[texbirds] RBA - Texas - Lower Rio Grande Valley - November 15
- From: John Yochum <petsbirdsnature@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 18:52:29 -0800 (PST)
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* November 15, 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 at http://rgvbirds.blogspot.com
.
Capitalized birds marked with a + are Review Species for Texas. Please send
sightings/photographs to the Texas Bird Review Committee: ecarpeATgmail.com.
_____________________________________________________________
UPDATE: Estero Llano Grande State Park open 7 days a week.
_____________________________________________________________
NOTE: Monday to Wednesday, Resaca de la Palma State Park offices closed but the
park open (NO
TRAM, self check-in at the Iron Ranger) and full services Thursday-Sunday.
.
NOTE: The Bayside Drive at Laguna Atascosa is closed to private vehicles to
protect ocelots.
_____________________________________________________________
Black-throated Grays were widely reported this week, along with a lingering
Common Nighthawk or
two. A few American Robins have appeared. Groove-billed Anis are still at
several sites including Santa Ana NWR.
.
Our rare bird alert this week includes:
.
Common Loon
Hook-billed Kite
Bald Eagle
+AMAZON KINGFISHER
Prairie Falcon
+ROSE-THROATED BECARD
+FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER
Tropical Parula
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Painted Redstart
+GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER
Lazuli Bunting
.
This is a general reminder that playing recordings is not allowed in Texas
State Parks 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.
.
The Valley from east to west.
.
A Blackpoll Warbler was photographed at the SPI Convention Center on 11/6. A
Long-eared Owl was
found at Sheepshead on 11/7.
.
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.
.
A +FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER on Boca Chica Rd. was last seen on 11/5. It was with
Scissor-taileds and covering the area from Massey Way to Richardson Rd.
.
A Black-throated Blue Warbler was a great find at Sabal Palm on 11/6, as was
the report of a +ROSE-THROATED BECARD on 11/12 and a Black-throated Gray
Warbler.
.
A Prairie Falcon, a relatively rare winter raptor, returned to a traditional
territory in Willacy County. To reach the area, head north on US 77 from
Sebastian to FM 1018; take FM 1018 east to CR-375 (same as Primrose CR) 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.
.
Mountain Plover returned to their former wintering location in Willacy County
on Mesquite Road on 11/11. This road is no longer passable to cars. Take CR
360 to CR 1600;
this is just west of the Prairie Falcon location.
.
A Tropical Parula was found in the parking lot at Resaca de la Palma State Park
near Brownsville
November 9.
.
The +AMAZON KINGFISHER, only the second US record found November 9, continues
through November 15 near San Benito. Take US 77 to Rte 100 and go east a few
hundred yards to the resaca on the south side of the road.
.
A Bay-breasted Warbler was nicely documented at Estero Llano Grande on 11/9.
Hooded Merganser was off the deck 11/14.
.
A +GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER was photographed October 12 at the Frontera Audubon
Thicket in
Weslaco. It was relocated almost daily through November 4. Reports span the
northern portion of the thicket from the stream to the dead-end trail to the
north and back to the cemetery fence. Remember Frontera is closed Sunday
AM and Monday. They will be opening late some evenings, check their Facebook
page for information. Photographs including publishable images are highly
desired; please send to the TBRC for inclusion in the record – only three
photos have surfaced to date! This
individual is a real skulker. There were no reports during the festival;
perhaps disturbance was too high.
.
A male +ROSE-THROATED BECARD was found at Santa Ana NWR November 11, in the HQ,
picnic and parking lot areas.
.
A Painted Redstart was a fantastic find on October 13 on the University of
Texas – Pan American campus in Edinburg. It has been seen through November 10.
The campus is northwest
of the intersection of Sugar and University. The Painted Redstart was
initially near the
Chapel but most reports have been from the area of the Science Building. Park
at meters from Monday-Friday, they can be found in the lot east of Sugar, and
the main entrance on University. A Tropical Parula was photographed on October
13 near the Chapel and relocated
infrequently through this week, reported at least through November 10. A
Black-throated Gray Warbler has also been seen in their company.
.
An American Woodcock was photographed at the McAllen Medical Center Thursday
November 14.
.
Out of our area to the north, another Painted Redstart was found at the
Falfurrias Rest Area on US 281 on October 19 and continues to November 10.
This site is in Brooks County.
.
Out of our area to the west, an adult Bald Eagle was at the Santa Margarita
Bluffs on November 4 and continued through November 7. This is a private fee
site. Reddish Egret was also documented. Salineno has a late Painted Bunting
and a fly-over Common Loon.
.
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). Brownsville’s 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.
.
Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10th and Dove in the
evening, sometimes winging a few blocks over to Nolana x McColl. Watch for a
couple of Mitred Parakeets that
sometimes mingle with them.
.
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.
.
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.
.
Updated FERRUGINOUS
PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are present on the King Ranch
(Norias Division only). Other private ranches are no longer available 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.
.
See
http://rgvbirds.blogspot.com/p/ferruginous-pygmy-owl-sites.html for more
information.
.
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Site Closures:
Allen Williams
Wildscape, Pharr, open by appointment ONLY; Call or text 956-460-9864.
Bentsen-RGV State Park, open 7 days until spring; first tram at 8:30 AM.
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, building and grounds both closed
on Sundays.
Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store open 7 days.
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings and all day Mondays
except by
appointment.
Laguna Atascosa NWR – Bayside Drive closed to private vehicles to protect
ocelots.
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY; 956-241-2494.
Methodist Camp Thicket, Weslaco, group reservations (fee) only. Contact Estero
Llano Grande State Park.
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays.
Resaca de la Palma State Park, building/store closed/no trams Monday-Wednesday
starting June 1, grounds open (self-pay station). Building/store closed/no
trams Monday & Tuesday in May.
Salineno –feeding station closed for the summer.
Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings and Mondays.
John Yochum
Harlingen TX
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