Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher at Quinta Mazatlan

Wow, I haven't posted in about six weeks. The spring migration was so hot and windy and boring and school is always very hectic towards the end of the year and I haven't had much interesting to write about. About two weeks ago Dr. Tim Brush's son, John, found a Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher at Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen. These are common summer breeders in the mountains south of here but this individual is, as far as I can tell, a first record for Hidlago County. Every few years a spring migrant overshoot will show up somewhere in Texas. A pair nested in Starr County back in the 70's. This Quinta Mazatlan bird also has a nest in the dead palm. Bronzed Cowbirds were hounding it so that may be what gets raised. The bird was still there as of yesterday.

Willacy County, 5/11/08

I made another run out to Willacy County to see if I could add any migrants to my Willacy County list. Not to many passerines, but enough new birds to bring my county list up to 200 exactly. I doubt too many people have seen Purple Gallinule in Willacy County.



This singing Botteri's Sparrow was new for the county list. I was pretty sure it was Botteri's before it sang as it was much browner than a Cassin's Sparrow.



Here's some photogenic shorebirds at Port Mansfield. First a Wilson's Plover and then a Ruddy Turnstone.