[texbirds] Aplomado Falcons, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Sprague's Pipit
- From: Robert Becker <robertjbecker@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2012 12:05:43 -0800 (PST)
The cold fronts that have passed through the Valley have improved our birding
prospects handsomely. The arrival of the RGV Birding Festival also seems to
bring out the birds. Please excuse my tardiness in posting these sightings from
last weekend.
Early Saturday I headed out to Laguna Atascosa NWR to see if I could find some
new sparrow arrivals. Before I even arrived at the refuge, i was treated to
excellent looks at a perching Aplomado Falcon on Buena Vista Drive about a mile
or two south of the reserve entrance. There also were numerous Crested
Caracaras and American Kestrels, plus several hunting Northern Harriers in the
same area. Sparrows were in evidence, but flushed too quickly to get a good
look at them. The Bayside Drive loop was flush with hundreds of white and Brown
Pelicans, waders, gulls and raptors. On my way out I saw another Aplomado,
perhaps the same one I saw earlier. This time the bird was perched on a fence
post on the west side of 106.
On Sunday I joined the festival group on a visit to King Ranch Norias Unit. The
ranch was very dry, and there was a dark overcast and strong winds.
Nonetheless, I saw Ferruginous Pygmy Owl and Sprague's Pipit, both life birds
for me.
Here are some photo highlights, with apologies for the owl photo quality:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/13451078@N03/?saved=1
Bob Becker
Rancho Viejo
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- » [texbirds] Aplomado Falcons, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Sprague's Pipit - Robert Becker
