[texbirds] RareBirdAlert: Lower Rio Grande Valley
- From: "John Yochum" <John.Yochum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 8 Feb 2013 10:40:11 -0600
This was published a day early on the website (RGVbirds.blogspot.com)
but due to technical problems a day late on the Listserve. Apologies!
.
RBA
.
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* February 6, 2013
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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.
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Our rare bird alert this week includes:
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Glossy Ibis and Glossy x White-faced Ibis hybrid
Black-legged Kittiwake
Flammulated Owl
Common Nighthawk
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
+GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER (no additional reports)
Western Tanager
.
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.
.
Couch's Kingbirds are in very short supply again this winter, they seem
to be more plentiful in Cameron County and absent from Hidalgo. Mallards
of the northern subspecies are present this winter, an unusual event -
Greater Scaup, Bufflehead, Wood Duck and Hooded Mergansers are in above
normal numbers across the valley as well. Zone-tailed Hawks are in
Weslaco as well as the more traditional sites of
Anzalduas/Hidalgo/Bentsen and Salineno/Falcon.
.
USFWS volunteers are feeding birds daily at the Lower Rio Grande Valley
National Wildlife Refuge Kepler Tract (adjacent to Salineno). Volunteers
will be on site to greet visitors on Mondays and Thursdays from 8am to
noon. **Donations are greatly appreciated** and can be dropped off at
the Roma Bluffs World Birding Center or at the feeding station on
Mondays and Thursdays. Any questions please feel free to call Santa Ana
National Wildlife Refuge at 956-784-7500
.
The Valley from east to west.
.
A stunning Flammulated Owl was found and photographed at South Padre
Island near the Convention Center on 1/8! The bird has recently been
refound on a daily basis in the thickets at the Convention Center
through 2/5. It can be very difficult to locate in the dense brush.
This is only the second winter record for Texas of this highly migratory
owl.
.
This would seem self-evident, but please be careful not to trample the
plants at the Convention Center gardens. Every bit of habitat at the
convention center has been planted by volunteers for the benefit of
wildlife including migratory birds.
.
An immature Black-legged Kittiwake continues near the south jetty at SPI
on 2/4.
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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.
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A Lesser Nighthawk was photographed at Resaca de la Palma State Park
1/31.
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A Western Tanager was at Valley Nature Center on 2/5.
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Hooded Mergansers continue at Santa Ana NWR. A Glossy Ibis was
photographed in early January; several recent reports show one or two
birds that appear to be Glossy x White-faced Ibis hybrids. One bird
looks like a Glossy Ibis with a red eye, and the other looks more like a
White-faced Ibis with a red face but pale lines on the facial skin.
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A Western Tanager was a great find on the Tuesday birdwalk at Quinta
Mazatlan on 1/22 and refound on 1/24.
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A Red-naped Sapsucker may continue at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State
Park in the area of the resaca, there is again only one report this
week. Please continue to report this continuing rarity. The bird shows
some hybrid characters and may be a backcross or third generation hybrid
between Red-naped and the even rarer in Texas Red-breasted Sapsucker. A
Red-naped Sapsucker would have more black feathering separating the red
throat and the pale line above it, with the black pinched in the middle.
This bird has virtually no black line.
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Green-tailed Towhees were found at Yturria Brush Tract off US 83 west of
Mission in Hidalgo County last week.
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Two Red-billed Pigeons were an unusual sight this winter at Salineno on
1/30.
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A GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER was reported from Zapata on 1/31.
Documentation and photographs are highly desired for this review
species! Take US 83 to 9th Avenue and go southwest two blocks to the
park. Walk the trail around the pond, the bird was on the back
(southwest) side of the pond within 50 yards of the northern end of the
trail.
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Upriver and out of our area, the Laredo Acorn Woodpecker was
photographed in Laredo at a private residence on 11/27 and is now
utilizing telephone poles across the street at the Mall del Norte. Park
between Dillard's and the Cinemark and watch the small triangle of woods
to the north. Continuing reports are highly desired! The bird continues
in the area two weeks ago, but is often missed.
.
Western Grebes continue on Lake Casa Blanca in Laredo. White-collared
Seedeaters are regular in parks and near the river in Laredo.
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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), and also at Oliveira
Park (Los Ebanos Road/El Paso Road across from Pace High School) in
Brownsville, mingling at dusk with escaped Yellow-headed 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 a nest on
a telephone pole. These birds are present since November 2011. In
Harlingen, Monk Parakeets have constructed a roost nest on the cell
tower northwest of 106 and Ed Carey. These birds were discovered in
December 2012.
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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 libray
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.
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FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are present
at El Canelo, San Miguelito Ranch and King Ranch (Norias Division only).
San Miguelito is closed until March 1. This owl is very difficult to
find at any other location at present and have 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.
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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, building/store closed/no trams on Monday, but
the grounds are open (self-pay station).
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, building and grounds both
closed on Sundays.
**Estero Llano Grande State Park, building/store open 7 days a week! **
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings and 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 Llano Grande State Park.
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays.
Resaca de la Palma State Park, building/store closed/no trams Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, grounds open (self-pay station).
SALINENO - FEEDING STATION CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
San Miguelito Ranch - Closed until March 2013. Lety at 956-365-3118 or
Buny55ATaol.com
Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings and Mondays
John Yochum
Park Ranger IV
Estero Llano Grande State Park
Weslaco TX
956-565-3919
Bird Walks: Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 8:30am
Butterfly/Dragonfly Walks: Fridays 1:30pm
Photography Mondays: Feb 11, 25 (every other Monday) bring your cameras
and questions for 2-3pm instruction, and 3-5pm photo safari
Tram Tours: Wednesdays and Sundays 2pm-4pm, or call to arrange your own
time
Breakfast with the Birds: Feb 9, Feb 23 8am-11am (bird walk included,
$7 adults/ $3 children, reservations at 565-3919)
New Moon Starwatch: Feb 10 (every new moon) 8-10pm
Full Moon Night Hike: Feb 25 (every full moon) 8-10pm
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