[texbirds] Texas Lower RIo Grande Valley RBA - June 4, 2014

From: "Mary Gustafson" <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> (Redacted sender "live4birds@xxxxxxx" for DMARC)
To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 2014 13:16:52 -0400 (EDT)
. 
* Texas 
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* June 4, 2014
.
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 Records Committee:ecarpeATgmail.com.  
_____________________________________________________________
NOTE: A local researcher islooking for territorial Harrisâs Hawks. If you 
regularly see Harrisâs Hawks on territory or you locate a nest,please contact 
Bill Clark at raptours AT earthlink.net. 
.
NOTE: State Park Open Days arechanging for the summer season.  Expectto find 
the offices and shops closed early in the week, though the parks areOPEN â 
please use the âiron rangerâ to self register each day (even if you havea 
state park pass).    
.
NOTE: Pelagics are scheduled to go out of SPI on July 19th,August 16th, and 
September 20th. September is FULL with awaiting list. Contact Gary Hodne at 
garyhodne@earthlink.netfor more information. 
______________________________________________________________
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Our rare bird alert this week includes: 
.
Tropical Parula 
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler 
+CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK (no additional reports) 
.
This is a general reminder that playing recordings is notallowed in Texas State 
Parks, federal properties, nor in many LRGV birdingsites. All State Park and 
National Wildlife Refuge visitors must stay ontrails. Thank you for not 
disturbing the wildlife or damaging the vegetation. 
.
The Valley from east to west.   
.
Cedar Waxwing was an excellent find at SPI on 5/28 aftera dismal winter season. 
A late Veery was reported on 5/20.  
.
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 late Green-winged Teal and two Hudsonian Godwitslingered on Ibis Pond at 
Estero to late May. Hudsonian Godwit is a low density migrant in Hidalgo 
County.  A pair of Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet werenest building at Estero; 
their presence in the Weslaco area is relativelyrecent.  This species is easier 
to locateat Anzalduas or Bentsen. 
.
A male +CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK was an excellent findat Frontera on 5/10 and 
it continued to 5/17. This bird is more often heard than seen and is covering a 
large area ofthe northern portion of the trails. Familiarity with the call is a 
must if you are looking for this skulkingbird!  NO ADDITIONAL REPORTS.  
.
A Tropical Parula was an excellent find at AnzalduasCounty Park on 5/19, the 
bird was near the maintenance shed. It continued to atleast 5/24. 
.
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 and GreenParakeets are seen in urban 
areas irregularly all over the Valley.
.
Green Parakeets can be seen staging in McAllen near 10thand Dove in the evening 
(at the Loewâs fountain on warm evenings), sometimeswinging a few blocks over 
to Nolana x McColl. Watch for a couple of MitredParakeets that sometimes mingle 
with them. There is another staging area in Mission on the north expressway.  
.
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 
Seedeatersite, is by advance reservations only. E-mail the owner at 
Edward.herbst ATatt.net. This is a fee site. White-collared Seedeaters are 
singing in mid-April to May, which makesthem muck easier to locate!  
. 
Updated FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWL INFORMATION - FerruginousPygmy-Owls are present 
on the King Ranch, along with reliable Tropical Parulas(Norias Division only).  
This is the onlybreeding site for Tropical Parula in most years.  Contact 
361-592-8055 or visit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx for moreinformation.  Tours end in early 
Juneuntil 2015.  
.
Recent reports of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl include a pairfrom San Miguelito Ranch 
(fee site), contact Letty at 956-369-3118 orBuny55@xxxxxxx.  This site will be 
openas long as the owls are accommodating visitors. Other private ranches are 
nolonger open to birders or do not have accessible pygmy-owls.  This owl is 
very difficult to find at any otherlocation at present and has not been seen or 
heard at Bentsen-Rio Grande ValleyState Park since the summer of 2010, when the 
park was inundated by the RioGrande. 
.
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. 
 
**UPDATED** Bentsen-RGV State Park, open daily; building/storeopen Thursday â 
Sunday; store and offices closed Monday-Wednesday (use self paystation).  First 
tram at 7:30 AM. This isthe summer schedule.
 
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands World Birding Center, buildingand grounds closed on 
Sundays. 
 
**UPDATED** Estero Llano Grande State Park, open daily; building/storeopen 
Wednesday - Sunday; store and offices closed Monday and Tuesday (use selfpay 
station).  This is the summerschedule. 
 
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday morningsand all day Mondays 
except by appointment; open Tues-Sat. 
 
Laguna Atascosa NWR â Bayside Drive closed to privatevehicles to protect 
ocelots. 
 
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, Appointment ONLY;956-241-2494. 
 
McAllen Botanical Garden â OPEN Saturdays from 8-12 noon.
 
Methodist Camp Thicket, Weslaco, group reservations (fee)only. Contact Estero 
LlanoGrande State Park. 
 
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sundays and Mondays. 
 
**UPDATED** Resaca de la Palma State Park, open daily; building/storeclosed/no 
trams Monday-Wednesday, grounds open (self-pay station).  This is the summer 
schedule.
 
Salineno âfeeding station is CLOSED until November.   
 
Santa Ana NWR- closed to bicycles 
 
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday mornings andMondays

 
Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas

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[texbirds] Texas Lower RIo Grande Valley RBA - June 4, 2014

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