves and twigs. It was amazing to walk among the birds in the morning. Also saw my first of the season Winter Wren here. Could not get a good picture of the bird though. It was getting hence started to get back. I could have birded the whole day if I had time.