Birding Texas: Dwight D. Eisenhower Park

Dwight D. Eisenhower Park is located on Lake Houston, Texas. It consists of over 600 acres of splendid bird watching opportunities, including forests, swamps, open wooded areas, and the lake itself. In addition to bird watching, you can camp, picnic and fish at this Texas park. For tips on finding and identifying some of the species you may see while bird watching at Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas, see below.

Barred Owl. Look for this beautiful, large owl when bird watching at dusk at Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas. It can be found in the dense, swampier areas of the park. Identify it while bird watching from its dark eyes and lack of ear tufts, as well as its white underparts, which are streaked heavily. If a Barred Owl has too much crayfish in its diet, the feathers on its belly may turn a soft pink.

Hooded Warbler. Identify this small, striking warbler when bird watching at Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas from its yellow face, black hood and bib, yellow underparts and olive green back. It also has conspicuous white spots on its tail. Look for it in the wooded, swampy areas of Dwight D. Eisenhower Park, where it prefers shrubbier spots for foraging in the undergrowth.

Swainson's Warbler. You can recognize this small warbler when bird watching at Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas from its pale brown body and white eyestripe. It prefers to forage on the ground in dense undergrowth, where you may see it hunting for spiders and insects, flipping over and probing under leaves. Swainson's Warblers can be very shy, but their loud, ringing call is unmistakable.

Orchard Oriole. Look for this small Oriole in the open forests of Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas, where you will find it foraging for insects, fruit, nectar and berries. Recognize it while bird watching from its black head, back and tail, as well as its orange underparts and orange rump. It also has black wings and orange shoulder patches. This is the smallest of the North American Orioles.

Red-headed Woodpecker. Recognize this woodpecker when bird watching in Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas from its completely red head and lack of striping on its back. It has bold white patches on its wings and at the base of its tail. Red-headed Woodpeckers drum very softly on trees, unlike some other members of the woodpecker family. Look for them year round while bird watching at Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas, as they are permanent residents.

Eastern Bluebird. This small thrush is easy to identify while bird watching from its bright blue upperparts and rusty breast and throat. It also has a white belly. Look for it foraging in the low branches of trees in the forests and open areas of Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas. Northern Bluebirds eat insects, spiders, seeds and berries. You may also see them while bird watching perched on fence posts or other high spots.

Belted Kingfisher. Identify this Kingfisher while bird watching at Dwight D. Eisenhower Park in Texas from its blue-gray upperparts and white underparts. It also has a large head with a bushy crest, as well as a white collar and a large black bill. Look for it hovering over the waters of the lake before plunging in after its prey, which is usually fish or large insects.

Source list:

Personal experience
http://www.houstonaudubon.org
http://www.allaboutbirds.org
http://identify.whatbird.com