Bird Watching at Lake Somerville State Park in Texas

Lake Somerville State Park is a lovely bird watching spot in Texas. The park's habitats consist of grasslands, mud flats, woodlands and thickets, as well as the lake itself. When bird watching here you will find Painted Buntings, Great Horned Owls, Bald Eagles and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, among others. Lake Somerville State Park in Texas is also a popular spot for camping, hiking, boating and fishing. For tips on finding and identifying just a few of the species of birds you may see while bird watching at Lake Somerville in Texas, see below.

Eastern Screech-Owl. Also known as the Little Gray Owl or the Ghost Owl, this small bird of prey has gray mottled upperparts, with white spots on its shoulders and lots of barring on its underparts. You will recognize it while bird watching at Lake Somerville State Park in Texas from the prominent dark ring around its facial disk, as well as its yellow eyes and bill. Look for it in the woodlands along Lake Somerville, as well as over the open Texas grasslands, at dusk or in the early dawn.

Carolina Chickadee. Recognize this small bird from its distinctive black cap and bib, along with its white cheeks and white underparts. It also has a short, black bill. Look for these little birds while bird watching in the open woods of Lake Somerville State Park in Texas. Their call is the easily recognizable "chick-a-dee-dee-dee" for which they are named.

Red-shouldered Hawk. This is a large hawk that is easy to recognize while bird watching from the rust-colored barring on its white underparts. It also has brown upperparts and a brown head, with the reddish-brown shoulders for which it is named. Its wings have a reddish wash to them. These hawks prefer moist woodlands, so the forests in Lake Somerville State Park in Texas are a perfect bird watching spot to find them.

Gadwall. Look for this large dabbling duck on the surface of the lake itself in Lake Somerville State Park in Texas. Identify it while bird watching from its gray body, black rump, white belly and brown shoulders. Its head and neck are a brownish-gray, and its bill is gray as well. It also has yellow legs and feet. This duck winters at Lake Somerville State Park in Texas, so look for it in December and January.

Neotropic Cormorant. This small cormorant is easy to recognize while bird watching from its long hooked yellow bill, which has a yellow gular pouch edged in white. It also has a black body with an almost blue, glossy look to it, and black legs and feet. Look for it at Lake Somerville State Park in Texas hunting for fish and other food as it flies low over the water.

Wood Stork. This neat-looking bird is large, and mostly white except for its black flight feathers and tail. Recognize it while bird watching from its featherless, dark gray neck and head, and its long, thick bill that curves downward. While not common at Lake Somerville State Park in Texas, they have been sighted here, and are well worth looking for along the lake itself, where you may see them soaring on thermals and updrafts.

Source list:

Personal experience

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/lake_somerville

http://identify.whatbird.com

http://www.allaboutbirds.org