We will do our best to update the Slate-throated Redstart at the blog address
below, so please continue to report on this great bird! Remember, it's a TBRC
Review Species, send documentation to the TBRC.
.
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* April 30, 2015
.
To report rare birds, e-mail rgvbirds AT hotmail.com.
.
Updates to this Rare Bird Alert can be seen on the web
athttp://rgvbirds.blogspot.com
.
Capitalized birds marked with a + are Review Species forTexas. Please send
sightings/photographs to the Texas Bird Records Committee:ecarpeATgmail.com.
.
_____________________________________________________________
NOTE: New hours for the McAllen Nature Center; this site is now open8-12
weekdays and Saturday, Sunday 8-5. Itâsgreat to have more access at another
great McAllen site!
.
NOTE: A local researcher islooking for territorial Harrisâs Hawks. If you
regularly see Harrisâs Hawks on territory or you locate a nest,please contact
Bill Clark at raptours AT earthlink.net.
.
NOTE: Spring migration is a timefor eBird editors to make adjustments on
filters, so if you see somethingflagged by eBird as rare, remember it can be
one day early or late and beflagged as rare â or it may be something that is
truly unseasonal. How rare is your report? Check John Arvinâs excellent
checklist at
http://tpwd.texas.gov/publications/pwdpubs/media/pwd_bk_w7000_1033.pdfto see!
Thanks for your patience,comments on noteworthy records are always appreciated!
______________________________________________________________
Our rare bird alert this week includes:
.
Masked Booby
*ROSE-THROATED BECARD
Brown Thrasher
Tropical Parula
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
Painted Redstart (Brooks County)
*SLATE-THROATED REDSTART
.
This is a general reminder that playing recordings is notallowed in Texas State
Parks, federal properties, nor in many LRGV birdingsites. All State Park and
National Wildlife Refuge visitors must stay ontrails. Thank you for not
disturbing the wildlife or damaging the vegetation.
.
The Valley from east to west.
.
Mangrove Warbler, a well-marked subspecies of YellowWarbler that may be
distinct enough to warrant full species status, can be seenby contacting the
Sealife Center at (956) 299-1957.
.
A SLATE-THROATED REDSTART was found at the South PadreIsland Bird and Nature
Center butterfly garden on 4/29 (Weds). The bird was seen to about 5 PM.
Today 4/30 it was relocated at the butterflygarden first, then the mangroves at
the Laguna Madre end of the adjacent SPIConvention Center boardwalk. It
returnedto the Bird and Nature Center butterfly garden about 330 PM. These two
sites are adjacent with separateentrances. Updates will be made to theRBA blog
at rgvbirds.blogspot.com at least daily while this bird ispresent.
.
Itâs been a great spring for Townsendâs Warbler with upto three individuals
at the South Padre Island Convention Center.
.
A Masked Booby was found standing in the road on FM 106near Laguna Atascosa on
4/21. Anotherwas found moribund on the beach and was temporarily relocated to
the SouthPadre Island Convention Center pond but it was removed.
.
At Edinburg Scenic Wetlands, surprise, surprise â thewintering Brown Thrasher
was seen again on 4/22.
.
At Estero, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet is nest buildingand likely incubating;
this is the eastern limit for this species. They are more expected at Bentsen
andAnzalduas.
.
A male Tropical Parula at Anzalduas County Park continuedto at least 4/29.
Many parulas aresinging there, the Tropical has been seen between the two wash
rooms by theyellow swingset.
.
Two local birders saw and heard a male *ROSE-THROATEDBECARD male on 4/28 at the
Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park Hawk Tower andtram stop for the Hawk
Tower. This birdwas NOT relocated on 4/29 or 4/30.
.
Irregular reports of Red-billed Pigeon continue to comein from the boat ramp at
Salineno and Starr County Park. One Starr County report of Muscovy Duck
lastweek, and just a few records in the San Ygnacio area. Muscovy in Hidalgo
and Cameron are feraldomestics.
.
EXTRALIMITAL REPORTS
.
The Painted Redstart returned to the Brooks County RestArea on US 281 south of
Falfurrias on Saturday 9/20 and continues through 4/29. A Painted Redstart
wintered at this site lastyear but was last reported in mid-March.
.
PARROT REPORT
Red-crowned Parrots are sometimes seen in the areas ofQuinta Mazatlan in
McAllen, Valley Nature Center in Weslaco in the evening,Calvary Baptist Church
in Harlingen (1815 N 7th Street). Brownsvilleâs OliveiraPark (Los Ebanos
Road/El Paso Road across from Pace High School) hasRed-crowned Parrots as well,
mingling at dusk with escaped Yellow-headed,White-fronted, Lilac-crowned and
Red-lored Parrots. Red-crowned Parrots andGreen Parakeets are seen in urban
areas irregularly all over the Valley.
.
Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10thand Dove in the evening
(at the Loewâs fountain on warm evenings), sometimeswinging a few blocks over
to Nolana x McColl or up to 10th andTrenton. Watch for a couple of Mitred
Parakeets that sometimes mingle withthem. There is another staging area
inMission on the north expressway.
.
In Hidalgo, at 5th and Gardenia near the HidalgoPumphouse World Birding Center,
a few Monk Parakeets have taken up residencebuilding nests on telephone poles,
keeping company with an escaped Rose-ringedParakeet. These birds have been
present since winter 2010.
.
WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATER INFORMATION - Most sites forWhite-collared Seedeaters
are in Zapata and Webb counties. Information is providedas a service to
visiting birders. Sites to check include the San Ygnacio CountyPark/Seedeater
Sanctuary at the foot of Washington Street in San Ygnacio, theRaptor Trail at
the west end of San Ygnacio, the library pond in Zapata, andLaredo's Las Palmas
Trail, North Central and Father McNaboe Park. Access to La Laja Ranch, also a
Seedeatersite, is by advance reservations only. E-mail the owner at
Edward.herbst ATatt.net. This is a fee site. White-collared Seedeaters are
singing in mid-April to May, which makesthem muck easier to locate!
.
Updated FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - FerruginousPygmy-Owls are present
on the King Ranch, along with reliable Tropical Parulas(Norias Division only).
This is the onlybreeding site for Tropical Parula in the LRGV most years.
Contact 361-592-8055 or visit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx for moreinformation. Tours are
over (with theexception of the RGVBF) until spring 2015. The only tours that
have a chance to find the owl are birding tours tothe Norias Division.
Historic tours andbirding tours to Santa Gertrudis Division will not be able to
find the owl asit does not occur near Kingsville.
.
El Canelo Ranch, located north of Raymondville, offersopportunities for "day
birders" as well as for birders staying attheir lovely B&B. A pair of
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls currently residein the backyard of the Inn. All visits
by reservation only. Formore information, see http://www.elcaneloranch.com/
oremail Monica at monica@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
.
Other private ranches are no longer open to birders or donot have accessible
pygmy-owls. This owlis very difficult to find at any other location at present
and has not beenseen or heard at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park since the
summer of 2010,when the park was inundated by the Rio Grande.
.
Seehttp://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/p/ferruginous-pygmy-owl-sites.html for more
information.
.
Directions are provided only for sites not included inthe ABA Birders' Guide to
the Rio Grande Valley or the Birders' Guide to theTexas Coast. These guides are
indispensable for visiting birders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Site Closures:
Allen Williams residence, Pharr, open by appointmentONLY; Call or text
956-460-9864.
Bentsen-RGV State Park, open daily, first tram at 8:30AM.
Brownsville Landfill closed on Sundays.
Camp Thicket (formerly Methodist Camp Thicket), Weslaco,group reservations
(fee) only. Contact Estero Llano Grande State Park.
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds closed on
Sundays.
Estero Llano Grande State Park, open daily; building/storeopen daily.
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday morningsand all day Mondays
except by appointment; open Tues-Sat.
Laguna Atascosa NWR â Bayside Drive closed to privatevehicles to protect
ocelots. Visitor Centeropen 7 days through March.
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY;956-241-2494.
McAllen Nature Center â CLOSED weekday afternoons.
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays. Open on Thursdays to
dark.
Resaca de la Palma State Park, open daily; building/storeclosed/no trams
Monday-Tuesday, grounds open (self-pay station).
Salineno âfeeding station is CLOSED until November.
Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings andMondays
Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas
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