Rose-throated Becard at Santa Ana NWR, 1/27/18

My longtime friend Mike Wertz was in the Valley this weekend to do some AP Environmental Science prepping in a couple of local high schools.  After his morning sessions were completed, we made a run over to Santa Ana NWR to get a little exercise and maybe see a few birds.  We had just arrived at Willow Lake when I received the WhatsApp alert that longtime RGV birder and Estero Park Superintendent Javier DeLeon had just found the Rose-throated Becard.  I knew one was present but thought our chanced of seeing it were pretty slim.  We walked quickly to the old manager's residence area and there was Javi photographing the becard.  I've seen quite a few of these through the years but I never tire of them.

The becard reported earlier in the fall was a female so I guess we now have a second.  Maybe it's the start of a winter invasion from Mexico.