Hot Valley birding!

There's been so many good birds in the Rio Grande Valley this winter that I haven't been able to do much regular birding. Seem's like every weekend I'm chasing after someone else's birds. I'm not complaining but I miss going out to some site and just looking at what's there without expectations. Anyway I finally ticked the Crimson-collared Grosbeak for the year this afternoon at Frontera Audubon thicket. The Blue Bunting was also showing well at the water feature.



Here's Ms. Grosbeak chewing on the fruit from a potato tree (Solanum sp.)



Pine Siskins are rare in the Valley but there have been a few at Frontera this winter.



Sunday last weekend I made a run out to Willacy County to see the Mountain Ploves that were found in the previous week. This was Texas bird #510 for me.



After a quick tick I raced down to Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Bronwsville to see the Audubon's Orioles. I managed to see it for Cameron County bird # 341 and scored the Ducky-capped Flycatcher too.



The day before I spent in Starr county with Sonny Bratz from Victoria. We missed the Muscovey Ducks but got most of the regular Salineno birds including this Zone-tailed Hawk.



Ever the twicher, I was more excited about this Common Grackle, very rare in the Valley.

Hook-billed Kite at Anzalduas County Park, 1/18/09

I ran into JD Cortez this morning At Anzaldulas County Park south of Mission in Hidalgo County. We did a couple of laps around the park finally picking up the wintering Prairie Warbler, a female Black-throated Gray Warbler, a couple of Northern Beardless Tyrannulets and a couple of Pine Siskins. So we were doing pretty good when a floppy-winged raptor approached us. We enjoyed great looks a this Hook-billed Kite. Notice how the bases of the winges are "pinched in" contrasting with the broad winges and tail.







Anzalduas is a great place for Pine Warbler in The Winter. Here's a bright one.





We added a Black Phoebe to round out a nice morning.

Greater White-fronted Goose 7
Gadwall 10
American Wigeon 2
Mallard (Mexican) 4
Blue-winged Teal 2
Pied-billed Grebe 2
Double-crested Cormorant 20
Anhinga 2
Great Egret 2
Snowy Egret 1
Little Blue Heron 1
White-faced Ibis 1
Turkey Vulture 30
Hook-billed Kite 1
Cooper's Hawk 1
American Kestrel 4
Common Moorhen 6
American Coot 40
Spotted Sandpiper 2
Ring-billed Gull 1
Rock Pigeon 15
Mourning Dove 2
Inca Dove 3
White-tipped Dove 4
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2
Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 2
Black Phoebe 1
Eastern Phoebe 1
Vermilion Flycatcher 1
Great Kiskadee 3
White-eyed Vireo 1
Blue-headed Vireo 2
Green Jay 6
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Black-crested Titmouse 4
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8
Eastern Bluebird 6
Clay-colored Thrush 1
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 6
Orange-crowned Warbler 10
Yellow-rumped Warbler 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) 1
Black-throated Gray Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 3
Pine Warbler 8
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 5
Chipping Sparrow 12
Lincoln's Sparrow 2
Northern Cardinal 2
Eastern Meadowlark 35
Pine Siskin 2
American Goldfinch 1