Waterbirds are the big draw at Williamson Park. The extra-long fishing pier offers excellent views into the 25,000-acre Caddo Lake, a swamp-lined water body straddling the Texas-Louisiana line a short distance above Shreveport. Many waterfowl species have been recorded here during fall/winter/spring months. They include Canvasback, Redhead, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, and Hooded and Red-breasted Mergansers.
Keen birders who slowly stalk the marshy edges of the lake may turn up Virginia and Sora Rails, along with shorebirds such as Wilson's Snipe, Solitary and Spotted Sandpipers, and Greater Yellowlegs. Wading birds are also common sights along the shoreline. Besides Great Blue Heron and Great Egret, look for Little Blue and Green Herons, along with Anhinga and Wood Stork. Gulls and terns are also drawn to the lake, as are several species of swallows.
Other birds of interest that have been recorded here include Inca Dove, American White Pelican, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Merlin, Least and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Winter Wren, Lark, Fox, and Lincoln's Sparrows, and Great-tailed Grackle.
This small park is a perfect stop for birders with kids and those who enjoy various outdoor recreational opportunities. Amenities include paved parking, restrooms/showers/water, identification/interpretive signage, a full-time resident park ranger, hiking trails, numerous picnic sites and covered facilities, playgrounds, sports fields and courts, a swimming beach, a 450-foot fishing pier, a boat launch, rental cabins, full-hookup R/V sites, and tent camping areas. Outdoor recreational activities pursued here include birding, biking, hiking/walking, paddling/boating, swimming, fishing, volleyball, softball/baseball, tennis, disc golf, picnicking, nature photography, and camping.
