[texbirds] Zone-tailed Hawks perching/roosting again at Frontera Audubon Center in Weslaco
- From: SeEtta Moss <seettam@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:40:50 -0600
I had not been back to Frontera Audubon Center for 3 weeks until yesterday
afternoon. I was told that both adult and juvenile Zone-tailed Hawks had
not only been seen flying at low altitude but also perched and likely
roosting there again. I observed a juvenile Zone-tailed Hawk perched in
the trees on the other side of the pond that is viewable from Frontera
(staff can give directions) at 3:40 pm. Thanks to staff on duty Chris
Warren who agreed to keep the Thicket area open late (gate normally locked
at 4pm when they close) 9-10 other birders (including several from England)
were able to see and photograph this Zone-tailed Hawk that remained perched
at least until we left at 4:20 pm.
For those wishing to see a perched Zone-tailed Hawk I would recommend
being there by 3:30 to watch for one of the Zone-tails to come in. I
strongly encourage birders to position themselves so that trees or
shrubbery at least partially obscure them from the other side of the pond.
If you did not read earlier accounts, a juvenile Zone-tailed had roosted on
the other of that pond 3 weeks ago but stopped coming to that area possibly
due to large groups of birders standing out in the open. If the hawks are
disturbed you will not get good views, other birders may not get to see the
hawks and the hawks may be pushed from a good roost site. Also suggest
keeping the noise down.
I wanted to note that I believe there are at least 2 juvenile Zone-tailed
Hawks as well as one adult frequenting Frontera Audubon as my photos I
took at Frontera seem to show juveniles with significantly different tail
feathers. I added two more photos to my Birds and Nature
blog<http://BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com>I took of the juvenile
Zone-tailed Hawk that I took yesterday, my last two
as I am returning home to Colorado. It has been a lot of fun birding in
the Rio Grande Valley again this year.
SeEtta Moss
Colorado birder staying in Pharr
Blogging for Birds and Blooms magazine @
http://birdsandbloomsblog.com/author/seetta-moss/
Personal blog @ BirdsAndNature.blogspot.com
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