SPI Warblers after Record Flood, 3/28/25

We have been suffering from severe drought here in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of south Texas.  The winter fronts that passed though gave only a little mist and no measurable precipitation.  But a low pressure system was forecast to come in from Mexico and give us a little relief.  The giant-headed bald guy on Texas Storm Chasers on Youtube forecast the major heavy rain to hit the Coastal Bend.  (I like making fun of this guy cuz he is so pretentious.) Wrong!  Instead most of Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy counties got clobbered with historic flooding.  While some places only received five inches of rain, much of the Valley was swamped by 10 to 20 inches.

So yesterday, after the deluge, I ventured out into the sunlight and made the long drive to South Padre Island to see what the storms had brough in.  At least a hundred cars were abandoned along the freeway because of the flooding from Mission to Harlingen.  People had gotten swamped on the frontage roads and drove into even deeper water trying to seek high ground.  The poor towns of Donna, Mercedes, La Feria, Harlingen and San Benito really suffered because of their poor drainage.

South Padre Island got at least ten inches but the roads were clear.  The Valley Land Fund's Sheepshead lot was flooded and migrants passerines were busy looking for flood refugee insects.  this Yellow-throated Warbler found a juicy cockroach.

Brilliant male Hooded Warblers were about.  Male migrant passerines arrive first on their way to steak out territories on their breeding grounds.

Male Northern Parula will soon be trilling on his stream side territory.

Most popular was this uncommon Prothonotary Warbler.  Birders were confused by the dark crown but experienced Valley birders know these migrants often arrive from Central America with a sticky substance matting the feathers on their face.

One of my targets for the day was the early migrating Louisiana Waterthush.  I was surprised this turned out to be a Northern Waterthrush hunting on the flooded Sheepshead lot.

Most of the same assemblage of early spring migrants were also showing at the partially flooded Convention Center.

Here's a striking male Black-and-white Warbler.

One little bottlebrush held Nashville, Tennesee, Orange-crowned and Yellow-Rumped Warblers along with this Northern Parula.

My only Blue-gray Gnatcatcher for the day.

After a good meal and a pint at the Brewery I picked up this basic plumaged Painted Bunting at the Sheepshead lot.  With the bluish tinge, I'm guesing it's a young male.

As I drove home I felt bad for all the people suffering in flooded neighborhoods.  Usually the indegent live in the most flood prone areas.  The next few days are going to be tough.