Birding Texas: Lake Tawakoni State Park

Located on the Sabine River, Lake Tawakoni is a terrific bird watching spot that can be found east of Dallas, Texas. It has bird watching habitats that include tall grass prairies, fields, woodlands, the dam on the lake (Iron Bridge Dam), and the lake itself and its shores (some amazing water birds can be seen here.) In addition to bird watching, you can enjoy swimming, fishing, hiking and boating at Lake Tawakoni. For tips on finding and identifying just a few of the species you may see while bird watching at Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas, see below.

Smith's Longspur. This brightly patterned songbird is a winter resident at Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas, where you will find it in the grassy prairies and fields. Identify it while bird watching from its orange neck, chest and belly, as well as its black and white patterned face. It has a short pointed bill and a long tail. Look for it foraging for seeds and insects at Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas.

Sedge Wren. Look for this small wren in the grassy, marshy areas in Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas, where you will find it hunting for insects and spiders on the ground. If you startle a Sedge Wren while you are bird watching, it will run rather than fly away. You can recognize this little wren while bird watching at Lake Tawakoni State Park from its buff-colored body and the bold streaks on its back. It has a short tail that it often holds in an upright position.

Common Loon. You'll find this loon on the surface of the water at Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas, where you can identify it from its long pointed bill, black upperparts spotted with white, and white underparts. It also has a greenish-black head and neck. It swims underwater to catch fish, swallowing them whole in the water. Loons live almost their entire lives on the water, going ashore only to mate and incubate their eggs.

Horned Grebe. Recognize this small waterbird while bird watching at Lake Tawakoni State Park from the "horns" on its head, the yellow patches of feathers behind each eye. It has a small head and a short, thin bill. It also has a reddish neck and black cheeks. Look for it while bird watching on the water at Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas, surface diving for insects to eat.

Red-breasted Merganser. This large diving duck is easy to identify while bird watching from its shaggy crest and iridescent green head. It also has a reddish chest, a white neck, and a long, thin orange bill. Look for it while bird watching at Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas, where you will find it hunting for fish and insects. Red-breasted Mergansers, like Horned Grebes, are surface divers.

Common Goldeneye. Look for this diving duck at Lake Tawakoni State Park in Texas during the winter, hunting for insects and small fish. You'll recognize it while bird watching from its chunky, white body, as well as its black back and head. It also has a large head, and its eyes are a golden yellow. Common Goldeneyes are one of the last ducks to migrate south for the winter.

Source list:

Personal experience
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/lake_tawakoni
http://identify.whatbird.com
http://www.allaboutbirds.org