It was forecast to be windy today so I decided to head west as the wind is usually not as bad out there. Since my last trip to Falcon State Park suffered from Crane Hawkus interruptus, I thought I might go back to the lake and see what was about. But as I drove through Roma I noticed the wind had already picked up so I decided to head to Salineno instead. I figured the wind wouldn't be as bad down along the Rio Grande. And maybe I could refind the Crane Hawk which has gone missing for a few days.
Well as I approached Salineno the WhatsApp dinged. Cameron Cox had just refound the Crane Hawk at the Santa Margarita Ranch. So that's where it's been. The Crane Hawk had moved a few miles downstream. Not a problem. I still needed the Limpkin for Starr County. Originally it had been found along the Rio Grande at the Santa Margarita Ranch but recently had been seen along the river at Salineno.
So I drove down to the boat launch area below Salineno and noticed several cars. Birders were out looking for Crane Hawk, Morlet's Seedeater and Red-billed Pigeons. I set up the scope by the river as an elderly birder walked up. He had not seen much along the trail up river and was happy to hear about the Crane Hawk as he had reservations there tomorrow. As we were talking a Zone-tailed Hawk flew right over our heads. It was a lifer for the elderly birder so he was excited. I was happy to get a nice year bird.
Later another birder returned from up river and told me he had seen the Limpkin along the river beyond the Montezuma Cypress trees. I thanked him and returned to the spot where I had seen the Crane Hawk eight days ago. Only instead of bushwacking under the Sabinos, I was going to walk the primitive trail above them and hope to find a spot to see the river. The Limpkin had been hanging out near the north end of the island. Well eventually I did find an overlook and there a few hundred yards away up river was the Limpkin. I got a few poor shot and then waisted another hour trying to find a spot along the river that was a bit closer. All I got out of it was a good workout and a few scratches. Maybe I could have gotten on my hands and knees and clawed my way to the river but I'm getting too old for that.
It was just last October that the first Limpkins for the Rio Grande Valley were seen with two at Estero Llano Grande State Park. Then two more were found in the San Benito area. And as I was leaving Salineno I ran into a tour group who had just seen the Limpkin at the Santa Margarita Ranch. So there are now two of them along the Rio Grande. Six Limpkins in the RGV and it was just a couple of years ago that the first for Texas was found up by Brazos Bend. Now that they've adapted to eating fresh water mussels instead of apple snails like they eat in Florida, I bet they become a regular part of the RGV avifauna.
Meanwhile it was only noon so I thought I would head on up to the park. Maybe the strong wind would make the gulls and terns look for a good loafing spot. The water had risen several feet since my visit in August and the spot where I had seen the Swallow-tailed Kite was completely underwater. So I checked another spot and sure enough I found the loafing gulls and terns. I was hoping for something good like a Lesser Black-backed or a Bonaparte's but it was just the expected Herring and Ring-billed Gulls and Caspian Terns.
One of the Capian Terns had grabbed a plecostomous. First time I've seen a tern try to eat one of these introduced armored catfish from Amazonia.
So any day you see a Limpkin in Texas is a pretty good day.
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