National Butterfly Center 1/26/25

It was a nice warm day after the cold spell of last week so I ran over to the National Butterfly Center to see what was flying.  Well, there wasn't much.  Freezing temperatures for about ten hours with lows in the mid twenties pretty much wiped out the butterflies.  I saw four species.  So I switched to birds.  With the insects all gone and the continuing drought, the feeding station was a popular place.  Even the Audubon's Oriole has become a seedeater.

Altimira Orioles were stealing banana brew put out for butterflies.

And the hybrid offspring of the two above species was enjoying seeds.

Green Jays were being their usual photogenic selves.  I think the photo editor brough a little too much yellow.  They almost look like Inca Jays!

A White-tipped Dove hid in the shadows.

Olive Sparrows are attracted to the seed.

A Black-and White Warbler just wanted to bathe.

I see this Wilson's Warbler everytime I visit.

Long-billed Thrashrs were at the butterfly bait logs.

The chickens, AKA Plain Chachalacas always swarm at feeding time.

And for the past few weeks a flock of six Wild Turkeys daily storm in to break up the party.  Dought conditions have forced them to leave the brush country to find food.

I have never seen so many American Goldfinches in the RGV.  A flock of about forty flew into the little water feature joined by six Lesser Goldfinches.

A Sharp-shinned Hawk would chase the goldfinch flock around.  At one time it landed over my head in a tepeguaje and gave me the evil eye..

Well that was enough for me.  This Great Kiskadee told me to not let the door hit me in the ass on the way out.

Quinta Mazatlan, 1/17/25

A couple of days ago I ran over to Quinta Mazatlan to check out the butterflies but there weren't any so I switched to birds.  There were a few things at the Discovery Pond like my first Hooded Oriole for 2025.

A little pishing pulled in a two Blue-headed Vireos and a couple of Black-crested Titmice.

The male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker that has been present the past few winters doesn't seem to be around this winter.  So here's a substitute Ladder-backed Woodpecker.

Several times I saw flocks of goldfinches overhead.  Here's an American Goldfinch.

The usual House Sparrows, Green Jays and Clay-colored Thrushes were at the feeding station.

At least untill the Cooper's Hawk swooped in.

In the Ebony Grove a small winter flock was comprised  of  Orange-crowned Warblers,

a Blue-gray Gnatchatcher,

and a friendly White-eyed Vireo.

I got pretty good looks at this little hummer near the visitors center.  I think it's a young male Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

As I was leaving I made one last pass through the anacua grove and with its open understory I thought "There should be a Hermit Thrush in here."  There was!

A strong cold front is on the way.  Maybe it was force down some rare stuff from the mountains in Mexico.

Santa Ana NWR, 1/12/25

After a week of cold, by our standards, weather I decided to take advantage of a sunny warm day to check out Santa Ana NWR and put some birds on the new year list.  The Pintail Lakes Trail left the brush and ran along the west end of the Pintail Lakes complex.  Not a lot on this portion of the lake but a flooded woodland turned up some interesting stuff.  Best was this Hermit Thrush.  They are present most winters but not easy to find and usually hard to photograph.

My first Black-and-white Warbler for 2025.

Least Flycatchers winter in small numbers in the RGV.  The "fwit" call helps with the ID.

Plenty of ducks on the lake.  Despite the different colors of drake Cinnamon and Blue-winged teals, they are closely related.  Females are very similar and the two species often hybridize.

The Buffleheads are still present on the far east end.  Only three today.

Drake Northern Pintails.

The Eared Grebe continues along with Least and Pied-bills.

Greater Yellowlegs with a diminutive Least Sandpiper.

Something flushed a flock of Long-billed Dowitchers.

After later "post mortem" inspection of the photos I was abler to pull out a couple of Stilt Sandpipers.

Raptors included Gray and Red-shouldered Hawks.

First of the year swallows included Tree and Cave.

I'll do Willow Lakes next time.

Santa Ana NWR (LTC 059), Hidalgo, Texas, US

Jan 12, 2025 9:49 AM - 1:15 PM

Protocol: Traveling

1.5 mile(s)

71 species (+1 other taxa)

Blue-winged Teal  60

Cinnamon Teal  8

Northern Shoveler  60

Gadwall  150

American Wigeon  8

Northern Pintail  40

Green-winged Teal  10

Ring-necked Duck  3

Lesser Scaup  12

Bufflehead  3

Ruddy Duck  65

Plain Chachalaca  7

Northern Bobwhite  12

Inca Dove  12

White-tipped Dove  6

Mourning Dove  1

American Coot  200

Killdeer  1

Long-billed Dowitcher  50

Wilson's Snipe  1

Spotted Sandpiper  2

Greater Yellowlegs  6

Stilt Sandpiper  2

Least Sandpiper  4

Least Grebe  8

Pied-billed Grebe  3

Eared Grebe  1

White-faced Ibis  2

Snowy Egret  1

Great Blue Heron  1

Turkey Vulture  2

Osprey  1

Northern Harrier  1

Harris's Hawk  1

Gray Hawk  1

Red-shouldered Hawk  1

Belted Kingfisher  2

Golden-fronted Woodpecker  2

Ladder-backed Woodpecker  2

Crested Caracara  3

Least Flycatcher  1

Eastern Phoebe  6

Vermilion Flycatcher  3

Great Kiskadee  6

Tropical Kingbird  1

Tropical/Couch's Kingbird  1

White-eyed Vireo  1

Loggerhead Shrike  1

Green Jay  6

Black-crested Titmouse  3

Verdin  2

Tree Swallow  2

Barn Swallow  1

Cave Swallow  5

Ruby-crowned Kinglet  2

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  3

Northern House Wren  2

Carolina Wren  2

Long-billed Thrasher  2

Northern Mockingbird  3

Hermit Thrush  1

Clay-colored Thrush  1

House Sparrow  10

Olive Sparrow  5

Altamira Oriole  1

Red-winged Blackbird  1

Great-tailed Grackle  5

Black-and-white Warbler  1

Orange-crowned Warbler  5

Common Yellowthroat  1

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)  6

Northern Cardinal  3