Bentsen State Park, part of the World Birding Center, spreads over almost 800 acres in Mission, Texas. About seven miles of trails wind through the park, three and a half of which are paved. One trail leads to a Hawk Observation Tower. The paved area is open for cycling. A tram runs along the paved road every hour during the day, November through April.
Today, the last Sunday of October 2023, I drove to Bentsen State Park, beneath a full moon, to ride my bicycle and to view wildlife. I rode all the paved roads once while waiting for the office to open at 8:00 am so I could pay the $5.00 entry fee.
The office has a gift shop and a coffee shop/restaurant.
The roads are well-kept and have feeder stations and bird blinds along the way. When workers fill the feeders with seeds and peanut butter, Green Jays, Altamira orioles and Northern Cardinals flock to the stations to feed.
On the ground near the feeders Curve-billed thrashers and Plain Chachalacas forage. On branches above feeders Great Kiskadees perch. Warblers work the trees.
Beyond the feeding stations turkeys regularly cross the road. People with binoculars and camera equipment walk the roads. Others on bicycles, like me, carry binoculars and cameras. Some simply ride laps around the park.
I didn’t see any mammals during this ride, and I didn’t see many birds outside of the feeding stations, but about 360 species have been seen in this park. I saw people hiking to the Hawk Observation Tower, which is on a trail off limits to bicycles.
The road passes La Parida Banco, a lake, that often has wading birds.
A highlight of my day, besides the pleasure of riding a bike, was watching a Cooper’s Hawk swoop down from its perch on a snag to catch a lizard. A Belted Kingfisher flew overhead, but I didn’t see it land and perch.
On other trips I saw more hawks, more birds, and a bobcat.
Bentsen State Park is an excellent place to bird, to walk, to ride a bike (there are bike rentals), and to enjoy nature and wildlife viewing.
Looks like a beautiful spot.