Estero Llano Grande State Park, 1/7/18

Decided to run over to Esterto today to fill in a few holes on my new year list.  Even though it's only about five miles away I don't get over there too often.  With the warm winter we have been enjoying, the place was crawling with wintering migrants including some uncommon ones.  Best was this Wood Thrush at the drip in the Tropical Zone.  Usually they are a few hundred miles farther south this time of year.

Also present at the drip was an Ovenbird and a Gray Catbird.  Both are uncommon but regular here during winter.

Summer Tanager is also an uncommon wintering bird.  This young male was grabbing honey bees at a hummingbird feeder at the new Indigo Blind.

My goal today was to see the Topical Parula but I had to settle for Northern Parula.

Two Pine Warblers were a nice surprise.

Nashville Warblers seem to be around in higher than usual numbers.

I had heard reports of a presumed hybrid Curve-billed X Long-billed Thrasher and I guess this is it.  It certainly shows traits of each species.

A few days ago I spent a couple of hours at the Roselawn Cemetery in McAllen in an attempt to get my annual Western Tanager for Hidalgo County.  I could not find one but was happy to get the Plumbeous Vireo that has been present since early November.

Don't know how serious I'm going to be with the county list this year but it's nice to take advantage of the beautiful weather and birds that are around now.