chris runk
04-14-2007, 02:58 PM
Late April through early May is the peak spring migration period. Flycatchers, vireos, thrushes, warblers, and tanagers will be moving through the area along with migrating shorebirds. Each species has its own schedule and shows up pretty much during the same weeks from year to year. A strong approaching cold front, especially with overnight rain, will ground the migrants and make for a spectacular “fall-out”, more common on the coast but possible in our area as well -- good for birders but bad for the exhausted birds!
Traditionally the best areas for the woodland migrants have been Arapaho and Prairie Creek Parks in Richardson. Just N of Campbell Rd. and W of Central Expressway, Prairie Creek is lined by a thin stand of pecans and smaller trees highly attractive to the migrants. A trail along the creek makes viewing easy. Rare spring migrants like Black-billed Cuckoo and usually at least one-per-season Golden-winged Warbler are possible, usually with a good assortment of flycatchers and many other species of warblers.
A second area, less familiar, is the relatively new state park at Lake Tawakoni. About an hour east of Dallas at the end of FM 2475, this area on the south shore of the lake is especially good early in the morning during migration. In addition, the bottomland woods downstream from the Lake Tawakoni dam on the south side of Rt. 47 have breeding east Texas warbler species difficult to find closer to Dallas. Yellow-throated and Kentucky Warblers, Northern Parulas and Louisiana Waterthrushes are present along with Acadian Flycatchers in the woods here.
Thanks to Richard Kinney for his Tawakoni area postings on Texbirds.
Traditionally the best areas for the woodland migrants have been Arapaho and Prairie Creek Parks in Richardson. Just N of Campbell Rd. and W of Central Expressway, Prairie Creek is lined by a thin stand of pecans and smaller trees highly attractive to the migrants. A trail along the creek makes viewing easy. Rare spring migrants like Black-billed Cuckoo and usually at least one-per-season Golden-winged Warbler are possible, usually with a good assortment of flycatchers and many other species of warblers.
A second area, less familiar, is the relatively new state park at Lake Tawakoni. About an hour east of Dallas at the end of FM 2475, this area on the south shore of the lake is especially good early in the morning during migration. In addition, the bottomland woods downstream from the Lake Tawakoni dam on the south side of Rt. 47 have breeding east Texas warbler species difficult to find closer to Dallas. Yellow-throated and Kentucky Warblers, Northern Parulas and Louisiana Waterthrushes are present along with Acadian Flycatchers in the woods here.
Thanks to Richard Kinney for his Tawakoni area postings on Texbirds.