[texbirds] RBA - Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - January 16, 2014

From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@xxxxxxx>
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:05:56 -0500 (EST)

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* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* January 16, 2014
.
To report rare birds, e-mail rgvbirds AT hotmail.com(preferred) or call
(956)584-2731 option 3.
.
Updates 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 Review Committee:ecarpeATgmail.com.
_____________________________________________________________
A Request to eBirders â please add a description of what the bird looked
and/orsounded like when you encounter a reviewed species in eBird (where
âmoredetailsâ are requested by the system). Somespecies known to be at one
site in the county (for example, House Finches atAnzalduas or Brownsville)
donât require details. Even brief details are more helpful than
âgreatlooks by all!â. Details for long-stayingrarities can of course be
added later, but new reports are easier to follow upif there is some
information provided (see
http://ebird.org/content/tx/news/texas-ebird-editor2019s-forum-comments-2013-we-need-comments/).
_____________________________________________________________
NOTE: McAllen Botanical Gardensâ open Saturday mornings ONLY from 8-12. This
site had been closed to the public for some time, letâs gobirding! Find it
on the south side ofBusiness 83 between Ware and Bentsen Rds.
.
NOTE: The Bayside Drive at Laguna Atascosa is closed toprivate vehicles to
protect ocelots. This area is covered by refuge tours. All other portions of
Laguna are OPEN asnormal! Private vehicles can driveto Osprey Overlook, and
there are 50 miles of hiking and biking trails.
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Lingering Anis are still at several sites. Zone-tailed Hawks are at several
sitesincluding Edinburg, north McAllen, east of Santa Ana, Anzalduas, and
StarrCounty. Grassland sparrows seem to beincreasing after a dismal early
winter. ALeConteâs was found in the floodway.
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Our rare bird alert this week includes:
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Hook-billed Kite
Ferruginous Hawk
Prairie Falcon
Tropical Parula
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
Painted Redstart (Brooks Co.)
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This is a general reminder that playing recordings is notallowed in Texas State
Parks nor in many LRGV birding sites. All State Park andNational Wildlife
Refuge visitors must stay on trails. Thank you for not
disturbing the wildlife or damaging the vegetation.
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Nighthawks are being reported from a few sites. Any winter nighthawk should be
carefullydocumented to determine species. Photosor recordings are encouraged!
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The Valley from east to west.
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An American Redstart has been present on South PadreIsland at the Convention
Center.
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.
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A Prairie Falcon,a relatively rare winter raptor, returned to a traditional
territory in WillacyCounty. To reach the area, head north onUS 77 from
Sebastian to FM 1018; take FM 1018 east to CR-375 (same as PrimroseCR) Go north
on 375 and check the utility poles on the east side of CR-375,between FM-1018
and the first dirt farm road that crosses CR-375 headed north.
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Mountain Plover returned to their former winteringlocation in Willacy County on
Mesquite Road on 11/11. Take CR 360 to CR 1600; this is just west ofthe
Prairie Falcon location. Go east onCR 1600 (Mesquite Road) if it is passable.
A small number of birds were seen before the recent rains. ***CR 1600 has been
impassable; usecaution. No recent reports likely due tohazardous caliche
roads***
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An immature Ferruginous Hawk was reported on 1/10 from1425 near the Sugar House
just north of 190. The bird has continued through 1/14. A local raptor
biologist reports the bird has been present for weeks,and related several other
observations from the LRGV. Ferruginous has been somewhat regular butlocalized
in Willacy. Please reportadditional Ferruginous Hawks, using caution with pale
Red-tailed Hawksincluding Kriderâs. This location is onthe Hidalgo/Cameron
county line.
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A Prairie Falcon is occasionally reported from EsteroLlano Grande or nearby
Weslaco or Donna. A bird wintered in this area last year as well. It has been
seen only in flight. No reports this week.
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Winter Wren have been reported from several locations inthe RBA area. This is
a rare species inthe LRGV, and notes or photos are of interest for all reports.
The only documented report to date is a birdat Estero Llano Grande State Park.

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A Herring Gull was found on Delta Lake in Hidalgo County,where the species is
exceptional. Itcontinued to 1/15.
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In Edinburg, a Tropical Parula continues in the UTPAcampus area through last
week. AnotherTropical Parula is at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands.
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A Brown Pelican continues at Anzalduas County Park inHidalgo County, where the
species is exceptional.
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A Hook-billed Kite was photographed between Anzalduas andBentsen. It could be
the same femalethat was found at the Riverside Club in November on the Rio
Grande ValleyBirding Festival.
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In Mission, several (!) Western Tanagers were found atLaurel Hill Cemetery on
Holland north of US 83. A Rock Wren was found near 3 mile and Iowa; park away
from the intersection and look forthe bird in the rock piles on the northwest
corner. This site may be best visited on Sunday whenthere are fewer trucks.
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At Bentsen, a Red-naped Sapsucker was well photographedon 12/25. It missed
nearly a week, buthas returned to the resaca area last week. One was in the
area last year. ADickcissel was with a flock of House Sparrows near the nature
center last week.
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A white morph Reddish Egret was found on the Rio Grandenear Salineno on the Rio
Grande Valley Birding Festival in November. Two were tallied by kayakers on
the FalconCBC on 1/1, and one was reported at Salineno on 1/15.
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Another Rock Wren has been photographed at Falcon StatePark near the feeding
station, where itâs been present for some time. It is amore regular species
in Starr and Zapata counties than to the east. The state park straddles these
counties.
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Out of our area to the north, a Painted Redstart wasfound at the Falfurrias
Rest Area on US 281 on October 19 and continues to atleast January 9. This
site is in BrooksCounty.
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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.
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Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10thand Dove in the
evening, sometimes winging a few blocks over to Nolana xMcColl. Watch for a
couple of Mitred Parakeets that sometimes mingle with them. There is another
staging area in Mission onthe north expressway.
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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.
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WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATER INFORMATION - Most sites forWhite-collared Seedeaters
are in Zapata and Webb counties. Information isprovided as a service to
visiting birders. Sites to check include the SanYgnacio County Park/Seedeater
Sanctuary at the foot of Washington Street in SanYgnacio, the Raptor Trail at
the west end of San Ygnacio, the library pond inZapata, and Laredo's Las Palmas
Trail, North Central and Father McNaboe Park.Access to La Laja Ranch, also a
Seedeater site, is by advance reservationsonly. E-mail the owner at
Edward.herbst AT att.net. This is a fee site.
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Updated FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - FerruginousPygmy-Owls are present
on the King Ranch (Norias Division only). Other private ranches are no longer
availableor do not have accessible pygmy-owls. Thisowl is 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.
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See http://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/p/ferruginous-pygmy-owl-sites.htmlfor more
information.
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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.
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Site Closures:

Allen Williams Wildscape, Pharr, open by appointmentONLY; Call or text
956-460-9864.

Bentsen-RGV State Park, open 7 days until spring; firsttram at 8:30 AM.

Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds both closed
on Sundays.

Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store open 7days.

Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday morningsand all day Mondays
except by appointment.

Laguna Atascosa NWR â Bayside Drive closed to privatevehicles to protect
ocelots.

Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY;956-241-2494.

McAllen Botanical Garden â OPEN Saturdays from 8-12 noon.

Methodist Camp Thicket, Weslaco, group reservations (fee)only. Contact Estero
LlanoGrande State Park.

Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays.

Resaca de la Palma State Park, building/store closed/notrams Monday-Wednesday
starting June 1, grounds open (self-pay station).

Salineno âfeeding station is open.

Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles

Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings andMondays.

Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas

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[texbirds] RBA - Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - January 16, 2014

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