[texbirds] RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - May 19, 2014

From: "Mary Gustafson" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "live4birds@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Mon, 19 May 2014 21:16:14 -0400 (EDT)
. 
 
* Texas 
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* May 19, 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 Records Committee:ecarpeATgmail.com.  
_____________________________________________________________
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: 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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Our rare bird alert this week includes: 
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Purple Gallinule 
+DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER (no additional reports) 
Tropical Parula 
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler 
+CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK 
.
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. 
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The Valley from east to west.   
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Migration is drawing to a close with late shorebirds,warblers, and flycatchers. 
 
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SPI continues to have good birds with a lateYellow-throated Vireo.  
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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 +DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER was heard and recorded atResaca de la Palma State 
Park on 5/2. The bird was found on 5/5 in the evening.  NO ADDITIONAL REPORTS.  
Note days without trams, below.   FromHunterâs Lane and the tram road, 
proceed down Hunterâs Lane and turn left justbefore the resaca crossing.  
Thenortheastern Mexico subspecies is a review taxa for the TBRC.  This bird is 
not yet identified tosubspecies.  
.
A Purple Gallinule was at Grebe Marsh at Estero on 5/17. 
.
A male +CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK was an excellent findat Frontera on 5/10 and 
it continued to 5/17. This bird is more often heard than seen and is covering a 
large area ofthe northern portion of the trails. Familiarity with the call is a 
must if you are looking for this skulkingbird!  
.
A Tropical Parula was an excellent find at AnzalduasCounty Park on 5/19, the 
bird was near the maintenance shed. 
.
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. Watch for a couple of MitredParakeets that sometimes mingle 
with them. There is another staging area in Mission 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.  
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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 onlysite for Tropical Parula in summer most years. Contact 
361-592-8055 or visit@king-ranch.comfor more information.
.
Recent reports include a pair from San Miguelito Ranch(fee site), contact Letty 
at 956-369-3118 or Buny55@xxxxxxx.  Other private ranches are no longer open 
tobirders or do not have accessible pygmy-owls. This owl is very difficult to 
find at any other location at present andhas not been seen or heard at 
Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park since thesummer of 2010, when the park was 
inundated by the Rio Grande. 
.
Seehttp://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/p/ferruginous-pygmy-owl-sites.html for 
moreinformation. 
.
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 Wildscape, Pharr, open by appointmentONLY; Call or text 
956-460-9864. 
 
Bentsen-RGV State Park, open 7 days until June 1; firsttram at 8:30 AM. 
 
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds closed on 
Sundays. 
 
Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store open 7days to June 1; store and 
offices closed Monday and Tuesday starting June 1.  
 
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. 
 
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 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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[texbirds] RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - May 19, 2014

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