White Rock Lake Birding by Bike

[Ben Jones]

Great bike ride around the lake tonight (7/13) about 7 PM. Flocks of cattle egrets flying stark white against a blue black stormy sky. Yellow crowned night herons wading across the spillway. A kingbird flew right in front of me, almost came to a complete stop mid-air, turnned its head to one side and snapped-up a bug. Huge flocks of purple martins along a high line and in a tree bordering the lake...biggest flocks I've ever seen. Saw a few of the monk parrots in a place I've never seen them before - in the trees where all the ducks and geese gather. Redwing black birds in the reeds. Some young males were still brown flecked with a slight red bar just visible on their wings.
Beautiful night for biking and birding.

[Therea Jones]

Hi - I'm so glad you had a great bike riding experience! Keep birding!

[EastLawther]

I'm with you. Most of my birding is done while I bike or walk, mostly around White Rock Lake. in fact, I can almost trace your path by the birds you saw; I know where the purple martins are concentrated and likewise, the parrots.

I take my binoculars and sometimes the camera, just in case. Harder on a bike, but not impossible. I even went looking for a bike to allow me to sit more upright, for better visibility.

Check out the fields and trees south of Flag Pole Hill and across Northwest Highway. Not the normal bike route, but a good diversion, and it's easier to cross Northwest Highway. You'll see cattle egrets now. In there spring, Redwing and other hawks. There's also a swampy area near the Dart Station on the White Rock Creek hike-bike(-bird?) path. Seen Little Blue Herons there.

Enjoy.