I got up early today and decided to drive to South Padre Island. Turns out it was not a particularly good day for migrants numbers wise but there was some colorful stuff to photograph. I was hoping the Townsend's Warbler was still at the SPI Birding and Nature Center. It was gone but there was plenty of good stuff to see like this colorful Western Tanager, maybe the brightest I've ever seen.
The tanager was feeding on oranges near a water feature that attracted some other good stuff like this female Cerulean Warbler.
And this Blackpoll Warbler.
Nearby was a Swainson's Thrush.
Next it was time for the Convention Center. For me the bird of the day was this surprise Swamp Sparrow. It was coming into seeds that were put out for the buntings. I think it's the first I've seen at the Convention Center. Maybe I've had one in the cattails on the boardwalk but I don't think so.
Plenty of Blue Grosbeaks today.
And Indigo Buntings.
A stop at the Valley Land Fund's Sheepshead lot turned up more migrants. This Kentucky Warbler was hoping for some privacy.
Other warblers were more obtrusive like this Wilson's Warbler.
And Tennessee Warbler.
And Northern Parula.
Back at Progreso Lakes I was drinking my morning coffee and looking out the window day before yesterday when I saw a distant red spot. Binocs proved it to be a Scarlet Tanager so I made a mad dash for the camera and got some poor shots. This Scarlet Tanger is the 248th bird species to be seen from our yard.
Still at least four more weeks of spring migration so here's hoping for more good stuff.
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