[texbirds] Bentsen State Park 4-17-2013

From: "Melissa Chadwick" <Melissa.Chadwick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:20:59 -0500
Hello Texbirders,
 

Another hot and windy day but a pretty good one for birding at Bentsen.
Early this morning over 2000 Mississippi Kites emerged from their
overnight roosts near the park headquarters and were seen easily form
the canal bridge but missed from the hawk tower.  The kites are early
risers and most of the activity has been between 7-7:30am.  Some smaller
kettles may still be visible later but the majority of them take of
early.

 

Warblers, vireos, and buntings are still being reported throughout the
park but especially in the gardens around the headquarters and at the
canal.  There are also fledging Black Phoebes at the canal bridge that
can be seen easily begging for food from their parents.  

 

We have had some recent flooding in the park just before the Resaca
Vieja Trail so make sure and check that spot out if you happen by.
Olive Sparrows have been visible at that location and that area has been
a good spot for buntings and various sparrows in past years.  

 

Below is the checklist from this morning's bird walk.  Please check out
the eBird reports for the daily Hawk Watch reports as well.  

 

Happy Birding!  

 

Species

Count

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

2

Mottled Duck

1

Blue-winged Teal

8

Northern Shoveler

30

Plain Chachalaca

12

Anhinga

2

Great Blue Heron

1

Great Egret

1

Snowy Egret

1

Little Blue Heron

2

Tricolored Heron

1

Black-crowned Night-Heron

2

Black Vulture

1

Turkey Vulture

50

Mississippi Kite

200

Accipiter sp.

1

Broad-winged Hawk

15

Gray Hawk

1

Swainson's Hawk

3

Black-necked Stilt

18

Greater/Lesser Yellowlegs

2

peep sp.

1

Forster's Tern

4

White-winged Dove

12

Mourning Dove

2

Inca Dove

4

White-tipped Dove

15

Chimney Swift

3

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

1

Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird

1

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

1

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

9

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

1

Black Phoebe

3

Brown-crested Flycatcher

2

Great Kiskadee

1

Couch's Kingbird

10

Green Jay

20

Purple Martin

1

Cliff Swallow

8

Cave Swallow

12

Black-crested Titmouse

1

Verdin

1

Clay-colored Thrush

1

Northern Mockingbird

9

Long-billed Thrasher

2

European Starling

1

Olive Sparrow

2

Northern Cardinal

7

Red-winged Blackbird

112

Great-tailed Grackle

11

Bronzed Cowbird

7

Hooded Oriole

1

Altamira Oriole

2

House Sparrow

2

 

Thank you,

Melissa Chadwick

Park Naturalist/Volunteer Coordinator

World Birding Center

Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park

2800 South Bentsen Palm Drive 

Mission, TX 78572

melissa.chadwick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:melissa.chadwick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

Telephone (956) 584-9156 Ext 228

Fax (956) 584-9126

 

Sundays
Bird Walk 8:30a - 10:30a
Wednesdays

Bird Walk 8:30a - 10:30a

Nature Tour 2-4p *pre-registration required

Thursdays

Dragonfly Walk 1-3p

Butterfly Walk 3-4p

Saturdays
Creatures of the Night 7-9p *pre-registration required

 

 

 

"Use the talents you posses; for the woods would be very silent if no
birds sang except the best."

Henry Van Dyke

 

Learn how you can help Texas State Parks <http://bit.ly/sVdilb> 



 


Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds

Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
from the List Owner
[texbirds] Bentsen State Park 4-17-2013

Other related posts:
