The pond is best viewed 1) in the morning so the sun will be at your back and 2) earlier in the day before heat shimmer obscures scope views.

A scope is VITAL for viewing the pond. The pond is rain water dependent, meaning it’s a good location for migrating shorebirds in the late summer when water levels are low and before the fall rains have started. 

Because you are birding by a busy Farm-to-Market Road, hearing woodland species from the woods across the street is nearly impossible.

Generally, with a little patience, more birds will come into view as they move about in the pond.

On weekends and school holidays, one can view the pond from it’s western side (so good for afternoon viewing) from the Burnet High School parking lot and band practice field. Do not attempt to view the pond from the high school when school is in session.

Be sure to check out the tops of all the power and light poles (lots of light poles over at the high school) for raptors. 

This location is easy to bird while sitting in the driver’s seat of the car, providing shade from the sun on hot days and protection from winds on cold days. 

When leaving this spot, we recommend NOT trying to pull back out onto FM 963 from in front of the red gate. Back up to the far, south end of the parking area so you can get a full right angle view of the highway and a more level spot from which to drive out onto the highway (not an uphill climb on a slippery gravel driveway).

A white morph of a Reddish Egret was found here in late summer, 2023. This is a reliable but distant viewing spot for wintering ducks and other waterfowl. Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, Green Herons and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are all fairly regular here throughout the summer months (April to September). Good location for migrating shorebirds including Baird’s, Stilt and Pectoral Sandpipers and Wilson’s Snipe.

The pond is on private property. Do not cross the fence or gate. Most birders know not to trespass but we want to be sure we make that very clear so we may continue to have good rapport with the property owner. This is a water retention lake built back in the heyday of the dam building period of the U.S. Soil Conservation Service (now known as the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service).