Visiting from Arkansas

[mpruitt]

Hi everyone,
I am new to the forum and will be visiting family in Ft. Worth in a few weeks. I was definitely wanting to hit Village Creek Drying Beds for some lifers and do some photography. So I was wondering what ponds are the most rewarding? I would really like to try and get White-winged Dove, Western Kingbird, Painted Bunting, Great-tailed Grackle, B-bellied Whistling Duck, night herons, and shorebirds.

A long list of 'wants' but I was really young and not into birding last time I was in Texas.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

~Mitchell Pruitt in Jonesboro, AR
Galleries: www.pbase.com/mpruitt

[lulubelle]

The beds are easy to drive and there is a map some where on this site that will give you the layout and bed numbers. They do close for rain, but you can walk in. In this heat, it can be a challenge to walk them. What did Charley call it the other night - "the death walk"?!!

I find that beds 1-6 (large single bed to the east), 7, 9, 34, 36, 37, 38, and 45 seem to be the busiest lately - biggest variety of species. There is a marsh to the left of the entrance road - depends on the time of day as to how busy it is & what variety of species you will see. I have better luck seeing the Painted Buntings & Indigos by walking the berm or levee around the beds. Same with Dickcissels now. River Legacy Park is up the road and is another place to consider going for some of your target birds.

[mpruitt]

Thanks for the info so far, I think this will help a lot! I looked at the map and see some roads, I think. Are most of the roads shown driveable?

~Mitchell

[lulubelle]

Yes the roads are very driveable, unless we have had some really heavy rains. Then they will close the beds and usually when they open again there are 2-3 really mushy puddle areas to be careful of. I have found that after a good rain the front east road can be very slippery. The only area we aren't allowed to drive on/around is the raised berm or levee that is surrounding the beds.

They are beginning to mow the fields and on the west side, they have mowed down the higher grasses & sunflowers growing along siide the beds. The east side is pretty overgrown. The brush along the marsh is pretty high as well and can make viewing a bit of struggle - you have to find the clear spots and look!

Are you only looking to find the birds you listed above or are there others you are looking to find as well?

[mpruitt]

That was pretty much it in the way of birds I want to see. I will definitely keep an eye out for other species though.

Can the B and Y-crowned Night Herons be seen on some of the ponds you listed or in the marshy area?

~Mitchell

[lulubelle]

Yellow-crowned - good possibility, no guarantee. They like the marsh area, close to the hill and seem to like a couple of the beds on the front eastern road. Lately I have seen either 1 adult & 1 juvie or 2 juvies. Black-crowned - probably not. Have seem them once this year at the beds, none in the last 2 yrs (personally). There are some still around at a park in Irving, I think. Not too far away, if they are still there. White-winged Doves will be easier seen any where in the city, rather than at the beds.

[mpruitt]

Thanks so much Laura for all the great info. This has helped so much. I've printed the map and will mark the ponds you've told me to make sure not to miss em.

We leave on Saturday and will visit VCDB sometime between Sunday and Wednesday.

Thanks again!!

~Mitchell
Photo Galleries: www.pbase.com/mpruitt

[lulubelle]

My pleasure! Sent you a P.M.

[Birder 13]

barbara and i were at the beds on friday and along the entrance road in the marshy area we saw a yellow-crowned nightheron.

[mpruitt]

Thanks guys, I'll be sure to check out that marsh along the entrance road.

~Mitchell