See this week's LRGV Rare Bird Alert can be seen on the web at
http://rgvbirds.blogspot.com
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Capitalized birds marked with a + are Review Species for Texas. Please send
sightings/photographs to the Texas Bird Records Committee: ecarpeATgmail.com.
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NOTE: A local researcher is looking 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.
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Spring is here, migrants are passing in great numbers! Swainsonâs Hawks are
still passing in numbers, and Mississippi Kites are starting to pass through.
Migrant warblers are trickling in and flooding overhead; the strong south winds
are carrying them well beyond the LRGV. The first Empidonax Flycatchers are
migrating through with Acadian and Least Flycatchers the expected species. A
Pomarine Jaeger was photographed on the beach in Kenedy County.
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Our rare bird alert this week includes:
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Tropical Parula
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Painted Redstart (Brooks County)
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This is a general reminder that playing recordings is not allowed in Texas
State Parks, federal properties, nor in many LRGV birding sites. All State Park
and National Wildlife Refuge visitors must stay on trails. Thank you for not
disturbing the wildlife or damaging the vegetation.
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The Valley from east to west.
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Mangrove Warbler, a well-marked subspecies of Yellow Warbler that may be
distinct enough to warrant full species status, can be seen by contacting the
Sealife Center at (956) 299-1957.
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A Prairie Warbler was noted at SPI on 4/10, and another at Fort Brown on 4/12.
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Two late Canvasbacks are at Edinburg Scenic Wetlands though 4/14.
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Also at Estero, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet is nest building; this is the
eastern limit for this species. They are more expected at Bentsen and
Anzalduas.
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Presumably the same Prairie Warbler continues at the Hidalgo Pumphouse through
4/8. (gone?)
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A Tropical Parula was well photographed at Anzalduas County Park on 4/7 and
continued to 4/16. Many parulas are singing there, the Tropical has been seen
between the two wash rooms by the yellow swingset.
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Irregular reports of Red-billed Pigeon continue to come in from the boat ramp
at Salineno and Starr County Park. No Starr County reports of Muscovy Duck,
just a few records in the San Ygnacio area. Muscovy in Hidalgo and Cameron are
feral domestics.
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EXTRALIMITAL REPORTS
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The Painted Redstart returned to the Brooks County Rest Area on US 281 south of
Falfurrias on Saturday 9/20 and continues through 4/15. A Painted Redstart
wintered at this site last year but was last reported in mid-March.
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PARROT REPORT
Red-crowned Parrots are sometimes seen in the areas of Quinta Mazatlan in
McAllen, Valley Nature Center in Weslaco in the evening, Calvary Baptist Church
in Harlingen (1815 N 7th Street). Brownsvilleâs Oliveira Park (Los Ebanos
Road/El Paso Road across from Pace High School) has Red-crowned Parrots as
well, mingling at dusk with escaped Yellow-headed, White-fronted, Lilac-crowned
and Red-lored Parrots. Red-crowned Parrots and Green Parakeets are seen in
urban areas irregularly all over the Valley.
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Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10th and Dove in the
evening (at the Loewâs fountain on warm evenings), sometimes winging a few
blocks over to Nolana x McColl or up to 10th and Trenton. Watch for a couple of
Mitred Parakeets that sometimes mingle with them. There is another staging
area in Mission on the north expressway.
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In Hidalgo, at 5th and Gardenia near the Hidalgo Pumphouse World Birding
Center, a few Monk Parakeets have taken up residence building nests on
telephone poles, keeping company with an escaped Rose-ringed Parakeet. These
birds have been present since winter 2010.
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WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATER INFORMATION - Most sites for White-collared Seedeaters
are in Zapata and Webb counties. Information is provided as a service to
visiting birders. Sites to check include the San Ygnacio County Park/Seedeater
Sanctuary at the foot of Washington Street in San Ygnacio, the Raptor Trail at
the west end of San Ygnacio, the library pond in Zapata, and Laredo's Las
Palmas Trail, North Central and Father McNaboe Park. Access to La Laja Ranch,
also a Seedeater site, is by advance reservations only. E-mail the owner at
Edward.herbst AT att.net. This is a fee site. White-collared Seedeaters are
singing in mid-April to May, which makes them muck easier to locate!
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Updated FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are present
on the King Ranch, along with reliable Tropical Parulas (Norias Division only).
This is the only breeding site for Tropical Parula in the LRGV most years.
Contact 361-592-8055 or visit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx for more information. Tours are
over (with the exception of the RGVBF) until spring 2015. The only tours that
have a chance to find the owl are birding tours to the Norias Division.
Historic tours and birding tours to Santa Gertrudis Division will not be able
to find the owl as it does not occur near Kingsville.
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El Canelo Ranch, located north of Raymondville, offers opportunities for "day
birders" as well as for birders staying at their lovely B&B. A pair of
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls currently reside in the backyard of the Inn. All visits
by reservation only. For more information, see http://www.elcaneloranch.com/
or email Monica at monica@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
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Other private ranches are no longer open to birders or do not have accessible
pygmy-owls. This owl is very difficult to find at any other location at
present and has not been seen or heard at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park
since the summer of 2010, when the park was inundated by the Rio Grande.
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See http://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/p/ferruginous-pygmy-owl-sites.html for more
information.
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Directions are provided only for sites not included in the ABA Birders' Guide
to the Rio Grande Valley or the Birders' Guide to the Texas Coast. These guides
are indispensable for visiting birders.
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Site Closures:
Allen Williams residence, Pharr, open by appointment ONLY; Call or text
956-460-9864.
Bentsen-RGV State Park, open daily, first tram at 8:30 AM.
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, building and grounds closed on
Sundays.
Estero Llano Grande State Park, open daily; building/store open daily.
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings and all day Mondays
except by appointment; open Tues-Sat.
Laguna Atascosa NWR â Bayside Drive closed to private vehicles to protect
ocelots. Visitor Center open 7 days through March.
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY; 956-241-2494.
McAllen Nature Center â Open 8 am to noon, Wednesdays through Sundays.
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays. Open on Thursdays to
dark.
Resaca de la Palma State Park, open daily; building/store closed/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 and Mondays
Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas
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