Black-whiskered Vireo at South Padre Island, 5/23/18

I was working in the yard yesterday, covered with dirt and sweat, when word came of a Black-whiskered Vireo at the Convention Center on South Padre Island.  This Caribbean species is common along the coast of south Florida during the summer and we occasionally get a lost bird in Texas, usually on the north east Gulf coast.  Had I not seen one previously on the Island, I would have gone running.  But I decided to put if off till this morning and luckily the bird was still there.  I almost got there too early and had a little trouble getting the bird in good light.

This Western Tanager was a nice bonus.

I ran out onto the flats north of the Convention Center and got lucky again with this Magnificent Frigatebird.

It's great living in the Valley!

Progreso Lakes, 5/9/18

I was thinking about going somewhere this morning but I saw a little flock of orioles in the yard so I decided to stay home and check out the yard.  Lots of action in the anacua tree throughout the day.  Clay-colored Thrushes love the berries.

 As do Northern Mockingbirds.

Maybe a little surprising but Golden-fronted Woodpeckers enjoy the sweet fruit.

As do kingbirds.  I've seen Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and Eastern Kingbirds eat the berries and here's a Tropical Kingbird.

I never saw this Brown-crested Flycatcher take any fruit but it was seen in the tree several times.

Of course Plain Chachalacas will eat anything.

European Starling also eat anything.

A first for the year for our yard was this White-eyed Vireo.

A Swainson's Hawk taking dinner home to the kids.

This newly fledged Black Phoebe had to feed itself.  Rolly pollies are easier to catch than flying insects when you're just a kid.

I retired in the afternoon with a list of 55 species.

Jones yard, Progreso Lakes, Hidalgo, Texas, US
May 9, 2018 7:50 AM - 2:20 PM
Protocol: Stationary
55 species (+2 other taxa)

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (fulgens) 10
Muscovy Duck (Domestic type) 2
Mottled Duck (Gulf Coast) 6
Plain Chachalaca 2
Neotropic Cormorant 5
Snowy Egret 1
Tricolored Heron 1
Green Heron 6
Turkey Vulture 2
Osprey (carolinensis) 1
Broad-winged Hawk 2
Swainson's Hawk 2
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Eurasian Collared-Dove 2
White-tipped Dove 1
White-winged Dove 308 Groups of five to twenty flying south, either going to feed or returning from feeding. I'm not sure.
Mourning Dove 10
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1
Common Nighthawk 1
Chimney Swift 1
Buff-bellied Hummingbird (Northern) 2
Green Kingfisher 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Northern) 5
Eastern Wood-Pewee 3
Black Phoebe 2
Brown-crested Flycatcher 2
Great Kiskadee 2
Tropical Kingbird 2
Couch's Kingbird 1
Tropical/Couch's Kingbird 1
Western Kingbird 1
Eastern Kingbird 3
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1
Loggerhead Shrike 1
White-eyed Vireo 1
Warbling Vireo 1
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2
Purple Martin 3
Barn Swallow 1
Cliff Swallow (pyrrhonota Group) 1
Black-crested Titmouse 2
Clay-colored Thrush 2
Northern Mockingbird 5
European Starling 6
Common Yellowthroat 2
American Redstart 1
Yellow Warbler (Northern) 1
Lark Sparrow 1
Painted Bunting 1
Dickcissel 4
Orchard Oriole 5
Hooded Oriole 2
Altamira Oriole 2
Baltimore Oriole 1
Red-winged Blackbird 10
Great-tailed Grackle 12
House Sparrow 2