Northern Flicker at South Padre Island, 10/27/16

A high pressure system parked over west Texas, we've been getting northeasterly winds.  So I made a run out to South Padre Island to see what was going on.  There were reports of a Red-breasted Nuthatch at Sheepshead.  But I couldn't find it.  The "Red-shafted" Northern Flicker at the Convention Center was another story.  Back behind the building it brazenly pounded on dead tepehuaje branches and feasted on the ants that streamed out to defend their home.

We get a Norther Flicker just about every year on SPI but they are usually of the eastern "yellow-shafted" race.  I don't know if I've a "Red-shafted" in the Valley before.  Here's my try at a video.  Would be better with some editing.

                                      

Other stuff around the Convention Center was several Nashville and Tennessee Warblers.

And a rusty tailed Hermit Thrush

Back at Sheepshead a Cooper's Hawk perched in the tangled vegetation with some bloody remains in its talons.

Nearby a small flock with a couple of warblers, an Indigo Bunting and a Blue Grosbeak approached the water drip seemingly oblivious to the nearby accipiter.

Then overhead I heard a loud whistled "see-ooo".  The long staying Crimson-collared Grosbeak was vocalizing right above me and I could not find it to save my life.  Oh well.  Then I figured I would like to keep the grosbeak from being a second course to the Cooper's Hawk's meal.  So I hopped the fence and flushed the raptor.  He knows where the birds are and will probably be back but I did what I could to try to keep the Crimson-collared Grosbeak around for another week for the RGV Birding Festival.