[texbirds] Re: USFWS salt lakes, and Estero (no becard in the afternoon)
- From: K Miller <cactus_wrens@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 27 May 2012 22:30:28 -0500
I snuck away from work for the day (shh!) and headed to the valley for some
birding. First, the wonderful park hosts at Resaca, the Wilsons, met up with
me and we headed to La Sal Vieja. Highlights were the summer tanager and
verdin.
From there we headed to La Sal del Rey. Highlights were the blue grosbeaks and
the Bullock's oriole. There was a special motive for the visit to these sites:
I knew Botteri's sparrow had been recorded at La Sal del Rey in past summers,
so I just HAD to get out there during breeding season. Nary a one of the
cheeky blighters. I'm hoping this means they're having a grand ole time on the
King and Kenedy ranches. Regardless, this area has some pretty good habitat
for these birds, so I'm planning to revisit later this summer, and maybe a few
times next summer as well. From there I headed south while the Resaca hosts
headed back to their park and a butterfly walk. I found myself headed to
Estero for the rose-throated becard (of course) and anything else I could find.
Ran into John Yochum and Kyle O'Haver, seeing my valley friends is always a
special part of these trips. Based on previous posts I think the becard had
had enough for the day and was taking a break from the nest. From the time I
watched the area throughout the afternoon, the bird was not seen. So,
hopefully she'll go back to work tomorrow morning. (also, I am inclined to
think there's something to the idea of nemesis birds that just don't like me
and refuse to go on my lifer list. Like becards. :-) I spent more time there
and less at the deck so my list of waterbirds is pretty short, but the view
from the deck is gorgeous and some time there is always worth the birder's
effort. I did see the Bell's vireo, so that was a nice addition to my valley
list. All in all, I missed out on some special goals for today, but I had a
wonderful time birding with some terrific people and I wish I could sneak down
there more often. Until the next foray. . . Katherine Miller Kingsville, TX La
Sal Vieja 31 speciesBlack-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) 5
Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) 2
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) 2
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 2
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) 1
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 5
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 4
Inca Dove (Columbina inca) 3
Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 2
White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) 2
Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) 3
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) 2
Brown-crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus tyrannulus) 1
Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) 1
Couch's Kingbird (Tyrannus couchii) 2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) 3
Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps) 1
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 2
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 3
Olive Sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) 2
Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 3
Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) 2
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) 2
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) 4
Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) 2
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 3 La Sal Del Rey31 speciesBlack-bellied
Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) 2
Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) 2
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) 1
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 2
Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) 1
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 2
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 6
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 4
Inca Dove (Columbina inca) 5
Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) 2
White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) 2
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) 1
Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris) 2
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) 3
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) 3
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) 1
Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas) 1
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 3
Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) 2
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) 2
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 3
Long-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma longirostre) 1
Olive Sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) 1
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) 3
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus) 2
Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) 4
Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) 1
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) 2
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) 1
Estero Llano Grande SP in Weslaco33 speciesBlack-bellied Whistling-Duck
(Dendrocygna autumnalis) 4
Gadwall (Anas strepera) 1
Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) 2
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) 3
Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) 4
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) 3
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) 12
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) 3
Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) 1
White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) 3
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 6
Inca Dove (Columbina inca) 2
White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) 1
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) 1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker (Melanerpes aurifrons) 4
Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus) 3
Couch's Kingbird (Tyrannus couchii) 2
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) 2
Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) 1 In the butterfly garden behind the building at
the south end of the tropical area.
Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas) 2
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) 3
Black-crested Titmouse (Baeolophus atricristatus) 2
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) 2
Long-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma longirostre) 1
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) 4
Olive Sparrow (Arremonops rufivirgatus) 1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) 2
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus) 4
Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) 2
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) 2
Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis) 1
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) 12
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- » [texbirds] Re: USFWS salt lakes, and Estero (no becard in the afternoon) - K Miller
