Birding at Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge came at a most perfect day.  The sun shone through an almost cloudless sky and the slight wind was still cool!

Birding is now more than just a backyard activity.  The interest heightened when the birds that congregated at my backyard became more colorful and more noisy one spring day.  Noisy enough that it agitated my Dachshund into a barking frenzy.

Birding at Lake Lewisville Environmental Learning Area (LLELA) became an eye-opener and offered a day of discovery.  Smaller birds tend to be noisier, males are more colorful, and there are a million birds out there!

A day at Hagerman National Wilflife Refuge was more exciting than imagined.  Lee, the volunteer at the front desk, was wonderful beyond belief.  She gave a verbal tour of the wildlife refuge and gave tips on what to expect.  A self-guided auto tour of the place was the best option since it can cover most of the 11,320 acres dedicated to the wildlife refuge.  It wasn’t even the first turn of the tour when an awesome sight came into view!

An open field stretched to the edge of the lake water, overgrown with grass and flowers, and richly alive with butterflies and birds!

The dirt road continued towards a bridge crossing a portion of the lake and there were fishermen, bikers, and hikers.  Water birds, like the Snowy Egret and Canadian Geese, were also doing their own fishing and hunting by the edge of the lake.

Oil wells can be seen at different locations of the refuge and it was peculiar to see it.  The refuge started as a mining site for oil and the oil companies actually contribute for the maintenance and upkeep of the refuge.  Wildlife does thrive even in the presence of the oil wells.  Bobcats and birds can be seen climbing over oil pipelines!

Under a bridge, where tankers and cars crossed, a colony of cliff swallow nests nestled.  The swooping pattern of their flight looks mesmerizing as they hunt and feed their young in the nests.

There were so many things learned just by touring Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.  An automobile tour covered more ground and showcased a few of the wildlife.  The diversity of wildlife should be more evident if the area is explored on the ground.  There are trails yet to be walked and there are areas yet to be explored.

There are no picnic areas (which is probably why it’s called a refuge and not a park!).

Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge is an excellent place for birding (or birdwatching).  There is a wide variety of wildlife present that changes with the season of the year.