This morning I made a run up to the Sugar House north of Mercedes on Hwy 1425. The Sugar House is a sugar mill that processes the area's sugar cane. Just north of the Sugar House is a pond that has been great for shorebirds lately. The Sugar House looks like a smoke-belching monstrosity in the background.
![Image and video hosting by TinyPic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tXYKYWldcO370jwXHtxqztOuxdHh6X6t-BAzwUHaZyhAgTBq9X4SqcDod3wG1IBjsCbuNL_vLIf91Bn9D1sd7Z8I2W=s0-d)
But the birds don't seem to mind.
![Image and video hosting by TinyPic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uFFIrlDl7bqQbk2TQZCv_33sYBYzhyfooudBOI_6incwunoGPgL1H6LhIm6DjGAlZqsPFTVcN8wAOYOYMnRCJWejsCSw=s0-d)
Best bird for me was this Dunlin which was new for my Hidalgo County list, #336. Dunlin are a common wintering species 40 miles away on the coast but are hard to find in here in Hidalgo County. I took this photo with my new Canon A590 hand held through my Kowa 824. Came out pretty good.
![Image and video hosting by TinyPic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_v1Pmk7W3QtftDJuna4iLe1rfY2OJ3xXMS1HXoHxuKTpOIA1VZJK5CYhpj6czsPWNnNxVmjJKjCt4Ie8HWT5v-ANQ_ZYg=s0-d)
Here's a Stilt Sandpiper.
![Image and video hosting by TinyPic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_u8ceN_ZfmlPvR6CF6Hs5AyiiD5TBqowv-uY4VTbfqfLqE_qsC_YAVLeIsc_u9aGRegqDPbSrCgXVE5xw_mZppLMTATKw=s0-d)
And American Avocet.
![Image and video hosting by TinyPic](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_uECpg0DawpsXbllgxBDH9jigZRDmXUrXEN192djX1iCLxnTCyibXsywPSUJjtHQIVkCo170kba1NMETcsEFj1abdJs=s0-d)
There wasn't much diversity but there were lots of birds.
Gadwall 6
Blue-winged Teal 1
Northern Shoveler 200
Green-winged Teal 100
Cattle Egret 12
Killdeer 3
American Avocet 300
Western Sandpiper 1200
Least Sandpiper 300
Dunlin 1
Stilt Sandpiper 2500
Long-billed Dowitcher 150
Wilson's Phalarope 11
Rock Pigeon 12
Horned Lark 3
Cave Swallow 2
Barn Swallow 200
Savannah Sparrow 2
Great-tailed Grackle 1