[texbirds] RGV trip summary
- From: "cls_121389@xxxxxxxxx" <cls_121389@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 16:09:26 -0700 (PDT)
Greetings Texbirders,
Will give a little recap of my week in the RGV.
Fri, Mar 14 - Arrived in
McAllen late morning. Birded Quinta Mazatlan from about 11:30 to 1:00. First
life bird of the trip was Great Kiskadee. Other lifers here which were
conspicuous
throughout the week: Green Jay, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Plain Chachalaca.
Lifer Bewick's Wren was one of two seen on the trip. Lifer Curve-billed
Thrasher was one of a few seen. Lots of House Sparrows and Red-winged
Blackbirds at the feeders were very distracting as I was in "looking for
life-birds" mode!
Then I went to Estero Llano Grande SP from about 2 PM to 4:30 PM. 9 lifers
here. Least Grebe was my only one of the
trip! Neotropic Cormorant and Black-crested Titmouse- saw a number throughout
the Valley. Inca and White-tipped Doves - saw and heard a number of times on
the trip. Buff-bellied Hummer was one of a half-dozen I saw. Black-chinned
Hummer was a nice surprise. Pauraque was really cool to see - also saw in the
day at Santa Ana and at night at Bentsen. Harris's Hawk - saw about a dozen in
various places, mostly between Salineño and Laredo.
Some other cool birds at Estero were avocets and spoonbills in the llano, seen
from the levee.
From Estero I drove up to Brooks County Rest Stop to look for the
Painted Redstart. I wandered around for about 15 minutes, getting lifer
Ladder-backed Woodpecker and seein the Great Horned Owlets. Then a maintenance
worker called to me, "You
looking for that Painted...whatever..." "Yes, I am!" He told me
it hung out mostly in the trees by the pond. Within 5 minutes of looking that
area over, I had the bird. I'm the kind that tries to see the beauty in all the
birds, but Wow, what a looker this one is!
Day 1 recap - 18 life birds.
Sat, Mar 15 - Arrived at Santa Ana at first
light. Walked around until the bird walk started at 8:30. Heard E Screech Owl.
First lifer of the day was Altamira Oriole at the feeders. On the bird walk
itself, 8 life birds. Mark and Joan were fantastic tour guides. Flyover
Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were lifer #2. Saw some later in the morning on
the lakes. #3 Couch's Kingbirds were calling during much of the walk, so it was
great to get very acquainted with that call, which I heard dozens of times in
the next few days. Joan had singing #4 Olive Sparrow several times - I let the
tour group go by and settled down to wait for one trailside to show itself,
which it eventually did. Had a great look at another later on the walk. Heard
several more later in the week and saw one more. #5 Long-billed Thrasher
was the first of several during the week. #6 Clay-colored Thrush gave us all
good looks. This was the only one of the week until Thursday when I saw a pair
in Laredo. #7 was awesome - a very cooperative pair of Northern
Beardless-Tyrannulets. Mark had been hearing them at various times through the
walk then at this point said, "Let's wait here and maybe they'll come our
way." Sure enough. Very nice. I ended up having great success with this
bird, seeing and hearing on Monday at Anzalduas and seeing hearing at King
Ranch on Wednesday. The wetlands held 20+ White-faced Ibis which was lifer #8.
And then a White-tailed Kite put on a fantastic show over Pintail Lakes area
for #9 of the day.
In the afternoon I went to Bentsen SP. 3 lifers there - Black Phoebe at the HQ.
Also saw a few
on Monday at Anzalduas. Saw a couple Greater Roadrunners from the tram on the
way to the hawk tower. Would see 3 more later in the week at Falcon SP and King
Ranch.. Then at the hawk tower heard a Verdin over and over and over without
ever seeing it despite much scanning. I count heard-only birds on my list, but
was glad to get to see Verdin later at King Ranch. In the evening went to S
10th St and Trenton Ave in McAllen where 100's of Green Parakeets were a
simultaneous cacophony and spectacle.
Day 2 recap - 13 life birds for the day. 31 for the trip so far. Also Mitred
Parakeet at the McAllen Green Parakeet roost I did not add to my life list.
Sun, Mar 16 - Birded today with Roy Rodriguez which was a treat. As
enjoyable as his help was with the locations and the birds, his company was
even more enjoyable. What a great guy. We started the day on the river at
Salineño at first light. It was overcast, threatening skies in the west, windy.
Nothing doing on the river so we went up to the nearby feeders. Not long and we
had both Hooded and Audubon's Orioles for the first two lifers of the day. Also
Long-billed Thrasher, Altamira Oriole, both woodpeckers, White-tipped Doves
etc. We went back to the river but nothing really happened bird-wise until the
storm blew over. Then a tremendous trifecta in short order. A male Ringed
Kingfisher came barreling in and perched for lengthy scope looks. Then a
Red-billed Pigeon winged strongly out of the shadow of the downriver storm and
into the brightness of the upriver clearing. Spectacular look in full sun. And
gone. The next highlight was a big payoff! Yes, all the careful glassing of
every vulture finally revealed a wow look at Zone-tailed Hawk as it drifted
over, again in full sun. Also had lifer Chihuahuan Ravens.
So we left Salineño with 6 lifers. Had another Hooded Oriole in
the afternoon at Starr County Park and another on the river at Salineño on
Thursday. Had Audubon's Oriole seen and heard at King Ranch on Wed
and another singing on the river at Salineño yesterday. Had another Ringed
Kingfisher on the river at Chapeño Sunday. The Red-billed Pigeon and Zone-tailed
Hawk were the only ones of the trip. Saw lots of other ravens Thursday between
Zapata and Laredo and back.
Headed
out of Salineño onto the "dump road". A Scaled Quail ran into and
then out of the road - the only one of the trip. A handsome singing
Black-throated Sparrow was in plain view only briefly - the only one of the
trip. Multiple Cassin's Sparrows were heard and seen well. Heard Pyrrhuloxia
several times but they would not show themselves. On to Starr County Park - it
doesn't look like much, but held some gems. Had to work to finally see Cactus
Wren, but after the first, several more showed nicely. The only ones of the
trip. Pyrrhuloxia appeared at Starr CP too, several times. Also had them later
at King Ranch and a couple other places. A nice surprise was a single
Ash-throated Flycatcher, the only one of the trip and day lifer #12.
On to Falcon SP where there was one more lifer. Saw a female Vermilion
Flycatcher and then a little later a young male with its very splotchy plumage.
The next day had my first adult male Vermilon FC. Then on King Ranch on Wed had
at least a half dozen more. After Roy and I parted ways, I went to a spot in
Pharr he told me about for Red-crowned Parrot where there were a half-dozen or
so at about 7 PM. Then to the 10h and Trenton roost site where there were
thousands and thousands of Great-tailed Grackles and some Bronzed Cowbirds, the
last lifer of the day.
Day 3 recap. 15
life birds for the day, 46 for the trip. One thing I should add
to my Sunday recap. A hilarious (to me) happening. We had a coyote cross the
road at Falcon SP. Then not 5 seconds later a roadrunner appeared beside the
car! Beep-beep.
Mon, Mar 17. Was at Anzalduas from
8 AM when the park opened through the morning. 2 lifers. Black-throated Gray
Warbler
and juvenile Gray Hawk. That was the only BtGray of the trip. Had an adult Gray
Hawk at
Salineño on Thursday. Kept looking skyward for Hook-billed Kite with no
success. I mentioned earlier that I had the tyrannulet here too. Lots of Cave
Swallows.
In the afternoon to Edinburg Scenic Wetlands where there were two
more lifers. Awesome, lengthy looks at Green Kingfisher and a fleeting look at
two fly-away Lesser Goldfinches. I kept getting better looks at the goldfinch
as the trip went on, until the best, perched look at Laredo along Zacate Creek
yesterday.
At this point I was
getting a little frustrated at not having seen/heard Tropical Kingbird yet. I
was starting to wonder if the several non-calling kingbirds I'd seen would most
likely be Tropicals and in talking to several knowledgeable people, it seems
that is probable - but to prove it! It seems that Tropicals have been around
all winter and have been vocal through Jan and Feb and now quieting down. On
the other hand, Couch's are relatively newly arrived and are very vocal right
now. Anyway, it was suggested that nearby Edinburg city park could hold
Tropical Kingbird. Had a few Black-ncked Stilts, some Scissor-tailed
Flycatchers, a Green Kingfisher, but no Tropical Kingbird.
Day 4 recap. 4 lifers for the day; 50 for the trip.
Tue, Mar 18. Started the day at a little field in San Juan where Javi Gonzalez
had Sedge Wren a few days earlier. A cool little spot where I had
Grasshopper and Savannah Sparrows, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Couch's Kingbird
etc but no Sedge Wren. I'll get this back home some day. Then took John
Yochum's
advice and checked out Dixieland Park in Harlingen and saw and heard Tropical
Kingbird for lifer #1 of the day.
Over to Old Port Isabel Rd for Aplomado
Falcon. Really handsome bird. Back to Anzalduas Park in the afternoon until the
park's close at 5 PM,
looking skyward for Hook-billed Kite. In the couple hours there, no success
again. Saw and heard Tropical Kingbird here too.
To Bentsen SP at dark for a
shot at an early Elf Owl. Got to hear pauraques and to see their glowing eyes
in the light (green glow with my LED light!). No Elf Owl.
Day
5 recap. 2 lifers for the day, 52 for the trip. I'll mention
here that I made a couple decisions pre-trip. 1) Any bird I saw while I was
standing in Texas I would count for my Texas state list and 2) If I saw
Aplomado Falcon I would count it for my Texas state list. Don't worry, Texas
birders, I'm no threat to the echelon of Texas state listers!
Day 6 - Wed, Mar 19. Left McAllen at 4 AM headed for King
Ranch "full-day spring birding tour", their first of the season.
Guide was Barbara Rapstein - she did an awesome job in every way. Besides
myself there was a couple Ed and Heidi on the tour also. Great to bird with
them - enjoyed the camaraderie. This is a "targeted" tour, looking
firstly for Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. After that for Tropical Parula, Northern
Beardless-Tyrannulet, Audubon's Oriole and Sprague's Pipit. After that for
whatever else we can see. Barbara was very good at accomodating some of the
other birds we were seeking. I wanted White-tailed Hawk, which had eluded me so
far, and Verdin, which I had heard only up to this point. Had great, great
looks at 4 of the 5 target birds before 10 AM. The pygmy-owls we saw and heard
were apparently a mated pair. We heard them both call, saw them both in the
same binoculars view etc Awesome. Then we got our other personal targets (all 3
of us had some birds we wanted to try for). Barbara got them all for us. We had
one brief look at White-tailed Hawk, but I saw a few of them well after leaving
the ranch and heading south on 281. Also a beautiful soaring adult yesterday
around Zapata.
Day 6 recap. 4 lifers for the day, 56 for the trip. King Ranch tours aren't
cheap
- $125 plus tax if there are at least 3 participants. Lunch is included - not a
sandwich, but fried chicken, bean salad, potato salad, homemade cookies - the
same food as cooked for the hands on the ranch. Also included a nice King Ranch
metal water bottle. I had a great time and would recommend the full-day spring
birding tour. I neglected to mention that toward the end of the tour (ends at 2
PM then hour drive back to Kingsville from the Norias Division of the ranch),
Barbara headed to field habitat and got great looks at Sprague's Pipit. Also
Upland Sandpiper there.
Thur, Mar 20. It was difficult deciding how to spend this last day.
Originally I had thought of spending the a.m.at one of the hawk watches but
ended up on the river at Salineno. Adult Gray Hawk was nice as I'd previously
only seen juvenile. Green kingfisher. Heard Audubon's oriole. Ravens. Juvie and
adult Reddish egrets. Hooded oriole. Distant probable red-billed pigeons. Very
nice stuff, but nothing new. Did meet Michael Marsden there. I asked for his
opinion of the best shot at Hook-billed kite and he sighed. But ultimately
recommended Mission Nature Park. So I headed to Laredo! A nice time looking for
and finding White-collared Seedeater. Nice singing male. It
was neat poking around Las Palmas Trail until I finally heard the seedeater and
then found it. Back at the car on Water St, lo and behold, a pair of
Clay-colored Thrushes!
It was now about 2 PM and headed back down river. Lots
of Scissor-tails on the wires, more ravens, about a half-dozen Harris's Hawks.
Spent the rest of the daylight at Mission Nature Park looking skyward (again)
for Hook-billed Kite - not to be.
Trip recap - 57 life
birds; 161 Texas birds.
Stayed at Motel 6 off US 83 in McAllen - clean,
comfortable, no frills. A great location to the birding spots. Breakfast each
morning at IHOP around the corner on 10th. Cleanest bathrooms of the trip goes
to the Shell gas station on the south end of Zapata. I didn't bother spending
time trying to find good local restaurants. Did try the recommended Costa
Messa on 11th in McAllen - very good Mexican.
I would highly recommend
optics4rent.com, from which I rented a pair of Swarovski EL 10x42 bins. $15 per
day
plus $40 two-way Fedex shipping. 7 day minimum. What a treat to bird for the
week with these outstanding optics. I use every day what I can afford - a nice
pair of Swift Audubons - but definitely tell a difference with these. I can't
afford to buy them, but to rent once in a blue moon, well worth it. Todd has
been great to deal with also.
I'll be glad to try to answer any questions you might have.
And thanks again for all the help from this group! It was invaluable.
Carlton Schooley
Ohio/New Jersey
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