Magnificent Frigatebird at Delta Lake, 8/26/17

As Hurricane Harvey pushed up the Gulf just off shore from the Rio Grande Valley this past Friday, more than a hundred Magnificent Frigatebirds were blown in to South Padre Island where they delighted numerous birders.  Another hundred were also reported from the arroyo at Rio Hondo. Sensing that this might be my best shot at getting one in Hidalgo County I headed up to Delta Lake the following morning to try my luck.  It only took a few minutes.  Off to the west I saw a large black bird with long arced wings.  I grabbed my scope and sure enough, it was a Mangnificent Fringatebird!  It looped around the west side of the lake a few times giving excellent views.  I was even able to get some of my fellow Hidalgo County listers a new twitch.

The same day dozens were sighted inland from San Antonio to Austin along with Royal Terns a Sooty Tern and a Sabine's Gull.