The Ducks and Waterfowl of White Rock Lake

If you’re an avid birder or simply enjoy watching ducks, then Sunset Bay at White Rock Lake in east Dallas is the place to be. This sheltered little bay is officially classified as a wetland, and harbors a multitude of colorful ducks and other water fowl. In fact, 175 birds have been identified in or near Sunset Bay so if you love bird watching, you can never go wrong visiting Sunset Bay.


Frequent visitors to White Rock Lake will know some of the birds by sight. These birds have characters all of their own, and one can even predict how they will react to a given situation. Many of the ducks come onshore to feed in the late afternoon. The image below shows an assortment of Mallards, Coots and a stunning Wood Duck in the bottom right corner.

Ducks feeding onshore at Sunset Bay in the late afternoon

This Muscovy Duck has beautiful plumage

Two male Mallard Ducks swimming alongside the pier in Sunset Bay

A female Mallard Duck foraging for food at Sunset Bay

The Brown Chinese Goose below has the fattest belly imaginable, and it almost drags on the ground. From the look on the face of this goose, it does not like its picture taken.

Brown Chinese Goose

Many of the ducks at White Rock Lake have stunning plumage, including the one below.

Dunking Duck at Sunset Bay

This pair of Mallards were on the east shore of the lake

There are droves of American Coots at White Rock Lake. These noisy birds with enormous feet - look at the bird's feet below - are often seen feeding onshore all along the lake.

American Coots on a log, reflecting on life

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This Snow Goose, nicknamed the Lone Ranger, has been visiting White Rock Lake for quite some time. It's always alone and is often seen walking along the shore, pecking at food. Snow Geese breed in the Arctic Tundra, so visitors to the lake should consider themselves fortunate to have this straggler visit for so long.

Snow Goose, the Lone Ranger, patrolling the lake shore

There is also a Blue Goose resident at White Rock. These darker birds were considered a separate species, but are now believed to be a dark form (a morph) of the Snow Goose. The Blue Goose below was seen eating on shore at Sunset Bay. You will notice from the image that the goose is wearing two bands (rings). He was banded in Manitoba, Canada in 2003. He injured a wing when he became entangled with some fishing line at White Rock Lake and is now unfortunately unable to fly. 


As opposed to the the Lone Ranger, this Blue Goose has totally integrated with the other geese, and gets along well with his distant cousins.

A Blue Goose at Sunset Bay, White Rock Lake

This duck was taking a mid-afternoon nap

White Rock Lake is located in east Dallas, Texas.

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Brilliant Bluebonnets Blooming at White Rock Lake

The spectacular display of Bluebonnets at White Rock Lake continues. The images below were taken late yesterday afternoon. The field of Bluebonnets is located directly across from the fishing pier between the yacht club and the Mockingbird pedestrian bridge.

The Bluebonnet field near Mockingbird pedestrian bridge

Bees play a critical role in the pollination of flowers and other plants. The image below shows a honey bee hard at work on a Bluebonnet, and also a dragonfly.

Stunning Bluebonnet with a honey bee and dragonfly 

Bluebonnets with cumulous nimbus clouds

Have you ever wondered how bees transport pollen back to their hives? They have pollen sacks on their back legs. As they collect the pollen, it is placed in the pollen sacks. And this is how the bees get the pollen back to their hives.

In the image below you can see the orange-colored bulging pollen sacks on the bees back legs.

A stunning image of a honey bee on this Bluebonnet wildflower

Native Americans wove fascinating folk tales around Bluebonnets

In the entire field of Bluebonnets, there was only ONE other wildflower – a single boom - and this was it!

A single bloom in the entire field that was not a Bluebonnet

The Bluebonnet image below shows a honey bee in flight. It is an excellent example of the pollen sacks on the back legs of bees. This bee was obviously working hard. His orange-colored pollen sack if stuffed with goodness.

Notice the orange pollen sacks on the back legs of the bee.

Another view of the Bluebonnet field at White Rock Lake, situated in east Dallas, Texas. Wildflowers are in full bloom at the lake right now.

The Bluebonnet is to Texas what the Shamrock is to Ireland

Below is a single flower of the spectacular Bluebonnet. Don't miss the display. It's stunning!

The Bluebonnet is the official state flower of Texas

You can view more awesome bluebonnet images here:

Spectacular Bluebonnets at White Rock Lake

White Rock Lake is located in east Dallas, Texas.

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Awesome Encounter with a Coyote at White Rock Lake

Thursday, March 29, 2012

This beautiful Coyote made an appearance in the area of Celebration Tree Grove White Rock Lake at about 5:45pm this evening. He (actually, its sex is unknown) casually sat down and enjoyed the late afternoon sun.

He is in excellent condition and amused himself by chewing on some copper wire insulated with blue plastic.

Chewing on the blue object

The Coyote (canis latrans) is also known as the "prairie wolf" and is Texas' most frequently viewed large carnivore. They are extremely intelligent, curious and adaptable animals.

Coyotes are extremely intelligent

You can see from these images that he is obviously well fed, which is not surprising with the Coyote smorgasbord available at the lake. Coyotes are opportunistic carnivores and will eat fish, rabbits, rodents and carrion. In addition, they eat birds, insects and even small domestic pets.

It's a beautiful day for a stroll in the park

Coyotes are generally wary of humans, but this guy seemed oblivious to being photographed, and he ignored the runners and cyclists passing by on the nearby bike trail.

After about twenty minutes of basking in the sun the Coyote got up, stretched, and casually sauntered along the edge of the thicket before he disappeared into the brush near the little bridge at the Celebration Tree Grove, located close to the Poppy Drive entrance to White Rock Lake in east Dallas.

He casually sauntered away

He disappeared into the thicket near the tiny bridge at
Celebration Tree Grove

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Snow Goose Takes up Residence at White Rock Lake

The Snow Goose below, nicknamed the Lone Ranger, has been visiting White Rock Lake for quite some time. It’s always alone and is often seen walking along the shore, pecking at food. Snow Geese breed in the Arctic Tundra, so visitors to the lake should consider themselves fortunate to have this straggler visit for so long.

Snow Goose patrolling the eastern shore of White
Rock Lake in Dallas.

Snow geese are known for their white plumage, but many of them have a darker plumage, and these birds are known as Blue Geese. A single gene controls the color difference between the birds.

There is also a Blue Goose resident at White Rock Lake, located in east Dallas. These darker birds were considered a separate species, but are now believed to be a dark form (a morph) of the Snow Goose.

The Blue Goose below was seen eating on shore at Sunset Bay. The Snow Goose diet is entirely vegetarian and consists of grasses and grains.

Blue Goose with bands feeding at Sunset Bay, White Rock Lake.

You will notice from the image that the goose is wearing two bands (rings). He was banded in Manitoba, Canada in 2003. He injured a wing when he became entangled with some fishing line at White Rock Lake and is now unfortunately unable to fly.

Snow geese are excellent parents. They stay with their young through the first winter and travel together as a family on both the southbound and northbound migrations. The offspring only separate from their parents after they return to the Arctic breeding grounds.

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Magnificent Wildflowers Add Color to White Rock Lake

Every day, more and more wildflowers start blooming at White Rock Lake in east Dallas.

The Woodland Poppymallow (Callirhoe papaver) is a stunning wildflower. This image was taken on the eastern shore of the lake.

Woodland Poppymallow (Callirhoe papaver) 

These little blue jewels are nothing short of spectacular. Grape Hyacinths, otherwise known as Muscari, are actually not Hyacinths at all.  They are members of the Lily family, and are native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. 

The bulbs are apparently poisonous.

The flowers of this genus typically cluster like grapes on the stalk, hence the common name grape hyacinth. Muscari, a genus name derived from the Greek word for musk, alludes to the wonderful fragrance.

Grape Hyacinths, otherwise known as Muscari 

The Western Goat's Beard (Tragopogon dubius), also known as Sand Goat's Beard, could easily be mistaken for a giant Dandelion. This image was taken on the eastern shore of White Rock Lake.

Western Goat's Beard (Tragopogon dubius) 

The Pink evening primrose (oenothera speciosa) can be found all over White Rock Lake right now. It is known by various names, including Showy evening primrose, Mexican evening primrose, Showy primrose, Pink ladies, Buttercups, and Pink buttercups.

Showy primrose or Buttercup

The displays of Queen Anne's Lace are beautiful. Prior to the tiny flowers opening fully, they have an interesting pinkish hue.

Queen Anne's Lace

This Fleabane was growing beside on of the little streams flowing into the lake at Sunset Bay.

Fleabane

The Wild Hyacinth (Camassia scilloides) is also known as Atlantic Camas. They are beautiful plants with sweet-scented flowers. They are part of the lily family, and were once an important food source for Native Americans. 

Wild Hyacinth (also known as Atlantic Camas)

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Restored 1940's Chevy Truck at White Rock Lake

This old magnificently restored Chevy Truck was spotted at White Rock Lake today, in the parking area in the Dixon Branch Creek, near Sunset Bay. It is a Chevrolet ½ ton short wheel base 3100 series, from the late 1940’s to the early 1950’s. The proud owners were having a picnic in the area.

The tags have been deliberately "smudged" prior to publishing these images:

Chevy ½ ton SWB 3100 series, popular in the 1940’s, early 1950’s.

A rear view of the restored Chevy

A view of the passengers side of the Chevy 3100

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Spectacular Bluebonnets at White Rock Lake

Saturday, March 24 2012

White Rock Lake in east Dallas can brag about its spectacular field of Bluebonnets, located just south of the Mockingbird pedestrian (and bicycle) bridge that spans a portion of the lake.

These images were captured on Saturday, March 24, 2012:

This spectacular field of Bluebonnets is located just south
of the Mockingbird pedestrian bridge.

Another view of the Bluebonnets, the official state flower of Texas.

A close up view of the magnificent Bluebonnet.

The Bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) became the official state flower of the Lone Star State in 1901. The Texas Bluebonnet is also known as buffalo clover and wolf flower.

The Bluebonnet field is just south of this bridge.

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Spring Fever at White Rock Lake

The vestiges of winter have finally been discarded, and Mother Nature has started to celebrate Spring at White Rock Lake. And what a wonderful time of the year it is.

Signs of life - this tree is beginning to bud and flower.

Mother Nature has set the procreation clock, and the birds and animals of White Rock Lake have started mating. The fish are spawning, and the trees are beginning to flower or bud. The snakes are out of hibernation, and the wildflowers are beginning to bloom.

In the image below, a male Red Winged Blackbird is performing his mating call routine on top of a blossom-laden cherry tree, on the lake shore near Winfrey Point.

A male Red Winged Blackbird looking for a mate atop a blooming cherry tree.

The smell of spring is in the air, and the lake will soon be bursting with color and new life.

For those of you who spend most of your time in the urban jungle, perhaps it’s time to unwind. Take some time out to explore White Rock Lake in all its glory. Even in the midst of a thriving metropolis you can still find ways to enter nature’s secret kingdom.

This magnificent tree has started to bud.

As Robin Williams so aptly said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s Party!’.” All you have to do is find your way to White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas.

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Wildflowers Start Blooming at White Rock Lake

The wildflowers have just started blooming at White Rock Lake, a few days after the heavy rains earlier in the week. 

Texas has an amazing variety of wildflowers, so much so, that there have been numerous attempts to change the states nick name from the Lone Star State to the Wildflower State.

The images below were photographed today.

Looks like Lyreleaf Sage - still need to verify

The Dotted Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium pruinosum) below grows low to the ground. It has lots of long green grass-like leaves. In fact, it is a member of the Iris family. They have just started blooming at White Rock Lake. Look for these wildflowers to form a sea of blue in the coming days.

  Dotted Blue-eyed Grass belong to the Iris family.

The Showy Primrose (Oenothera speciosa) –  image below - takes two years to produce a bloom, and when it does, the flowers open in the early morning and last for only a single day. It is often called a Buttercup.

These blooms were on the bank of Dixon Branch Creek.

The Showy Primrose flowers open in the early morning and
last for only a single day.

The flowers of the Rose Verbena (Verbena canadensis) grow in clumps and have a very pleasant fragrance. The clusters of light purple flowers are a favorite source of nectar for butterflies.

Rose Verbena or Rose Vervain is also known as Large-flowered verbena or Clump verbena. The plant attracts many insect pollinators. 

This is how the plant got its name: "Rose" refers to the bright rose-purple color of the flowers; "vervain" comes from an old French name for this group of plants; "Verbena" (from Latin) - a classical name for the branches of trees used in religious rites.

The clusters of Rose Verbena flowers are a favorite
source of nectar for butterflies.

Dewberries are common and many people think of them as a weed, but the leaves can be used for a tea, and the berries are sweet and edible. They can be eaten raw, or used to make cobbler, jam, or pie.

Around March and April, the plants start to growing their white flowers that develop into small green berries. The tiny green berries grow red and then a deep purple-blue as they ripen. When the berries are ripe, they are tender and difficult to pick in any quantity without squashing them.

The white Dewberry flowers develop into small green berries. 

The Fringed Puccoon (Lithospermum incisum) is a stunning wildflower. The root has a red substance that Indians used as a dye.

Fringed Puccoon

Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota) is a native of Europe and southwest Asia, but has naturalized all over the United States. It usually blooms in the spring in Texas.

The plant is a favorite of several species of butterflies, including the black swallowtail that uses it as a host plant.

Queen Anne’s Lace is an ancestor of the garden carrot.

Queen Anne’s Lace is a favorite of several species of butterflies.

Star-of-Bethlehem

Dandelions

You can view more spectacular images of wildflowers here:

Blooming Marvelous Wildflowers at White Rock Lake

Magnificent Wildflowers Add Color to White Rock Lake

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