Nice walk at La Puerta, 9/9/25

I was going to go to the Falcon area today, but as I approached the Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR's La Puerta tract on the east side of Rio Grande City, I decided to just stop and take a walk.  Despite the Valley rains, it was still pretty dry.  Some of the grass had greened up a bit but nothing was blooming so I concetrated on birds more than insects.  I walked along the sand and gravel tract, pishing and whistling pygmy owl calls, but not much was going on untill I reached the lantana patch about a half mile from the parking area.  I glimpsed a cardinal and a few Long-billed Thrashers.  A few weeks ago the area was infested with young cardinals and thrashers feeding on the lantana berries.

 And then there was this guy.  This is now the third time I have seen this Great Howned Owl in the area.

There were a few Empidonax flycatchers and Great Crested Flycatchers.  And then an uncooperative flock of Orchard and Baltimore Orioles.  I wasn't trying too hard for photos.  But then I heard the fall "cluck" call of a Yellow-breasted Chat.  Per usual it was calling but invisible.  So I whistled my crude but effective chat song and it popped right up.

I had gone over a mile and still had not seen a warbler.  I expected at least Yellow Warblers.  But I continued to walk and pish.  And then I caught a flash of yellow in a nearby bush.  I "toot toot"ed a pymy owl call and this good looking female Mourning Warbler exposed herself.  My 240th species for Starr County which is not great but I'm working on it.

When eBird said I had reached 1.5 miles I turned around and walked back.  Not much to see except this stink beetle.  I think it's the genus Eliodes.

So I got in a good three mile walk and a new county bird.  Can't beat that!