Birding Texas: Benbrook Lake

Located about ten miles from Fort Worth, Texas, Benbrook Lake is a bird watching spot you can spend days exploring. There are six parks located along Benbrook Lake, with over 40 miles of shoreline and over 5,000 developed and undeveloped acres of land. Texas bird watching habitats here include forests, creek bottoms, grasslands, prairies, and of course the lake itself and its shores. In addition to bird watching, you can enjoy boating, fishing and camping here. For tips on finding and identifying just a few of the species you may see while bird watching at Benbrook Lake in Texas, see below.

Pied-billed Grebe. Look for this stocky grebe on Benbrook Lake in Texas, feeding on small fish and aquatic insects and plants. Identify it while bird watching from its brown upperparts, pale brown underparts, and its white bill with a black ring. It also has a black chin and dark eyes. If you startle this grebe while bird watching at Benbrook Lake in Texas, it will dive underwater and swim away, rather than take flight.

Great Egret. This large white heron is easy to recognize while bird watching from its black legs and feet, as well as its yellow bill and yellow eyes. It also has long, feathery plumes on its back. Look for it at Benbrook Lake in Texas, hunting for fish, insects, snakes and frogs.

Snowy Egret. Differentiate this all-white egret from the Great Egret when bird watching from its smaller size. It also has a black bill with yellow lores, not a yellow bill like the Great Egret, and while its legs are black its feet are bright yellow. You'll find it hunting for insects, fish and crustaceans at Benbrook Lake in Texas.

American Kestrel. Identify this hawk while bird watching at Benbrook Lake in Texas from its slate blue wings, rust-colored tail and back, and black spotted underparts. It also has two bold, black stripes on its face. Look for it while bird watching over the open, grassy areas near Benbrook Lake in Texas, hunting for frogs, birds, insects and small reptiles. This is the smallest of the North American hawks.

Black Vulture. This large bird of prey is easy to recognize while bird watching from its black body and gray, wrinkled head and neck. It also has long, pale gray legs and feet, and its wings are tipped in white. Look for it in both the forests and open areas of Benbrook Lake in Texas, hunting for carrion. Unlike Turkey Vultures, it is common to see Black Vultures together in flocks.

Redhead. You'll recognize this duck while bird watching at Benbrook Lake in Texas from its rufous head and neck, as well as the black tip on its gray-blue bill and its yellow eyes. It also has a black breast, rump and tail, with a white belly. Look for it diving for plants in the lake.

Bufflehead. This little duck is easy to recognize while bird watching from its glossy greenish- or purple-black head and back. It also has a white patch behind each eye and white patches on its dark wings. Look for it diving in Benbrook Lake in Texas for insects, seeds, plants and snails.

Source list:

Personal experience

http://www.swf-wc.usace.army.mil/benbrook/Benbrook_Bird_Listing.pdf

http://www.lasr.net/travel/lake.php?Benbrook+Lake&TravelTo

http://www.allaboutbirds.org

http://identify.whatbird.com