Purple Gallinule at Progreso Lakes, 4/29/20

The morning was slow today in our Progreso Lakes yard but things started to pick up when a cold front blasted in a little before noon.  It only dropped temperatures from the 90's to the 80's but the wind was strong enough to slow down some migrants.  Best bird was this Purple Gallinule that flushed up from the edge of the resaca into the neighbor's yard.  I thought I could get one someday but didn't know how many years it might take.  This was yard bird #226.

Just a few minutes before the gallinule, I was sitting on the porch watching the bird bath when this Swainson's Thrush blew in, yard bird #225.  It is very satisfying to see the native plant garden in which I have put in so much effort finally attracting birds and butterflies.  This one liked the fiddlewood berries.

Our second and third ever Rose-breasted Grosbeaks also dropped into the garden.

And then there were eight species of warblers.  Poor light made photos difficult.  Best was a brilliant Golden-winged Warbler that popped up from the garden for a couple of seconds.  But no photo today, maybe tomorrow.  Here's our first Magnolia Warbler of the year.

Chestnut-sided Warblers did not cooperate.

Nor did the Blackburnian Warbler.

But common Yellow Warblers always like to pose for photos.

Our 2020 April total is now 129, the most we've ever had in one month.  Our 2020 year list is 172 which is the most we've ever had this early in the year.

Garganey at Aransas NWR, 4/19/20

Back in the spring of 1985 I had twisted my life into such a mess that though I lived in Brownsville, I was unable to see the drake Garganey that spent a month near Kingsville.  A few years later I got to see one at Buenas Aires NWR in Arizona.  But for the past 25 years since returning to Texas, I've been waiting for another to grace our state.  Well, despite shelter in place orders for the pandemic, a birder discovered one a week ago at Aransas NWR.  So I shot right up there, feeling confident with the bird having been sighted on Jones Pond.  It had to be a good omen.  But it was not seen again.

That is it wasn't seen for five days but then it reappeared at Heron Flats less than a mile from the original location.  So I made another run and got lucky this time.  It was distant and hidden except for a few seconds now and then.  But I got identifiable photos and the dead Garganey that has hung from my neck for the past 35 years can finally be removed.