Frontera Audubon Thicket, 3/31/07

We got a little much needed rain this morning but it didn't help much with the birds. Very slow going. Saw my FOS Hooded Warbler. Too dark and wet for any pics.

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 10
Plain Chachalaca 12
Great Egret 1
Green Heron 1
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2
Cooper's Hawk 2
White-winged Dove 1
Mourning Dove 5
Inca Dove 1
White-tipped Dove 6
Chimney Swift 6
Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6
Great Kiskadee 5
Couch's Kingbird 1
White-eyed Vireo 2
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Carolina Wren 1
House Wren 3
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 1
Long-billed Thrasher 2
Cedar Waxwing 20
Northern Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Hooded Warbler 1
Olive Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Great-tailed Grackle 5
Bronzed Cowbird 1

Santa Ana NWR, 3/24/07

Spent a not too exciting four hours on the hawk tower at Santa Ana NWR. They had a Swallow-tailed Kite yeterday but no luck today. A friendly Northern-beardless Tyrannulet was hanging around. Nine hawk species today.





Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2
Blue-winged Teal 6
Plain Chachalaca 10
Neotropic Cormorant 12
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 2
Little Blue Heron 4
Turkey Vulture 15
White-tailed Kite 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2
Gray Hawk 1
Harris's Hawk 4
Red-shouldered Hawk 4
Broad-winged Hawk 3
Swainson's Hawk 3
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Peregrine Falcon 1
Killdeer 1
Long-billed Dowitcher 25
Laughing Gull 6
Mourning Dove 10
White-tipped Dove 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1
Great Kiskadee 6
Couch's Kingbird 10
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 14
Green Jay 2
Tree Swallow 80
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 20
Black-crested Titmouse 2
Long-billed Thrasher 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Great-tailed Grackle 15
Altamira Oriole 1

Saw this guy in the back yard this afternoon.

Santa Ana NWR, 3/18/07

Good early season hawk diversity with eight species at Santa Ana NWR this morning. A Northern Beardless Tyrannulet put on a nice show at the new hawk tower.



FOS Swainson's Hawk.



FOS Broad-winged Hawk



Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 1
Gadwall 20
Mottled Duck 1
Blue-winged Teal 5
Cinnamon Teal 8
Northern Shoveler 3
Ring-necked Duck 2
Ruddy Duck 1
Plain Chachalaca 10
Least Grebe 2
Pied-billed Grebe 7
Neotropic Cormorant 2
Anhinga 1
Great Egret 2
Little Blue Heron 15
Tricolored Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 30
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Harris's Hawk 4
Red-shouldered Hawk 2
Broad-winged Hawk 7
Swainson's Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 2
Peregrine Falcon 1
Sora 1
American Coot 15
Black-necked Stilt 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 1
Mourning Dove 15
Inca Dove 3
Common Ground-Dove 2
White-tipped Dove 2
Ringed Kingfisher 1
Belted Kingfisher 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 10
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 8
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1
Great Kiskadee 8
Couch's Kingbird 10
White-eyed Vireo 3
Green Jay 10
Tree Swallow 20
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6
Cave Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 2
Carolina Wren 5
Bewick's Wren 5
Marsh Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Northern Mockingbird 5
Long-billed Thrasher 7
European Starling 5
Cedar Waxwing 30
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 20
Olive Sparrow 5
Lincoln's Sparrow 10
Northern Cardinal 1
Red-winged Blackbird 20
Great-tailed Grackle 10
Altamira Oriole 2
Lesser Goldfinch 2

Frontera Audubon Thicket, 3/17/07

Thirty five Green Parakeets greeted me as I biked into Frontera this morning. There's lots of debate as to whether these are wild birds. But with over 1000 Green Parakeets across the Valley I think they have to be mostly wild. Found my first Louisiana Waterthrush of the year. Not too much else going on.



Saw this guy in our back yard.



Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 30
Plain Chachalaca 10
White-winged Dove 2
Mourning Dove 3
Inca Dove 5
White-tipped Dove 5
Green Parakeet 35
Red-crowned Parrot 5
Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6
Great Kiskadee 6
Couch's Kingbird 1
White-eyed Vireo 4
Green Jay 1
Purple Martin 1
Black-crested Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 1
House Wren 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 4
Long-billed Thrasher 1
Curve-billed Thrasher 1
European Starling 1
Cedar Waxwing 30
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 4
American Redstart 1
Ovenbird 1
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Wilson's Warbler 1
Olive Sparrow 2
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 30
Boat-tailed Grackle 8
Lesser Goldfinch 5

Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park, 3/16/07

Nice morning at Bentsen with all the regular guys. The Ferruginous Pygmy
owl was calling near the maintenace area. Clay-colored Robin at the second
feeding station. Gray Hawk calling nearby and near the Hawk Tower. Not
much from the Hawk Tower during my brief stay. Hiked to the river hoping
for errant Red-billed Pigeons but no luck. Had three Verdins along the
way. That trail has changed so much over the last twenty years with all
the big trees gone due to the drought.

Also had three Northern Beardless Tyrannulets. One of my favorites.



Some people prefer these birds!





That's Mexico on the other side of the "Rio Bravo del Norte".



Blue-winged Teal 2
Ring-necked Duck 5
Plain Chachalaca 12
Turkey Vulture 8
White-tailed Kite 1
Northern Harrier 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Gray Hawk 2
Common Moorhen 6
American Coot 20
Mourning Dove 25
Inca Dove 5
Common Ground-Dove 15
White-tipped Dove 5
Greater Roadrunner 3
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 3
Eastern Phoebe 1
Great Kiskadee 3
Couch's Kingbird 12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 4
White-eyed Vireo 5
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Green Jay 25
Cave Swallow 5
Barn Swallow 3
Black-crested Titmouse 2
Verdin 3
House Wren 6
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 5
Clay-colored Robin 1
American Robin 11
Northern Mockingbird 5
Long-billed Thrasher 2
Orange-crowned Warbler 4
Nashville Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 3
Olive Sparrow 4
Lincoln's Sparrow 25
Northern Cardinal 12
Indigo Bunting 15
Red-winged Blackbird 40
Great-tailed Grackle 10
Bronzed Cowbird 1
Altamira Oriole 4
American Goldfinch 1

Sal del Rey, 3/13/07

Windy, dark and drizzly at Sal del Rey this morning. Pretty much the same bunch of birds as have been there all winter. The Wilson's Phalaropes are starting to color up. Five Wild Turkey at 400 yards were a nice county year bird. Seventeen Snowy Plovers was the same number as last time.



This spring fed pond near the shore of hyper-saline Sal del Rey often harbers a few passerines. Today there were Savannah and Swamp Sparrows and Black-and-white and Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Common Yellowthroat.



Northern Shoveler 23
Wild Turkey 5
Northern Bobwhite 5
Eared Grebe 650
Turkey Vulture 3
Northern Harrier 2
Cooper's Hawk 2
Harris's Hawk 1
White-tailed Hawk 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Crested Caracara 2
Merlin 1
Snowy Plover 17
Killdeer 2
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Lesser Yellowlegs 210
Western Sandpiper 1
Least Sandpiper 80
Stilt Sandpiper 5
Wilson's Phalarope 120
Laughing Gull 4
Mourning Dove 25
Common Ground-Dove 1
White-tipped Dove 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1
Great Kiskadee 3
Purple Martin 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Black-crested Titmouse 1
Verdin 3
Cactus Wren 4
Bewick's Wren 4
House Wren 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1
Northern Mockingbird 2
Long-billed Thrasher 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Olive Sparrow 2
Cassin's Sparrow 2
Lark Sparrow 20
Savannah Sparrow 2
Lincoln's Sparrow 8
Swamp Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Pyrrhuloxia 1
Red-winged Blackbird 700
Western Meadowlark 20
Great-tailed Grackle 3

Frontera Audubon Thicket, 3/11/07

Not much going on at Frontea this morning. Windy and cloudy. Hard work got me seven warbler species. This Clay-colored Robin was in a mulberry near the entrance gate.



It was so boring I photographed a White-tipped Dove.



Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 30
Plain Chachalaca 15
Great Blue Heron 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
White-winged Dove 2
Mourning Dove 3
Inca Dove 8
White-tipped Dove 8
Red-crowned Parrot 2
Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8
Great Kiskadee 5
Couch's Kingbird 1
White-eyed Vireo 5
Purple Martin 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Black-crested Titmouse 1
Carolina Wren 2
House Wren 3
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 6
Clay-colored Robin 1
Gray Catbird 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
Long-billed Thrasher 2
Curve-billed Thrasher 1
European Starling 1
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Ovenbird 1
Northern Waterthrush 1
Wilson's Warbler 1
Olive Sparrow 1
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 4
Red-winged Blackbird 50
Great-tailed Grackle 5
Lesser Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 10

Rufous-backed Robin at Santa Ana NWR, 3/10/07

A really cool Rufous-backed Robin was found two days ago at Santa Ana NWR and was still there this morning. I arrived at the spot on the Terrace Trail at 7 AM only to find Red and Louise Gambill already there (as I expected). We watched three Clay-colored Robins and several American Robins before the Rufous-backed showed up at 10 AM to the delight of the dozen birders assembled. There are eleven previous records of the west Mexican Turdid for Texas. I was relieved to see this one after striking out twice on the Sarita bird several years ago.







How about a Clay-colored Robin?



How about all three?



Western Ribbon Snake

Anzalduas County Park, 3/4/07

It was a cool, breezy morning at Anzalduas. Warblers were way down from my last visit in January. Two Merlins, one with a meal, were pretty cool. Gray Hawk and Northern Beardless Tyrannulet were there as expected but I couldn't find the Hermit Warbler.



I kicked up four Sprague's Pipits in the field by the entrance.



Gadwall 40
American Wigeon 100
Mottled Duck 10
Blue-winged Teal 50
Green-winged Teal 2
Pied-billed Grebe 1
American White Pelican 3
Neotropic Cormorant 1
Double-crested Cormorant 50
Great Blue Heron 2
Great Egret 4
Snowy Egret 4
Little Blue Heron 1
Black Vulture 1
Turkey Vulture 15
Osprey 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
Gray Hawk 1
American Kestrel 2
Merlin 2
American Coot 40
Killdeer 2
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Long-billed Curlew 1
Least Sandpiper 15
Rock Pigeon 12
Mourning Dove 2
White-tipped Dove 2
Ringed Kingfisher 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Vermilion Flycatcher 6
Great Kiskadee 1
Couch's Kingbird 1
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Green Jay 2
Tree Swallow 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Cliff Swallow 30
Cave Swallow 1
Barn Swallow 2
Black-crested Titmouse 2
House Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8
American Robin 1
Sprague's Pipit 4
Orange-crowned Warbler 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 8
Black-throated Green Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 8
Savannah Sparrow 4
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Swamp Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Western Meadowlark 100
Great-tailed Grackle 10
American Goldfinch 15

Yesterday Afternoon I checked out the Llano Grande flood channel on the south side of Estero Llano Grande State Park. Lots of birds but nothing of note.



This Anhinga skewered a tilapia right through the eyeball.



Bewick's Wren is a little hard to find in Weslaco.

Frontera Audubon Thicket, 3/3/07

Despite a really perfect spring morning, birding was kind of dull this morning at Frontera Audubon Thicket. Early March is the most boring time of the birding year for me. Many of the wintering birds are headed back north while spring migrants and summer breeders have yet to arrive. Only five species of warblers today is the least I've seen since last August.

This Crested Caracara flyover is the first recorded for Frontera and the 190th species for the park.



This adult Gray Hawk was just three blocks to the east. He is a regular member of our neighborhhood.



Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 9
Plain Chachalaca 15
Turkey Vulture 4
Gray Hawk 1
Crested Caracara 1
White-winged Dove 4
Mourning Dove 2
Inca Dove 12
White-tipped Dove 12
Green Parakeet 3
Red-crowned Parrot 1
Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 12
Great Kiskadee 8
White-eyed Vireo 4
Blue-headed Vireo 1
Black-crested Titmouse 2
Carolina Wren 1
House Wren 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3
American Robin 1
Northern Mockingbird 3
Long-billed Thrasher 2
Curve-billed Thrasher 2
Orange-crowned Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler 3
Ovenbird 1
Common Yellowthroat 2
Wilson's Warbler 1
Olive Sparrow 3
Lincoln's Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 3
Red-winged Blackbird 80
Great-tailed Grackle 3
Lesser Goldfinch 1
House Sparrow 5
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2 (http://www.ebird.org/tx)