[texbirds] RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - September 20, 2013

From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@xxxxxxx>
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 12:26:04 -0400 (EDT)
Sorry for the interruption in service, hard to get motivated without birds to 
talk about!  With migration in full swing we are back on track.  
Mary (signature below)
. 
* Texas 
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* September 20, 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: In fall, on Monday-Wednesdayboth Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park and 
Resaca de la Palma State Park havetheir offices closed but the park open (NO 
TRAM, self check-in at the IronRanger) and full services Thursday-Sunday. 
.
NOTE: In fall, on Monday-TuesdayEstero Llano Grande State Park offices are be 
closed but the park open (selfcheck-in at the Iron Ranger) and full services 
Wednesday-Sunday. 
.
Fall migration continues,shorebirds are moving in, songbirds are headed 
through, and Rufous Hummingbirdshave appeared.  A nice assortment ofwarblers 
descended on South Padre during the past week.  Reports were dominated with 
early migrantsincluding Kentucky and Prothonotary Warbler; lucky observers 
found gems likethe elusive Swainsonâs Warbler and a stunning Cerulean 
Warbler.   AWestern Tanager seems early!  
.
The last pelagic trip from SouthPadre is full with a waiting list on September 
28.  
.
Our rare bird alert this week includes: 
.
Brown Pelican
Red-headed Woodpecker
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
Townsendâs Warbler
.
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 Red-headed Woodpecker was a great find in WillacyCounty on private property 
near the water tower in Port Mansfield.  
.
A Swallow-tailed Kite was an excellent find at EsteroLlano Grande State Park on 
September 19! The bird was migrating with Mississippi Kites. 
.
An American Robin was a most unseasonal find at QuintaMazatlan on August 10 and 
continues.  
.
A Brown Pelican flew by Trenton and Sugar intersection inMcAllen on September 
18, very rare for the location!
. 
A Townsendâs Warbler was on the Willow Lakes trail atSanta Ana on September 
17.  
.
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, 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 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 may be present at El 
Canelo, San Miguelito Ranch and King Ranch(Norias Division only).  San 
Miguelito isopen March-May and the owls were not present in 2013. This owl is 
verydifficult to find at any other location at present and has not been seen 
orheard at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park since the summer of 2010, 
whenthe 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, building/store closed/no trams onMonday-Wednesday but 
the grounds are open (self-pay station).  
 
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds both closed 
on Sundays. 
 
Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store openWednesday-Sunday. 
 
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 - September 20, 2013

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