[texbirds] RGC-Salenino-Chapeno-Fronton and a couple of other sites 6-15

  • From: Brush Freeman <brushfreeman@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: Texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 15 Jun 2012 13:24:06 -0500

Had eight points to finish up N. of Rio Grande City which only took me a
short time and just after sunrise,  so before heading to the next location
down further in the Valley,  I hoofed it up the Valley a bit making good
time and arriving around 8:20...A bit late but the wind was still down.

Started a Salenino:  Not a minute passed before two Red-billed Pigeons flew
down the river followed by a single about 5 minutes later.  Dumb luck I
guess.  Grackles and Red-wingeds surrounded me as they are nesting...They
were bringing insects back from Mexico without going thru customs...Anis
and Brown-crested Flycatchers were calling from the other shore...A strange
Caspian Tern made it's way down the river...BTW beware of Rock Pigeons on
the river, I saw a number of them at Falcon Heights.

As I was leaving town I saw a fox visiting the grave of his former self...I
later checked the grave and think he was Raul A., but then he jumped on
something else.  (see photo)

  Took the short cut from Salenino to Falcon Heights/Chapeno and got the BT
Gnatcatchers where I have for many years on the cut over road.  Heard
Scaled Quail.

Had zero difficulties with Muscovey Ducks at Chapeno (see photos).   Two
pair came flying down stream in a hurry....Something loud was going on up
stream and sure enough there came a parade of BP airboats blowing
everything ahead of them including two more Red-billeds and a immature
Night-Heron that I am not so sure was a Night-Heron...Dang were those boats
ever so loud on an otherwise peaceful morning and birding was just not the
same cause they kept on coming!!  An Altimira oriole has young in a nest
directly over one of the trails.  I did not stay long as the wind was
already picking up and the morning was waning fast.

  Fronton...Good old Fronton...the river road etc. has not changed a lick
in 30+ years...Best birding of the entire morning....BC Flycatcher,
Kiskadees, Couch's , Orioles and Anis aplenty.  A Clay -colored Thrush was
singing away just downstream.  A Swainson's Hawk from the Mexican side flew
over to just above me.  Chachalacas surprised and even startled me when
they began calling right over my head almost...Had no clue they were even
there.  (more photos of this stuff)

  There is a lot of tree tobacco at Fronton and there was a hummingbird
nectaring on the blooms but I just never could pin the thing down.

  As I was leaving Fronton, on the north side of town, there were House
Finches singing.   I know they are rare in the lower Valley, but don't seem
to be up here.....When I was in Salenino there was a kid that kept C
calling Hi, Hi, Hi as I walked about town....The brat would then hide,
after listening to this kid saying Hi over 5 dozen times I finally called
out Hi myself and it just got worse....It turned out to be a Yellow-headed
Parrot in a cage behind bushes on a porch.   Doh!

  I wanted to find an old birding spot near La Joya but had no idea where
it was...The town has turned into another Valley monster and I just could
not get my bearings.  Likely under a few hundred new developments now.

  The pictures are on my blog below...It is easier to post them directly
but people say they can't see them on Google and i am too lazy to figure
out another way.  Do check out Raul, er I mean the fox!

  The wind howls and its the slow time of day for birds so a nap is in
order...BTW bought Gas in Roma for 2.99!  They are just giving the stuff
away ! (3.04 in RGC)
-- 
Brush Freeman
361-655-7641
http://texasnaturenotes.blogspot.com/
Finca de los Alacranes., Utley,Texas

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  • » [texbirds] RGC-Salenino-Chapeno-Fronton and a couple of other sites 6-15 - Brush Freeman