As of the 2023 Christmas Count (16 Dec), the traditional hotspot is heavily impacted by construction. S. College Avenue is closed north of Villa Maria. The main parking area off Rountree Drive is cordoned off for construction activities. There is limited parking at the old Girl Scout House farther north on Rountree and at the skate part on Williamson. There are restrooms at the skate park. The old fishing pier and picnic pavilion have been removed. The lake has been dredged and shoreline vegetation removed. At the time of the Christmas Count, there were extensive mudflats and shallow water with ducks and shorebirds. Land birding has been dramatically reduced.

 There is also birding at the old Bryan Country Club adjacent to the lake on the west side. This site is rapidly developing and is becoming heavily concreted, but there are still some good birding areas around the development. We had 48 species on the Christmas Count. Continue west on Villa Maria from S. College Avenue to the light at the entrance to Midtown Park. The best place to park is probably at the far end of the parking lot at the Big Shots golfing facility. Take the left at 3/4 the way around the first roundabout and follow that to the end of the parking lot. From there, you can walk north along the edge of the woods and bird between passing trains. Follow the wheelchair-accessible running trail east along Williamson. You can either cross the stream on Williamson to the old Williamson Park side or walk down the west side of the lake. At a small wooden bridge that crosses a drainage to the lake, follow the drainage back to the parking lot. The south side of the drainage is generally more productive and avoids the chaos of the Legends event center to the north. There are restrooms at the event center and probably at Big Shots.

Water- and shorebirds, sparrows in winter, warblers in migration

Heavily developed and becoming more so, but still some good birding.

No developed trails.