[texbirds] Monte Cristo Tract
- From: MiriamEagl@xxxxxxx
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 15:30:21 -0400 (EDT)
Hi, all!
Birded a route this morning that ran the length of Wallace Road, then west
on FM 490 for about a mile to North Bryan Road, then zigzagging south back
to Wallace again. For the first time in my experience, ALL the wetlands
along the northern end of Wallace were totally dry, although there was water
in the little culvert at the actual NWR tract where a Green Kingfisher
zipped around the corner. Also had my only Wild Turkey along this trail;
eBird
flags them as "rare" but I've regularly had them along this route. I was
going to vote for the two Roseate Spoonbills that flew overhead early on as
the best birds of the day until I got onto North Bryan, and was shocked to
see two young Peregrine Falcons flying around and playing! Initially one
bird flew to the ground and sat, where I got the best look and a few poor
photos, but then I saw the second one when I drove forward a little. The
TOS Handbook does say that they can start showing up about now, so I guess it
wasn't too unusual.
Wasn't ready to go home after finishing the route, but it was too windy to
continue the BBS Protocol on the way to Lake Edinburg, so I just drove over
there, adding Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Green Heron, and lots of Laughing
Gulls to the day list. I hadn't been over there since they cleared all
the cane away--it was nice to see the lake for a change! After that I
explored a little and discovered Cantu Road which abuts the west side of the
NWR
tract and eventually joins North Bryan.
Lousy falcon photos are here:
http://miriameaglemon.com/photo_gallery/2013%20Field%20Trips/July/Monte%20Cr
isto%20Tract.html
EBird list below:
Monte Cristo Tract (LTC 062), Hidalgo, US-TX
Jul 21, 2013 6:50 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
15.6 mile(s)
Comments: Route runs the length of Wallace Road, then west on FM 490
to N. Bryan Road, following that south until it eventually dumps back out on
Wallace.
54 species
Mottled Duck 7
Plain Chachalaca 3
Northern Bobwhite 10
Wild Turkey 1 Unmistakable - male bird with blackish body and
bluish-red head seen along the actual tract trail about 4 miles up the road.
Wild
Turkeys are often seen along this route.
Neotropic Cormorant 15
Great Egret 2
Roseate Spoonbill 2
Turkey Vulture 2
Cooper's Hawk 1
Swainson's Hawk 1
Killdeer 1
Eurasian Collared-Dove 1
White-winged Dove 100
Mourning Dove 100
Common Ground-Dove 9
White-tipped Dove 6
Yellow-billed Cuckoo 4
Greater Roadrunner 1
Groove-billed Ani 6
Common Nighthawk 4
Green Kingfisher 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 4
Crested Caracara 4
Peregrine Falcon 2 Two young birds interacting along north Bryan
Road - upperparts dark brownish gray with strong helmet and heavy streaking on
breast; cere bluish. Photos available, but unable to upload to eBird.
Brown-crested Flycatcher 5
Great Kiskadee 9
Tropical Kingbird 2
Couch's Kingbird 8
Loggerhead Shrike 1
White-eyed Vireo 7
Green Jay 4
Horned Lark 8
Purple Martin 2
Black-crested Titmouse 2
Verdin 3
Bewick's Wren 1
Northern Mockingbird 15
Long-billed Thrasher 2
Common Yellowthroat 3
Olive Sparrow 15
Lark Sparrow 4
Northern Cardinal 12
Blue Grosbeak 3
Painted Bunting 15
Dickcissel 12
Red-winged Blackbird 100
Eastern Meadowlark 1
Great-tailed Grackle 200
Bronzed Cowbird 9
Brown-headed Cowbird 3
Orchard Oriole 4
Lesser Goldfinch 4
House Sparrow 20
Mary Beth Stowe
McAllen, TX
_www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/)
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