[texbirds] RBA - Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - July 27, 2012

  • From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@xxxxxxx>
  • To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:34:02 -0400 (EDT)

.
RBA
. 
* Texas 
* Lower Rio Grande Valley 
* July 26, 2012 
. 
To report rare birds, e-mail rgvbirds AT hotmail.com (preferred)orcall (956) 
584-2731 option 3.
. 
Capitalized birds marked with a + are Review Species for Texas.Please send 
sightings/photographs to the Texas Bird Review Committee,ecarpeATgmail.com. 
.
PELAGIC BIRDING OPPORTUNITY – Eric Carpenter is organizing twopelagic trips out 
of South Padre Island this summer **NOTE: Both trips are fullor nearly so! 
Register or get on the waiting list ASAP**. The dates are July 28and August 25. 
Contact Eric for registration information at ecarpe@xxxxxxxxxx
.
Our rare bird alert this week includes: 
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Reddish Egret 
Willet
*ROSE-THROATED BECARD
Yellow-green Vireo
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler 
. 
This is a general reminder that playing recordings is not allowedin Texas State 
Parks and many LRGV birding sites. All State Park and NationalWildlife Refuge 
visitors must stay on trails. Thank you for not disturbing thewildlife or 
damaging the vegetation. 
. 
Lingering waterfowl are on Sugar House Pond, with Lesser Scaup andRedhead, 
among more regular lingering ducks. Empidonax are appearing in theLRGV along 
with early warbler migrants.  PurpleMartins are roosting in large numbers in 
Harlingen and Pharr. 
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The Valley from east to west. 
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Mangrove Warbler, a well-marked subspecies of Yellow Warbler thatmay be 
distinct enough to warrant full species status, can be seen bycontacting the 
Sealife Center at (956) 299-1957. 
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A Yellow-green Vireo was found on Cannon Road on 7/10. Another wason private 
property near the Willacy/Hidalgo County Line on 7/16.  
.
A Reddish Egret was a surprise at Delta Lake on 7/26.  This species is always 
rare inland. 
.
A Willet was an excellent find near Hargill on 7/19.  Also present were Black 
Tern. The Willet wasnot seen on 7/21. 
.
At Estero Llano Grande State Park, we were recently advised ofanother report of 
the Rose-throated Becard for 7/20.  Please report these late dates to the TBRC 
asthey are especially important to document the entire date span of occurrence. 
 This bird may be continuing but has been verydifficult to locate of late. 
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At Santa Ana NWR, a Tropical Parula continues but is unlikely tobe relocated as 
song is nearly over for the year. 
. 
An adult male Varied Bunting was reported from the La Puerta Tract(Starr Co.) 
of the Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR on 7/12-15; at least 3 birds continue at 
theYturria Brush Tract (Hidalgo Co.) through 7/24. 
.
Red-crowned Parrots are sometimes seen in the areas of QuintaMazatlan in 
McAllen, Valley Nature Center in Weslaco in the evening, and EsteroLlano Grande 
State Park in the mornings. Red-crowned Parrots are also reportedfrom Calvary 
Baptist Church in Harlingen (1815 N 7th Street) and atRio Hondo/ 7th Street in 
Harlingen in the evenings(exit Expressway 77 on EdCarey, heading north on Ed 
Carey about 3.5 miles to Rio Hondo Road just beforethe Airport, turn right onto 
Rio Hondo going to 7th Street), and also atOliveira Park (Los Ebanos Road/El 
Paso Road across from Pace High School) inBrownsville, mingling at dusk with 
Yellow-headed and Red-lored Parrots (bothspecies are escapes). Red-crowned 
Parrots and Green Parakeets are seen in urbanareas irregularly all over the 
Valley.
.
Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10th and Dovein the 
evening, sometimes winging a few blocks over to Nolana/McColl – a reportlast 
month had 200 at the latter site. A couple of Mitred Parakeets (escapes)were 
present this winter. 
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In Hidalgo at 5th and Gardenia near the HidalgoPumphouse World Birding Center, 
a few Monk Parakeets have taken up residencebuilding a nest on a telephone 
pole. 
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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, Laredo's Las Palmas 
Trail, North Central Park, or Father McNaboe Park.Seedeaters are widely 
distributed this spring with birds at all locations.Access to La Laja Ranch, 
also a Seedeater site, is by advance reservationsonly. E-mail the owner at 
Edward.herbst@xxxxxxxxxxxx is a fee site.
. 
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION – Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls arepresent at El 
Canelo, San Miguelito Ranch and King Ranch (Norias Divisiononly). San Miguelito 
is closed until March 1. King Ranch Norias bird trips arecompleted for the 
spering. This owl is very difficult to find at any otherlocation at present. 
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls have not been seen or heard atBentsen-Rio Grande Valley 
State Park since the summer of 2010, when the parkwas inundated by the Rio 
Grande. 
.
Directions are provided only for sites not included in the ABABirders' Guide to 
the Rio Grande Valley or the Birders' Guide to the TexasCoast. These guides are 
indispensable for visiting birders.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Site Closures: 
Allen Williams Wildscape, Pharr, open by appointment ONLY; Call ortext 
956-460-9864. 
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, building closedSunday (grounds 
open). 
Bentsen-RGV State Park, office and store closed/no trams onMonday, Tuesday and 
Wednesday, grounds open (self-pay station). 
Estero Llano Grande State Park, building closed Mondays, groundsopen (self-pay 
station). 
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings and allday Mondays 
except by appt. 
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY; 956-241-2494. 
Methodist Camp Thicket, Weslaco, group reservations (fee) only.Contact Estero 
Llano Grande State Park – office and gift shop closed Monday andTuesday (site 
open)
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays. 
Resaca de la Palma State Park, office and store closed/no tramsMonday, Tuesday, 
Wednesday, grounds open (self-pay station). 
San Miguelito Ranch - Lety at 956-365-3118 or Buny55@xxxxxxxx Closed until 
March 2013. 
Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles 
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday morning and Mondays.
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Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas

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  • » [texbirds] RBA - Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - July 27, 2012 - Mary Gustafson