tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75944253034652064762024-03-07T02:42:18.354-06:00Antshrike's Bird BlogBirding in the Rio Grande Valley and sometimes elsewhere.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger569125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-62699306288233460952024-03-06T21:10:00.000-06:002024-03-06T21:10:11.914-06:00Downy Woodpecker on South Padre Island, 3/6/24<p>On this past Oct 22, Gray Hawk researcher and all around fantastic birder Evan Farese found the first Cameron County record of a Downy Woodpecker at the Convention Center on South Padre Island. Word got out late in the afternoon and several people got to see it, but those of us who arrived the next morning were surprised to not be able to refind the bird. Who would have thought that a poor little lost Downy who had been most likely wandering for days down arid treeless South Padre Island would be so quick to leave an oasis like the Convention Center?</p><p>Well two months later Evan found another Downy Woodpecker while covering the Island for the Christmas Bird Count. The first was a female while this second was a male found on a vacant lot on Retama Street. The bird bird hung around a week and was seen by a dozen birders but not me despite a couple of efforts. Then it was refound at the Valley Land Fund's Sheephead lot on 2/20 after being absent for two monts. I put in five hours the next day to no avail.</p><p>At this point I had given up hope of ever seeing this Downy Woopecker. But then two days ago Javi Gonzalez found the bird again at Sheepshead. I couldn't get over there yesterday but I made it today. I put in a couple of hours in the morning to no avail. Though I did see a Northern Parula, Hermit Thrush and an early female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I got bored and ran up to the Convention Center and ate lunch and birded a bit. Not much going on up there either except for a second Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I went out on the flats and helped some visiting birders with their shorebird IDs. Nothing interesting on the flats.</p><p>So I drove back to Sheepshead and put in another hour. At this point I was getting desparate so I started whistling my Ferruginous Pygmy Owl immitation. No way a Downy Woodpecker would know one of those but maybe something would come in. And soon an agitated Northern Parula and a Myrtle Warbler were scolding me..... and seemingly out of nowhere there was the Downy Woodpecker.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuS83hG52Lh3fCAFlDNyohBuZgaYE81B4ITMQH2ynGpB5zN6jr_9I3vSeIX6ej4SHyNLkinhXJvzk6fg6_5S3wFUwA7HakrsICuezOwAaB7iA8Y-hvpVOYkpZGHWU8E5JQYJa_gEiX6jrQVZuYcT5NS0VLd6tslAKrhsQj1dzPOtW93rh5SWIkk3VgmH4/s1493/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9889.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1493" data-original-width="1098" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuS83hG52Lh3fCAFlDNyohBuZgaYE81B4ITMQH2ynGpB5zN6jr_9I3vSeIX6ej4SHyNLkinhXJvzk6fg6_5S3wFUwA7HakrsICuezOwAaB7iA8Y-hvpVOYkpZGHWU8E5JQYJa_gEiX6jrQVZuYcT5NS0VLd6tslAKrhsQj1dzPOtW93rh5SWIkk3VgmH4/s320/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9889.jpg" width="235" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCWZkHqyR2b7UFl5OwWZpe1-ma01d6TDFym5gtTZMM1zxGfJXujUY-Z86qwdxl3h8vLGKyUWkb7Vx5wOhRxYH1djFUzdHo6eco5ExNTM9cLNbMEeuz_mDHP49ac04JGmsjLUuANCBVbzEF8ktSMmKgmgp5Uj4jEQbXpGNqoRcH6ZF0r23nFSxVPCf4sI/s1800/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9912.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhCWZkHqyR2b7UFl5OwWZpe1-ma01d6TDFym5gtTZMM1zxGfJXujUY-Z86qwdxl3h8vLGKyUWkb7Vx5wOhRxYH1djFUzdHo6eco5ExNTM9cLNbMEeuz_mDHP49ac04JGmsjLUuANCBVbzEF8ktSMmKgmgp5Uj4jEQbXpGNqoRcH6ZF0r23nFSxVPCf4sI/s320/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9912.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQs_cOCcz8_WYPuKwFT-h-qg1KliZrXInQf_IQFZwCoz0QtZNn3VFacbNhhSvHswMTU7EHqMg4fqJQDJ2VAfbM7OeJhKMEKRiXTXIs8Z-Jz_CGEqEDom630ONl8t9-DYOwTo9cpj8AIsuebWDgzQhj-v4IYTQ7fUP-aW1eOrkVCRJn58LTZUX7Hod8H5Q/s2055/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1370" data-original-width="2055" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQs_cOCcz8_WYPuKwFT-h-qg1KliZrXInQf_IQFZwCoz0QtZNn3VFacbNhhSvHswMTU7EHqMg4fqJQDJ2VAfbM7OeJhKMEKRiXTXIs8Z-Jz_CGEqEDom630ONl8t9-DYOwTo9cpj8AIsuebWDgzQhj-v4IYTQ7fUP-aW1eOrkVCRJn58LTZUX7Hod8H5Q/s320/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9907.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAswkr88av7vAcoER2hFLDtKu33FM8qxHlAEkyPWft473cF_Ykishv2cM8oDsMt08CvYOcF6wT0pt1UAkK5i1OZjh1wjXuImwDrjYSEDLg6qJmF1XC4WRVnN2-szhyP2aN7fZhQ1YbwlPyEAGzUvDwOD2nL_eVK6wnae_OxRkU6IKRlndd-A7HvwCuBXM/s2063/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="2063" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAswkr88av7vAcoER2hFLDtKu33FM8qxHlAEkyPWft473cF_Ykishv2cM8oDsMt08CvYOcF6wT0pt1UAkK5i1OZjh1wjXuImwDrjYSEDLg6qJmF1XC4WRVnN2-szhyP2aN7fZhQ1YbwlPyEAGzUvDwOD2nL_eVK6wnae_OxRkU6IKRlndd-A7HvwCuBXM/s320/Downy%20Woodpecker%20Sheepshead%20SPI%202-6-24%200A9A9879.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>This Downy Woodpecker is the 433rd species of bird that I've seen in Cameron County and the eighth species of woodpecker I've seen in the Valley. The only other Downy Woodpecker to ever be seen in the Rio Grande Valley was one found by the late Greg Lasley at the Santa Margarita Ranch way back in 1980. Why two of them would show up on South Padre Island over forty years later is a mystery. I would not be surprised if their occurrence is drought related. Texas had a terrible hot dry summer but who knows where these Downies came from?</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-31537922657148300512024-02-15T14:31:00.005-06:002024-02-15T15:02:28.998-06:00Green-tailed Towhee, Mission, TX 2/15/24<p>I was birding today south of Mission when I ran into a couple who had just found a Green-tailed Towhee. There's been quite a few in the Rio Grande Valley this winter with a particularly cooperative one at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands so it's no big deal. When they described the location I realized it was Los Ebanos Road just east of the National Butterfly Center. This area was famous a few years ago for several Hooked-billed Kites that were feeding on the Rabdotus snails that were having a good year. I had not seen a Green-tailed Towhee yet this year so I made the run over there.</p><p>I found the spot they described by three old telephone poles and started pygmy owl tooting and pishing. It didn't take long till the local passerines came rushing in. First were Black-crested-titmice, Blue-gray Gnatchatchers and Myrtle and Orange-crowned Warblers. Then a Northern Cardinal and a Pyrrhuloxia. Bewick's and Catus Wrens called nearby. Well pretty good but where's the Green-tailed Towhee? As the flock tired of me and wandered off, I finally spotted the towhee and got a couple of distant documentary photos of this locally uncommon species to keep eBird happy. I kept tooting and pishing and the towhee kept creeping closer. I finally got a decent shot of the bird perched in a nearby mezquite when it dropped to the ground. I was shocked when it popped out just a few feet away.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioglYWWWHnrCX6Tgsw8JAGnHev9N_4tHGk8s2ALIl8rd09O8x26HeU06PpM2IlbZJuGLQkJWIIKnFupiTWwUo0YY3QfKppIqsWVDhuD_Unkgdi922BbHrRHhvSQ72WeWzQGnr1A-oH5lRYHTA_BI8LP_V0gvqeRjg2NyBFnE-r6bFjmva05tTzGmbDZVE/s2270/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8401.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2270" data-original-width="1695" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioglYWWWHnrCX6Tgsw8JAGnHev9N_4tHGk8s2ALIl8rd09O8x26HeU06PpM2IlbZJuGLQkJWIIKnFupiTWwUo0YY3QfKppIqsWVDhuD_Unkgdi922BbHrRHhvSQ72WeWzQGnr1A-oH5lRYHTA_BI8LP_V0gvqeRjg2NyBFnE-r6bFjmva05tTzGmbDZVE/s320/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8401.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_fFvqlBKHsqMkRn_bkZeU-Ry0lnSVIVeMA7Cb6Y2ADPQqSB1TW0ny1ZLpPIAB5Lt3BRE9ud7tNmEfzm9eXWn9-mtY4bJpTLR_ipC3Cbrmpu4O1TDPyG317wJ1EH6bkMIxx0kJbs4-qJSaNVkpTKH6gFFpzFoKVpOO_WXIiWHxk_LSCqkoueOIkOkwM4/s3594/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8404.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2396" data-original-width="3594" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq_fFvqlBKHsqMkRn_bkZeU-Ry0lnSVIVeMA7Cb6Y2ADPQqSB1TW0ny1ZLpPIAB5Lt3BRE9ud7tNmEfzm9eXWn9-mtY4bJpTLR_ipC3Cbrmpu4O1TDPyG317wJ1EH6bkMIxx0kJbs4-qJSaNVkpTKH6gFFpzFoKVpOO_WXIiWHxk_LSCqkoueOIkOkwM4/s320/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8404.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3AAEJ9_aQAogz5WWU7tI9v15ncc3VwBhZk3k_qrB2Bt3un-rtXW08C7oSpwSzQ4aHGqrEBONuGIjndxr9xG10qFyv2uABm8KvaDw22AxQ0zev-ak05cFpUWNbq4exwSdBp_6JHAfGY3p2Zn9RqItFEC1Damo1JCjSXE-GFK44o-ovqdbyu6qEQPtaNs/s2153/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8416.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1435" data-original-width="2153" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn3AAEJ9_aQAogz5WWU7tI9v15ncc3VwBhZk3k_qrB2Bt3un-rtXW08C7oSpwSzQ4aHGqrEBONuGIjndxr9xG10qFyv2uABm8KvaDw22AxQ0zev-ak05cFpUWNbq4exwSdBp_6JHAfGY3p2Zn9RqItFEC1Damo1JCjSXE-GFK44o-ovqdbyu6qEQPtaNs/s320/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8416.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8FbbKtXdDV2u8Tv6GAjoeZT2xM4rRevMczheVn4CSNaB9ebRZDxXIunsPFabEnt1Ls6MLAZnjAj5swxYHK9XbGWXVNmuO9egNF8cN6Sy2LZlqZi8b02oGpvn23b0bNw5nDTm5f0PT6Zw-bV3irMyYw4tECWpi2WilgDZGQLzuxHovmQ9pqMNA0JSWAw/s2730/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="2730" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio8FbbKtXdDV2u8Tv6GAjoeZT2xM4rRevMczheVn4CSNaB9ebRZDxXIunsPFabEnt1Ls6MLAZnjAj5swxYHK9XbGWXVNmuO9egNF8cN6Sy2LZlqZi8b02oGpvn23b0bNw5nDTm5f0PT6Zw-bV3irMyYw4tECWpi2WilgDZGQLzuxHovmQ9pqMNA0JSWAw/s320/Green-tailed%20Towhee%20Los%20Ebanos%20Rd%20Mission%202-15-24%200A9A8393.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Well that was a nice surprise. Birding is just like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get. Maybe a little cheesy but it's true!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-48073123940490590642024-02-13T20:03:00.000-06:002024-02-13T20:03:27.931-06:00Resaca de la Palma, 2/13/24<p>Today I decided to make a try for the Cassin's Vireo at Resaca de la Palma State Park near Brownsville. Even though I still need that species for my Cameron County list, I have not made much effort during my past few visits. It's always a chore trying to distinguish between Cassin's Vireo and pale Blue-headed Vireo. In west Texas during migration I feel pretty good about calling Cassin's Vireo but down here I've seen way too many pale Blue-headed Vireos to feel comfortable about making the call. I wish they would just lump 'em all back into Solitary Vireo. Anyway the only "Solitary" Vireo I saw today was a dark headed Blue-headed so I didn't have to worry.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Roadside Hawk has been present since November.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeaAaHnJvKPKf6pgxoBVBrBHzra-xLyyY313NqpsC2QPrNMNUSDFmkXRsW_UqqVzlROzkO0-TJjMxW_g_dj4B18V6MWNO1u6Olt0pqildh4mojzZdIzGqJKYFlqbFaTpRTFn2ottIzjDjyzO0vLnQ4m7Nw9kq3MFDshXj_jeEK4dmBL4s-hNMWd0KMzw/s1361/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8221.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="907" data-original-width="1361" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVeaAaHnJvKPKf6pgxoBVBrBHzra-xLyyY313NqpsC2QPrNMNUSDFmkXRsW_UqqVzlROzkO0-TJjMxW_g_dj4B18V6MWNO1u6Olt0pqildh4mojzZdIzGqJKYFlqbFaTpRTFn2ottIzjDjyzO0vLnQ4m7Nw9kq3MFDshXj_jeEK4dmBL4s-hNMWd0KMzw/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8221.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLs_wC5uiGkkx_qR3LsAy3Ad782XpoQMEmjXihbROnzAyaW5D5bX45Na9X6Q7i-489e-wUgD1_9zyH6nqp_f5UKP50TTIdMzA15IUwkgBov_q1NUs-dE_d7TDqLRppnRF_kFT2gu_IHSZMhWoot4m2KanCCoOa5egsXiR1sRsTz8N12GIurht1ta9xEvo/s1539/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1026" data-original-width="1539" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLs_wC5uiGkkx_qR3LsAy3Ad782XpoQMEmjXihbROnzAyaW5D5bX45Na9X6Q7i-489e-wUgD1_9zyH6nqp_f5UKP50TTIdMzA15IUwkgBov_q1NUs-dE_d7TDqLRppnRF_kFT2gu_IHSZMhWoot4m2KanCCoOa5egsXiR1sRsTz8N12GIurht1ta9xEvo/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Both the Gray-headed and Rose-throated Becards also continue but I only saw the female Rose-throated Becard today.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRO0ogu-E032-xv9es-kM87fi43Ljqo-TpUT0Hhk4xmbRnl11HwQ7rdAbilHvqKT5S7lShQMqiu4Q-VTxrGMJZlrV_0TQwstaXQlvho_sgliIvksWWbuEoWL0mkV3HemwSt7Yk-ewaV3y8ggkKORaAH9pehywh1inn14Vm9qszAjeGyQKEThPi89mCqss/s2705/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1803" data-original-width="2705" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRO0ogu-E032-xv9es-kM87fi43Ljqo-TpUT0Hhk4xmbRnl11HwQ7rdAbilHvqKT5S7lShQMqiu4Q-VTxrGMJZlrV_0TQwstaXQlvho_sgliIvksWWbuEoWL0mkV3HemwSt7Yk-ewaV3y8ggkKORaAH9pehywh1inn14Vm9qszAjeGyQKEThPi89mCqss/s320/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8249.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKvNjSSLnYOcm8uT-w9jFJbstgCQ9WGbA_eo-OdjsdNOJihnXzlAZhl8IvvzeTfcVPF6AnXIsbAeTVC-VraqxK1No2x2wc5nsowcMRY3nVmMY3l2YNVuGWpWxt5Fx7Y-y0osqWJBRekeM309wXqr38wpj0julqfP2DdO7dLF8wt0uCYmeJeki0fJl5wc/s2140/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1427" data-original-width="2140" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioKvNjSSLnYOcm8uT-w9jFJbstgCQ9WGbA_eo-OdjsdNOJihnXzlAZhl8IvvzeTfcVPF6AnXIsbAeTVC-VraqxK1No2x2wc5nsowcMRY3nVmMY3l2YNVuGWpWxt5Fx7Y-y0osqWJBRekeM309wXqr38wpj0julqfP2DdO7dLF8wt0uCYmeJeki0fJl5wc/s320/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8259.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>I hung around the feeding station for a while hoping for the Tropical Parula but I had to settle for the wintering Northern Parula.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7-oDz5_I0QS9lbC2joLpkprUsWFit8ZuGp2lVe9CUd9fXY3bVgKYx02xS412TvTmXXL58S3j8yOq6O2tPZe9DuUWbPMN3WIYFO5WQa_4dypJj1F802soS9Y8eBIm3FUthFPGfAy-2b05FGnCmx9p-GT6dmUJ6PrXdjrhgyCRwgjtHG22G_DdpJpDeuI/s1697/Northern%20Parula%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1131" data-original-width="1697" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP7-oDz5_I0QS9lbC2joLpkprUsWFit8ZuGp2lVe9CUd9fXY3bVgKYx02xS412TvTmXXL58S3j8yOq6O2tPZe9DuUWbPMN3WIYFO5WQa_4dypJj1F802soS9Y8eBIm3FUthFPGfAy-2b05FGnCmx9p-GT6dmUJ6PrXdjrhgyCRwgjtHG22G_DdpJpDeuI/s320/Northern%20Parula%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8301.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Here's a Black-and-white Warbler.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOziMnpRzfc8sEf6DcSOYCDA-R5LD2daZIdfXEBdolGWpkFV2HUkT0jtRGjAplVtlO71-Ng7GI64rhrpygX2JC47uC3vGENixqp0PSj35er7MbiOyEju5MtRNDcLjQCzjQ8FQ3qXTQOxsSfCjvNTEdzEvlzZUfLLntkC1NOf8LLcY9rZQavBaj58LdpFM/s2297/Black-and-white%20Warbler%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8327.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1531" data-original-width="2297" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOziMnpRzfc8sEf6DcSOYCDA-R5LD2daZIdfXEBdolGWpkFV2HUkT0jtRGjAplVtlO71-Ng7GI64rhrpygX2JC47uC3vGENixqp0PSj35er7MbiOyEju5MtRNDcLjQCzjQ8FQ3qXTQOxsSfCjvNTEdzEvlzZUfLLntkC1NOf8LLcY9rZQavBaj58LdpFM/s320/Black-and-white%20Warbler%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8327.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>I counted twenty Green Jays at the feeding station.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHrYJzQVnfYw7dmEGry8HeyH_g49j2YjNJ6j9jWNiIWaLLowkulREWxo24c1rua5JLeyMBin8E1zvQJ2gatI7GDyfiTQMsIba91CCIyY6H4fZOWxQeKQfy7GbvjM7Ebyz0XOmsqICXPTGPNQg0RXDOOyDLTjPyCO09cQt96MqqR94RqLDID3mc-43I5M/s3614/Green%20Jay%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2409" data-original-width="3614" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHHrYJzQVnfYw7dmEGry8HeyH_g49j2YjNJ6j9jWNiIWaLLowkulREWxo24c1rua5JLeyMBin8E1zvQJ2gatI7GDyfiTQMsIba91CCIyY6H4fZOWxQeKQfy7GbvjM7Ebyz0XOmsqICXPTGPNQg0RXDOOyDLTjPyCO09cQt96MqqR94RqLDID3mc-43I5M/s320/Green%20Jay%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8266.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcBks5_aXqejj_I6ybi34w3CZntdynDfaTv3WSlXBNRTTrYN8xLR1f70AOiSAgR_tEcAk1NkchGeP0KrC0Io5PzaFsDXuMJnPr8CXp8UoCudvHvkOmDpx8wt4iYvPJJC0qbz9nEDpUtcBLyYqNbuW6SXOU6Ine9XQ2KK09CTovluTLu4u_pS-Dbrb7ys/s3840/Green%20Jay%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="3840" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglcBks5_aXqejj_I6ybi34w3CZntdynDfaTv3WSlXBNRTTrYN8xLR1f70AOiSAgR_tEcAk1NkchGeP0KrC0Io5PzaFsDXuMJnPr8CXp8UoCudvHvkOmDpx8wt4iYvPJJC0qbz9nEDpUtcBLyYqNbuW6SXOU6Ine9XQ2KK09CTovluTLu4u_pS-Dbrb7ys/s320/Green%20Jay%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8282.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVMT3mR7j0harJNhsx2TqV8QekCZTFfUoiAw3_WYvOpO1J7vOHzWlk271pq4lJ07wk-MZNuJQFdAgP2DMN99-PbPTSBnBNl_juI4sCxle7n_7RlNhqyP6OBDWufipd21xDyccfc70HCWlPJ7hSREZywn6iHCnXQ6YNN0OSe6Gv6AuBZnUkE_8WNDYGJg/s3102/Green%20Jay%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2068" data-original-width="3102" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVMT3mR7j0harJNhsx2TqV8QekCZTFfUoiAw3_WYvOpO1J7vOHzWlk271pq4lJ07wk-MZNuJQFdAgP2DMN99-PbPTSBnBNl_juI4sCxle7n_7RlNhqyP6OBDWufipd21xDyccfc70HCWlPJ7hSREZywn6iHCnXQ6YNN0OSe6Gv6AuBZnUkE_8WNDYGJg/s320/Green%20Jay%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8312.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>Do not hate me because I am beautiful.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEo25zTZSWGB-rqJ6Mol6h8kUqpfcQcTNLbGlcTVGHsg7ENUo-9nqmTfs0EkWLd_cj6IP_pb-YJu6IrpXZ1YZDHYQpNJLQyVPTUR1PumOlagdTbF6rp_WtB6h1dphz2rH2D2hVHW74ou9N2sZl6xBdeDxfEfKw_o4lypY12qylAjcIQjcW9teRjwygB8/s3944/Northern%20Cardinal%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2629" data-original-width="3944" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEo25zTZSWGB-rqJ6Mol6h8kUqpfcQcTNLbGlcTVGHsg7ENUo-9nqmTfs0EkWLd_cj6IP_pb-YJu6IrpXZ1YZDHYQpNJLQyVPTUR1PumOlagdTbF6rp_WtB6h1dphz2rH2D2hVHW74ou9N2sZl6xBdeDxfEfKw_o4lypY12qylAjcIQjcW9teRjwygB8/s320/Northern%20Cardinal%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8333.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxJlxDkDzEGl83zwIQdws4yCvsRbUGmGZZz6ZO0AUh9_RtM5k1M9n-GY5-FOjmJLfIgRuloOBAal85ucaoO0uth-wFFFu5n9FTm-_bhaHTO5B6SIyvQ1Fmt6wxghcaiedMR7VICyfuVCbC1T_ypDUpMaOHZWWH99LuOfYvDnV6xjNMzkDRK-n8IH8k8M/s2737/Northern%20Cardinal%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1822" data-original-width="2737" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxJlxDkDzEGl83zwIQdws4yCvsRbUGmGZZz6ZO0AUh9_RtM5k1M9n-GY5-FOjmJLfIgRuloOBAal85ucaoO0uth-wFFFu5n9FTm-_bhaHTO5B6SIyvQ1Fmt6wxghcaiedMR7VICyfuVCbC1T_ypDUpMaOHZWWH99LuOfYvDnV6xjNMzkDRK-n8IH8k8M/s320/Northern%20Cardinal%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%202-13-24%200A9A8334.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Supposed to rain in a couple of days. I hope we get dumped on cuz we need it.</p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-2982335863294603062024-02-07T19:31:00.002-06:002024-02-08T08:11:00.286-06:00Limpkin at Salineno, 2-7-24<p>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.</p><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRi-my86Lj4UJWP_q9YA3LanvSfodkujUYutDWeb7D222bW98niKgcmzZdo1Vskj7AfdWobJbe_l80WY3JLMi7taUvC2k9ZEnOebT6ITi3Bks0w6XlvLhZlw1zwPhLj0SecTcIVd8ivDTgisBLNW1YuE-LG5jE1MPareYtOR4i82lnWskCKcfSkyGalQ/s1821/Zone-tailed%20Hawk%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7483.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1821" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRi-my86Lj4UJWP_q9YA3LanvSfodkujUYutDWeb7D222bW98niKgcmzZdo1Vskj7AfdWobJbe_l80WY3JLMi7taUvC2k9ZEnOebT6ITi3Bks0w6XlvLhZlw1zwPhLj0SecTcIVd8ivDTgisBLNW1YuE-LG5jE1MPareYtOR4i82lnWskCKcfSkyGalQ/s320/Zone-tailed%20Hawk%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7483.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxSdbj9H5Lzrt9eR0x94u8iXHJaHfBVISR1s-3QoLvG9tTWP0pBHJJ3jG0nn6znbCmaQp0gVmfQ_5xt1puj6MFNHfN2LLMtFyauJJOYF1Zmx-hl4jV8JXNCNXRoMPbzgGUbJYZMttk1v_vhK57xTFYr4HAmX5QYbp18iKgE0qkwTsLtgsTH9hk1QnmZ0/s1003/Zone-tailed%20Hawk%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7490.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1003" data-original-width="717" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxSdbj9H5Lzrt9eR0x94u8iXHJaHfBVISR1s-3QoLvG9tTWP0pBHJJ3jG0nn6znbCmaQp0gVmfQ_5xt1puj6MFNHfN2LLMtFyauJJOYF1Zmx-hl4jV8JXNCNXRoMPbzgGUbJYZMttk1v_vhK57xTFYr4HAmX5QYbp18iKgE0qkwTsLtgsTH9hk1QnmZ0/s320/Zone-tailed%20Hawk%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7490.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><p>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.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9U2DsyQEB93GSjUu4i3uKhRDpPlMvUUkPT65Uk3bio4sQTXEcTeQgcBQLitZgbQjlsyAEyFIPY-UBaDf-FD6Lxkag90DeVMiLJcs9DSqp_SyEMLDIZCrbdW12SlGC8ecc3vybTgY6rCghyk3f8tSs97IhjiaazL8m4ffqkxjp3-WvvxcZ9-9pfhzep8/s811/Limpkin%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7497.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="811" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9U2DsyQEB93GSjUu4i3uKhRDpPlMvUUkPT65Uk3bio4sQTXEcTeQgcBQLitZgbQjlsyAEyFIPY-UBaDf-FD6Lxkag90DeVMiLJcs9DSqp_SyEMLDIZCrbdW12SlGC8ecc3vybTgY6rCghyk3f8tSs97IhjiaazL8m4ffqkxjp3-WvvxcZ9-9pfhzep8/s320/Limpkin%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7497.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspu5jIHSK5zd7tL0qwBYxE0hMcmtoYq4jCYgiymev5GjJjT970jnmi_2OE3V3d7E1aF1Sxv9Ehp_XlNietYQqUpMQRjKhx7IQpRaH8241jegjzggdANSoSxaFCqBsyB9y6zyh9qOKAQgMzDiu0A0Fh06DyvoCok2E6_Td3dgdnEtqKsl0J_F2u5HeVoI/s1005/Limpkin%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7531.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1005" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjspu5jIHSK5zd7tL0qwBYxE0hMcmtoYq4jCYgiymev5GjJjT970jnmi_2OE3V3d7E1aF1Sxv9Ehp_XlNietYQqUpMQRjKhx7IQpRaH8241jegjzggdANSoSxaFCqBsyB9y6zyh9qOKAQgMzDiu0A0Fh06DyvoCok2E6_Td3dgdnEtqKsl0J_F2u5HeVoI/s320/Limpkin%20Salineno%202-7-24%200A9A7531.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>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.</p><p>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.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZhWNU6aC5IzokEQyshJ5lwBJ7mNbwPnXmwDbqT2Vd8IF9o0nsMF-JX-kk1mZTRYnUeQx5nHNwNU9ctSPkNjIfyx-zpvoq5ZZ4CH2RgI7CLiQV3mAOAtZkCjMjIIpj-ry30n1BNhxQQe4VS8N2J_KuxqUw0OeEIHieWNpUnfXnt0ZM2oHfLRz0siQ63E/s4305/Herring%20Gull%20Falcon%20Lake%20Zapata%20Co.%202-7-24%200A9A7627.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2870" data-original-width="4305" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNZhWNU6aC5IzokEQyshJ5lwBJ7mNbwPnXmwDbqT2Vd8IF9o0nsMF-JX-kk1mZTRYnUeQx5nHNwNU9ctSPkNjIfyx-zpvoq5ZZ4CH2RgI7CLiQV3mAOAtZkCjMjIIpj-ry30n1BNhxQQe4VS8N2J_KuxqUw0OeEIHieWNpUnfXnt0ZM2oHfLRz0siQ63E/s320/Herring%20Gull%20Falcon%20Lake%20Zapata%20Co.%202-7-24%200A9A7627.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLThyphenhyphengNRyQcd2JIuTFMVX3i_FAfmU7f0bC2TcvZFHBbzBN30B7ha76dqKltPoSzPOSTqeqRBiSyj70ts5o_vhuKGoddYP1vV2tmw4xVB7ChhVhBLOk_8dmjz9-V4lR_3Q8eAm1p6RpqCWm19gIfiWTBj_7abbTQD9zX5S8CqzIyx9Bj6t138VnzIbHTI/s2748/Caspian%20Tern%20Falcon%20Lake%20Zapata%20Co.%202-7-24%200A9A7624.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1832" data-original-width="2748" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaLThyphenhyphengNRyQcd2JIuTFMVX3i_FAfmU7f0bC2TcvZFHBbzBN30B7ha76dqKltPoSzPOSTqeqRBiSyj70ts5o_vhuKGoddYP1vV2tmw4xVB7ChhVhBLOk_8dmjz9-V4lR_3Q8eAm1p6RpqCWm19gIfiWTBj_7abbTQD9zX5S8CqzIyx9Bj6t138VnzIbHTI/s320/Caspian%20Tern%20Falcon%20Lake%20Zapata%20Co.%202-7-24%200A9A7624.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p>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.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZVs0AJnH1yK6M1sCBtFSaPXSZcp9coH5IwEhO2P8NREcTy-T9M-h9iSgurizkCKQuIrMp4HKX5Mjy8Ue7zdUJahWIIWdNgZeL7hKgz_Jvp25sRCgBTNIx9oLvjnA3IIeKPACUnJMAKZTYBYlkNaAJ4PsrLK4XI1jRRv4KLTPBawcwmQ-qP7s8evqyvg/s1731/Caspian%20Tern%20Falcon%20Lake%20Zapata%20Co.%202-7-24%200A9A7576.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1154" data-original-width="1731" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZVs0AJnH1yK6M1sCBtFSaPXSZcp9coH5IwEhO2P8NREcTy-T9M-h9iSgurizkCKQuIrMp4HKX5Mjy8Ue7zdUJahWIIWdNgZeL7hKgz_Jvp25sRCgBTNIx9oLvjnA3IIeKPACUnJMAKZTYBYlkNaAJ4PsrLK4XI1jRRv4KLTPBawcwmQ-qP7s8evqyvg/s320/Caspian%20Tern%20Falcon%20Lake%20Zapata%20Co.%202-7-24%200A9A7576.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>So any day you see a Limpkin in Texas is a pretty good day.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-36668565077605103482024-02-02T18:49:00.001-06:002024-02-02T18:49:19.034-06:00Fan-tailed Warbler at UTRGV Brownsville, 2/2/24<p>Back in December the second ever for Texas, Fan-tailed Warbler, was found by Evan Farese on the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus in Brownsville. I went out there a few days later and had a good but very brief view of the bird in the thick vegetation that borders the resaca behind the biology building. It was a much better look than I had of the first record in Pine Canyon at Big Bend National Park. I got very poor views of that bird and no photos at either sighting. The Fan-tailed Warbler has been present since then at UTRGV but was MIA for a few days until Evan relocated it farther east along the resaca.</p><p>So today I drove to Brownsville to make another try at getting photos. Problem was I didn't realize the bird was at a different location from when I saw it in December. I put Evan's lat/long coordinates into my phone but I didn't notice the marker was about 50 yards farther east. So I put in a couple of hours at the old location before I discovered birders were seeing it at a new spot. So anyway, here's the fantastic Fan-tailed Warbler.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVV-Oo6PsmVuwlweJX25HQXLM9Iq-8p4epXNOUk_0g8WBlvbfZG2w7ZaJ6FUmsbKGA-gvsRFM5WhamVghT0tz8-YZrg-2EiQksrhVTIdWtdm8E0Pxd8TdbpVztcG4581DwPIi3iTLXF6CXEO6FirldrkaRklqLKtK_Tg_hSle70yIo3oMub9tck-00D0/s2837/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1891" data-original-width="2837" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnVV-Oo6PsmVuwlweJX25HQXLM9Iq-8p4epXNOUk_0g8WBlvbfZG2w7ZaJ6FUmsbKGA-gvsRFM5WhamVghT0tz8-YZrg-2EiQksrhVTIdWtdm8E0Pxd8TdbpVztcG4581DwPIi3iTLXF6CXEO6FirldrkaRklqLKtK_Tg_hSle70yIo3oMub9tck-00D0/s320/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7314.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnq1aPZtQRRZpaYV1zHjXldxsrK3BtoAG6apIgr0h6USU7CDquUA-OEYZM9lxEuFEsXN8DuK2mwlFSWwmNiRVyzRn1ZfcgBAbJ2GD82bjqj4SjWVnYVYdvRPB-MyPJmV6Uwb19K-DGb0ZK6jg7AoVQfnPJ4NBSffoDNQkllvb0UOHhr0O0H5U9kv4wHs/s3345/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2230" data-original-width="3345" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnq1aPZtQRRZpaYV1zHjXldxsrK3BtoAG6apIgr0h6USU7CDquUA-OEYZM9lxEuFEsXN8DuK2mwlFSWwmNiRVyzRn1ZfcgBAbJ2GD82bjqj4SjWVnYVYdvRPB-MyPJmV6Uwb19K-DGb0ZK6jg7AoVQfnPJ4NBSffoDNQkllvb0UOHhr0O0H5U9kv4wHs/s320/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T886lXdbcSLQW3sw2YvoDLmZb66t_oy_gjOsDlPMxrFgzr-wxzmQBypqOZye5dGpjEU0_eeDA1kawuBauYAhzeAm10JYzK1gb1FXGxSgaobuPFpNzakpwnIw_bIAXBhtq4AZMyuDuZ6B3bRN29PmzF1VqwnzM9qst0z8UYkJG-59L6Ujvp6UBU7ekaY/s2470/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1647" data-original-width="2470" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7T886lXdbcSLQW3sw2YvoDLmZb66t_oy_gjOsDlPMxrFgzr-wxzmQBypqOZye5dGpjEU0_eeDA1kawuBauYAhzeAm10JYzK1gb1FXGxSgaobuPFpNzakpwnIw_bIAXBhtq4AZMyuDuZ6B3bRN29PmzF1VqwnzM9qst0z8UYkJG-59L6Ujvp6UBU7ekaY/s320/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPLwSc3Sf_Dqtv8bynfuALdyTeYQVCjKN91UiLC9lzB-kRY7xYRCcOS1Sh-V-TlaZEzNaAM55ztPL2kAVcIlHoI7dwez-2H3-f-gjpS-5rm2jsgsWVkYnrVQ27R_uOKTUu4pgiYTPyN-RZfgKIjiXS1weJJeWuM-HgaJKtKdXTrR8WVc_YktcHPgdj0Q/s2658/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7319.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1772" data-original-width="2658" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaPLwSc3Sf_Dqtv8bynfuALdyTeYQVCjKN91UiLC9lzB-kRY7xYRCcOS1Sh-V-TlaZEzNaAM55ztPL2kAVcIlHoI7dwez-2H3-f-gjpS-5rm2jsgsWVkYnrVQ27R_uOKTUu4pgiYTPyN-RZfgKIjiXS1weJJeWuM-HgaJKtKdXTrR8WVc_YktcHPgdj0Q/s320/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7319.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMyXBHyIgSkNkRUisjwYYPJKaTAOUCUMGtDkPOxkgz2YOtz-fbGDGTzo3Lbh2uyTNtKlcZIMSK6NEGrPKkoimUlxr7rpEj3mdn4lWU3nkuMe-GsK4RV7_WaV7HDMu8vEkg0sqvPRjPEqeOHy2bBrDV8M_jYFivQyah6xkR9EZnG1tay2lNO-D2GhGH8c/s2061/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1374" data-original-width="2061" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLMyXBHyIgSkNkRUisjwYYPJKaTAOUCUMGtDkPOxkgz2YOtz-fbGDGTzo3Lbh2uyTNtKlcZIMSK6NEGrPKkoimUlxr7rpEj3mdn4lWU3nkuMe-GsK4RV7_WaV7HDMu8vEkg0sqvPRjPEqeOHy2bBrDV8M_jYFivQyah6xkR9EZnG1tay2lNO-D2GhGH8c/s320/Fan-tailed%20Warbler%20UTRGV%20Brownsville%202-2-24%200A9A7200.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fan-tailed Warbler is endemic to Mexico occuring in both the Sierra Occidental and Oriental. They show up in SE Arizona every few years and there's also a record from New Mexico. As with the Crane Hawk, my views of the Fan-tailed Warbler brought to mind the 1985 Christmas Bird Count in Alamos, Sonora where I saw my first along the Rio Cuchujaqui. Now we need the other two skulkers I saw along the river that day, Blue Mockingbird and Orange-billed Nightingale-Thrush. Stranger things have happened.</div><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-73775922668908776562024-01-29T18:32:00.003-06:002024-01-30T08:16:12.973-06:00Crane Hawk, 2nd US Record at Salineno, 1/29/23<p>This morning I woke up and thought about taking another stab at the Fan-tailed Warbler at the University of Texas campus in Brownsville. I saw it few weeks ago for just a few seconds and failed to get a photo. Then it was missing for a few days. It has recently been refound but standing around waiting for a rare bird to appear is not my idea of fun. So I went the other direction to Falcon State Park. Maybe I could find something interesting.</p><p>Well I did see the the Say's Pheobe that been hanging around the lake shore and I was checking distant gulls though the scope when the WhatsApp dinged. Holy Smokes! A visiting birder had just found a Crane Hawk at Salineno. Now I had already seen the only other US record, the Santa Ana NWR Crane Hawk back in March of 1988, so it was not like it was a lifer or anything. I thought my chances of seeing it were slim but it was only a few miles away so what the heck. When I arrived a birder told me second hand that the Crane Hawk had flown downstream. But a few minutes later, new Valley hotshot birder Zach Johnson walked up and informed me the bird had actually flown upstream and he was waiting for Simon Kiazc to join him in a seach. They had been birding the nearby Santa Margarita Ranch which has been hosting a plethora of rare stuff (Mottled Owl, Black-throated Tiger-Heron, Limpkin, Brown Jays, etc). </p><p>Well I walked the trail upstream and found a few birders waiting for the magical reappearnce. Minutes later Simon and Zach joined us and they decided to check out the Montezuma Cypresses upstream. They took off and I was standing there thinking why don't I go too? So I followed them down the rugged trail that traverses the steep bank of the Rio Grande. They were a bit ahead of me and passing under the large cypresses when a dark raptor looped out of the trees and flew upstream. Simon and Zach went high on the bank while I stayed low under the trees and the raptor flew past me. I could see the broad dark wings and broad banded tail. And then it landed on a snag on the island just across from me. Simon yelled at me and I yelled that I saw it. I got few poor photos and repositioned myself on the steep bank where I could see the bird a little better. I was by myself for maybe twenty minutes admiring the fantastic Crane Hawk when Simon and Zach moved back downstream above me. The Crane Hawk then flew right over my head, too fast for photos, but circled back around and landed in a bare mezquite above me. As I was hidden below by the Sabinos (as the Montezuma Cypress is called in Mexico) I was able to get a few decent photos. According to Howell and Webb, the grey face is indicatve of an immature bird.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-k-qiOM9ZsCVkL_pBHVFtBq21pokt0x0t5jnutlMfeq-IPi7QKknojwixGWxueESEnQ4HqFTxeqAxV39MbEoY7eSHEJoublhKPxpvP_j7iN2bATpRVeOk1GNfGICG8dWuu9Cb4JhJVRVscvQSRtpoictLBCyz918h6qXVcOOISkHB7qHTVHBr9HpNPk/s2652/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6599.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1768" data-original-width="2652" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-k-qiOM9ZsCVkL_pBHVFtBq21pokt0x0t5jnutlMfeq-IPi7QKknojwixGWxueESEnQ4HqFTxeqAxV39MbEoY7eSHEJoublhKPxpvP_j7iN2bATpRVeOk1GNfGICG8dWuu9Cb4JhJVRVscvQSRtpoictLBCyz918h6qXVcOOISkHB7qHTVHBr9HpNPk/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6599.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0eWOhmcaYyWL51dqQczRDN-zoP9STNfyywDtaasCRA8ovRAxZpHdaNaGCvAaM10sJDfVAORmM1hUuDw1JgYLdiFaVbfCXSsfVOh5IN0DgJRfZPShDEbQ2mStmuCBcfGMQcCOxcI7ddA_4t9-kJR69kDl7B-5YbnOmKH2ysF1XVR31c-tW2re32LmfEI/s2468/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6610.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1645" data-original-width="2468" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_0eWOhmcaYyWL51dqQczRDN-zoP9STNfyywDtaasCRA8ovRAxZpHdaNaGCvAaM10sJDfVAORmM1hUuDw1JgYLdiFaVbfCXSsfVOh5IN0DgJRfZPShDEbQ2mStmuCBcfGMQcCOxcI7ddA_4t9-kJR69kDl7B-5YbnOmKH2ysF1XVR31c-tW2re32LmfEI/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6610.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvje0FH1yMgDmfjKkM-6bQ8D7VJjC9yb7XVmESZZ_jwcbrAXdAp6WqMHq3BZkCEq87T0uxRdpwRsW76RySDfUESTD-Ytq9SCFCc1owPZAX5OkgdWwlsk6ql7MYsl0n1aL9dAlZUHTiQOtvzp8MS8elTUM6sHehwn3rPzGsMdgyYOC9agCn7Cy3asSafQ/s2486/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6611.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1657" data-original-width="2486" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGvje0FH1yMgDmfjKkM-6bQ8D7VJjC9yb7XVmESZZ_jwcbrAXdAp6WqMHq3BZkCEq87T0uxRdpwRsW76RySDfUESTD-Ytq9SCFCc1owPZAX5OkgdWwlsk6ql7MYsl0n1aL9dAlZUHTiQOtvzp8MS8elTUM6sHehwn3rPzGsMdgyYOC9agCn7Cy3asSafQ/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6611.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Here are some distant flight shots. The third show the white arc at the base of the primaries which is a good field mark for Crane Hawks in flight.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA20N7rP9tOR8KUTaryPGOt2xIqDO7k2jMUAZPyCzNXuzM7CI97i8lBTXS-yfQaIu303PKX9abmSnCgHU9vTvh-mkHaLdLuJ39dUEkW0-C0Mhgp4Xo1ReKFDxqwIW63nq54Z2bgUbL0oLfYEJSDkFAwUSG3iGmdJDEOfW7d7Z-jDxke8h34hIANqU_igE/s1555/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6582.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1037" data-original-width="1555" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA20N7rP9tOR8KUTaryPGOt2xIqDO7k2jMUAZPyCzNXuzM7CI97i8lBTXS-yfQaIu303PKX9abmSnCgHU9vTvh-mkHaLdLuJ39dUEkW0-C0Mhgp4Xo1ReKFDxqwIW63nq54Z2bgUbL0oLfYEJSDkFAwUSG3iGmdJDEOfW7d7Z-jDxke8h34hIANqU_igE/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6582.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KlNn6mDAw4CGQqfRHG2EaD4vRFRx_1clPAgaz6unYQWVXm2nFNBnDcGF6uzRZHJgooiaiZvwnt8cBOhgA96Fnl1toE80IyWXWC92VDUFV5LNDkapq-Uf6Uds6AhMpZpdMBu3bxgsyMb5t6OznP-aANcSl3AUKGKS-mBayRv-W7R0oDaLWLDaXpGLeF0/s1484/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6583.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="989" data-original-width="1484" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9KlNn6mDAw4CGQqfRHG2EaD4vRFRx_1clPAgaz6unYQWVXm2nFNBnDcGF6uzRZHJgooiaiZvwnt8cBOhgA96Fnl1toE80IyWXWC92VDUFV5LNDkapq-Uf6Uds6AhMpZpdMBu3bxgsyMb5t6OznP-aANcSl3AUKGKS-mBayRv-W7R0oDaLWLDaXpGLeF0/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6583.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3z_aGcT9jBTb8V1mSXHs_JFQ__jmgekWethdBEeSi3rn0nfVvf3oLX5QzcKmc4-u5OjMvUbX9kA4gGdkR9RvPZiwaa8SQKGWgg7KPzXbZ37ZJSPsXcltRK-Yxk3EvKMKhn4-I6N-z2hf-1JP8h_xdrTMNrjMoeOlvU02Ax8ij-3XhU2Sqa4YEfHYr8oc/s1345/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6587.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="897" data-original-width="1345" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3z_aGcT9jBTb8V1mSXHs_JFQ__jmgekWethdBEeSi3rn0nfVvf3oLX5QzcKmc4-u5OjMvUbX9kA4gGdkR9RvPZiwaa8SQKGWgg7KPzXbZ37ZJSPsXcltRK-Yxk3EvKMKhn4-I6N-z2hf-1JP8h_xdrTMNrjMoeOlvU02Ax8ij-3XhU2Sqa4YEfHYr8oc/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6587.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>My first shots were pretty distant.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlEGrQfX-L6JCkyYlYlPkEVweNJ8y18q85y7iMdlOCKsOxrjg4TwL5bHNC0V4TW2Th3rPkMl2a6ic5Z1nAW82wNokNORwdc9bMJXfTmTUcG9XxJf2wvkvCiDfBoikleaoAqszaqB66VRHuhsVvNM9QIoF5J2hqMQlhE2DQ1gTzxqLAuGuvNiERNLMh-s/s1509/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6496.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="1509" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixlEGrQfX-L6JCkyYlYlPkEVweNJ8y18q85y7iMdlOCKsOxrjg4TwL5bHNC0V4TW2Th3rPkMl2a6ic5Z1nAW82wNokNORwdc9bMJXfTmTUcG9XxJf2wvkvCiDfBoikleaoAqszaqB66VRHuhsVvNM9QIoF5J2hqMQlhE2DQ1gTzxqLAuGuvNiERNLMh-s/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6496.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLpimscfQvQeEQxvaMhUSUbuF5CWSW_Xsq40bbDwyFHTtQW0rvKfBM_RJEhZbt1FytSC_ytLhOR2i3QaLSoHzb8ZKJwRdXGu0xQo-pk_nIiCZF1CZW4ZwWiFdU8SuPOH11HjNNf50WyRUPvkM951znFL4Cg_e7vunN18wmGVe2AVDZ152Qjnerk_mEKc/s1698/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6531.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLLpimscfQvQeEQxvaMhUSUbuF5CWSW_Xsq40bbDwyFHTtQW0rvKfBM_RJEhZbt1FytSC_ytLhOR2i3QaLSoHzb8ZKJwRdXGu0xQo-pk_nIiCZF1CZW4ZwWiFdU8SuPOH11HjNNf50WyRUPvkM951znFL4Cg_e7vunN18wmGVe2AVDZ152Qjnerk_mEKc/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6531.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCcc0WMMjD3US8chQbd7pzjjTAJMEZMdmmNJYLmu4UJZnKLSEoGuSIWkKH_aLGuPqks79pEgZhfDesVKErGmsbWI0VCAR5OZtlqgLilwpHGMcU-nR5Xzoc6rMuDMx0g-EUzWZIearYtZIYXY0CFKQXaSTEOlNQHcgJfiXPed6hPk21tbipbvXjDaRAS8/s1455/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6533.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="970" data-original-width="1455" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCcc0WMMjD3US8chQbd7pzjjTAJMEZMdmmNJYLmu4UJZnKLSEoGuSIWkKH_aLGuPqks79pEgZhfDesVKErGmsbWI0VCAR5OZtlqgLilwpHGMcU-nR5Xzoc6rMuDMx0g-EUzWZIearYtZIYXY0CFKQXaSTEOlNQHcgJfiXPed6hPk21tbipbvXjDaRAS8/s320/Crane%20Hawk%20Salineno%201-29-23%200A9A6533.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The Crane Hawk puts those long skinny legs to work as it hunts by clambering around trees and poking legs into hollows and crevices looking for bats, reptiles and nesting birds. This is also the hunting method used by the African Harrier-Hawk which is structurally similar but unrelated; another example of convergent evolution.</p><p>What a fun morning! It brought back memories of birding along the Rio Cuchjaqui in southern Sonora with Dave Stejskal on the 1985 Christmas Bird Count. My lifer Crane Hawk was in a Sabino just like those along the Rio Grande this morning.</p><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-2962080546618359562023-12-19T21:54:00.001-06:002023-12-19T21:55:57.661-06:00Yellow-footed Gull at Amarillo, 12/16/23<p> A week ago an amazing first Texas record of Yellow-footed Gull at Southeast Park in Amarillo was posted on the Texbirds Facebook group. Actually this first year bird has been present since early November and the local birders were passing it off as an immature Herring Gull. I've seen this species on the Pacific coast of Mexico and at the Salton Sea in California where a few show up every summer but that's been a few decades ago. This is not a species we were expecting in Texas although a young Yellow-footed Gull was seen in New Mexico just last year. As the bird had been present for over a month, I waited a few days and found a convenient time to make the 775 mile drive to Amarillo.</p><p>I woke up early the next moring and made the short drive from my motel to Southeast Park where a host of familiar faces were waiting for the Yellow-footed Gull. It was a beautiful but cold morning with most bundled up for the 28F early dawn. After a few minutes Petra yelled that the bird was flying in with the Ring-billed Gulls. I got on the bird quickly and managed some poor shots in the early morning light. The immature Yellow-footed Gull then landed on the railing of the fishing dock where it dwarfed the Ring-bills. I got a few more shots and then it took off and did a couple of laps and was gone. Martin and Sheridan had spent seven hours the day before without seeing the gull so I was happy with the view though better lighting would have been nice. Yellow-footed Gull was my 599th species for Texas according to eBird. This includes about eight species (four parrots, Egyptian Goose, Tropical Mockingbird, Striped Sparrow and the recent Cattle Tyrant) not accepted by the TBRC but don't get me started on that.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSLB7rTh8M0LkMMgSt203wVopONldFAybIH7YDKIQz2Ey4nJp2Swe09OUrOD1bWVSS-4mLROva3zNsFpSpEwECaxXyAE9LG92Rzo2k3kmZbVtUY-iDiEKTS-t3AErX13QlksUV3K_xqI3ra4zDxd3saeWXht6fR_evSEOiCOB3ZVPNjE8UPL1xtwFYEZL/s1698/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4595.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSLB7rTh8M0LkMMgSt203wVopONldFAybIH7YDKIQz2Ey4nJp2Swe09OUrOD1bWVSS-4mLROva3zNsFpSpEwECaxXyAE9LG92Rzo2k3kmZbVtUY-iDiEKTS-t3AErX13QlksUV3K_xqI3ra4zDxd3saeWXht6fR_evSEOiCOB3ZVPNjE8UPL1xtwFYEZL/s320/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4595.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHHHxgCuYVqEMinXHdw5kqIfpqZj12_7A7bFG9GkPraCx4uMyHEUWEP0D4e-Pe0bIotXB0pmlB9tjrG4HS98w9LMRdwOCziYhkZ3Pcik8ZSso1ZhwEypec7hjch38FpEwmO9yMf0bgYLnl87m6_DTo9iHXYNx3MAyx_xqVpUAomqDEfe3FiHzLXXTUpby/s1213/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4623.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="808" data-original-width="1213" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrHHHxgCuYVqEMinXHdw5kqIfpqZj12_7A7bFG9GkPraCx4uMyHEUWEP0D4e-Pe0bIotXB0pmlB9tjrG4HS98w9LMRdwOCziYhkZ3Pcik8ZSso1ZhwEypec7hjch38FpEwmO9yMf0bgYLnl87m6_DTo9iHXYNx3MAyx_xqVpUAomqDEfe3FiHzLXXTUpby/s320/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4623.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKPdaGWA37g3IqfXQ3TPobehA36DX7PyV664ghLJ4z4OogqXAVqNCFLuybfZ1f5vNV9exYcBSlvpcByz5de0sn2qnroMG40DHXY80GQvUN6UppoqNZf8BAMeFxv_1yYINQfxBIjC3qSFwU3MaI9viY5CI3K1bBhlp-XfzQRgH6yu-YfcIqSW9-AD576zz/s1517/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4636.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1011" data-original-width="1517" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqKPdaGWA37g3IqfXQ3TPobehA36DX7PyV664ghLJ4z4OogqXAVqNCFLuybfZ1f5vNV9exYcBSlvpcByz5de0sn2qnroMG40DHXY80GQvUN6UppoqNZf8BAMeFxv_1yYINQfxBIjC3qSFwU3MaI9viY5CI3K1bBhlp-XfzQRgH6yu-YfcIqSW9-AD576zz/s320/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4636.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtY7gtxrf0B6wbHHO3ZpVJw0eqsGfL6xKoWjazxV8JjgeVQDnaE_GTDqgT7T2gVVVrD79aAlPIX-wd_Q-JK8i1jj3UZHUXtRiM-wIHz4rawD-2A1M-FyE7111C-PTbxKZSHx1wyn43SLYNCbINqsNcPcrYxYcubfwL5WNSFVx7I0Ow02JHpQz3-RjvjPHT/s1500/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4639.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1500" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtY7gtxrf0B6wbHHO3ZpVJw0eqsGfL6xKoWjazxV8JjgeVQDnaE_GTDqgT7T2gVVVrD79aAlPIX-wd_Q-JK8i1jj3UZHUXtRiM-wIHz4rawD-2A1M-FyE7111C-PTbxKZSHx1wyn43SLYNCbINqsNcPcrYxYcubfwL5WNSFVx7I0Ow02JHpQz3-RjvjPHT/s320/Yellow-footed%20Gull%20Amarillo%20SE%20Park%2012-16-23%200A9A4639.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>It was only 8:30am and I was greedy. The Nutting's Flycatcher at Big Bend would make a fantastic Texas bird #600. So rather than enjoy the very birdy park, I took off. Most of the other birders were off to see the Pine Grosbeak but I already had that one in the bag so I headed southwest. I only stopped to bird a city park in Lamesa and eat at a great Mexican restaurant in Fort Stockton, arriving in Alpine in the early evening.</p><p>I was up early the next moring and made to two hour drive to the Santa Elana Canyon overlook in Big Bend National Park where the Nutting's flycatcher had proven to be very reliable. Well for everyone except me. I spent over five hours scanning the brushy Rio Grande riparian vegetaion below and listening and got nothing. Actually I did see two distant Myiarchus flycatchers but the only calls I heard were from Ash-throated. Here are some poor photos that show a Myiarchus but not much more than that. Just a little more tail detail and I could make an ID.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKbE6NrfI84NdIPeljSGc-msKU-FHoooG2udhD9OBc_bBGJ8ivQLWXCQ1Ej0E7L8VGk57bhLOa5eOru3FcKyfrlUHTRU9aDb-Kno1XXyt9Wt_V7gH-sHt2gej1HoeYYlqAF4eKhDUUFsv9-RfM6oHrQExFRlnm2OtSBTG40_Pn47nRKlI186067EVhLSD/s818/Myiarchus%20Big%20Bend%20Santa%20Elena%20Can%2012-17-23%200A9A4716.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="818" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHKbE6NrfI84NdIPeljSGc-msKU-FHoooG2udhD9OBc_bBGJ8ivQLWXCQ1Ej0E7L8VGk57bhLOa5eOru3FcKyfrlUHTRU9aDb-Kno1XXyt9Wt_V7gH-sHt2gej1HoeYYlqAF4eKhDUUFsv9-RfM6oHrQExFRlnm2OtSBTG40_Pn47nRKlI186067EVhLSD/s320/Myiarchus%20Big%20Bend%20Santa%20Elena%20Can%2012-17-23%200A9A4716.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd_H-P8fb9dFMo6vH-TiMlv1zjCKeGXKUYnutCjn-UdlidjPHqTOyUW3iL5xkghUu5K2bHgUq36L3K4FzA6qX6Lcrs6_Ylcg7_rO8K7Ol99s69rmMezsVQ6-tNdPx2Q6xnYonMlkSylMDrsnStlREkqIrMc0RJ0rKp39EKvUSRVjfIAUfDzX-FAwzgXqt/s834/Myiarchus%20Big%20Bend%20Santa%20Elena%20Can%2012-17-23%200A9A4718.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="556" data-original-width="834" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLd_H-P8fb9dFMo6vH-TiMlv1zjCKeGXKUYnutCjn-UdlidjPHqTOyUW3iL5xkghUu5K2bHgUq36L3K4FzA6qX6Lcrs6_Ylcg7_rO8K7Ol99s69rmMezsVQ6-tNdPx2Q6xnYonMlkSylMDrsnStlREkqIrMc0RJ0rKp39EKvUSRVjfIAUfDzX-FAwzgXqt/s320/Myiarchus%20Big%20Bend%20Santa%20Elena%20Can%2012-17-23%200A9A4718.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3AcH1qAVbnRN-_y50WcWVXiOf1AAn8Lsqk-vqymhj0Guzwss1YgM1moJ03n9bQ_lGj30S1UoxZpRXDCO_Y2QYytaPI-xgyMTxOZyOmgetv91-VI1bkgy2llVNo56kN6mnXtMx0L7Kg_WIPfFX17CS7npCnZSk5KTtlwe3PUUnzGGU713U2VGNRACdKfc/s827/Myiarchus%20Big%20Bend%20Santa%20Elena%20Can%2012-17-23%200A9A4719.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="827" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU3AcH1qAVbnRN-_y50WcWVXiOf1AAn8Lsqk-vqymhj0Guzwss1YgM1moJ03n9bQ_lGj30S1UoxZpRXDCO_Y2QYytaPI-xgyMTxOZyOmgetv91-VI1bkgy2llVNo56kN6mnXtMx0L7Kg_WIPfFX17CS7npCnZSk5KTtlwe3PUUnzGGU713U2VGNRACdKfc/s320/Myiarchus%20Big%20Bend%20Santa%20Elena%20Can%2012-17-23%200A9A4719.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I could have put in a couple more hours but I thought my time would be better spent in Terlingua eating cheese enchiladas and drinking beer. I spent another night in Alpine and thought about giving it another try but I decided to head on home. There were very few birds as I headed east on US 90 but a raptor on a pole gave me some Ferruginous vibes so I turned around and got some good shots of the western raptor. It also turned out to be a new Brewster County bird for me.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqz2SD7Bd3xYFV_9VoetNs9y754xdAFzKhdYMIGBfqvJ82R49aCYcNxLabUob_5OIuaGFcWh7voKoJo79jR6SYqIAonNBKLAQqNFWWIB_TGKaFvez6JhRW06k4gQRUJMoADc_foLqp406GcQ7GuSTjZ0Zzv0drG_Kj5GePnmDaQbMg3wNLfHjCHHBSLGQ/s2196/Ferruginous%20Hawk%20US%2090%20east%20Brewster%20Co%2012-18-23%200A9A4746.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1464" data-original-width="2196" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinqz2SD7Bd3xYFV_9VoetNs9y754xdAFzKhdYMIGBfqvJ82R49aCYcNxLabUob_5OIuaGFcWh7voKoJo79jR6SYqIAonNBKLAQqNFWWIB_TGKaFvez6JhRW06k4gQRUJMoADc_foLqp406GcQ7GuSTjZ0Zzv0drG_Kj5GePnmDaQbMg3wNLfHjCHHBSLGQ/s320/Ferruginous%20Hawk%20US%2090%20east%20Brewster%20Co%2012-18-23%200A9A4746.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-wy6agkBx8hky_3ocss5QujG3Vi4AUZSR_NOGKuWtUD5Ibyf3jNC82-IYqKVaEkgAmhqkt8ynlDWVYFTtnv37uDrrIlVGeOAmsLIIDK7l-agnZRy8p9lR1MwTWP7t5LlQdWBsZ36r6ckYVKMJDRRW91N3J7b5GuAnanlXqgWUjknlJleKn__ho10ad53/s2730/Ferruginous%20Hawk%20US%2090%20east%20Brewster%20Co%2012-18-23%200A9A4752.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1820" data-original-width="2730" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-wy6agkBx8hky_3ocss5QujG3Vi4AUZSR_NOGKuWtUD5Ibyf3jNC82-IYqKVaEkgAmhqkt8ynlDWVYFTtnv37uDrrIlVGeOAmsLIIDK7l-agnZRy8p9lR1MwTWP7t5LlQdWBsZ36r6ckYVKMJDRRW91N3J7b5GuAnanlXqgWUjknlJleKn__ho10ad53/s320/Ferruginous%20Hawk%20US%2090%20east%20Brewster%20Co%2012-18-23%200A9A4752.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-PPsTHOYhwwdwnQJncxLm44Q9OQ5VKVvudPLKfpLJaCq73gaZmSmm7e8FgWD_J5tW7sPnoHTA6Ge0jaE03KQN-XLaRXegEIOqpavXVdYFx9Jl_XJmGh_YN9b5RBIkbJus0tRdY7gdRv8BYu8qgIxvyxJJV04dWRN0DB4j8U8QTYDm1VB8t1eBvzlxPV2/s3349/Ferruginous%20Hawk%20US%2090%20east%20Brewster%20Co%2012-18-23%200A9A4751.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2233" data-original-width="3349" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-PPsTHOYhwwdwnQJncxLm44Q9OQ5VKVvudPLKfpLJaCq73gaZmSmm7e8FgWD_J5tW7sPnoHTA6Ge0jaE03KQN-XLaRXegEIOqpavXVdYFx9Jl_XJmGh_YN9b5RBIkbJus0tRdY7gdRv8BYu8qgIxvyxJJV04dWRN0DB4j8U8QTYDm1VB8t1eBvzlxPV2/s320/Ferruginous%20Hawk%20US%2090%20east%20Brewster%20Co%2012-18-23%200A9A4751.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>A stop at the Sanderson cemetry turned up a Phainopepla where they are uncommon.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYPWqbjlRBHPIazLf8icrKfIC_Tt1UzfBh_JS8kZI8uiJwSrWwt9Y_HlYpnt1YWS5inOcwgNW3NOl5wpRmSbQYJiMT-VAYZQeS98ewH8sMrKna0Xaf5RUDsMPxnPjwJ3I5GaII5yV0SMWYmxpVtxkp9-AIyrVGA1aywuKmj4zHKFz8ztvj58q2CRCsZmS/s1007/Phainopepla%20Sanderson%20Cemetery%2012-18-23%200A9A4766.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="671" data-original-width="1007" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYPWqbjlRBHPIazLf8icrKfIC_Tt1UzfBh_JS8kZI8uiJwSrWwt9Y_HlYpnt1YWS5inOcwgNW3NOl5wpRmSbQYJiMT-VAYZQeS98ewH8sMrKna0Xaf5RUDsMPxnPjwJ3I5GaII5yV0SMWYmxpVtxkp9-AIyrVGA1aywuKmj4zHKFz8ztvj58q2CRCsZmS/s320/Phainopepla%20Sanderson%20Cemetery%2012-18-23%200A9A4766.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div>But the Phainopepla at the Judge Roy Bean visitor's center in Langtry was more unexpected. Turns out this cooperative silky flycatcher has been entertaining visiting Val Verde County birders for a few weeks.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoWDPwj5qexM-RjYg-LY4TB87Z5LZJ0pe4oLiTPOJwupOv53t77QgPs8D_TEey_mRSY6t6-WmmwF-EL9fTeiejvO5O8UO0OuHntSfJWnx6FbNhKFtWcp86PDKnIlePIw0x4JUYrqJ-lA4z7yTCMHL8zFHmZRT2SSg5JLApwYwuKkBREsSd3tnwxpCSN_B/s2158/Phainopepla%20Langtry%2012-18-23%200A9A4812.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2158" data-original-width="1596" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMoWDPwj5qexM-RjYg-LY4TB87Z5LZJ0pe4oLiTPOJwupOv53t77QgPs8D_TEey_mRSY6t6-WmmwF-EL9fTeiejvO5O8UO0OuHntSfJWnx6FbNhKFtWcp86PDKnIlePIw0x4JUYrqJ-lA4z7yTCMHL8zFHmZRT2SSg5JLApwYwuKkBREsSd3tnwxpCSN_B/s320/Phainopepla%20Langtry%2012-18-23%200A9A4812.jpg" width="237" /></a></div><br /><div>Well I went one for two. I could run up to Houston and get the exotic Scaly-brested Munia for #600 but I think I will wait and see if we can turn up some good Mexican vagrant here in the Valley in the coming weeks. I may also give the Nutting's another try if it reappears.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-64966769332936047512023-12-03T19:52:00.003-06:002023-12-04T12:59:39.286-06:00Gray-collared Becard at Resaca de la Palma St Pk, 12/3/23<p>Eight days ago visiting birders found the third US record of Gray-collared Becard at Resaca de La Palma State Park near Brownsville. I rushed over and got to see it for about a tenth of a second. Then I made the run up to the Panhandle to see the Pine Grosbeak. Upon returing I once again drove over to Resaca de la Palma and spent seven hours seeing neither the Gray-collared Becard nor the Roadside Hawk. I did get good looks at the Rose-throated Becard. Yesterday I mowed. We get to do that in December in the Rio Grande Valley.</p><p>This morning I got up dark and early to try again. I knew the place would be loaded as the two previous records were single birder observations. So everyone needs Gray-collared Becard for their life list. But lately the big crowds have had good luck so I made the 30 mile drive once again. I started at the overlook at the end of the Ebony Trail were early morning birders had been rewarded with great looks at the Roadside Hawk. A small group was waiting when I arrived. After a few minutes we got the word that the Gray-collared Becard was showing in the parking lot. I ran most of the quarter mile and...... missed the bird. But the several dozen birders were persistent and the unobrtrusive but not really shy bird was refound and we all got pretty good looks and this ABA mega. Gray-collared Becard is a species I've never seen in Mexico so it was a real lifer for me.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPxOE-uR6DXVlWBqigT9ijjHUCy9jto1PFKibtG66tmVy4h2NZuT1-ij_heGv_BmM4bYRCQAifDQp4oArp35cZOlLGMSuOjz2eSl-BoALB6yd6EjogSA6ItFGjFCiReVGom4B607qUozvRVFHNU48iP8w_MA7Sbfkz18JL3GgAt6Vry5BYRiZFX5QMgE/s2222/Gray-collared%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="2222" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBPxOE-uR6DXVlWBqigT9ijjHUCy9jto1PFKibtG66tmVy4h2NZuT1-ij_heGv_BmM4bYRCQAifDQp4oArp35cZOlLGMSuOjz2eSl-BoALB6yd6EjogSA6ItFGjFCiReVGom4B607qUozvRVFHNU48iP8w_MA7Sbfkz18JL3GgAt6Vry5BYRiZFX5QMgE/s320/Gray-collared%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3346.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnv6hoqJSsIKUJFg1li76OFCrRylfgXnGZgjz_BgwTdIP68ICKQV0rQMpOkEbLsBewC6QAGa-zUSrWExw1BKYaLyOnp86MZR9y6YxzZx_C6mORIukv0Xrk-1C2HIpr-8hmszzA2VHyfWJb-ypjtpTNk_t3P25eGFSreUySBgZgChnR-OA8UpWUwvdcv8/s2252/Gray-collared%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1501" data-original-width="2252" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFnv6hoqJSsIKUJFg1li76OFCrRylfgXnGZgjz_BgwTdIP68ICKQV0rQMpOkEbLsBewC6QAGa-zUSrWExw1BKYaLyOnp86MZR9y6YxzZx_C6mORIukv0Xrk-1C2HIpr-8hmszzA2VHyfWJb-ypjtpTNk_t3P25eGFSreUySBgZgChnR-OA8UpWUwvdcv8/s320/Gray-collared%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3277.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSasGkfq7gdiE6j-fNWAVUruw2NsbEE96fofTmHYgx2pDYlCyBFQvDq-KLD8gazEVsfHHQ7ySYcldRMe8P8FhpgM0jfKNvlWm6XIi6unvnLd506VeNZllHFFv4Povry0vtYQnI8eGyfWyFdWkZnvfiYsocNKrrBbMUzEXOgrnqQCfT2yEz43nVXaH9Fk0/s1457/Gray-collared%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="971" data-original-width="1457" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSasGkfq7gdiE6j-fNWAVUruw2NsbEE96fofTmHYgx2pDYlCyBFQvDq-KLD8gazEVsfHHQ7ySYcldRMe8P8FhpgM0jfKNvlWm6XIi6unvnLd506VeNZllHFFv4Povry0vtYQnI8eGyfWyFdWkZnvfiYsocNKrrBbMUzEXOgrnqQCfT2yEz43nVXaH9Fk0/s320/Gray-collared%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3252.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nearby the female Rose-throated Becard put on a show. Two species of Pachyramphus becards minutes apart is amazing. I don't know why I never noticed before but the similarities of the bill structure and behavior of becards is so similar to that of the broadbills of SE Asia. Pretty good example of parallel evolution.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSeGLgY-lbmvCylJ6WWQcsn4OuUstLt-ViXJX7fJogU5uArCXzRSvBr4YeRKz9yjps4mQhpjxeEv6OyajlLylqncg-8J9NuhlEEBPuLaHN35a5Njk9BvnrhV2ddmMSDIn0MJI3R3uPlX3BgvTiK1YxjYaBLU7_o2JQmH1G0mZC66jrJSv2D2HMj8CJLg/s1698/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKSeGLgY-lbmvCylJ6WWQcsn4OuUstLt-ViXJX7fJogU5uArCXzRSvBr4YeRKz9yjps4mQhpjxeEv6OyajlLylqncg-8J9NuhlEEBPuLaHN35a5Njk9BvnrhV2ddmMSDIn0MJI3R3uPlX3BgvTiK1YxjYaBLU7_o2JQmH1G0mZC66jrJSv2D2HMj8CJLg/s320/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3376.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78m3nQbW0jplWT6To7OuAegLm0QGG5nH-kvbAfg5Sm-3X5O5ezvsosLCE_TUS86hvLVdBvA6A842Yox0uIM4SyxcEHk9MUfFYIBJsOSWSSYJqx_FHyZTT3GpNeKZ-P-cYiHtO7jhtlYf-3GP_7Rzs6YUKK05bTNImwHtnJ6VJQG69FgYCC086b6jLgEI/s2360/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-1-23%200A9A3137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1573" data-original-width="2360" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78m3nQbW0jplWT6To7OuAegLm0QGG5nH-kvbAfg5Sm-3X5O5ezvsosLCE_TUS86hvLVdBvA6A842Yox0uIM4SyxcEHk9MUfFYIBJsOSWSSYJqx_FHyZTT3GpNeKZ-P-cYiHtO7jhtlYf-3GP_7Rzs6YUKK05bTNImwHtnJ6VJQG69FgYCC086b6jLgEI/s320/Rose-throated%20Becard%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-1-23%200A9A3137.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I returned to the Roadside Hawk watch and there it was. This is the third I've seen north of the border.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgvk20GNdOp-IN5dPcYXu5Nw5A3WR6bvwprQIjc62e9A1CMgwxRE5suIU5Rsg5tRIO1jrf5uaFUOo8MwlE2S17Y9ryHzDvD65_Uk42OsPkok9CDhze3ipE_Rl3Gnn1yTMaGSiGLwc2sNX6XwFMMlkd6gsXlj9HGIkNYcQrVTCvLXglRyikSFszjDJksA/s1924/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1283" data-original-width="1924" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCgvk20GNdOp-IN5dPcYXu5Nw5A3WR6bvwprQIjc62e9A1CMgwxRE5suIU5Rsg5tRIO1jrf5uaFUOo8MwlE2S17Y9ryHzDvD65_Uk42OsPkok9CDhze3ipE_Rl3Gnn1yTMaGSiGLwc2sNX6XwFMMlkd6gsXlj9HGIkNYcQrVTCvLXglRyikSFszjDJksA/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3448.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8m-Z1xiFxqF2VVrXnAswt4SPUBry7qnI_Gx4ortDfbQtnG6RUEBNrGCX5AFHpSWW-22-On5X74D_7noG6ERu3N_S7wgQUUtIaJGM8LjtDiBqMVqJeGKJI4IcrfdCa92g9NSYe-O9Gz-yqm-tUsNkyaVymRwdCBczuB9KeQbVG1Wv-s7-AMnG0Rw4C8H8/s2155/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1437" data-original-width="2155" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8m-Z1xiFxqF2VVrXnAswt4SPUBry7qnI_Gx4ortDfbQtnG6RUEBNrGCX5AFHpSWW-22-On5X74D_7noG6ERu3N_S7wgQUUtIaJGM8LjtDiBqMVqJeGKJI4IcrfdCa92g9NSYe-O9Gz-yqm-tUsNkyaVymRwdCBczuB9KeQbVG1Wv-s7-AMnG0Rw4C8H8/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3451.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJTUVHBJNmui30iZAf_6_ygIehq-HB48jlcEJsiSzRmYwhal2YWq8gzuzKQciVd-ekBH9KqtkFod6vx5VW4wEDtWfih15E7pwcQN8E-4jaBpLM94fY594xdxkDAt5_Z_0u-l7jmN9o1n4vXYvh9N84GmsPbb7NjwgdwOiMbTbSA_Gif1EP0nfC4WE_4E/s2365/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="2365" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJTUVHBJNmui30iZAf_6_ygIehq-HB48jlcEJsiSzRmYwhal2YWq8gzuzKQciVd-ekBH9KqtkFod6vx5VW4wEDtWfih15E7pwcQN8E-4jaBpLM94fY594xdxkDAt5_Z_0u-l7jmN9o1n4vXYvh9N84GmsPbb7NjwgdwOiMbTbSA_Gif1EP0nfC4WE_4E/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3452.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaP9I8AQCp3By_E194rkDo8j7PQnA2Tm_WC70hVlwyWlbAxaGMJJp8JRvaOXYnaZ3yyiT9fXR9lKTeBqzJs-jHMLIw_9_HlRDnWxNQ4Zq2m5DsLjl_3A5lkv-aO4OrGe9IKExl0d5XmN82sdr5fmDwRnmxel3hFo3Wui7E7h1_XfiySiaP1LM1FNhWnwA/s1698/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3493.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaP9I8AQCp3By_E194rkDo8j7PQnA2Tm_WC70hVlwyWlbAxaGMJJp8JRvaOXYnaZ3yyiT9fXR9lKTeBqzJs-jHMLIw_9_HlRDnWxNQ4Zq2m5DsLjl_3A5lkv-aO4OrGe9IKExl0d5XmN82sdr5fmDwRnmxel3hFo3Wui7E7h1_XfiySiaP1LM1FNhWnwA/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2012-3-23%200A9A3493.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's just early December and we haven't even reached winter yet and the Valley is already loaded with great birds from Mexico. I have a wish list but I'm not saying what's on it.</div><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-820414564003745462023-11-28T19:41:00.001-06:002023-11-28T19:41:56.835-06:00Pine Grosbeak at Palo Duro Rerservoir, 11/27/23<p>So far birding has been pretty fantastic in Texas this fall. The Corpus Christi area has a Cattle Tyrant, Eastern Marbled Godwit and three American Flamingos while the Rio Grande Valley has hosted Five Limpkins, two American Flamingos, several Blue Buntings and a Rose-throated Becard. Then the group of fantastically skilled young birders who have been monitoring the Brown Jays at the Santa Margarita Ranch found both a Bare-throated Tiger-Heron and a Mottled Owl. And that's not to mention all the uncommon western birds that have passed through the Valley this fall.</p><p>I was taking it it easy at home this past Saturday, watching the hummers from the back porch when the damn WhatsApp dinged again. Someone had earlier in the day found a funny looking Rose-throated Becard at Resaca de la Palma which turned out to be the first Texas record of Gray-collared Becard. That's a bird I have never seen despite quite a bit of birding in Mexico through the years. So I grabbed the camera and raced over on that drippy day. As it happened I got a very poor glimpse of the bird in the late afternoon and left before it was refound and performed before the admiring crowd of birders. I failed to see the Roadside Hawk also. Arg!!!!!!</p><p>That evening at home I saw a Facebook post on the Texas Chase Birds group stating the Martin Reid and Sheridan Coffee had seen a Pine Grosbeak found earlier in the day in the snowy Texas Panhandle by Greg Cook and Steve Glover. Damn I would like to see that bird but it's nearly 900 miles away. So I went to bed with the intent of getting up early and going back to Resaca de la Palma for the Gray-collared Becard.</p><p>Well I got up early Sunday morning and decided the becard might stay a while but the Pine Grosbeak might not be there long. So I quickly packed and made the 750 mile drive to Amarillo where I spent the night. Another early morning and two more hours to Palo Duro Reservoir. I wandered around Dedication Park for a few minutes but soon found the spot on the west side of the park by the pavilion. And there in the willows was the Pine Grosbeak as advertised. What a spanking bird!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UNhR646H1R4j58KrjtrkQCidQQgR1JHlEjJAhL1PqS6_20QBgYDNUuuTCv6ke8Lgp_OVThMjIlBpbKqWA1YDj5htAA6xkSJqXzgg9bRiFLcBSAu54yfytm0jiDdbaFSJtxmHIPTlk9Khi4NmT7fsqKE6mAsoJTdzEVcFmW0wYw8Nm6dEq9C5fw45mkM/s1698/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2853.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UNhR646H1R4j58KrjtrkQCidQQgR1JHlEjJAhL1PqS6_20QBgYDNUuuTCv6ke8Lgp_OVThMjIlBpbKqWA1YDj5htAA6xkSJqXzgg9bRiFLcBSAu54yfytm0jiDdbaFSJtxmHIPTlk9Khi4NmT7fsqKE6mAsoJTdzEVcFmW0wYw8Nm6dEq9C5fw45mkM/s320/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2853.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62UM-L7W2JQhcizs2_wclkrYJQarOlJ8dr46H7X8dAG11t1WOOt2epIlbSJUJ3oe0jiZ8dP9mPsszCMauAWd9_uJvlY7eNbn_xzodWRHh1uk5dSiJAIYuMDbOCazwpphNEtTbkK0bEZaigzewH3j07QLRThSf86ZaR2rqOsXnYjPU6ZvwoWXE1ppu7E4/s1698/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj62UM-L7W2JQhcizs2_wclkrYJQarOlJ8dr46H7X8dAG11t1WOOt2epIlbSJUJ3oe0jiZ8dP9mPsszCMauAWd9_uJvlY7eNbn_xzodWRHh1uk5dSiJAIYuMDbOCazwpphNEtTbkK0bEZaigzewH3j07QLRThSf86ZaR2rqOsXnYjPU6ZvwoWXE1ppu7E4/s320/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2860.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEQfzRnCXsgSweXLvmCepLVywTrf1j4CgCP0_7GLfLXffE5lGz6_kD2B9N3IuNqHJrs3sWjKziS5X1Zprxl7vN48aul9ymBwTHltRXeOlNkGEO5W8FZlCljzDmswEOifOx76lTn4H-KeOdbjnLblvN1BmKhTo59SNuBfQxBlBnyjQE0fhbLocLmQfLfY/s1698/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLEQfzRnCXsgSweXLvmCepLVywTrf1j4CgCP0_7GLfLXffE5lGz6_kD2B9N3IuNqHJrs3sWjKziS5X1Zprxl7vN48aul9ymBwTHltRXeOlNkGEO5W8FZlCljzDmswEOifOx76lTn4H-KeOdbjnLblvN1BmKhTo59SNuBfQxBlBnyjQE0fhbLocLmQfLfY/s320/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2868.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBXTk5GD5LePpy8YfONovBuiP5dueS0v1ar6gWFVEZo51QKrVveDFGjNB7BDdaRFPmYZRAATkgM1SkKq5v0Dt6zNRzviMyFlPpggovpQdQD7EzoOaAazfkPxM11oDvbOXHeYqFyJ-NyfnYypTUQmZYNhQypgurBpzKORcMFkyeuRWyjSx2WxQV3mLSX8/s1698/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBXTk5GD5LePpy8YfONovBuiP5dueS0v1ar6gWFVEZo51QKrVveDFGjNB7BDdaRFPmYZRAATkgM1SkKq5v0Dt6zNRzviMyFlPpggovpQdQD7EzoOaAazfkPxM11oDvbOXHeYqFyJ-NyfnYypTUQmZYNhQypgurBpzKORcMFkyeuRWyjSx2WxQV3mLSX8/s320/Pine%20Grosbeak%20Palo%20Duro%20Reservoir%2011-27-23%200A9A2791.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pine Grosbeak is actually a large finch and not related to the other grosbeaks which are tanagers. They live in coniferous forests in the Rocky Mountains and across Canada. Occasionally there are winter irruptions where Pine Grosbeaks wander southward. There are a handful of previous winter records in Texas.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I'm back home now. I think tomorrow I will give the Gray-collared Becard another try though I know of no sightings today.</div><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-13670785297541847092023-11-24T19:17:00.002-06:002023-11-24T19:18:18.948-06:00Roadside Hawk at Resaca de la Palma, 11/24/23<p>I woke up at 5am this morning and thought about getting up to give an early try for the Roadside Hawk at Resaca de la Palma State Park in Cameron County. But I went back to sleep and didn't wake up till 7:30. As I got up I thought people were probably looking at the Roadside Hawk right now. At that moment the WhatsApp dinged and Mary Beth Stowe posted crippling photos of said hawk. Well, good for her. I took my time and didn't get over till 11 when I learned that the Roadside Hawk had posed for an hour and then disappeared.</p><p>I looked around the parking lot for a while and eventually ran into some butterfly watcher friends who had just found a nice passerine flock near the road to the maintenance area. We looked for a possible Cassin's Vireo but could not find it. They wandered off to look for the reported Blue Bunting and I continued working the parking area when a couple of young birders galloped out of the maintenance area with binocs and cameras focused on something I couldn't see. They ran some more and shouted they were after the Roadside Hawk. It landed a couple of times before I could get these poor photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHpnFQJgUG7uNXysrxMXeh_Ppofdpqk9YRRPPOeANYjBeN63R7b8csGb1MA1pKw3pQJbr8hFV9qiVKLHbFMH_5fsk72s2TXZHPrw3EamrzWzCrbe_FhRvh_Afc9xQBe3huIKBjXPU8qZdqxzabZUoUBsFz1pLZ2GcVE27FsbgJcWr1cjjtQH8tq7yxm4/s1760/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1173" data-original-width="1760" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHpnFQJgUG7uNXysrxMXeh_Ppofdpqk9YRRPPOeANYjBeN63R7b8csGb1MA1pKw3pQJbr8hFV9qiVKLHbFMH_5fsk72s2TXZHPrw3EamrzWzCrbe_FhRvh_Afc9xQBe3huIKBjXPU8qZdqxzabZUoUBsFz1pLZ2GcVE27FsbgJcWr1cjjtQH8tq7yxm4/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2589.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYQwlkuNgHgGtJzDiwl5d4WXQIubkb6I6k7U48YBsvbAoEDV6HjXaxbQPsVBJxWoBsiiLqrLOFbX2Mx_JRAtfq3o7-RDQCYGEWWHwDRt0779LjJuihCHbBYIQUdFtClHf3s7gWyC7Zk29c3tEofDOEWyAwOLkBqQa1xgN3rdS-e7XfO7J2uBt6Pun0-s/s2208/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2591.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1472" data-original-width="2208" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYQwlkuNgHgGtJzDiwl5d4WXQIubkb6I6k7U48YBsvbAoEDV6HjXaxbQPsVBJxWoBsiiLqrLOFbX2Mx_JRAtfq3o7-RDQCYGEWWHwDRt0779LjJuihCHbBYIQUdFtClHf3s7gWyC7Zk29c3tEofDOEWyAwOLkBqQa1xgN3rdS-e7XfO7J2uBt6Pun0-s/s320/Roadside%20Hawk%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2591.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well that was underwhelming. I guess I should get up early and try for better photos but for now this is the 430th bird species I've seen in Cameron County. Later I rejoined my butterfly friends. They had just seen a very late Brown-crested Flycatcher. I was hoping for a Dusky-capped but the bill is too large not to mention this one has rufous in the primaries.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXcPuM6ekKUyK2cTTHvxGvyz2QEDdJnr89rVouCtt3SAhTFfF0FbySiwNVvSspinAvnodCoS109byo_8l38GU8Bys5dhXy6zD8OsKVaOlobd9N-3cLSq7jVEpIv62VaQ0UzcpVE-ZiFPzDuAKILJyRb3Ugz2kbYdAV61ErfkRqWrWsFLSiFHYPH6aBlE/s2222/Brown-crested%20Flycatcher%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="2222" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXcPuM6ekKUyK2cTTHvxGvyz2QEDdJnr89rVouCtt3SAhTFfF0FbySiwNVvSspinAvnodCoS109byo_8l38GU8Bys5dhXy6zD8OsKVaOlobd9N-3cLSq7jVEpIv62VaQ0UzcpVE-ZiFPzDuAKILJyRb3Ugz2kbYdAV61ErfkRqWrWsFLSiFHYPH6aBlE/s320/Brown-crested%20Flycatcher%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2621.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGNtDsb8q8bcraZZ6mNrsCOy7ZsQz5ADETeNuUxDx6YK7cL_y1Dn7CMUNpJoIvpqeIeDwSeyuOU1idxvR1H9hP_dCyubrUOfOip3IcRwmmqAg4Bm4pZjAPfL1ALXrpSD_JZyzWwqtp9IMWNW9vZDa1baai2Z5XpYtwN09__XbbUVr5XAsTNZaQ7xo1JU/s2737/Brown-crested%20Flycatcher%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2737" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKGNtDsb8q8bcraZZ6mNrsCOy7ZsQz5ADETeNuUxDx6YK7cL_y1Dn7CMUNpJoIvpqeIeDwSeyuOU1idxvR1H9hP_dCyubrUOfOip3IcRwmmqAg4Bm4pZjAPfL1ALXrpSD_JZyzWwqtp9IMWNW9vZDa1baai2Z5XpYtwN09__XbbUVr5XAsTNZaQ7xo1JU/s320/Brown-crested%20Flycatcher%20Resaca%20de%20la%20Palma%2011-24-23%200A9A2605.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is shaping up to be an interesting winter.</div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-2259872338901488762023-11-18T16:37:00.003-06:002023-11-18T16:37:44.553-06:00Limpkin near San Benito, TX 11/18/23<p>The Rio Grande Valley Limpkin invasion continues! Estero Llano Grande State Park has had as many a three in the flood channel. A first Starr County record was found a couple of days ago at Santa Margarita Ranch as birders tried to relocate the Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. And today Michael Marsden found a Limpkin in a drainage canal south of San Benito at a spot know as Cantu Corner. The bird was reported to have flown out of view around the corner and as the banks bordering the canal are private property, I decided to wait and see if the bird was refound. Well it was refound by Alex Lamoreax and his tour group a little bit later.</p><p>So I drove over along with the Indiana Gang butterfly group who were visiting my yard. We searched for a while and were not having any luck. Then Isidro Montemayor from Brownsville drove up and almost immediately found the Limpkin. It was really burried in the cattails but eventually wandered into the open for good photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-1mnMTxxtTaB9j4iSZLWiR9rCkPeSwU8iiEYyvHaOb802qxUWtMSTn5zjPMRKVHutlCPKOuc9e8S1_MAybtp-BL33YZ3G3oWpbVtZE7X28s67bh_nKgn_xA2MksTjfX0SfGFzsDgXAdJEI9pfmaE8Sg5hiF_ceEE0rHVdAnzqHKNVYRHG0HWD9R6TK4/s1711/Limpkin%20Cantu%20Corner%20San%20Benito%209-18--23%200A9A1859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1711" data-original-width="1189" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-1mnMTxxtTaB9j4iSZLWiR9rCkPeSwU8iiEYyvHaOb802qxUWtMSTn5zjPMRKVHutlCPKOuc9e8S1_MAybtp-BL33YZ3G3oWpbVtZE7X28s67bh_nKgn_xA2MksTjfX0SfGFzsDgXAdJEI9pfmaE8Sg5hiF_ceEE0rHVdAnzqHKNVYRHG0HWD9R6TK4/s320/Limpkin%20Cantu%20Corner%20San%20Benito%209-18--23%200A9A1859.jpg" width="222" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMjqOppSr1IvYGyhbyXfvrfJqZSlTxtjADrO18YX-bKphVOHeeyUO1PLeub1OPBNThW-XxnOd5lRnSpXzBz6nVs89AjvoxAcGGyEM_rqaLOX9YceRyw1gMs17mikd3AeHosgwDPvKqEWpO8yqk-9xV93GXu1CvGOusnSX7v5A4sxXyuhRjfmH8h-apg/s1698/Limpkin%20Cantu%20Corner%20San%20Benito%209-18--23%200A9A1832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1132" data-original-width="1698" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPMjqOppSr1IvYGyhbyXfvrfJqZSlTxtjADrO18YX-bKphVOHeeyUO1PLeub1OPBNThW-XxnOd5lRnSpXzBz6nVs89AjvoxAcGGyEM_rqaLOX9YceRyw1gMs17mikd3AeHosgwDPvKqEWpO8yqk-9xV93GXu1CvGOusnSX7v5A4sxXyuhRjfmH8h-apg/s320/Limpkin%20Cantu%20Corner%20San%20Benito%209-18--23%200A9A1832.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lPhMjifivuQp670u5BD9wf8fsH18pDiZTXLJrq2tB2IfNemRkPz0O_HLRbS8G-TT0Mr_DWF4uA0YraQmxCVfP3Bg8AmUW0UXkQp5hBhMVSfiqpfH0z61nOytrUJjjP0DrCTPDkHGC7n1E3HO0C_4P_5fuYKQb5ngKDoStN1NM5SoAuJakz7VHKPlhUY/s2278/Limpkin%20Cantu%20Corner%20San%20Benito%209-18--23%200A9A1854.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1519" data-original-width="2278" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7lPhMjifivuQp670u5BD9wf8fsH18pDiZTXLJrq2tB2IfNemRkPz0O_HLRbS8G-TT0Mr_DWF4uA0YraQmxCVfP3Bg8AmUW0UXkQp5hBhMVSfiqpfH0z61nOytrUJjjP0DrCTPDkHGC7n1E3HO0C_4P_5fuYKQb5ngKDoStN1NM5SoAuJakz7VHKPlhUY/s320/Limpkin%20Cantu%20Corner%20San%20Benito%209-18--23%200A9A1854.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>This is the 429th bird species I've seen in Cameron County, TX. And the Roadside Hawk that I've dipped on twice is still waiting at Resaca de la Palma.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-42496504818826322872023-11-17T21:17:00.000-06:002023-11-17T21:17:02.489-06:00Bar-tailed Godwit at Portland, TX 9/17/23<p>Last winter Skip Cantrell found a Bar-tailed Godwit on the soccer practice fields in Portland just north of Corpus Christi. It was the second record for Texas. I didn't go up to see it as I had already seen the Oso Bay bird in Corpus back in 2014. Well he found it again for a second winter a few weeks ago and again I didn't worry about going to see it. However flight photos of the bird show the heavily marked underwing of the Siberian "bauri" subspecies. The bird from 2014 was the European 'lapponica" subspecies. Well with the way "alpha taxonomists" are raising subspecies to full specific status, I figured I'd better see this one in case it get's split and become a full species. Birders are now learning to stick subspecies in the "bank" and wait for the lifer tick in the future.</p><p>So I ran up there this morning and arrived at the Chatwork Park soccer fields only to meet a couple of birders as the were leaving without having seen the godwit. The story was they had ran into a birder who had earlier seen the bird but it had flow away to the south. Other birders and I searched the area but couldn't find anything but a few Long-billed Curlews and a Marbled Godwit. So I was off to Sunset Lake Park.</p><p>Sunset Lake Park is wetland area located at the mouth of Nueces Bay on the south side of Portland and is a couple of miles from the soccer fields. The Bar-tailed Godwit hung out a lot there last winter and was seen there yesterday afternoon. But when I arrived I had no idea where to look and the tide seemed to be high so there was little shoreline and few shore birds. I checked a few short side trails where a narrow strip of beach was visible. Nada. I parked at the gate at the start of the biking trail and walked it a bit, but it looked pretty hopless. I saw a Clapper Rail and a few other common things. I decided it was time for lunch and to plan a new strategy.</p><p>As I was sitting on the back of the Rav 4 with the rear door up and eating lunch, a couple of birders pulled up beside me. We talked about the godwit and the guy exclaimed "There's a godwit flying by!" Sure enough a godwit was flying past us and though it was in the sun, it appreared to be too gray for a Marbled Godwit. The birder was sure this was the Bar-tailed Godwit but I wasn't so sure. The bird seemed to fly over the row of short salt cedars to the beach beyond. So the birders ran off down the bike trail hoping for a view of the godwit. Problem was there was no way to get across the water to the salt cedar fringed beach and no way to see over the salt cedars. I decided to drive back north to the first little side trail to the beach and scope down the shoreline.</p><p>Looking down the beach through the scope, yup, there was a godwit way down there, maybe half a mile away. But the tide was going down and water was flowing across the sand to the bay so I was going to have to get wet. I waded through the shallow water and bushwacked around some salt cedars, accidentally kicking a prickly pear. Ouch! But soon I was on a good stretch of beach and getting closer to the godwit. Looking through the scope, the bird was back lit and I was getting no color. It appeared to be striped like a Bar-tailed and not barred like a Marbled. But I eventually got close enough to see it was actually the Bar-tailed Godwit. My photos were pretty bad with the sun behind the bird. So I decided to hide behind a salt cedar and see if the bird might wander in my dircection. Sure enough It started coming towards me in the company of a Dunlin. As the lighting angle changed my photos started to get better. Eventually it passed me and I got great light.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd185R2kyQeCYpgIH37B0pwXB30et9ZxsdsgRB28IHnz7JL4R9meNaH4b2tPG7gy0o_wRUoQjt7EVWjPWnVGSdeZmRqIgbDxaHYrDMVVEAkRy97NhCVCXueE_ANCkRt7ogu1SUlFJbN07bdNv9LrA70otkYC5dojUu5KTII9cvM0IPUwhdTA7RG-3Xx3Q/s2265/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1510" data-original-width="2265" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd185R2kyQeCYpgIH37B0pwXB30et9ZxsdsgRB28IHnz7JL4R9meNaH4b2tPG7gy0o_wRUoQjt7EVWjPWnVGSdeZmRqIgbDxaHYrDMVVEAkRy97NhCVCXueE_ANCkRt7ogu1SUlFJbN07bdNv9LrA70otkYC5dojUu5KTII9cvM0IPUwhdTA7RG-3Xx3Q/s320/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1648.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3R5mNIUTaQzHdLDOdUYZCxFoFdUP4o0bunwRDyAmApax3OlJ9c2paOMfdyRAN3V36VhVBRCB130T7pY8NT7YA9kI0Lzty9EfXZhMhXOHxqMKga-sLGvLNNvDbaJCa1waGNY1mAS2m-tybMjFbJeMVh51CinLIdRGldxyUXprAAdQuaOBJogltU3Gbra0/s2452/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1635" data-original-width="2452" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3R5mNIUTaQzHdLDOdUYZCxFoFdUP4o0bunwRDyAmApax3OlJ9c2paOMfdyRAN3V36VhVBRCB130T7pY8NT7YA9kI0Lzty9EfXZhMhXOHxqMKga-sLGvLNNvDbaJCa1waGNY1mAS2m-tybMjFbJeMVh51CinLIdRGldxyUXprAAdQuaOBJogltU3Gbra0/s320/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1639.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUOh-fOnAecaAk-7FiVvb3ZYPoD5C5oB1jhEwegmE7XHs86pK5AoiuQf3CyOXP33h6gFdSNAMnKvblUcCdy2z2hbCpggsioJL1YRvlJ7kc49hXyf-ru30zrD0NK9KsaRxH08Cz66O4a5HiTxrk1XwuzQ_43YLg6bF85oj1TaBMhqoHuf1RrtAbH2H4T8/s2809/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1636.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1873" data-original-width="2809" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOUOh-fOnAecaAk-7FiVvb3ZYPoD5C5oB1jhEwegmE7XHs86pK5AoiuQf3CyOXP33h6gFdSNAMnKvblUcCdy2z2hbCpggsioJL1YRvlJ7kc49hXyf-ru30zrD0NK9KsaRxH08Cz66O4a5HiTxrk1XwuzQ_43YLg6bF85oj1TaBMhqoHuf1RrtAbH2H4T8/s320/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1636.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYn1yojLtWRFLB3p7DZ49GnMW_BGQgx30tTuoYkvu-CcesH4h9TrG-cGBU8YOovL7_CovpxW4LE9oH1fDRYpgLz7NdSTMSAN96T-NvW9errOeHQ247XxaeXNOVQrNt4kRZoMZDrRw4_a2UrZf9OwMvcYGetDMa4e7NzD2934Z5YDwujHN63DO7uwTw8M/s2215/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1477" data-original-width="2215" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKYn1yojLtWRFLB3p7DZ49GnMW_BGQgx30tTuoYkvu-CcesH4h9TrG-cGBU8YOovL7_CovpxW4LE9oH1fDRYpgLz7NdSTMSAN96T-NvW9errOeHQ247XxaeXNOVQrNt4kRZoMZDrRw4_a2UrZf9OwMvcYGetDMa4e7NzD2934Z5YDwujHN63DO7uwTw8M/s320/Bar-tailed%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1650.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's a nearby Marbled Godwit for comparison.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYf0MtDuW0J-fGZeI3MLz4Pbcm0A3fR4cKq5G7gkiJiYQahD9kWZlPc92IOGAA26iRv8HwxO2kfe0_Ea1YOYL3A7w4z9ATrRtSvZZ27ZIBH0p5af8m2PFu-S6d4gFS70iVq1UhbI5QGbzlPw8WwWLa9bj__oceB5yzdIXoKenEbJVEfH8i0WADZseSBxs/s1942/Marbled%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1942" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYf0MtDuW0J-fGZeI3MLz4Pbcm0A3fR4cKq5G7gkiJiYQahD9kWZlPc92IOGAA26iRv8HwxO2kfe0_Ea1YOYL3A7w4z9ATrRtSvZZ27ZIBH0p5af8m2PFu-S6d4gFS70iVq1UhbI5QGbzlPw8WwWLa9bj__oceB5yzdIXoKenEbJVEfH8i0WADZseSBxs/s320/Marbled%20Godwit%20Sunset%20Lake%20Park%20Portland%209-17-23%200A9A1684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wow! That was a fun experience! I prefer being one-on-one with the bird at first. I'm happy to share later. So my "bauri" Bar-tailed Godwit is in da bank and waiting for full species status. Don't know if they will ever be split but it was a fun bird.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-58817655896731369242023-11-12T20:50:00.004-06:002023-11-13T09:44:56.762-06:00First Cattle Tyrant for USA at Corpus Christi, 11/12/23<p>I was sitting at the computer, editing some photos from our trip to Australia four years ago. Woops, I guess I forgot about them. Anyway the WhatsApp dinged. Wow! A Bare-throated Tiger-Heron (3rd for US I think) was found on the Santa Margarita Ranch near Roma. I saw the one at Bentsen years ago so nice but not a big deal. But a second bird was also reported. Someone whose name I didn't recognize had photogrpahed a potential first US record Cattle Tyrant in downtown Corpus Christi. Dang! I was looking at Cattle Tyrants in Argentina just a few weeks ago. Cattle Tyrants are a mostly terrestrial kingbird like flycatcher that usually feeds in open felds, often with cattle. They occur in South America as far north as Venezuela and Colombia but have recently been found in Panama where they are extending their range northward.</p><p>It was just before 11am so I had plenty of time to make the three hour rainy drive. When I arrived at the location of the initial sighting at Chaparral and Shatzell, there were a few wet birders standing around and the Cattle Tyrant had not been seen for over an hour. We scattered and fruitlessly looked over nearby areas. At this point it was raining pretty good and I decided to head back to the car and drive around a bit. It seemed pretty hopeless but after maybe twenty minutes, I was driving down Chaparral again and as I slowed for the intersection with Lawrence, there standing on the curb was our Cattle Tyrant. I fired a few shots and got the word out. Maybe twenty or so happy birders were at the spot in a couple of minutes.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXnBuNZNRCuF_x_ofrxj9KEmoh8owP0ydtzBlFnP7FPWPArbEl-gbGr792jAhcaO-xpiev1CnJi_rspknaxHT-B1uqmuWKfDODgef9pyrEOv9SQa5ejY2GaXeUG2Gf3vV92eM4ZuHR4e6dH5grdFRn-sUT45H3r6OZBJGbspPCg0HqbGiPoPT-SQlUD8/s2824/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1105.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1883" data-original-width="2824" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXnBuNZNRCuF_x_ofrxj9KEmoh8owP0ydtzBlFnP7FPWPArbEl-gbGr792jAhcaO-xpiev1CnJi_rspknaxHT-B1uqmuWKfDODgef9pyrEOv9SQa5ejY2GaXeUG2Gf3vV92eM4ZuHR4e6dH5grdFRn-sUT45H3r6OZBJGbspPCg0HqbGiPoPT-SQlUD8/s320/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1105.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtrLbKLXFRqML_-rzsvaiC8g3F29oHxV-3nTpFz7canSr3vWbFF7yxCo6KwWTRdGWF5keVZVnmpxQklMtOJPQMxvcwqHVQiUNKkQvyC3R_Ni-5oU1cuScu3v-JrqQJ6NOon4wsSSNLdugIR6QP3HtpS25gQB5NrcFp1rVcEocUPNw5J0FcBGj1JDZ85k/s2309/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2309" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtrLbKLXFRqML_-rzsvaiC8g3F29oHxV-3nTpFz7canSr3vWbFF7yxCo6KwWTRdGWF5keVZVnmpxQklMtOJPQMxvcwqHVQiUNKkQvyC3R_Ni-5oU1cuScu3v-JrqQJ6NOon4wsSSNLdugIR6QP3HtpS25gQB5NrcFp1rVcEocUPNw5J0FcBGj1JDZ85k/s320/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1099.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OtmUDxtZ91D_ZhtZdpvk7_zGnuvi16e02REF8JPMgB-3qye7n_ng3b-vuu18k0vxDWBo3-jZjyytHWVz1CkKj0RKxtXcQ7EkCaleNqI_U30tNaeYcmHzZbDZWv0ylylqdqpD1vkglj58gZR65AX1GU-2UcFXDOX2xvmemsIkrT89h24CARF1aoy_wLE/s2108/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1129.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="2108" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5OtmUDxtZ91D_ZhtZdpvk7_zGnuvi16e02REF8JPMgB-3qye7n_ng3b-vuu18k0vxDWBo3-jZjyytHWVz1CkKj0RKxtXcQ7EkCaleNqI_U30tNaeYcmHzZbDZWv0ylylqdqpD1vkglj58gZR65AX1GU-2UcFXDOX2xvmemsIkrT89h24CARF1aoy_wLE/s320/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1129.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkM6Yj9p4j6VmouOZ4R6DlBXscUIGJuzzw1vVVbTpdVfRUXisVS0_cyPOndMDy-ivn4_Kqk4igem0rAqAx0c24Ig5ZP5YJnk6gJSA2KRO-qBBnYkcCkZeVa4wGc2crCRApKxNOWJUf0rTvrqjTSG4GSeAcVYt1e4_JbtmYZn7gluOi6BFRYjbVQHhR9I/s1938/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1119.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="1938" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkM6Yj9p4j6VmouOZ4R6DlBXscUIGJuzzw1vVVbTpdVfRUXisVS0_cyPOndMDy-ivn4_Kqk4igem0rAqAx0c24Ig5ZP5YJnk6gJSA2KRO-qBBnYkcCkZeVa4wGc2crCRApKxNOWJUf0rTvrqjTSG4GSeAcVYt1e4_JbtmYZn7gluOi6BFRYjbVQHhR9I/s320/Cattle%20Tyrant%20Corpus%20Christi%2011-12-23%200A9A1119.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Not sure what the Texas Bird Records Committee will think of this one. From what I can glean from the literature Cattle Tyrants are not migratory. It may well have hopped a ship going through the Panama Canal. It does have the yellow throat of the expected northern birds. If I was still on the Committee, I would would vote to accept but I was always a little liberal with my votes. Time will tell.</p><p>Anyway I love coming to a group of birders at a steakout and being the one to relocate the bird. I've done it before. What can I say? "Say my name..... Goddam right!"</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-86572192978112127002023-11-11T20:42:00.002-06:002023-11-11T20:42:32.725-06:00Fraser's Hill, Malaysia, Sept 9-14, 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNtlWJgs1TjL6uRhq-JZSfOoArV7FdURxcZlY8WNjrbg5dnIDRmsgHN9hLFGUbQ2-7zW8VuFuYpNjyYxF1Vsan9-bwnUPKJ2GsU2c9nSHkRLhh4jveKsa2A-P1KnaD883gojybek9x376IKDpgjTUGAN-eNJeud64d9g1dIc4wfF7FtDEpEFwHA16x4Y/s2737/13%20Great%20Hornbill%20New%20Road%209-13-16%20955A6069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2737" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNtlWJgs1TjL6uRhq-JZSfOoArV7FdURxcZlY8WNjrbg5dnIDRmsgHN9hLFGUbQ2-7zW8VuFuYpNjyYxF1Vsan9-bwnUPKJ2GsU2c9nSHkRLhh4jveKsa2A-P1KnaD883gojybek9x376IKDpgjTUGAN-eNJeud64d9g1dIc4wfF7FtDEpEFwHA16x4Y/s320/13%20Great%20Hornbill%20New%20Road%209-13-16%20955A6069.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>After finishing the blog posts for my Argentina trip, I decided, while I'm in the mood, I should finish my report for my trip to Fraser's Hill back in 2016. We were visiting my wife's family in the Philippines and I thought it would be a great opportunity to visit one of the most famous birding destinations in SE Asia. So <a href="https://frasershillmaylasia2016.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">here's a link to the trip report.</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-88987428482049183502023-11-10T19:19:00.003-06:002023-11-10T19:31:19.400-06:00Argentina Sept 12-24, 2023<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpMSbfQj2bdeV5By8NZ_HN9WRHlcGQ7XI0QLJraoONH1Sa04SzAbTC3odli2DR5jGa-oTtDw4PfkTlq-cA9ogqcWGkqfbJOKfeHxw0FrisgZ_oDzWGgAzomM3YtxJxEIqEgDkFrVjLzEXYxtvYaOAR0u1y-dtEWOR8NfpTHvtQvi2GgKgP3SljS0-LbA/s3273/22%20Chilean%20Flamingo%20Laguna%20Nimez%209-22-23%200A9A5824.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2182" data-original-width="3273" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRpMSbfQj2bdeV5By8NZ_HN9WRHlcGQ7XI0QLJraoONH1Sa04SzAbTC3odli2DR5jGa-oTtDw4PfkTlq-cA9ogqcWGkqfbJOKfeHxw0FrisgZ_oDzWGgAzomM3YtxJxEIqEgDkFrVjLzEXYxtvYaOAR0u1y-dtEWOR8NfpTHvtQvi2GgKgP3SljS0-LbA/s320/22%20Chilean%20Flamingo%20Laguna%20Nimez%209-22-23%200A9A5824.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>This past September I enjoyed two weeks of birding independently in Argentina. I spent a few days in Buenos Aires and the rest of my time in Tierra del Fuego and Santa Cruz provinces. <a href="https://antshrikeargentina2023.blogspot.com/2023/09/reserva-ecologia-costanera-del-sur.html" target="_blank">Here's a blog report of my adventures.</a></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-19996232460713325032023-11-10T10:58:00.000-06:002023-11-10T10:58:22.787-06:00Blackie the Evil Ruby-throated Hummingbird, 11/3/23<p>It's been a very good fall for hummingbirds at our Progreso Lakes yard. This dark Archilochus hummer really got my attention. I guess it's a melanistic Ruby-throated Hummingbird. It hung around for at least five days where it took charge over one of the feeders but I'm not seeing it today. I've seen lots of photos of leucistic hummers but never a melanistic one.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jPXzuhV7rOSi_iYYukSW5EDVHaqZw0tqy__NlUpxlhR-IXj2mjmpS2mFEpsM5kx-T4efmcHIYOpOKdQyyo8N737Y97DtIqkK1bOlbTH01nSz7CrZeAJK0zKh-5WcMqv3YZFi3Zl8tPI846Cs17DUj2DnxQs1YQ7mY2o-W0vr7_6OwqNZzEnnwHP9kAU/s2457/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbir%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-3-23%200A9A0147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2457" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jPXzuhV7rOSi_iYYukSW5EDVHaqZw0tqy__NlUpxlhR-IXj2mjmpS2mFEpsM5kx-T4efmcHIYOpOKdQyyo8N737Y97DtIqkK1bOlbTH01nSz7CrZeAJK0zKh-5WcMqv3YZFi3Zl8tPI846Cs17DUj2DnxQs1YQ7mY2o-W0vr7_6OwqNZzEnnwHP9kAU/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbir%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-3-23%200A9A0147.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZADSrC0a-Awr7zKqhpEkJNQ4SdUUZlK0IqoJdZz7VlgAGxV4DDvY9B2UUzKWaNVou3W_4SMtfiU5yrR048h1VnrXwdvcl8xZfhrJNqZRAxt6jx6l8zW_-Fv5RG3toMZ7Myi6p-C4lmCH8NI5IfbYG_bs5_dLotUsXPNMttHlEORyGw45DcdJgdXt3qY/s1277/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-2-23%200A9A9977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1277" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEZADSrC0a-Awr7zKqhpEkJNQ4SdUUZlK0IqoJdZz7VlgAGxV4DDvY9B2UUzKWaNVou3W_4SMtfiU5yrR048h1VnrXwdvcl8xZfhrJNqZRAxt6jx6l8zW_-Fv5RG3toMZ7Myi6p-C4lmCH8NI5IfbYG_bs5_dLotUsXPNMttHlEORyGw45DcdJgdXt3qY/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-2-23%200A9A9977.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdy__KCbdibUKpK-AZzYYaXbuhwwfliqP1nTgAw06k7JoI2orBB3AUG7DCTSuIsURzcMHbA5XCXC5qcK5rqaJPzBwo7PYHjcxSu6muo6NGBMqKwFwjYmHZSckhTcqWooEyg_VybY81WW97GJPnQfjWhxIfuyFXrjg7MW1ECZgUDeRbK8jXt1uPcwNtMXM/s1230/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-2-23%200A9A9983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1230" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdy__KCbdibUKpK-AZzYYaXbuhwwfliqP1nTgAw06k7JoI2orBB3AUG7DCTSuIsURzcMHbA5XCXC5qcK5rqaJPzBwo7PYHjcxSu6muo6NGBMqKwFwjYmHZSckhTcqWooEyg_VybY81WW97GJPnQfjWhxIfuyFXrjg7MW1ECZgUDeRbK8jXt1uPcwNtMXM/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-2-23%200A9A9983.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>This Ruby-throat had a little extra white on the tail.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BfJDn1fZupe4EZHE4LyB0AB4wKrorf9LVvJC0iUSaJ3H3fH0_gUBlgcl2ajvVffWHOufUKuq4yfCO2T49RtpKjMsovVEGuion_5eU6uLGx7SrvnWNXe9cVqrcjGKgmwdcvlli5zvspZRPYGFpKIaTrOaOrY2iAqRgtZiVWd0_GVV5UKOAor59L3o3lM/s2719/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-2-23%200A9A0006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1813" data-original-width="2719" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8BfJDn1fZupe4EZHE4LyB0AB4wKrorf9LVvJC0iUSaJ3H3fH0_gUBlgcl2ajvVffWHOufUKuq4yfCO2T49RtpKjMsovVEGuion_5eU6uLGx7SrvnWNXe9cVqrcjGKgmwdcvlli5zvspZRPYGFpKIaTrOaOrY2iAqRgtZiVWd0_GVV5UKOAor59L3o3lM/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2011-2-23%200A9A0006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A month ago we had a visiting male Rufous Hummingbird for just one day. I posted photos on eBird and was surprised to get a Facebook message from a hummingbird enthusisast who regularly peruses eBird hummer photos. He told me there was a band on the Rufous and wondered if I was a bander. Well I'm not one but this got me looking at the photos and I was able to flesh out most or all of the number.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_NNMCiSj5XUoRxzFyFA2EN8ynytS6JlDSisdh1tNyvfmomxgvhMvLF3CJn9rQgxpTkU1Pyua5K42VSXDS13RMKzaEJVoeP1o9BOsbYhil-fgAbNusx__yTN3ANNzcv_ApYjpdc2a_MJrrCU2eupPxzo-wTGgJPJSce0bT7EIx4H0wGRKjFKDHQmeCWU/s1950/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2010-9-23%200A9A7376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1300" data-original-width="1950" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP_NNMCiSj5XUoRxzFyFA2EN8ynytS6JlDSisdh1tNyvfmomxgvhMvLF3CJn9rQgxpTkU1Pyua5K42VSXDS13RMKzaEJVoeP1o9BOsbYhil-fgAbNusx__yTN3ANNzcv_ApYjpdc2a_MJrrCU2eupPxzo-wTGgJPJSce0bT7EIx4H0wGRKjFKDHQmeCWU/s320/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2010-9-23%200A9A7376.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoO1y1_c9hfeY0TYtsBXjy0p3EwTaPuVB-CVdg6C7ALOEPEzu__dljNq_1u-o2wAiSPJed7pYMfpLjP5a0oLtmU5lI4cfalqLLKBMiNhTW9Vtpno570yWw50IVZnSzr-dj6tKBCmA95nOfU2de2uoE65Fny0MhwqenjWmwGsoq2To3nciW5tRWagZvmk/s1502/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2010-9-23%200A9A7422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1502" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHoO1y1_c9hfeY0TYtsBXjy0p3EwTaPuVB-CVdg6C7ALOEPEzu__dljNq_1u-o2wAiSPJed7pYMfpLjP5a0oLtmU5lI4cfalqLLKBMiNhTW9Vtpno570yWw50IVZnSzr-dj6tKBCmA95nOfU2de2uoE65Fny0MhwqenjWmwGsoq2To3nciW5tRWagZvmk/s320/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%2010-9-23%200A9A7422.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVotY6N7mKysUNaPMBZOS2rHN0EFByRCRQcrjAxvMscyzJGeYdvWis5qQsM-fbdU85nGeNkuFFeHa3a0LA9K7V5tndkcrMghjCX7beDtHuu4TfXawRS_jIAPHmXNW9-MTFAct4xnxpHujKQfQ_jKIN-m29vEoGfkEx10Af31sCH8QE-F92X1sQPDaWF9g/s446/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="297" data-original-width="446" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVotY6N7mKysUNaPMBZOS2rHN0EFByRCRQcrjAxvMscyzJGeYdvWis5qQsM-fbdU85nGeNkuFFeHa3a0LA9K7V5tndkcrMghjCX7beDtHuu4TfXawRS_jIAPHmXNW9-MTFAct4xnxpHujKQfQ_jKIN-m29vEoGfkEx10Af31sCH8QE-F92X1sQPDaWF9g/s320/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7348.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBl2qjxEePMPXwRYdMXwKzYPDyJKdilbOkicOBqE3hCQzoENAnicPHXAxK-ZpSuhsPqwdMkDWDDtEymch_5fNHy6_bJedsXW10vhRi8YPrBIGrnrOFBpGqOfRFhGbhjnua13INiV_JJJXqDXg-23wXGuy6yHD1sOet9vXJr3pJPjx_0B5sfN_H5Op2OVI/s467/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="311" data-original-width="467" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBl2qjxEePMPXwRYdMXwKzYPDyJKdilbOkicOBqE3hCQzoENAnicPHXAxK-ZpSuhsPqwdMkDWDDtEymch_5fNHy6_bJedsXW10vhRi8YPrBIGrnrOFBpGqOfRFhGbhjnua13INiV_JJJXqDXg-23wXGuy6yHD1sOet9vXJr3pJPjx_0B5sfN_H5Op2OVI/s320/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7375.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rBCmZjpZ-Z4JrJ-EyZ34o46howXXVFx7L2U3iCLrUKtAJuZ3oaXXRQG09LmxzIQVMAi4hfwR7G2eZCmU4GG5jbKC75_5CUtrN-zpLJZanCU9typ1C5SAa1dqitJRMRpa0gssqbI50s3nKJNbLDD78SDhHb35SwLn7sZXdixJHTFcUCsn_pImEXQVvjo/s461/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7389.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="461" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0rBCmZjpZ-Z4JrJ-EyZ34o46howXXVFx7L2U3iCLrUKtAJuZ3oaXXRQG09LmxzIQVMAi4hfwR7G2eZCmU4GG5jbKC75_5CUtrN-zpLJZanCU9typ1C5SAa1dqitJRMRpa0gssqbI50s3nKJNbLDD78SDhHb35SwLn7sZXdixJHTFcUCsn_pImEXQVvjo/s320/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7389.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZ7KqXS9zQFj8yJ2ytL8_Q-NqThcB6AzPcUNwyALTaDcsFKSlGz4RUF83naxVrtiwMW3qfEu6IgjKJS0PBAHQEFIkdR39DfcKMhfHY3SpDoJKVNheVuHr-L2YpB3vbHJF0Kh2a6AWJOzOy3wPmmM-Fg3yD4r3x7UeU7vD7NrQSfw_ZnKcFbVz_gCUg7A/s403/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="403" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFZ7KqXS9zQFj8yJ2ytL8_Q-NqThcB6AzPcUNwyALTaDcsFKSlGz4RUF83naxVrtiwMW3qfEu6IgjKJS0PBAHQEFIkdR39DfcKMhfHY3SpDoJKVNheVuHr-L2YpB3vbHJF0Kh2a6AWJOzOy3wPmmM-Fg3yD4r3x7UeU7vD7NrQSfw_ZnKcFbVz_gCUg7A/s320/Rufous%20Hummmer%20band%2010-9-23%200A9A7396.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Eventually I came up with F06195. I sent the number to the hummer fan but have made no efforts myself to track down the bander and location. Something to do. Hummers are always fun.</p><p> </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-13183434992213438632023-11-02T20:21:00.002-05:002023-11-02T20:21:25.123-05:00Cassin's Kingbirds at South Padre Island 11/1/23<p>Late yesterday afternoon Evan Farese made another great find. He had photos of a Cassin's Kingbird at the Convention Center on South Padre Island. Every few years some birder claims to find one on SPI and either there is no photo or it turns out to be a dark Western Kingbird. Cassin's Kingbird, pretty common in summer in the Southwest in middle elevations, is a species I've been wanting to see in the Valley for a long time but I had stuff going on and the trip would have to wait till today.</p><p>So I got up early and made my way to the Convention Center where I found Brad McKinney was already on the bird. I like it when they are easy like that. It was perched on a treetop and calling "brrr". I shot a lot of photos but the lighting was crappy. Then the bird took off. We refound it in a bit out in from of the loop drive in front of the Convention Center. It was making sallies to the Brazilian peppers where it was grabbing berries. Brad and I were pretty shocked when this rare for the Valley Cassin's Kingbird was joing by a second.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYv3gSvI4_qabQRpgtrpHPbF66IsNIIa0_Aclzcpjb-gXtpzBw5XKwFJwlhq9hfq2_AMy2cl7Yol77e9MM13vyZOaJeFmcgMjJwPofhJidde0OUR2r80jl5-gWcvyZoGjik4Xn6E8bo9KsUXKkEI5eGA4RX-MtAiURs8_nHAS9ac6P6eTtb2HY4qTHDic/s2737/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2737" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYv3gSvI4_qabQRpgtrpHPbF66IsNIIa0_Aclzcpjb-gXtpzBw5XKwFJwlhq9hfq2_AMy2cl7Yol77e9MM13vyZOaJeFmcgMjJwPofhJidde0OUR2r80jl5-gWcvyZoGjik4Xn6E8bo9KsUXKkEI5eGA4RX-MtAiURs8_nHAS9ac6P6eTtb2HY4qTHDic/s320/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9246.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Later I wandered off on my own and got some better photos of my 427th species for Cameron County.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GyHY09Yml8xHM2cC91vljCcVlkMaOL_-JiVsGBGO4zv0xm6iPisyzwaAiFYPQPN1Kw-ZFNJ_FZ6quKZMB05ag66PnciH8PgI7FP1bDmwZwp0i8egjVZ75mw_zmp8v6QjClTUCmgyQ-mO6rOG51t8h_WcYEZfUegCHOqJexCL6eGxefIPVZXTkHWDDU0/s2379/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1586" data-original-width="2379" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GyHY09Yml8xHM2cC91vljCcVlkMaOL_-JiVsGBGO4zv0xm6iPisyzwaAiFYPQPN1Kw-ZFNJ_FZ6quKZMB05ag66PnciH8PgI7FP1bDmwZwp0i8egjVZ75mw_zmp8v6QjClTUCmgyQ-mO6rOG51t8h_WcYEZfUegCHOqJexCL6eGxefIPVZXTkHWDDU0/s320/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9379.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbtJBlcZqc2ridzvqjynBwQgOG789fTRuuigrUkmSH9Ky-psyGZrf1EmLyOw7-sRE9iu4usKJaOUAXs4l2Yvf1LGehHMD1AMilOAKn-qjoGh2hyUijqrUqtYqh9sziN8bDn_Qxo0VmIQy07Mt5xzf0tl-nvqpJMXNk-z-g5WARhuUGDBsMnCnyGccoTQ/s1905/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9399.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1905" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbbtJBlcZqc2ridzvqjynBwQgOG789fTRuuigrUkmSH9Ky-psyGZrf1EmLyOw7-sRE9iu4usKJaOUAXs4l2Yvf1LGehHMD1AMilOAKn-qjoGh2hyUijqrUqtYqh9sziN8bDn_Qxo0VmIQy07Mt5xzf0tl-nvqpJMXNk-z-g5WARhuUGDBsMnCnyGccoTQ/s320/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9399.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpORH339PZ_KRxz3bVXPOvFoAILB0F-OpfIHRjzvpKH6ikf3KwZVyV9BGnhLdw33CrTdITJurbEihjdmbP_-_yfVDWIAUZTG_stSy_In0FP2ToWSt9ngBy-E-tBvkWiwmZjkWLPzdUdmmB_40uNSyCghDm-M6XsC88l9AEZgG8_duZ5nuBokXJ17sJZzY/s3219/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2146" data-original-width="3219" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpORH339PZ_KRxz3bVXPOvFoAILB0F-OpfIHRjzvpKH6ikf3KwZVyV9BGnhLdw33CrTdITJurbEihjdmbP_-_yfVDWIAUZTG_stSy_In0FP2ToWSt9ngBy-E-tBvkWiwmZjkWLPzdUdmmB_40uNSyCghDm-M6XsC88l9AEZgG8_duZ5nuBokXJ17sJZzY/s320/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9434.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3nFu3q0BnDgxknZFSst2qBDv8SY76kKzau-m9HASwhSLMB-ovGnuiu-fCxUOdfxlmy6S7OPeI2UzOCDCoHexHbAVn-OXPtLuQKFnfFxfvvFCZPPzhirnRMwrkIS9LEGQ2JVcxX-IViXieknwIwX8PR4kb-zt2Ye4cQVOkTUvi-vUg3jA8wUshnysCMg/s1557/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1557" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3nFu3q0BnDgxknZFSst2qBDv8SY76kKzau-m9HASwhSLMB-ovGnuiu-fCxUOdfxlmy6S7OPeI2UzOCDCoHexHbAVn-OXPtLuQKFnfFxfvvFCZPPzhirnRMwrkIS9LEGQ2JVcxX-IViXieknwIwX8PR4kb-zt2Ye4cQVOkTUvi-vUg3jA8wUshnysCMg/s320/Cassin's%20Kingbird%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9416.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well this was just the start of what would prove to be one of the most amazing birding days I've ever experienced on SPI. Someone had just found a Spotted Towhee. Another southwestern species, this is only the second I have ever seen in Cameron County.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGSkwX70n41u4RybSCJurcQYiq3r5rR5t2i6y-RVzjfctka0sS_dE_rCG6tUQanbVjBTae12Ev7dNlmnQwKaNrNKdqj4ofPhiUE9ZQqCl20g5pV9CfsdYtt3AE3t77HbxrrT8HbJRGpiOZ1LQcH5JHzEjzCiOXo2GXXfPzhgno4NmC9CyYLUx3Frxrf8/s2394/Spotted%20Towhee%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9834.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1596" data-original-width="2394" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikGSkwX70n41u4RybSCJurcQYiq3r5rR5t2i6y-RVzjfctka0sS_dE_rCG6tUQanbVjBTae12Ev7dNlmnQwKaNrNKdqj4ofPhiUE9ZQqCl20g5pV9CfsdYtt3AE3t77HbxrrT8HbJRGpiOZ1LQcH5JHzEjzCiOXo2GXXfPzhgno4NmC9CyYLUx3Frxrf8/s320/Spotted%20Towhee%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9834.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then Bob Berstock who is down to guide for the Texas Butterfly Festival found a Brown Creeper. I've seen this species in the Valley just a handful of times.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtVw-EAO8r4QiJzwT_MDo2bbtem1AMEXIl7eKBCmHVHOMdbOqVgbAmilNRkY0owdPMgx9MZdT8rV1I0WB-f3E0E0iy0l4EYMcOjXxQfsShHak7btV2S4t8B7JADwCqiXR3cN0w11vDxG9z11Xz6yLv0AkDzHvnyW8Zjp-OLUkYEmZoqMOhc_xBC2JO1w/s1994/Brown%20Creeper%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9687.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1994" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtVw-EAO8r4QiJzwT_MDo2bbtem1AMEXIl7eKBCmHVHOMdbOqVgbAmilNRkY0owdPMgx9MZdT8rV1I0WB-f3E0E0iy0l4EYMcOjXxQfsShHak7btV2S4t8B7JADwCqiXR3cN0w11vDxG9z11Xz6yLv0AkDzHvnyW8Zjp-OLUkYEmZoqMOhc_xBC2JO1w/s320/Brown%20Creeper%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9687.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were rumors of both White-throated and White-crowned Sparrows and a Green-tailed Towhee but I couldn't find them. My original plan was to get the Cassin's and then drive the beach and find something good. So I took off for the beach.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The beach was wide open with very few people and good for driving. I headed north seeing only a few common shorebirds and terns. After thirteen miles and not seeing a single gull or anything offshore other than Brown Pelicans, I decided to head back to the Convention Center where things were more interesting. As I got closer and withing cell range, my What'sApp dinged. Simon Kiacz had just found an Eastern Whip-poor-will on the boardwalk at the Convention Center. Dang! I've been needing one of those for the county for a loong time. It was still there when I arrived. Cameron County bird #428!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxvh15DfGJGHupMpydL2cYYcHLqRhL6RvWymYBW4OPeGYrNvIVjKwkHZ5CVCOI8tuptmEqVBXIt4gKgd5hsVk9us_KxE9x5bfcXcA0GlZCcs2LeL0Z4g205WRYKIEgMJuD6oZd_Y8waAuG_4TX6JG6cnYQr_mmXFktSHtPuqXvfoOcKw0rp_5nLqkhx4/s2247/Eastern%20Whip-poor-will%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1498" data-original-width="2247" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdxvh15DfGJGHupMpydL2cYYcHLqRhL6RvWymYBW4OPeGYrNvIVjKwkHZ5CVCOI8tuptmEqVBXIt4gKgd5hsVk9us_KxE9x5bfcXcA0GlZCcs2LeL0Z4g205WRYKIEgMJuD6oZd_Y8waAuG_4TX6JG6cnYQr_mmXFktSHtPuqXvfoOcKw0rp_5nLqkhx4/s320/Eastern%20Whip-poor-will%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9559.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I decided it was time to find some of that other stuff. I posted myself by the water feather. Common Ground Doves are uncommon on the Island.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49sScdPZ-lojCmOl-F-OyCETZkV4e7z_fTyaoOSBOeRLLbRZn5qg5htiN8IHTd6Wl2kfojq-k5j95dKGd0lDF4UirH1cBE7W5ZTMr1wIdCZLp6vPsve70VM8zCBc-q29otVvR5CfNJC-ExvmA5jKurps_hvJjPV0ldjawHT7AE6ivXcPVsk6UWaXnuGU/s2449/Common%20Ground%20Dove%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1633" data-original-width="2449" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49sScdPZ-lojCmOl-F-OyCETZkV4e7z_fTyaoOSBOeRLLbRZn5qg5htiN8IHTd6Wl2kfojq-k5j95dKGd0lDF4UirH1cBE7W5ZTMr1wIdCZLp6vPsve70VM8zCBc-q29otVvR5CfNJC-ExvmA5jKurps_hvJjPV0ldjawHT7AE6ivXcPVsk6UWaXnuGU/s320/Common%20Ground%20Dove%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9527.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I was hoping this empid was something good but the sloppy eyering and short primay extensions say Least Flycatcher.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22dAL2FacPxViGHc9MvOG7P6tfzWHa0ElcpWvvEC7TikIpoyNmRnOkITDxxrrXQ0x6vEFwN2phWM2LqjYWgUA3fCUN4b4ydPkbwSNrkO9HQn_vXfYcnbp3bdLY0kGq7Pp77eMBvWuu8qg8EZ0OR2KXm0doghZqYCbSA4wiey4Qua61rauO-2Lua2S2Rs/s2231/Least%20Flycatcher%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1487" data-original-width="2231" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22dAL2FacPxViGHc9MvOG7P6tfzWHa0ElcpWvvEC7TikIpoyNmRnOkITDxxrrXQ0x6vEFwN2phWM2LqjYWgUA3fCUN4b4ydPkbwSNrkO9HQn_vXfYcnbp3bdLY0kGq7Pp77eMBvWuu8qg8EZ0OR2KXm0doghZqYCbSA4wiey4Qua61rauO-2Lua2S2Rs/s320/Least%20Flycatcher%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9728.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">All of the good birds being seen were the result of a strong cold front that passed a couple of days ago. There were at least twenty Ruby-cowned Kinglets, maybe twice that many.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqe3U_kIj2pjhWPoS4eYmVwChnjsgVy7s5qo_iOT1HLdveD6Jh_LsFRsCaX_DLFQAGCgkc4-t9tsuZaTQjmrssp0JPDHqvEts4IgHmAG4dZfivr49VL9wU5h0DlU2ADmhSZGjAYgRuNrXXR-v7HNzTOU2qWUDuiOdAmZypamqoaRNMElYDJR_-rBlwlNE/s2094/Ruby-crowned%20Kinglet%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9511.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1396" data-original-width="2094" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqe3U_kIj2pjhWPoS4eYmVwChnjsgVy7s5qo_iOT1HLdveD6Jh_LsFRsCaX_DLFQAGCgkc4-t9tsuZaTQjmrssp0JPDHqvEts4IgHmAG4dZfivr49VL9wU5h0DlU2ADmhSZGjAYgRuNrXXR-v7HNzTOU2qWUDuiOdAmZypamqoaRNMElYDJR_-rBlwlNE/s320/Ruby-crowned%20Kinglet%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9511.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I wandered to the loop in front hoping to find the kingbirds. I was rewared with this very uncommon Winter Wren. Just a few minutes later a second was found at Sheepshead.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfLPgoNCX85kKcKGZA0R1LUVi1jgiEogJZChGGxT9SgnZThJDqIVyU9ewQbgiQRDdiLXfmUtcY7G_JlPY-8XJq-7phdMPXLtILZ7MbGy8mjivLQj2gXDFNHbSxysaC0-7Fde24BCr8UaYK_U95KbK4ElK_QsbfNm8UMXxII8h_wbLorUGwuktbJwBQzo/s1547/Winter%20Wren%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1031" data-original-width="1547" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUfLPgoNCX85kKcKGZA0R1LUVi1jgiEogJZChGGxT9SgnZThJDqIVyU9ewQbgiQRDdiLXfmUtcY7G_JlPY-8XJq-7phdMPXLtILZ7MbGy8mjivLQj2gXDFNHbSxysaC0-7Fde24BCr8UaYK_U95KbK4ElK_QsbfNm8UMXxII8h_wbLorUGwuktbJwBQzo/s320/Winter%20Wren%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9561.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy5Zp_SgF3OqM3CRPFMxE1_YT3SgnivehzR4sKEso27kbJGpFQ7_qQXug_AHtGXbXxLZ_q3WjnDspAiwVahdabRH4qE0NXe6rd8Xt1ai9eyHWI8JAiTnYC2gkyXCE7LT3Y9mWTlBtgbESAk__TjpFoQBgoosP8zUK_O30GmZy37NZaAce3JmBoER4NA4/s1305/Winter%20Wren%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9565.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1305" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmy5Zp_SgF3OqM3CRPFMxE1_YT3SgnivehzR4sKEso27kbJGpFQ7_qQXug_AHtGXbXxLZ_q3WjnDspAiwVahdabRH4qE0NXe6rd8Xt1ai9eyHWI8JAiTnYC2gkyXCE7LT3Y9mWTlBtgbESAk__TjpFoQBgoosP8zUK_O30GmZy37NZaAce3JmBoER4NA4/s320/Winter%20Wren%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9565.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Back by the water feature the immature White-throated Sparrow finally showed. Not rare but pretty uncommon in the Valley.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxmHUrZIRpFlUrte53klZPYoWBc95K_h0xIdVIzcHfsVT2bnDAlZamQKzxOdXieFKF88I7hIbYn-s_GY1hm7wXabCU98d2n7R28beLXghE3B4rBntmz213BjgkJ3kRwkyDzcarehD7wMVrTX3unLlpd_OmRyFPrFL2qZmWLjucjzHIPUpkWlR1nfByfo/s2737/White-throated%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2737" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIxmHUrZIRpFlUrte53klZPYoWBc95K_h0xIdVIzcHfsVT2bnDAlZamQKzxOdXieFKF88I7hIbYn-s_GY1hm7wXabCU98d2n7R28beLXghE3B4rBntmz213BjgkJ3kRwkyDzcarehD7wMVrTX3unLlpd_OmRyFPrFL2qZmWLjucjzHIPUpkWlR1nfByfo/s320/White-throated%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9822.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I got a bad shot of the immature White-crowned Sparrow also.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw-ndVBz8HNIIDTSDNI00yDgr_KvCCMSiEhcPhs0c9NXdN4-omFuZZlFT1bMKb7Sx0zGNppNwt1NPRk-CWlF7KMaIE06AolVBAmfqQehW6Dw9I8VGYWHCAdlbK20ZWqzMcMRYM5Sdkb_CTOwIDt_VFIkTuEMSjkUj_6i1BYeccKCMmgnrHhpeKwqh0uk/s1646/White-crowned%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1646" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQw-ndVBz8HNIIDTSDNI00yDgr_KvCCMSiEhcPhs0c9NXdN4-omFuZZlFT1bMKb7Sx0zGNppNwt1NPRk-CWlF7KMaIE06AolVBAmfqQehW6Dw9I8VGYWHCAdlbK20ZWqzMcMRYM5Sdkb_CTOwIDt_VFIkTuEMSjkUj_6i1BYeccKCMmgnrHhpeKwqh0uk/s320/White-crowned%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9852.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Common Sparrows included Lincoln's and Savannah.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4nWCYGsJG-vh6Q-zHO-cg8uCimIu3SAhIfNihIPsgf92RIJ3YYvGJ5O2Ef90LV2imRnf13WzgrwG5gmtyqz6gdE3JGLdixJUVzsoaWJWtQDB_dEOau4fUfURXO_YH6oc8f9RniZE6uZQWvc_jhdpUqhOSx86x2-9H_ZyGsi_IfjbwnoRTNj0z2idY94/s2737/Lincoln's%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1824" data-original-width="2737" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA4nWCYGsJG-vh6Q-zHO-cg8uCimIu3SAhIfNihIPsgf92RIJ3YYvGJ5O2Ef90LV2imRnf13WzgrwG5gmtyqz6gdE3JGLdixJUVzsoaWJWtQDB_dEOau4fUfURXO_YH6oc8f9RniZE6uZQWvc_jhdpUqhOSx86x2-9H_ZyGsi_IfjbwnoRTNj0z2idY94/s320/Lincoln's%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9868.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH1QnTFNPDisMUdMCxLYDNkSlgwKy4L24yPqCV6z5DA9qDeQotktLHvCfTrrIZAYcOwk3Cc-hQnmaWrBcoXxgbFAkWDmYRUMtaODEifsrnJdOE0UzN9n1Y6uU6vZmelo1Pm9vjvgUxBhupyVDxe31hWzCX_EXlaURJ3GHZ1RR29PYnpIIWVCX3GqcHu0/s1788/Savannah%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9653.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1192" data-original-width="1788" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRH1QnTFNPDisMUdMCxLYDNkSlgwKy4L24yPqCV6z5DA9qDeQotktLHvCfTrrIZAYcOwk3Cc-hQnmaWrBcoXxgbFAkWDmYRUMtaODEifsrnJdOE0UzN9n1Y6uU6vZmelo1Pm9vjvgUxBhupyVDxe31hWzCX_EXlaURJ3GHZ1RR29PYnpIIWVCX3GqcHu0/s320/Savannah%20Sparrow%20SPI%20Conv%20Center%2011-1-23%200A9A9653.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>For the day, eight species that are rare enough to be flagged on eBird were found by birders at the Convention Center. I was able to see six of them. I missed the Green-tailed Towhee and the Golden-crowned Kinglet. A pretty damn fantastic day!<br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-1402492573752355242023-10-25T10:06:00.000-05:002023-10-25T10:06:15.360-05:00American Flamingos at Laguna Atascosa NWR, 10/23/23<p>Sunday afternoon I had just finished exercising and was eating dinner and watching football when the WhatsApp dinged. Evan Farese had just found a Downy Woodpecker at the Convention Center on South Padre Island. Wow! That's a bird I've been wanting to see in the Valley for a long time. But gee I didn't want to drive out the SPI so late in the afternoon and after a long treeless journey down the coast I was sure that Downy would be there come the next morning. Then "ding" again. Evan had just found two juvenile American Flamingos at Laguna Atascosa. How did he get over there so fast?</p><p>Well Monday morning I got up early and ran out to the Convention Center on the Island and there was Brad McKinney looking for the Downy Woodpecker. His logic was the same as mine and he had not gone over to the see it the evening before though he lives close by. Well we looked and looked and couldn't find the Downy. I went over to the Birding Center and gave it a go but nothing. Arg!!!! Meanwhile the American Flamingos were being observed at Laguna Atascosa.</p><p>I had seen a juvenile American Flamingo many years ago out on the flats off TX 48 not far from Port Isabel. But I didn't have any photos so I thought I would give up on the woodpecker and go for the flamingos. When I got there the WhatsApp dinged and Mary Volz reported she was at the spot near the Alligator Pond and no flamingos. Arg!!! Well they got to be somewhere so I set up my scope at Osprey Overlook and bingo! Two scruffy young American Flamingos were feeding with the thousands of ducks, waders and shorebirds in the shallow receding waters of the Laguna Atascosa.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTOlWZy2nr_hEBaXGxcJbBhyOoQuUqqiY34r_Rhg4_xVPF6cFZKxAJ1YMk_jbYt_WhljXLmKe7uMexvslStzuBavgbKifClu-oAIq9RL5sEjz3aILISp_dNqrL5E9D2yxTZeL2Dl2TAM5lXpFZ76_yrUqMybBEUIWacFLNzC6Nv0ePo8h3gbjWdcYWKU/s1002/American%20Flamingo%20Laguna%20Atascosa%20NWR%2010-23-23%200A9A8727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1002" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBTOlWZy2nr_hEBaXGxcJbBhyOoQuUqqiY34r_Rhg4_xVPF6cFZKxAJ1YMk_jbYt_WhljXLmKe7uMexvslStzuBavgbKifClu-oAIq9RL5sEjz3aILISp_dNqrL5E9D2yxTZeL2Dl2TAM5lXpFZ76_yrUqMybBEUIWacFLNzC6Nv0ePo8h3gbjWdcYWKU/s320/American%20Flamingo%20Laguna%20Atascosa%20NWR%2010-23-23%200A9A8727.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtnJENO6FDsWpoNWD39WrWCYnGp13fiNCwb6xI3nbBw0l9BclK3UP3cNV_VWCKQICRoefRsyB_yMqdw9EcFMOIiAkpCbnVAcjfNrUSO9upeGEIhRwfdy45LGdFD4vqBReyAyF7qGB00OogxtGMItJHl2DRx1bmIN9GW9sEM74Lcm4y9ijgvyVcNShJpU/s821/American%20Flamingo%20Laguna%20Atascosa%20NWR%2010-23-23%200A9A8700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="547" data-original-width="821" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtnJENO6FDsWpoNWD39WrWCYnGp13fiNCwb6xI3nbBw0l9BclK3UP3cNV_VWCKQICRoefRsyB_yMqdw9EcFMOIiAkpCbnVAcjfNrUSO9upeGEIhRwfdy45LGdFD4vqBReyAyF7qGB00OogxtGMItJHl2DRx1bmIN9GW9sEM74Lcm4y9ijgvyVcNShJpU/s320/American%20Flamingo%20Laguna%20Atascosa%20NWR%2010-23-23%200A9A8700.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Early in September Hurricane Idalia passed over the breeding grounds of the American Flamingos on the northern coast of the Yucatan and apparently a large number of them were caught up in the hurricane. First larger than usual numbers were reported in south Florida where they are very uncommon. Then little groups of two to a half dozen were were found in locations scattered across the eastern United States. Eventually a couple were found near Galveston, and then at Port Aransas and now at Laguna Atascosa. The habitat at Laguna Atascosa is quite similar to the shallow lakes in southern Argentina where I recently observed many Chilean Flamingos. So I think these youngsters will be able to find plenty of small crustaceans to eat and maybe they will hang around a while. I'm not sure what will happen to the birds up north as the powerful cold front approaches. American Flamings are not normally migratory so the question is "Will they know to go south when it gets cold?" Anyway lots of birders have found their lifer American Flamingos this fall and I'm sure the story isn't over.</p><p>Meanwhile I bet that Downy Woodpecker is still on South Padre Island and hopefully it will be refound.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-28620311572610065952023-10-05T13:34:00.001-05:002023-10-05T13:34:13.848-05:00Limpkins at Estero Llano Grande State Park, 10/5/23<p>Last month I got to spend a couple of weeks in Argentina. I'm currently working a blog trip report which I will link in a few days. Anyway while I was down south looking a dotterels and Magellanic stuff a Limpkin was discovered at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco. This was not completely unexpected as there has been a literal invasion of Limpkin across the eastern United States. There are now many records for Texas and we were just waiting our turn for one to be found down here. In fact I posted an account of finding a <a href="http://antshrike.blogspot.com/2023/02/" target="_blank">deceased Limpkin on South Padre Island in Willacy County</a> on this blog last February. Well the Estero Limpkin hung around for only an afternoon and was long gone by the time I returned to the USA.</p><p>Fast forward to this morning. I was out in the yard hoping for a return of the Red-billed Pigeon when the WhatsApp dinged. Abran over at Estero had either refound or found another Limpkin in the flood channel at the same spot where the previous one had been observed. In birding sometimes you get a reprieve but not often. So I got myself ready to make the short drive to Estero when the WhatsApp dinged again. This time Javier DeLeon, the park superintendent, was reporting there were actually two Limpkins. Dang! Well I raced over and made the long hot walk to the levee above Alligator Pond and there was Javi looking at the Limpkins. They had relocated from the mudflats to a distant shady tree where I managed these poor photos. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil44EBzQUDH1vi_GgijUPnIIs_Ja_u0J3kwPih-DoAZurfpetX9vIkeLBb3MihfvhrVQ2V61WS1ptygpmYIM6Jtz4hqbpM12Xk-xw82h1o0h3dBbJf6Hwgxsk8vcJ1QoD01IfDYrQ3nWza21STlQfU2BVoIqRxYC3BGcuIWr0HhyRdrzUtNSXBrAowYKY/s1011/Limpkin%20Estero%20Llano%20Grande%2010-5-23%200A9A6751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1011" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil44EBzQUDH1vi_GgijUPnIIs_Ja_u0J3kwPih-DoAZurfpetX9vIkeLBb3MihfvhrVQ2V61WS1ptygpmYIM6Jtz4hqbpM12Xk-xw82h1o0h3dBbJf6Hwgxsk8vcJ1QoD01IfDYrQ3nWza21STlQfU2BVoIqRxYC3BGcuIWr0HhyRdrzUtNSXBrAowYKY/s320/Limpkin%20Estero%20Llano%20Grande%2010-5-23%200A9A6751.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUU3A89G0i95eDpneR6RaBEN51ScM15GVVGPEiddR0yCY0sPyggXOoY94Rd36Jdb5hatH5yuYq__JFw2iSJEdchsVMAQ3YTxs4oAQCHZoscHvCRvpX7kEWIRF9leGnJTf4zduEVZC82qgNgR7Hh6i5oTYPc0EyMZwdu6ZVwlvncEGOrR8lClH6IULdhw/s1088/Limpkin%20Estero%20Llano%20Grande%2010-5-23%200A9A6744.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="725" data-original-width="1088" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUU3A89G0i95eDpneR6RaBEN51ScM15GVVGPEiddR0yCY0sPyggXOoY94Rd36Jdb5hatH5yuYq__JFw2iSJEdchsVMAQ3YTxs4oAQCHZoscHvCRvpX7kEWIRF9leGnJTf4zduEVZC82qgNgR7Hh6i5oTYPc0EyMZwdu6ZVwlvncEGOrR8lClH6IULdhw/s320/Limpkin%20Estero%20Llano%20Grande%2010-5-23%200A9A6744.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ojwDcy2G1NH1v__FyzacllJODqvQRcK0LsvujqoDugHMYiZ3AgNw9ER8sGIYXscQD2mtNPBS1gBSNlmEC2fnzf03tml7VSZx_swWL7WPyATTHdLyIu9U6PidyR5xPWCjjeCsCSKdSsjHnCjKBU4FRaKxFE7j4vtP1eDbBfpyML-dVE-EZIcocyR6HR4/s2109/Limpkin%20Estero%20Llano%20Grande%2010-5-23%200A9A6766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1406" data-original-width="2109" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ojwDcy2G1NH1v__FyzacllJODqvQRcK0LsvujqoDugHMYiZ3AgNw9ER8sGIYXscQD2mtNPBS1gBSNlmEC2fnzf03tml7VSZx_swWL7WPyATTHdLyIu9U6PidyR5xPWCjjeCsCSKdSsjHnCjKBU4FRaKxFE7j4vtP1eDbBfpyML-dVE-EZIcocyR6HR4/s320/Limpkin%20Estero%20Llano%20Grande%2010-5-23%200A9A6766.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>It used to be the only place to see Limpkins in the United States was south Florida where they feed on the large apple snails. But with the help of the tropical fish industry, apple snails have spread across the southern US and Limpkins are spreading with them. Now Limpkins are being seen feeding on freshwater clams and mussels so no telling how far they will spread. These Estero birds may have wandered down from east Texas but to me they may have just as likely wandered up from Mexico. Anyway I get another new species for my Hidalgo County list, #413.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-71520944989947589332023-10-04T14:07:00.004-05:002023-10-05T13:05:37.038-05:00Red-billed Pigeon at Progreso Lakes, 10/4/23<p>This warm muggy morning I was sitting on the porch here at Progreso Lakes, watching the hummingbird feeders and thinking about how it's been a long time since I've seen anything rare in the yard. Our last new addition to the yard list was a Scarlet Tanager this past spring, which is not that rare. Then I started thinking about rare birds and probability distributions. There are always rare birds out there to be found. But "rare" implies there aren't very many of them. But they are out there. And just like with lottery tickets, though your chances of winning are low, the more you play the better your chances are to win. So the best plan for finding rare birds is to be ready. Being aware of what species are possible really helps so that when you get a glimpse of something you are ready to jump on it. Of course this means there are lots of false alarms and plenty of disappointment when that possible rare bird turns out to be something common.</p><p>Anyway after watching the feeders with only a dozen Ruby-throates and otherwise only a Nashville Warbler and a Baltimore Oriole as migrants, I decided it was time to go in and have some breakfast. As I opened the back door, I notice a seemingly large dove or pigeon perched on a small tree about sixty or seventy yards away. Immediately I thought "that looks suspicious". I raised the camera and fired a shot and got a bit closed firing more shots till it flushed at maybe forty yards. As I zoomed in on the images on the back of the camera, one species kept coming to mind.... Red-billed Pigeon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBquuum7Tk5yeH8nRAHBmtcRD14NgJyW6nzYRNTGNKPN4Fv5vtrLVZPssfH6RG33SSZSi77OaraJHVsYh344sdv3B3e3jytc5I2rZCE2T8cZWHDvoEXpZLBWFqt9FZfkc46mokM_Vjhme0-bjqsku4a6NauK-XaIMFXxKAe5gXnB6dFBm4rGPZ4nCH8w/s914/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="609" data-original-width="914" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBquuum7Tk5yeH8nRAHBmtcRD14NgJyW6nzYRNTGNKPN4Fv5vtrLVZPssfH6RG33SSZSi77OaraJHVsYh344sdv3B3e3jytc5I2rZCE2T8cZWHDvoEXpZLBWFqt9FZfkc46mokM_Vjhme0-bjqsku4a6NauK-XaIMFXxKAe5gXnB6dFBm4rGPZ4nCH8w/s320/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6710.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I ran into the house and stuck the SD card into the computer and edited images and still kept coming up with the same ID. A large bulky, large winged, dark columbid with a pale tipped bill and no visible white or banding on the tail. Everything else seemed to be ruled out. Best I can guess is this is an immature Red-billed Pigeon. Red-billed Pigeons are abundant fruit eaters thoughout much of the New World tropics. In the United States small numbers occur along the Rio Grande in Starr and Zapata Counties. They are rarely reported from Hidalgo and Cameron County.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsB6mVD36eaXpn0O5QoXbgXbWPadHB7bY_2MTFNJ-MdJuBBuI8poJxuVBaYbk3XdPBlVgFLy7oDZdoWzuUjfKf3fZCtsrsBoVeDhNXIbjFTAbtDWnK9qqHfC8xmHWTO4St0SRBVJf5LzvJpoWlnL9A0MZlYYxbHhX6WFOLjxstKpI4fpcR-KXUmZ3ou_c/s1104/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6703.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="1104" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsB6mVD36eaXpn0O5QoXbgXbWPadHB7bY_2MTFNJ-MdJuBBuI8poJxuVBaYbk3XdPBlVgFLy7oDZdoWzuUjfKf3fZCtsrsBoVeDhNXIbjFTAbtDWnK9qqHfC8xmHWTO4St0SRBVJf5LzvJpoWlnL9A0MZlYYxbHhX6WFOLjxstKpI4fpcR-KXUmZ3ou_c/s320/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6703.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKn6i4C_F9cUAnrVwVr-3E0QWh5R2fEFfkOgQBHNXOlwTbtCD8FbBqoyr7SsauzwcQawAAm-xio15cfHINVkTLKLGEhnl48OJchimXvieUjrhVMKV5JfdjsBIH5n_yHfdrp4F0DUqkmvWkbbQlccicRgK25OpsicTS94qSgylSZJTh5-v6B8jKpL1aL8/s1802/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6702.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1802" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKn6i4C_F9cUAnrVwVr-3E0QWh5R2fEFfkOgQBHNXOlwTbtCD8FbBqoyr7SsauzwcQawAAm-xio15cfHINVkTLKLGEhnl48OJchimXvieUjrhVMKV5JfdjsBIH5n_yHfdrp4F0DUqkmvWkbbQlccicRgK25OpsicTS94qSgylSZJTh5-v6B8jKpL1aL8/s320/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6702.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqjREHh55LnK7kYePYZRtjpcpKjK361hNDvG-xJCPGsDf3gL8eOVo7EerzDnP_HVXxu68Jn0dZluE1d0wHhvVRkC85dDjGtfxXTPAny0aDTBE57xDoEdN_dI9OdF2M4OSKVIvVDB4uUTtuIAxze1PmbUSo07p8YcPz_ppAR__cfC9Ck6S9I1vVT_Rqu0/s847/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6707.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="564" data-original-width="847" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqjREHh55LnK7kYePYZRtjpcpKjK361hNDvG-xJCPGsDf3gL8eOVo7EerzDnP_HVXxu68Jn0dZluE1d0wHhvVRkC85dDjGtfxXTPAny0aDTBE57xDoEdN_dI9OdF2M4OSKVIvVDB4uUTtuIAxze1PmbUSo07p8YcPz_ppAR__cfC9Ck6S9I1vVT_Rqu0/s320/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6707.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8HhE3UDQJ0nCaQYxaULn_EFi7q-8o1Ss-NYmG6J11bfohg9HaJNnvwkrlVDDIDW-ufLxc8k2r3XOatRH0nF0haHfrkfATpgoIUg-eRYk4L2CFejtqQfUKh_3NIEhAo1RdeXrQBW8eDwaFgIs-m_71BLLjxW3gb0hJDOlzdLRlvmmeAlXVe85cUVUkLo/s1173/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6712.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="782" data-original-width="1173" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8HhE3UDQJ0nCaQYxaULn_EFi7q-8o1Ss-NYmG6J11bfohg9HaJNnvwkrlVDDIDW-ufLxc8k2r3XOatRH0nF0haHfrkfATpgoIUg-eRYk4L2CFejtqQfUKh_3NIEhAo1RdeXrQBW8eDwaFgIs-m_71BLLjxW3gb0hJDOlzdLRlvmmeAlXVe85cUVUkLo/s320/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6712.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLFka5zyZR91IWEsA7Ibjd5uKIENhnkqwKNMNn0jyq0iaAJbuI5Li3WK8bJRGfSccZKQHzXjYMPBhvrR5KPm9H6hOuBZFxsu1MSvtM1LqrkVpmL4hlfU1F_rQ6ylF-bD7AIRakpoUESHqzQ1vIdINJL9418qqU0U9s3u83JkSL3YsKy58OTZGdBrJjsE/s1302/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6713.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="868" data-original-width="1302" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMLFka5zyZR91IWEsA7Ibjd5uKIENhnkqwKNMNn0jyq0iaAJbuI5Li3WK8bJRGfSccZKQHzXjYMPBhvrR5KPm9H6hOuBZFxsu1MSvtM1LqrkVpmL4hlfU1F_rQ6ylF-bD7AIRakpoUESHqzQ1vIdINJL9418qqU0U9s3u83JkSL3YsKy58OTZGdBrJjsE/s320/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVWG1QVBZQhzDm09Ym9M8C0GjjqEB4SzyCvF4-A3pdhgVdgAHVodn-6eXK4ODNxrkNeCOV6ho_VCUY4HXK4wkr65A9pja1tDuniHfPICbJYTZ_U10Reg_7amU9JQ5-24pLWRd8jMoWVKrJYipoRXl6Oq4TresiU5EjMOuh_flrbsEtpKtn_AKtspG9K4/s1210/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6714.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="1210" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVWG1QVBZQhzDm09Ym9M8C0GjjqEB4SzyCvF4-A3pdhgVdgAHVodn-6eXK4ODNxrkNeCOV6ho_VCUY4HXK4wkr65A9pja1tDuniHfPICbJYTZ_U10Reg_7amU9JQ5-24pLWRd8jMoWVKrJYipoRXl6Oq4TresiU5EjMOuh_flrbsEtpKtn_AKtspG9K4/s320/Pigeon%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-6-23%200A9A6714.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Most years there are reports by visiting birders of Red-billed Pigeons at area birding hotspots like Santa Ana NWR or Estero Llano Grande State Park. But they are never documented with photos and most or all are fly over White-winged Doves IMO. After living in the Valley for 31 years, this is my first for Hidalgo County, species #412. It was the 249th species to be seen from our Progreso Lakes yard.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-29455705836444988432023-09-10T09:50:00.000-05:002023-09-10T09:50:45.933-05:00South Padre Island, Willacy County 9/6/23<p>Ron Weeks came down a few days ago to work on his Willacy County list. He has about fifteen Texas counties with over 300 species of birds seen and is just a few away from that total in Willacy County. So we made a run up the beach on South Padre Island to see if we could add a few. My total is at 292 and I'm just parely staying ahead of Ron. Well he wound up with a distant Brown Booby at the Port Mansfield Channel jetty which was new for him. I was right next to him and think I got on the bird but it was very distant through the scope and I failed to see many field marks so I'm not counting it. My best bird was this striking adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. At the time I thought it might be a new county bird for me but turns out I had already seen one.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZ-hnYc0h7kftLf5w3oCln6O329GeQjLrpO8IoTlj36B-sHvBQHi-kuyLgDSIuUCvu4miHg23dQiDZfzYjaa3xBxz65RfAyEE3CkcvZcx0hvXs41icjvA_w2YNSk3kNSjJuKagoqDYARYF8QmBVitnK8MKyrAB8ILKLQjNEawqENEdvjcfC8vzL_X9Ww/s3185/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0305.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2123" data-original-width="3185" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxZ-hnYc0h7kftLf5w3oCln6O329GeQjLrpO8IoTlj36B-sHvBQHi-kuyLgDSIuUCvu4miHg23dQiDZfzYjaa3xBxz65RfAyEE3CkcvZcx0hvXs41icjvA_w2YNSk3kNSjJuKagoqDYARYF8QmBVitnK8MKyrAB8ILKLQjNEawqENEdvjcfC8vzL_X9Ww/s320/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0305.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiig62YtNlLasTx7-VC5_mpvwWxIAQvzAf35LfXrrTWuSrgvqLGgKJB9L83twTSGPmC0veVWyx3UGQTvwklvUfhkoyVw5sx9wXLUxS-c2BDEFPtFIrSnxkszxh6Zp3VSh3IJ5g_dVeHkKTzceVGTcs_NiqvgxzMeMpCiIZ2cRuAqYmgCNiWhnCMSIe66WY/s2301/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1534" data-original-width="2301" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiig62YtNlLasTx7-VC5_mpvwWxIAQvzAf35LfXrrTWuSrgvqLGgKJB9L83twTSGPmC0veVWyx3UGQTvwklvUfhkoyVw5sx9wXLUxS-c2BDEFPtFIrSnxkszxh6Zp3VSh3IJ5g_dVeHkKTzceVGTcs_NiqvgxzMeMpCiIZ2cRuAqYmgCNiWhnCMSIe66WY/s320/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0057.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPaRvr3Im939c68Dj0gDGWrAsBskxT-96hDvFcBt6etpcC4A9yfR5n_SUcTumNcZ3ibLyjklFFxoj99R3TCbo7i1o8sgjeSl2yOcL4dR32B9AV3abd7ZimzZGCUeGPIu7IcRYoWo_Yl0IRKqJk3FeksxKiFRakg5tTNHy1xwwAjF1oZs4lg-E0xLwZGM/s1755/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0076.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1755" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPaRvr3Im939c68Dj0gDGWrAsBskxT-96hDvFcBt6etpcC4A9yfR5n_SUcTumNcZ3ibLyjklFFxoj99R3TCbo7i1o8sgjeSl2yOcL4dR32B9AV3abd7ZimzZGCUeGPIu7IcRYoWo_Yl0IRKqJk3FeksxKiFRakg5tTNHy1xwwAjF1oZs4lg-E0xLwZGM/s320/Lesser%20Black-backed%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0076.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Se saw about a dozen Common Terns which are uncommon down here, especially in breeding plumage.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8K7GER_qSnevJUI3jhbaT264q099m22qjWGex82ifE-T0s9wvKNfZOdNrHuJFtqTRKEdoySBnC4zC72vzNRhgDHrEdtDap6PS9vWTlFwRkOrDCtC1GTJnSYbgY_S_JzQfbK2qtfi2pBLm868AyUbGznjSx-Mm493Sz-9CykKafoHnZUCfNk_OsfMUnM/s2599/Common%20Tern%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1733" data-original-width="2599" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO8K7GER_qSnevJUI3jhbaT264q099m22qjWGex82ifE-T0s9wvKNfZOdNrHuJFtqTRKEdoySBnC4zC72vzNRhgDHrEdtDap6PS9vWTlFwRkOrDCtC1GTJnSYbgY_S_JzQfbK2qtfi2pBLm868AyUbGznjSx-Mm493Sz-9CykKafoHnZUCfNk_OsfMUnM/s320/Common%20Tern%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0184.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA52lCWBODCC6--F_DcJ7XUo32Ba3PfODFJRjNnEcxIHCjfp3jKCquMQ9F8ciV_Sk3At09okib1QNVuXA9HOTjsRpjELjTUhMyJZcFvKh4luknd4dt3Nz91YbGaBsUxWYVXDh3pZKbLBQB3re9yd9edDkhlCVj8gzsOaUmVXtXAJpsX-IKwM69abvY2r0/s2438/Common%20Tern%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2438" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA52lCWBODCC6--F_DcJ7XUo32Ba3PfODFJRjNnEcxIHCjfp3jKCquMQ9F8ciV_Sk3At09okib1QNVuXA9HOTjsRpjELjTUhMyJZcFvKh4luknd4dt3Nz91YbGaBsUxWYVXDh3pZKbLBQB3re9yd9edDkhlCVj8gzsOaUmVXtXAJpsX-IKwM69abvY2r0/s320/Common%20Tern%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDWdyBeDoFLMYVn5pd1QhbhcCZfQv2OaoyxzMPd_g_Jqy8Acona3F3YshjZMh9sCKDgT4iX8IqE7SvDBEmQGC6mrH5KJWzBp32CrqEHygqN1Grblkv2G6nDsLt-691atvBwvraaYTaFBVK_0G2tRCainllwWljuYufg9mLu16ZSloWSYzYyAKviiYJUs/s2088/Common%20Tern%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1392" data-original-width="2088" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaDWdyBeDoFLMYVn5pd1QhbhcCZfQv2OaoyxzMPd_g_Jqy8Acona3F3YshjZMh9sCKDgT4iX8IqE7SvDBEmQGC6mrH5KJWzBp32CrqEHygqN1Grblkv2G6nDsLt-691atvBwvraaYTaFBVK_0G2tRCainllwWljuYufg9mLu16ZSloWSYzYyAKviiYJUs/s320/Common%20Tern%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0017.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Weirdest bird of the day goes to this misplaced female Cinammon Teal. We did see a couple of migrant teal flocks that we called Blue-winged.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrafZFx4EFxZc99BxGLm_T3SPfkjNVOllbnE2O3-0li8QY_CURVbw0FL86s-GcGqAAsHo5ZLtk7n8DLTo99gkn8PvXZDW4hFOQOKeWRuheP6t6vnaYVcz8vm124yP15g-_ADwEqBDN43oi-Swmco6DH3KRGoCtkpFk7yjuS43itp0uMSMXlcOCnjf6qEc/s1927/Cinammon%20Teal%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1285" data-original-width="1927" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrafZFx4EFxZc99BxGLm_T3SPfkjNVOllbnE2O3-0li8QY_CURVbw0FL86s-GcGqAAsHo5ZLtk7n8DLTo99gkn8PvXZDW4hFOQOKeWRuheP6t6vnaYVcz8vm124yP15g-_ADwEqBDN43oi-Swmco6DH3KRGoCtkpFk7yjuS43itp0uMSMXlcOCnjf6qEc/s320/Cinammon%20Teal%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0268.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6Ya6VMr5hRw28eIq7LiRfR1K7r4g8v881Ib6y3UvzT_J2isrNI1nQtV55zPUetfNi3lcGkn4BjeSij-enwdskQNss8iQDIZRl0yQCkC45qJEJiFsInlLQX7Zgz53m1HaoBaulSbUlk4BJoGCD98wHAakR82p6xgog9jS7IrfaWGKfVgcHttUwtlyEho/s2027/Cinammon%20Teal%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="2027" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6Ya6VMr5hRw28eIq7LiRfR1K7r4g8v881Ib6y3UvzT_J2isrNI1nQtV55zPUetfNi3lcGkn4BjeSij-enwdskQNss8iQDIZRl0yQCkC45qJEJiFsInlLQX7Zgz53m1HaoBaulSbUlk4BJoGCD98wHAakR82p6xgog9jS7IrfaWGKfVgcHttUwtlyEho/s320/Cinammon%20Teal%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0089.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Ron was wanting a Red Knot for Willacy County but the only one we saw was in Cameron County.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MQvLwLYI5y5M7ES9Qgfihaq1tTYZ0TuMZRPOEacdF82yfAsgegs8lL0xGaD7LGUFael8oFF3657odKfZhpVBE810VKIg71e3GNxJRL8X76n2OGLHMs2VWN7Mu3n8CCEKudMH2prYPhw--vOiaTVbxmK6TOGP-65ZAVWx9NInIX1TPetQV6HXCPF4dQ8/s2211/Red%20Knot%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1474" data-original-width="2211" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4MQvLwLYI5y5M7ES9Qgfihaq1tTYZ0TuMZRPOEacdF82yfAsgegs8lL0xGaD7LGUFael8oFF3657odKfZhpVBE810VKIg71e3GNxJRL8X76n2OGLHMs2VWN7Mu3n8CCEKudMH2prYPhw--vOiaTVbxmK6TOGP-65ZAVWx9NInIX1TPetQV6HXCPF4dQ8/s320/Red%20Knot%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0317.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Otherwise is was just the usual stuff like the ultra long billed Long-billed Curlew.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqBvFag8N8kT85_BZpZxkn0RneGcnYH5dSxzb-zKJPdTeroUtnjB52v-pn8BVvRD1S6V4881idDEahLl9UR1WEwfXCnUXeF7HkaFabFeBg_5JOL9SNvHu9ZGdjsry8-6uQxO_RXU2J4GtzPqFAhtnGx8_8gmOTB2wp9jmKJF6N0ixG-ym_ejPJGpIqi0/s2761/Long-billed%20Curlew%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1841" data-original-width="2761" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqBvFag8N8kT85_BZpZxkn0RneGcnYH5dSxzb-zKJPdTeroUtnjB52v-pn8BVvRD1S6V4881idDEahLl9UR1WEwfXCnUXeF7HkaFabFeBg_5JOL9SNvHu9ZGdjsry8-6uQxO_RXU2J4GtzPqFAhtnGx8_8gmOTB2wp9jmKJF6N0ixG-ym_ejPJGpIqi0/s320/Long-billed%20Curlew%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Plenty of Brown Pelicans.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpsQZ8VLMQzMCcC6lG8ZccWWLGKJ2ssf249d8blq2iGrZyD-WhUgm2l4jOOrBsbG8LnIIpGTVwozfQme3Iy1VDuraHN1KCuTTGPQ2n-0fhbQCJWdpktlJ9wJTiRbpFn4nJf8xEzIoJTvL4WBxLRosDAEQd9CRHYx7XTBQVHhMiEwtQ8mq0g8esoPzhMQ/s2504/Brown%20Pelican%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1669" data-original-width="2504" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpsQZ8VLMQzMCcC6lG8ZccWWLGKJ2ssf249d8blq2iGrZyD-WhUgm2l4jOOrBsbG8LnIIpGTVwozfQme3Iy1VDuraHN1KCuTTGPQ2n-0fhbQCJWdpktlJ9wJTiRbpFn4nJf8xEzIoJTvL4WBxLRosDAEQd9CRHYx7XTBQVHhMiEwtQ8mq0g8esoPzhMQ/s320/Brown%20Pelican%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0211.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The only Herring Gull was this adult.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoht5pqeZviXgKArj6_G2DXTUH5u4S5V8YfoYWv8kToVyQrPhmaiZdfxSpFu4FmX7cTWytBsrEmp50zfOnLmtsr9ESEt_RDEeNloHXeYM2F-CaXCLItrmBgiIgxgqdzR82f47NWCJsv45HAVydide4HFX9b1U2THr6i5JoatBhZaK5wg0BIg9BEdYBpw/s4104/Herring%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0284.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2736" data-original-width="4104" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicoht5pqeZviXgKArj6_G2DXTUH5u4S5V8YfoYWv8kToVyQrPhmaiZdfxSpFu4FmX7cTWytBsrEmp50zfOnLmtsr9ESEt_RDEeNloHXeYM2F-CaXCLItrmBgiIgxgqdzR82f47NWCJsv45HAVydide4HFX9b1U2THr6i5JoatBhZaK5wg0BIg9BEdYBpw/s320/Herring%20Gull%20SPI%20Willacy%209-6-23%200A9A0284.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A nice day with a very drivable beach for a change. Tomorrow I'm off for a solo trip to Agentina. I haven't been out of the country since our pre covid trip to Australia in 2019. It's gonna be cold in Tierra del Fuego. Hope I can find some birds.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-23369207619582320252023-09-05T14:04:00.000-05:002023-09-05T14:04:21.758-05:00Hummers at Progreso Lakes, 9/5/23<p>Yesterday our local weatherman announced Weslaco had reached 100F for the 70th time this year. And here at Progreso Lakes we've had maybe a half inch of rain since May and less than five inches for the year. The upshot is it's dry out there. I set an all time high for our Progreso Lakes yard of 110 species last month and my only explanation is our acre yard on Moon Lake is an oasis attracting hungry and thirsty migrants. Now the hummingbirds are here in greater numbers than I've ever seen with at least twenty migrant Ruby-throats,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpHZC7dZBeswr4ft2Q4HPNzKXq2xHVvC5yQQ9WK9mgFQyySU0v-_IeGx8aI-l7fFa15J-d0jet_2m8DMbjrU88tDwyWRMOiSU5hedbQHoIbq_wBy2DFu7PgngKTiAB_F8MSm8OdqhZ1a37UE7O37BI2cufFetMn9vq5hUs0CKArTgp4RmX1hMPQSII08/s3927/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2618" data-original-width="3927" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpHZC7dZBeswr4ft2Q4HPNzKXq2xHVvC5yQQ9WK9mgFQyySU0v-_IeGx8aI-l7fFa15J-d0jet_2m8DMbjrU88tDwyWRMOiSU5hedbQHoIbq_wBy2DFu7PgngKTiAB_F8MSm8OdqhZ1a37UE7O37BI2cufFetMn9vq5hUs0CKArTgp4RmX1hMPQSII08/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0611.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUPlk9y8xczA7WbLBA7gM8RoJ96sdtw5262rGbkID8Bq0-h70P8Smdyge9qFSkjRR_ZcsyuIXvkAAARjSKv0FHyWhoDu3Z33n0NOkrk92fX3awXj69fraHA6XV3yUwOfFNpRBqVC5SIab9kd4w4ZyC-9Mdrve8dLp6WWzJse6rGr8UUV9pcfDApIyM_A/s3663/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0594.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2442" data-original-width="3663" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUPlk9y8xczA7WbLBA7gM8RoJ96sdtw5262rGbkID8Bq0-h70P8Smdyge9qFSkjRR_ZcsyuIXvkAAARjSKv0FHyWhoDu3Z33n0NOkrk92fX3awXj69fraHA6XV3yUwOfFNpRBqVC5SIab9kd4w4ZyC-9Mdrve8dLp6WWzJse6rGr8UUV9pcfDApIyM_A/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0594.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEGRTGaFjy2dthkSA0lmoBVq1j0FHXrvXgaYs7I-lie1dNl2Dr0Glu2jS9ZpLTLHbIIu33LR6bpP96fYCHL0qKnJ6zkLG8ByFnejXLYwTJqkzcDPY2W48ETDsS8Z7u-5GTJ2kXfjCJwRyK-MnfLRvtKKLHEBHki_gMcckauDBbrZzumgrOtBc8YjK8JQ/s3277/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2185" data-original-width="3277" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEGRTGaFjy2dthkSA0lmoBVq1j0FHXrvXgaYs7I-lie1dNl2Dr0Glu2jS9ZpLTLHbIIu33LR6bpP96fYCHL0qKnJ6zkLG8ByFnejXLYwTJqkzcDPY2W48ETDsS8Z7u-5GTJ2kXfjCJwRyK-MnfLRvtKKLHEBHki_gMcckauDBbrZzumgrOtBc8YjK8JQ/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0498.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I enjoy the variation in sprouting gorget feathers among the young males.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6CeO7ij1fI4hv_e6ZOfh0aXN2bsUnFyYpQK5HYjVBMjDPpD93Kf8l03qh05J4KXcK4p0OOX3vzTzdUtKaXJp489cAhmWe-hb7deoh2ftH3Ltk9bjTagSPiiUbAOe7aIB9vk08hrlA_zPKGTe3g085kZ0xXetGcXQwu54_0zLGtYF1sdPfvChREHkb40/s2040/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1360" data-original-width="2040" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw6CeO7ij1fI4hv_e6ZOfh0aXN2bsUnFyYpQK5HYjVBMjDPpD93Kf8l03qh05J4KXcK4p0OOX3vzTzdUtKaXJp489cAhmWe-hb7deoh2ftH3Ltk9bjTagSPiiUbAOe7aIB9vk08hrlA_zPKGTe3g085kZ0xXetGcXQwu54_0zLGtYF1sdPfvChREHkb40/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0709.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS6PCdhgyMZXr-c1eQd_F62NK-CuIg7BlaNz70QhSMqzWcpfMPjShYilMo1oI2-jAacCdOWoRpJ2WifkkFuB4KQst7XEarGSPEZQjCSlt4Cu9EmQfeWtS-UI5OchI-KNTYb2X8oss3au5r8aParDu529eWAYXF-F3PpQpeCEsDPfDxoLdVrQ-ZqJHZ4g/s1919/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1279" data-original-width="1919" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQS6PCdhgyMZXr-c1eQd_F62NK-CuIg7BlaNz70QhSMqzWcpfMPjShYilMo1oI2-jAacCdOWoRpJ2WifkkFuB4KQst7XEarGSPEZQjCSlt4Cu9EmQfeWtS-UI5OchI-KNTYb2X8oss3au5r8aParDu529eWAYXF-F3PpQpeCEsDPfDxoLdVrQ-ZqJHZ4g/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0670.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB3vfj79yZ2F6YEDk-2kpt4hixy4_OVlOpP35VFGc_PLEdxjUMcsUwcy9hJExUV4Lqs2r0agU5ljtMEcEvUhKEMaba2dsTC4CDvQy-Jel9JZbddB3LxR9-avdGcqM-WJEXAmwHCJVfUWeIrdPvtNJPjbmXynE1F6UShBhLnwJD-zsx69bSlg9R62dft8/s3584/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2389" data-original-width="3584" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB3vfj79yZ2F6YEDk-2kpt4hixy4_OVlOpP35VFGc_PLEdxjUMcsUwcy9hJExUV4Lqs2r0agU5ljtMEcEvUhKEMaba2dsTC4CDvQy-Jel9JZbddB3LxR9-avdGcqM-WJEXAmwHCJVfUWeIrdPvtNJPjbmXynE1F6UShBhLnwJD-zsx69bSlg9R62dft8/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0665.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio5AQS0HXP0S8OLWpqMIp7bLIeBCIvLiWkt-_O81lV9Wrl62J5k1t3qEexgZVlyG-lfBvajBu7c3gYkPW2fGeYc5W4QXpq3qli-0ebZspz8OJo-c9qXzBMV40kslG6kE31Js0cGNHm_1BT_yzViKYzmYz1AK53nah32VV75CI94fMpTKd7ePvwSZ2HmT4/s1416/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="944" data-original-width="1416" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio5AQS0HXP0S8OLWpqMIp7bLIeBCIvLiWkt-_O81lV9Wrl62J5k1t3qEexgZVlyG-lfBvajBu7c3gYkPW2fGeYc5W4QXpq3qli-0ebZspz8OJo-c9qXzBMV40kslG6kE31Js0cGNHm_1BT_yzViKYzmYz1AK53nah32VV75CI94fMpTKd7ePvwSZ2HmT4/s320/Ruby-throated%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-4-23%200A9A0552.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Best I can tell this young female Selasphorus is unidentifiable despite some pretty good spread tail shots. It's either a Rufous or an Allen's. We still need Allen's Hummingbird for our yard list.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivNqMMz6JcaYJ986zDeg8UtfVxdzRLUNf86wJe6Ya8hemFfzfq6hYfi4a5kiO5SQWpbP_7KNH5Yls6OsER6qCH5KGh7qMXqPFmPRWHO2KlIwQrNNT0RoRXFdVklX73jY8oAwzueeh1RSx07HUWue8h2sfep8OaYAheiCnidg-KClZm-CzSUlO_VElvpw/s1473/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="982" data-original-width="1473" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivNqMMz6JcaYJ986zDeg8UtfVxdzRLUNf86wJe6Ya8hemFfzfq6hYfi4a5kiO5SQWpbP_7KNH5Yls6OsER6qCH5KGh7qMXqPFmPRWHO2KlIwQrNNT0RoRXFdVklX73jY8oAwzueeh1RSx07HUWue8h2sfep8OaYAheiCnidg-KClZm-CzSUlO_VElvpw/s320/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0092.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUW5L-w7kqdtNFRoeTCN3xZwvDV5bfgUwzRTWkaFTcsUMwmkxV7P-4JyuAs93eOki8a83ATOAY3xkmDU-mgJ4AFnK3dFGmidQjPKaNixsfKVf9Gr-jd1m0Dk5auvz9tfDIWnEKIevnfXJBUQuWnyLpIxi5Yo7WbeREwZ6fVilqH4LTA33vQlLHcEZTe3k/s1626/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1084" data-original-width="1626" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUW5L-w7kqdtNFRoeTCN3xZwvDV5bfgUwzRTWkaFTcsUMwmkxV7P-4JyuAs93eOki8a83ATOAY3xkmDU-mgJ4AFnK3dFGmidQjPKaNixsfKVf9Gr-jd1m0Dk5auvz9tfDIWnEKIevnfXJBUQuWnyLpIxi5Yo7WbeREwZ6fVilqH4LTA33vQlLHcEZTe3k/s320/Rufous%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0099.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>We have at least three Buff-bellied Hummingbirds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_60X_bCHDc_zbyfIMseRa8-VdGp72O3aHoh9livBrBA--vXMUNC9ezvmYwwwPLrk5D9SDlclV38zPtccbOzEx6nBS_ysBSvvcgzicQ98UzT2KdYVnScd-Zsow_9VUvoeSlYB8TNiZndnEcng8AElkx8B2mqps9uXAa9uNV0CRH2dZnsaP49HO2LdOqrI/s1917/Buff-bellied%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1278" data-original-width="1917" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_60X_bCHDc_zbyfIMseRa8-VdGp72O3aHoh9livBrBA--vXMUNC9ezvmYwwwPLrk5D9SDlclV38zPtccbOzEx6nBS_ysBSvvcgzicQ98UzT2KdYVnScd-Zsow_9VUvoeSlYB8TNiZndnEcng8AElkx8B2mqps9uXAa9uNV0CRH2dZnsaP49HO2LdOqrI/s320/Buff-bellied%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0204.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCL1_ucyV7jq9VVJf0lM40Kk22sGSmrslZiIOJGmnvzJyUXoZN2a1V0ylg0MHwNo86jPz1BKjlfyTNjEHRW8i2Ljdw_LJC00q3_e5Et8VEifuHB3YpvByHV-0EzIu35jVWgyno7H4CJnOjcO4tOADvODdsxh5z-dKHcNXurF0LOK1LCcqTCDn6u6XVPWE/s1994/Buff-bellied%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1329" data-original-width="1994" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCL1_ucyV7jq9VVJf0lM40Kk22sGSmrslZiIOJGmnvzJyUXoZN2a1V0ylg0MHwNo86jPz1BKjlfyTNjEHRW8i2Ljdw_LJC00q3_e5Et8VEifuHB3YpvByHV-0EzIu35jVWgyno7H4CJnOjcO4tOADvODdsxh5z-dKHcNXurF0LOK1LCcqTCDn6u6XVPWE/s320/Buff-bellied%20Hummingbird%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%209-1-23%200A9A0351.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Tomorrow Ron Weeks is coming down from Lake Jackson and we're going to drive up the beach on South Padre Island and hope to add some juicy birds to our Willacy County lists. Should be fun. And next week I'm off to Argentina and Tierra del Fuego where I'm going to be looking at temperatures in the low 40's. It will be cold but a nice change.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-27228839359166891392023-08-25T20:36:00.001-05:002023-08-25T20:36:33.987-05:00Zapata County Kites, 8/25/23<p>On Aug 22 Tropical Storm Harold crossed into Texas at about Kingsville and proceeded west till it got to the Rio Grande and then went up river all the way to New Mexico. I was hoping it would come to the Rio Grande Valley and bring us some much needed rain and maybe some good seabirds. I was right about the seabirds. A flock of seventy Magnificent Frigatebirds were photographed on power lines west of Freer by a Cesar Keberg Institute biologist. I learned about them yesterday and surmised they must be around somewhere, maybe Lake Amistad or Falcon Reservoir. So I made the run up to Falcon State Park this morning.</p><p>I spent four hours on the lakeshore and failed to find any frigatebirds. But it was a good morning. I was on the Zapata County side of the park when migrant Mississippi Kites started to lift. And lifting up with them was this stonking Swallow-tailed Kite. There are few records for the county.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNdUuGgEWH9NSMRhM63DATHod7T7ueLPPpM3dre-fUBMcRIkQkI8xdZjXdIdx389biJ6hP_2-XBB88oDIoUZzIriSjhoPQxEXop7gdEuazWtP5PuWAs6vLurHEOigjW8vDWdNH2OE12NCqjkRfL4bMV8Dou955r1j34L_LQwasyymKSXjkTgwzJY-od8/s2624/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9418.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1749" data-original-width="2624" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaNdUuGgEWH9NSMRhM63DATHod7T7ueLPPpM3dre-fUBMcRIkQkI8xdZjXdIdx389biJ6hP_2-XBB88oDIoUZzIriSjhoPQxEXop7gdEuazWtP5PuWAs6vLurHEOigjW8vDWdNH2OE12NCqjkRfL4bMV8Dou955r1j34L_LQwasyymKSXjkTgwzJY-od8/s320/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9418.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPQwcebZxRy2KW6LO2lqHk9a73fTIi_OCO-kKNNP7wWzqeLN-6s9hx9h4RT4wfoL9Ld822591oFxq6KFvxOiKtuvhPXnGVPHnU8ccFDn5uM0zdT5Zelum_1P7_Y9lgEY-J5aq_3wn9GhLFRI0w1DX6BI0wCcQwUMb1OU6El5dHHIA65_PRv0URPrw1lI/s1746/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1164" data-original-width="1746" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPPQwcebZxRy2KW6LO2lqHk9a73fTIi_OCO-kKNNP7wWzqeLN-6s9hx9h4RT4wfoL9Ld822591oFxq6KFvxOiKtuvhPXnGVPHnU8ccFDn5uM0zdT5Zelum_1P7_Y9lgEY-J5aq_3wn9GhLFRI0w1DX6BI0wCcQwUMb1OU6El5dHHIA65_PRv0URPrw1lI/s320/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9416.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The Mississippi Kites were also a real treat. I counted about forty of them catching insects above the lake shore.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6j0bo8Zq5-_E6c9BRYawmxPTGDR9IyW-s6prmQQZsgjmGMbk5jQx8ZY5zjNvuU-9DHiCD5Gccay3pp59e810vBnGIb0bTSNgLhHQk5gPluAPQGHTXxx2L0L0tdquMRKKUBZ4k3lT-XlfBcMV9rsdDFcYOMEmrU96u0DvG2Mcgz3NDh57Zl6ntSsWXT0/s2948/Mississippi%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1965" data-original-width="2948" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO6j0bo8Zq5-_E6c9BRYawmxPTGDR9IyW-s6prmQQZsgjmGMbk5jQx8ZY5zjNvuU-9DHiCD5Gccay3pp59e810vBnGIb0bTSNgLhHQk5gPluAPQGHTXxx2L0L0tdquMRKKUBZ4k3lT-XlfBcMV9rsdDFcYOMEmrU96u0DvG2Mcgz3NDh57Zl6ntSsWXT0/s320/Mississippi%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9307.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNd8efJ_zILLAmnghLwWJni9QvP4UtLuRwL_1NmQ-GkUON5CpXLZtUIzCibzsKfiYCtavaCJ0LeDyZMV0TCjugiP-QF-58JMzcB-7GX3yqCeVbv5B1uXIrvW96oq3jY7OR7P_VFjmT3ZwohQN4R3te_ERM05nx2uShQQRhWHBzXQWCc9_5474_cVRJ68E/s1491/Mississippi%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1491" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNd8efJ_zILLAmnghLwWJni9QvP4UtLuRwL_1NmQ-GkUON5CpXLZtUIzCibzsKfiYCtavaCJ0LeDyZMV0TCjugiP-QF-58JMzcB-7GX3yqCeVbv5B1uXIrvW96oq3jY7OR7P_VFjmT3ZwohQN4R3te_ERM05nx2uShQQRhWHBzXQWCc9_5474_cVRJ68E/s320/Mississippi%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9312.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiSda8few3om9cvSr9sz78P49hZ2oclB4zkJHyurAMa_4D9UT0nfY9xI1a11BtZDgmldJkBE_Q17dwp2UjNSeUfdGwjVZtmPB8KTCLi_qaKo_ruPShvQhk1i0bgNKrK0rqkXAB3EcU0cuMTorIODCivijxhL1eKA4zcwYFogPe0rJoM-VKqil3ojvIvg/s2929/Mississippi%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1953" data-original-width="2929" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCiSda8few3om9cvSr9sz78P49hZ2oclB4zkJHyurAMa_4D9UT0nfY9xI1a11BtZDgmldJkBE_Q17dwp2UjNSeUfdGwjVZtmPB8KTCLi_qaKo_ruPShvQhk1i0bgNKrK0rqkXAB3EcU0cuMTorIODCivijxhL1eKA4zcwYFogPe0rJoM-VKqil3ojvIvg/s320/Mississippi%20Kite%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9323.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Reddish Egrets have been reported at Falcon lately. Normally only present along the coast, I found a white morph individual on the Starr County side and a dark morph on the Zapata County side. Juveniles can wander great distances.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6DMzrjWPkoFoHlTFU-pHsad_lwr3vCZlN4NRMFaGGecf5zUmPlxXBbEuxdF0w1BUrQqS6cT4XIePHXtTKgLYGaYvN67tfNsJcmFi7kmBdlmr475p77v9hp4I_GgJqFVw1hHrDUwIDLd0c_kZEAPma6Q61egBV8JQkCvteJxsReK-l22uvC2tzewd1x0/s3992/Reddish%20Egret%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2661" data-original-width="3992" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq6DMzrjWPkoFoHlTFU-pHsad_lwr3vCZlN4NRMFaGGecf5zUmPlxXBbEuxdF0w1BUrQqS6cT4XIePHXtTKgLYGaYvN67tfNsJcmFi7kmBdlmr475p77v9hp4I_GgJqFVw1hHrDUwIDLd0c_kZEAPma6Q61egBV8JQkCvteJxsReK-l22uvC2tzewd1x0/s320/Reddish%20Egret%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9160.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVASfn0ahB2MruRdx0r6OtmOUjGaTZANrcAFZC4eRyNcpxSzVcmXUfTsfQJbYMvlXekIZP2TlwYdfHpVzgA_1K4lGNgnT1OPVaXLpAxf8Iq697hLkmXV5VyrWXOXSixsv-OsH3bq9hPUCvTMiDYwsjxFDr7kwVDd485zusLnrr0rySqFeVhLLowstBiw/s2146/Reddish%20Egret%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1431" data-original-width="2146" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcVASfn0ahB2MruRdx0r6OtmOUjGaTZANrcAFZC4eRyNcpxSzVcmXUfTsfQJbYMvlXekIZP2TlwYdfHpVzgA_1K4lGNgnT1OPVaXLpAxf8Iq697hLkmXV5VyrWXOXSixsv-OsH3bq9hPUCvTMiDYwsjxFDr7kwVDd485zusLnrr0rySqFeVhLLowstBiw/s320/Reddish%20Egret%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Zapata%208-25-23%200A9A9205.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I would guess that Snowy Plovers nest somewhere on Falcon Reservoir.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEcZeHwFNabAQda7O5QJ2QBx3dV-2ybgsZjC-Q5CtomzT2r8yaByaxM29PvkOwNA-5LCkR6bGs992zHsfK1exZke5aVVQ3UD7sbven5AbVmGsSleQNZ920lMNvzkvWGEMeOY2ED0Dc18yoRVsbqK31E9RL1Z5mkxVDI4pno86MlfvwP6zYo_Go1rCNLc/s1620/Snowy%20Plover%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1620" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEcZeHwFNabAQda7O5QJ2QBx3dV-2ybgsZjC-Q5CtomzT2r8yaByaxM29PvkOwNA-5LCkR6bGs992zHsfK1exZke5aVVQ3UD7sbven5AbVmGsSleQNZ920lMNvzkvWGEMeOY2ED0Dc18yoRVsbqK31E9RL1Z5mkxVDI4pno86MlfvwP6zYo_Go1rCNLc/s320/Snowy%20Plover%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9125.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Several hundred Laughing Gulls were present.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXqMfit1fT2hI2vM4oNwAq5scAStUFsKGv0xIZcZapPB6YgJxlmV_oPX__K6tpuPC6-BQrMlu3p6hfv4lVSAZPFC7DaO5kJMc9ctQtLk7Is_CtzEfmwHnnMSDnImhbV_B7311dKekb5xnlGqXzpCM-Z1YA_ZD8VBysDDDmb-7Zhfl6oPpsrp-2Bc6Au8/s3000/Laughing%20Gull%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9072.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihXqMfit1fT2hI2vM4oNwAq5scAStUFsKGv0xIZcZapPB6YgJxlmV_oPX__K6tpuPC6-BQrMlu3p6hfv4lVSAZPFC7DaO5kJMc9ctQtLk7Is_CtzEfmwHnnMSDnImhbV_B7311dKekb5xnlGqXzpCM-Z1YA_ZD8VBysDDDmb-7Zhfl6oPpsrp-2Bc6Au8/s320/Laughing%20Gull%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9072.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A young Gull-billed Tern passed by.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAneqJ-27AzxP2cC4nkZCb6a5y4UtOZa-SRLflkgFOiTleZMyFy8GX-7uSQ4KwOTi-jVbinMz5KxEMr2KDIsF99rpfDNuBjD0PVhRBpTTNhk2A49Iir4RHgf7CVGJd70bEZ3BK7_sfysv5xuNiXdp280Le9iYU2HXvfEcVqFKrTgIAphsUlf7aHyoMCMo/s2109/Gull-billed%20Tern%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1405" data-original-width="2109" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAneqJ-27AzxP2cC4nkZCb6a5y4UtOZa-SRLflkgFOiTleZMyFy8GX-7uSQ4KwOTi-jVbinMz5KxEMr2KDIsF99rpfDNuBjD0PVhRBpTTNhk2A49Iir4RHgf7CVGJd70bEZ3BK7_sfysv5xuNiXdp280Le9iYU2HXvfEcVqFKrTgIAphsUlf7aHyoMCMo/s320/Gull-billed%20Tern%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9140.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The TOS Handbook states that Caspian Terns away from the coast are migrants but I would not be surprised if they nest at Falcon. The bird on the left looks recently fledged.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBajukl-W9az9jcY6Vy5qSc25HtkQEWlHMBxE_zTVifthA7I-2otPj7pI4C3ieuwoziPjSAra4DsLaSsqjW9DBTBMbwAN65v81cdUn9NvUkor-mh812ms7Gs2wjfsiuQfbJXmskVjr62LvSueH4Mnu2l3W8xD4x1978U9-_YjOqqUluQNwj_nxjDto0s/s1588/Caspian%20Tern%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1059" data-original-width="1588" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBajukl-W9az9jcY6Vy5qSc25HtkQEWlHMBxE_zTVifthA7I-2otPj7pI4C3ieuwoziPjSAra4DsLaSsqjW9DBTBMbwAN65v81cdUn9NvUkor-mh812ms7Gs2wjfsiuQfbJXmskVjr62LvSueH4Mnu2l3W8xD4x1978U9-_YjOqqUluQNwj_nxjDto0s/s320/Caspian%20Tern%20Falcon%20St%20Pk%20Starr%208-25-23%200A9A9103.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I called it quits when the temp hit 95. That's actually a pretty nice summer day at Falcon.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-80846981237057655042023-08-20T18:17:00.000-05:002023-08-20T18:17:24.774-05:00Swallow-tailed Kite Photobomb! 8/19/23<p>Today we tied a weather record for Weslaco, Texas. It was the 62nd day of 2023 with temperatures reaching 100F or above. So this summer when I get up in the morning it's hard to get motivated to go anywhere or do any yard work. I usually just start birding from the porch, have some breakfast and then set the scope up in the back yard. More of the same today. But what can I say. It's all right.</p><p>As lunch time approached today I had compiled a long list of birds for the morning and was feeling like I was doing pretty good when I spied a small flock of White Ibises in the distance. As I raised the camera and fired a couple of documentary shots I noticed a dark shape flash across my view. What was that? I picked up the binocs and soon found a migrating Swallow-tailed Kite doing lazy loops. I got a couple of shots and was happy to finally get one for this year's yard list. It is the eighth I've seen in our seven years at Progreso Lakes. Later in the evening as I edited photos I discovered I had actually gotten images of the kite as it passed behind the ibis flock. Pretty cool!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlLtHavhj_wt6u6w3mR-JEgJEXrYdhJtZzkmR1cNruPXeX674s7to2BUNngHFbFaMN7dEuGLJc_fj7kcM4IdyUEDftzP4Gdv5sI3DvZWa145gSsyQspFoGNVKijxyxUbnwZNMKUy3eUfBxoMhEpDLoOD3Zwl_Uki5_fu8aj9lObXaJ43A-ktYOM5SydE/s1520/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8291.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1013" data-original-width="1520" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKlLtHavhj_wt6u6w3mR-JEgJEXrYdhJtZzkmR1cNruPXeX674s7to2BUNngHFbFaMN7dEuGLJc_fj7kcM4IdyUEDftzP4Gdv5sI3DvZWa145gSsyQspFoGNVKijxyxUbnwZNMKUy3eUfBxoMhEpDLoOD3Zwl_Uki5_fu8aj9lObXaJ43A-ktYOM5SydE/s320/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8291.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-qQq5vJG_llzvfstai41Y2CDYz9odDYMGaGZvG75G9Gro9N3LpS7X_WoQOcUMrOGUwA2VthgN8zXf92yKocXOfaVMpCpZwJV7k-OMaA7M0diAPLUCeB-AwpI9-rdWQw1xqLTNxLEFvK2OGRcBlVxcHIt4CUX8zO2HtYY30x1CmRPP7UwXetR-OD5vKA/s1610/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1073" data-original-width="1610" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-qQq5vJG_llzvfstai41Y2CDYz9odDYMGaGZvG75G9Gro9N3LpS7X_WoQOcUMrOGUwA2VthgN8zXf92yKocXOfaVMpCpZwJV7k-OMaA7M0diAPLUCeB-AwpI9-rdWQw1xqLTNxLEFvK2OGRcBlVxcHIt4CUX8zO2HtYY30x1CmRPP7UwXetR-OD5vKA/s320/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8292.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjUX68rVOaKUQqcrBEBvy4CYFVrtnPxuYRjhoPWAtmPzagU6gp0truTtDpbPcQCNIiOf1rvBQRZ-AjJpcWAxQINBHIQkoOu77BOpoQ-0v2culp1Q8sGwa-2Q9BI6pRrVwu0eTCvEupbf8adQJOtDn6gzHHvb-7U15mVDEsmb6KDoryxLILx8gfNklMwI/s1001/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1001" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxjUX68rVOaKUQqcrBEBvy4CYFVrtnPxuYRjhoPWAtmPzagU6gp0truTtDpbPcQCNIiOf1rvBQRZ-AjJpcWAxQINBHIQkoOu77BOpoQ-0v2culp1Q8sGwa-2Q9BI6pRrVwu0eTCvEupbf8adQJOtDn6gzHHvb-7U15mVDEsmb6KDoryxLILx8gfNklMwI/s320/Swallow-tailed%20Kite%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8296.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The morning started with hummingbirds. I had a Black-chinned, three Buff-bellieds and ten migrant Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-D63W5V3Pa-P6q3zVnZnMAcgv-4j1XSx3ewQjh0DWYhSOW1B6VdArwnHuQkgyxmRqxBLtB_WH_gTljWi8HxMSNdjBb-UBfJluSnwtJjCuzpWq_2HpEM51ZcjtTCl3v3i5VxieE9YbCL2XPtMITAXVaD18WXE6Tuy7saClWvUNHdkZKuXykTo-C2jDyc/s3861/hummers%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2574" data-original-width="3861" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-D63W5V3Pa-P6q3zVnZnMAcgv-4j1XSx3ewQjh0DWYhSOW1B6VdArwnHuQkgyxmRqxBLtB_WH_gTljWi8HxMSNdjBb-UBfJluSnwtJjCuzpWq_2HpEM51ZcjtTCl3v3i5VxieE9YbCL2XPtMITAXVaD18WXE6Tuy7saClWvUNHdkZKuXykTo-C2jDyc/s320/hummers%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8088.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A couple of Painted Buntings failed to cooperate.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOSULB5r2eOD18ifICujIyEyrSlz1vBZh2A-BpckaTec92q1UOCjK3BNJPYUr2cMEsFjYPCcg2zQZOKoNE9WHP5FzxihZdsyEqrhVIO4NM5xP5W7FuiOMEXfHI76MzZzOXZ4hUQiDWWYqmCxsnDjoLli7P1RDKT7BsbQveK3qGQsTJevlWevHFvW5ink/s2689/Painted%20Bunting%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1793" data-original-width="2689" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOSULB5r2eOD18ifICujIyEyrSlz1vBZh2A-BpckaTec92q1UOCjK3BNJPYUr2cMEsFjYPCcg2zQZOKoNE9WHP5FzxihZdsyEqrhVIO4NM5xP5W7FuiOMEXfHI76MzZzOXZ4hUQiDWWYqmCxsnDjoLli7P1RDKT7BsbQveK3qGQsTJevlWevHFvW5ink/s320/Painted%20Bunting%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8153.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUyiNk_I33LvrppW8H37SgfS8gh3LiLO8HJSNin7bPJ-_-k0iOjoROBehx6zIWnLGp9pSjC7fvaBHp74ZC6i5Q8s-lxJvrl4ANhVzBufWwJJlCK6KzQV7yYw0LtWYk-uWYjBJIh25JI0MNtFPvKd7oEeDQ7z9UWyO0m9raLvkYVUGU25zlIxN01lePWI/s1905/Painted%20Bunting%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-20-23%200A9A8324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1905" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUyiNk_I33LvrppW8H37SgfS8gh3LiLO8HJSNin7bPJ-_-k0iOjoROBehx6zIWnLGp9pSjC7fvaBHp74ZC6i5Q8s-lxJvrl4ANhVzBufWwJJlCK6KzQV7yYw0LtWYk-uWYjBJIh25JI0MNtFPvKd7oEeDQ7z9UWyO0m9raLvkYVUGU25zlIxN01lePWI/s320/Painted%20Bunting%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-20-23%200A9A8324.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>But our first Cooper's Hawk of the fall posed for photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoliwERp7jholaagyDJrHxa7mMjsUO7M4ZObzpkYoslrypkwqn25AV4v-EAoPUWwC54Fs80mLhuZLBXAn25L32uvKca6A3wiuV0WoitXYT1Olk3Ncm8Mywhu2i_sjuPIVPYlxBo57kjKoq5g0AtLSnkO6_QiO8Kit6WkTTS7tQvt6FJQ_Hb0jGGzGCI4/s2442/Cooper's%20Hawk%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1628" data-original-width="2442" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjoliwERp7jholaagyDJrHxa7mMjsUO7M4ZObzpkYoslrypkwqn25AV4v-EAoPUWwC54Fs80mLhuZLBXAn25L32uvKca6A3wiuV0WoitXYT1Olk3Ncm8Mywhu2i_sjuPIVPYlxBo57kjKoq5g0AtLSnkO6_QiO8Kit6WkTTS7tQvt6FJQ_Hb0jGGzGCI4/s320/Cooper's%20Hawk%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8102.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Back by the water a migrat Black Tern passed by. It's been a good fall for them.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPBl2q_azIRJNSZIP6fDr55q16o92YBfQsiRpYGiI8KS5NVRxMwzLCuFrJlk8koyKQfhtQUkWq6I5qlxkE4oyd5WXQSjyUW-bNpsbxW_B7MMrCTVgexMoxy1CVZlVQVOP4yqZU6Zu5MQWK1nkBTSiwKR4bnhgW4CLzftBvqydPncAi90-e2J22khBJOc/s1934/Black%20Tern%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1289" data-original-width="1934" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPBl2q_azIRJNSZIP6fDr55q16o92YBfQsiRpYGiI8KS5NVRxMwzLCuFrJlk8koyKQfhtQUkWq6I5qlxkE4oyd5WXQSjyUW-bNpsbxW_B7MMrCTVgexMoxy1CVZlVQVOP4yqZU6Zu5MQWK1nkBTSiwKR4bnhgW4CLzftBvqydPncAi90-e2J22khBJOc/s320/Black%20Tern%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8183.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A couple of times each year I will have a Long-billed Curlew fly over.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglQQOeetwyZRZijJfz5DShAakrN2O_KnJWZjCDYi4kWpNTCcJnEkQCWF4F-vJ31qq-McqYbkEuTcAsDNYrRxi4pkVilajvm1wEKfRox1yDXhzTc0QJblNJ18PzYX3hFdvMYA1r4JuMVKN4WTor6xDBi2-rqSZ3mlUXE5IgGB_Psd0AdmXFkSOdfk-b1k/s2409/Long-billed%20Curlew%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1606" data-original-width="2409" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjglQQOeetwyZRZijJfz5DShAakrN2O_KnJWZjCDYi4kWpNTCcJnEkQCWF4F-vJ31qq-McqYbkEuTcAsDNYrRxi4pkVilajvm1wEKfRox1yDXhzTc0QJblNJ18PzYX3hFdvMYA1r4JuMVKN4WTor6xDBi2-rqSZ3mlUXE5IgGB_Psd0AdmXFkSOdfk-b1k/s320/Long-billed%20Curlew%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8228.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A Yellow Warbler posed overhead. Several have been hanging around this week.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKekUpdWP5SKCfGXYfB46nBZbFBgDqg6P_Iz0b0uK_Uv3ZIzz4_9Tl_slG013HkqnT9GVrCsk4Tx2bX_b6iBPlDifqhTckr9_yWJGBUlBeafwwikUuud1y5NkegwBVEp5BGYNuRxRiC87Rmpc8BzOGRor5XL9V2TG_rj59lJ-Pb9ViCMnkvBElLnS_nY/s1784/Yellow%20Warbler%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1189" data-original-width="1784" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmKekUpdWP5SKCfGXYfB46nBZbFBgDqg6P_Iz0b0uK_Uv3ZIzz4_9Tl_slG013HkqnT9GVrCsk4Tx2bX_b6iBPlDifqhTckr9_yWJGBUlBeafwwikUuud1y5NkegwBVEp5BGYNuRxRiC87Rmpc8BzOGRor5XL9V2TG_rj59lJ-Pb9ViCMnkvBElLnS_nY/s320/Yellow%20Warbler%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8178.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>A young Tricolored Heron daily fishes just a few feet from our shoreline.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSDgdfoS4_FsomFVk15AjuUzOxxwrpdk3NUuZql9stf2w5oAk1CGHJhmWoNLs-Ij0ArVvyh3Fbdvrd9WqjGuSJj02PMgm767KptGdlX-OMxPZmi8cw4EhXLSuc2VXjEL5bHWv8fRfQyaA0nKCiy6yITv2MbjjP4ocJA5eXzRxy35HMSQTR5HRe_wDBZc/s3437/Tricolored%20Heron%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2291" data-original-width="3437" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSDgdfoS4_FsomFVk15AjuUzOxxwrpdk3NUuZql9stf2w5oAk1CGHJhmWoNLs-Ij0ArVvyh3Fbdvrd9WqjGuSJj02PMgm767KptGdlX-OMxPZmi8cw4EhXLSuc2VXjEL5bHWv8fRfQyaA0nKCiy6yITv2MbjjP4ocJA5eXzRxy35HMSQTR5HRe_wDBZc/s320/Tricolored%20Heron%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-19-23%200A9A8252.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>Here's today's list.</p><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Jones yard, Progreso Lakes, Hidalgo, Texas, US<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Aug 19, 2023 7:15 AM - 12:13 PM<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Protocol: Stationary<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">53 species (+1 other taxa)<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Muscovy Duck (Domestic type) 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Muscovy Duck x Mallard (hybrid) 5 Including four young<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Plain Chachalaca 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Eurasian Collared-Dove 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Inca Dove 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">White-tipped Dove 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">White-winged Dove 150<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Mourning Dove 50<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Groove-billed Ani 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-chinned Hummingbird 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Common Gallinule 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-necked Stilt 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Killdeer 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Upland Sandpiper 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Long-billed Curlew 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Spotted Sandpiper 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black Tern 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Neotropic Cormorant 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Great Blue Heron 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Snowy Egret 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Tricolored Heron 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Cattle Egret 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Green Heron 7<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-crowned Night-Heron 7<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">White Ibis 6<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Turkey Vulture 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Swallow-tailed Kite 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Cooper's Hawk 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Alder Flycatcher 1 Calling "pep" repeatedly<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black Phoebe 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Great Kiskadee 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Tropical Kingbird 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Couch's Kingbird 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-crested Titmouse 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Verdin 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Purple Martin 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Bank Swallow 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Barn Swallow 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">European Starling 15<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Northern Mockingbird 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">House Sparrow 10<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Lesser Goldfinch 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Hooded Oriole 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Red-winged Blackbird 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Bronzed Cowbird 40<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Great-tailed Grackle 8<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Yellow Warbler 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Painted Bunting 2</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7594425303465206476.post-11627493174130005192023-08-20T16:24:00.000-05:002023-08-20T16:24:59.565-05:00Backyard Visitor at Progreso Lakes, 8/16/23<p>Fall migration has been really great over the past week. I spent five hours in our back yard at Progreso Lakes today and recorded 60 species. But I found the bird of the day while I was watching the evening news on TV. I looked out the window and saw what appeared to be a tall, long necked dove. I knew what it was and couldn't believe it. An Upland Sandpiper was foraging in our yard.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpnBwRl3l-tGNJ7xAGq96j2et85GOvoI2wLv5OZHEWmnHmpQccdRBF316XRv0um6ctbGbab0R5GH8alB70knWCqfwAwdxh2_xKEfFNr4XkXv-8LqZ894trVKvagkluYBd1CNigkROWqjtnr_IybzjHcgFMEPK7fqxWYCR-LmaQFr9MVGf36HJlX-cBeE/s1694/Upland%20Sandpiper%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-16-23%200A9A7965.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1129" data-original-width="1694" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDpnBwRl3l-tGNJ7xAGq96j2et85GOvoI2wLv5OZHEWmnHmpQccdRBF316XRv0um6ctbGbab0R5GH8alB70knWCqfwAwdxh2_xKEfFNr4XkXv-8LqZ894trVKvagkluYBd1CNigkROWqjtnr_IybzjHcgFMEPK7fqxWYCR-LmaQFr9MVGf36HJlX-cBeE/s320/Upland%20Sandpiper%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-16-23%200A9A7965.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYi7tbaaEJ2Hf44RN4dGj1r1YWYYv0Wil-0V7jra_kNHaUUd-hTjZGAAP1_2pXotRJP69YR7YditxoX6_eB0U5CswFe41_mY8OkaR45B70shSV025poEaY-o0Sop8sEef6P1qB6GM_I4Urw0iUNeRivuXXbsT4mHMBur9GibUQaLDRsitaLgX1vjEgpo/s1893/Upland%20Sandpiper%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-16-23%200A9A7974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1262" data-original-width="1893" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYi7tbaaEJ2Hf44RN4dGj1r1YWYYv0Wil-0V7jra_kNHaUUd-hTjZGAAP1_2pXotRJP69YR7YditxoX6_eB0U5CswFe41_mY8OkaR45B70shSV025poEaY-o0Sop8sEef6P1qB6GM_I4Urw0iUNeRivuXXbsT4mHMBur9GibUQaLDRsitaLgX1vjEgpo/s320/Upland%20Sandpiper%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-16-23%200A9A7974.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbCGITHbu8zihn7tJaasHVmNSCUIZszYm2Osnoaiuk_AYyWIPpC5BIRp1wY23ajWaVbYO8YPQZ_3pITTUcbP5WYQFMivyDVv9YNz2SB4B63Vm0ArqBffu8Dh8YaZvE2FAKqVOxn1LQtMK1t9KAsb1DQ9dLFWWOuwPzqBgpqfqH7JNKd8q5Pm1xhxeCGg/s1622/Upland%20Sandpiper%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-16-23%200A9A7975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1081" data-original-width="1622" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtbCGITHbu8zihn7tJaasHVmNSCUIZszYm2Osnoaiuk_AYyWIPpC5BIRp1wY23ajWaVbYO8YPQZ_3pITTUcbP5WYQFMivyDVv9YNz2SB4B63Vm0ArqBffu8Dh8YaZvE2FAKqVOxn1LQtMK1t9KAsb1DQ9dLFWWOuwPzqBgpqfqH7JNKd8q5Pm1xhxeCGg/s320/Upland%20Sandpiper%20Progreso%20Lakes%20yard%208-16-23%200A9A7975.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Upland Sandpipers nest is open grassy fields from the midwest up to Alaska. They winter in Argentina. During fall and spring migration they are often found at area turf farms and are referred to as grasspipers along with American Golden Plovers and Buff-breasted Sandpipers which also prefer similar habitat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyway here's the list for the day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Jones yard, Progreso Lakes, Hidalgo, Texas, US<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Aug 16, 2023 7:00 AM - 11:48 AM<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Protocol: Stationary<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">60 species (+3 other taxa)<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;"><br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 15<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Muscovy Duck (Domestic type) 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Mallard x Mottled Duck (hybrid) 6 Continuing adult male and five offspring<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Plain Chachalaca 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Eurasian Collared-Dove 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Inca Dove 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">White-tipped Dove 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">White-winged Dove 150<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Mourning Dove 50<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Groove-billed Ani 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Chimney Swift 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-chinned Hummingbird 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Common Gallinule 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-necked Stilt 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Killdeer 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Upland Sandpiper 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Stilt Sandpiper 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">peep sp. 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Spotted Sandpiper 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Neotropic Cormorant 5<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Great Blue Heron 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Snowy Egret 4<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Tricolored Heron 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Cattle Egret 6<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Green Heron 8<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Black-crowned Night-Heron 7<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Turkey Vulture 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Osprey 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Green Kingfisher 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Great Kiskadee 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Couch's Kingbird 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Tropical/Couch's Kingbird 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Eastern Kingbird 1 Dark grey medium sized passerine with white tip of tail flying south across water<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">White-eyed Vireo 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Green Jay 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Verdin 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Purple Martin 40<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Barn Swallow 6<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Cliff Swallow 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Cave Swallow 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Carolina Wren 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">European Starling 40<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Northern Mockingbird 4<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Clay-colored Thrush 1<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">House Sparrow 40<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Lesser Goldfinch 3<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2228; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; outline: none !important;">Hooded Oriole 2<br style="outline: none !important;" /></div><div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; 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