[texbirds] RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - May 23, 2013

From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@xxxxxxx>
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 23 May 2013 23:49:14 -0400 (EDT)
. 
* Texas 
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* May 23, 2013
. 
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. 
.
NOTE: Starting **JUNE 1**Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park and Resaca de la 
Palma State Park willhave their offices closed but the park open (NO TRAM, self 
check-in at the IronRanger) on Monday-Wednesday, and full services 
Thursday-Sunday. 
.
Our rare bird alert this week includes: 
.
+GREEN VIOLETEAR (gone)
Cassinâs Vireo (gone)
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
+GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
+ CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK
Varied Bunting
.
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. 
.
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 second year +GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW graced the SPIConvention Center gardens 
on May 17, and continued through the evening of May21.  There are no reports 
â positive ornegative â for May 22-23.  
.
A female-plumaged +CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK wasphotographed at Sabal Palm 
Sanctuary on 2/12 and returned daily through atleast 5/21. It is being seen in 
the area of the water feature and feedingstation at the Headquarters, feeding 
on potato trees.  
.
A +GREEN VIOLETEAR was a surprise in a San Benito yard onSunday May 12, and 
brief sightings continue through May 15.  The bird is not seen often or well 
andcontinues to forage only in the foliage and not use feeders. A likely 
CassinâsVireo was found on 5/15.  
.
A Red-billed Pigeon was well described at Santa Ana NWRon May 13.  They have 
been extremelyscarce in Hidalgo County the past decade.   
.
Varied Buntings were found at Bentsen-Rio Grande ValleyState Park on May 22 
(and relocated May 23) on the Rio Grande Trail (take theleft fork and go to 
signpost #14); and Starr County Park on May 19.  
. 
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)has Red-crownedParrots as well, 
mingling at dusk with escaped Yellow-headed, White-fronted,Lilac-crowned and 
Red-lored Parrots. Red-crowned Parrots and Green Parakeetsare seen in urban 
areas irregularly all over the Valley.
.
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.
.
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 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.
. 
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - FerruginousPygmy-Owls are present at El 
Canelo, San Miguelito Ranch and King Ranch (NoriasDivision only). Recent 
reports have *not* found Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls at SanMiguelito Ranch or El 
Canelo. This owl is very difficult to find at any otherlocation at present and 
has not been seen or heard at Bentsen-Rio Grande ValleyState Park since the 
summer of 2010, when the park was inundated by the RioGrande. 
.
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, building/store closed/no trams onMonday-Wednesday 
starting June 1, but the grounds are open (self-pay station).  Building/store 
closed/no trams Mondays inMay.  
 
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds both closed 
on Sundays. 
 
Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store open 7days a week!
 
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday morningsand all day Mondays 
except by appointment. 
 
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY;956-241-2494. 
 
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).  Building/store closed/no 
trams Monday &Tuesday in May. 
 
Salineno âfeeding station closed for the summer. 
 
San Miguelito Ranch â Closed until March 2014.  
 
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 23, 2013

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