Birding Texas: Buescher State Park

Located in Smithville, Texas, Buescher State Park is a wonderful bird watching spot, with over 250 species recorded here. Bird watching habitats here include dense pine forests, creeks, the lake itself and its shoreline, and many others. In addition to bird watching, you can enjoy hiking, fishing, and camping at Buescher State Park in Texas. For tips on finding and identifying just a few of the species you may see while bird watching at Buescher State Park in Texas, see below.

Pied-billed Grebe. This winter resident of Buescher State Park in Texas can be found on the lake, feeding on plants, insects, and small fish. Identify it while bird watching from its brown upperparts, light brown underparts, and white bill with a central black ring. It also has a black chin and dark eyes. If you startle a Pied-billed Grebe, it will dive underwater rather than take flight.

Mallard. You'll find this dabbling duck in the creeks and on the lake at Buescher State Park in Texas. Recognize it from its green head, white neck ring, rust-colored chest, and yellow-green bill. It also has orange legs and feet, and a dark tail edged in white. The female is a soft, mottled brown. Mallard Ducks are the ancestors of all domestic duck breeds, except for the Muscovy Duck.

Redhead. Look for this diving duck in the lake at Buescher State Park in Texas, feeding on water plants. You'll recognize it while bird watching from its black breast, rump and tail, as well as its gray back and white belly. It also has a rufous head and neck, a bluish-gray bill, tipped with black, and yellow eyes. Redheads are winter residents of Buescher State Park in Texas.

Canvasback. This large duck is easy to identify while bird watching from its rusty-red head, white body, and black chest and rump. Look for it on the lake at Buescher State Park in Texas, where you will see it surface diving for plants, snails, seeds, leaves and roots.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Identify this small hummingbird when bird watching from its emerald green back and crown, and iridescent red throat. It also has light gray underparts and a slender, slightly down-curved bill. Look for it on the forest edges when bird watching at Buescher State Park in Texas, where you will see it feeding from tubular flowers or catching tiny insects in the air.

Swainson's Warbler. Look for this warbler foraging on the ground in the dense forests of Buescher State Park in Texas. You can identify it from its brown body, pale white eyering, and unusually large bill. This shy warbler has a loud, ringing call. Look for it foraging for insects and spiders while bird watching at Buescher State Park in Texas.

Purple Finch. This winter resident of Buescher State Park in Texas is easy to recognize while bird watching from its raspberry head and chest, brown back, and white belly. It also has a chunky body and a large, conical beak. Look for them high in the trees of the forest when bird watching at Buescher State Park in Texas.

Source list:

Personal experience

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

http://www.allaboutbirds.org

http://identify.whatbird.com