Day One
Wednesday, November 4th
Today, I arrived at
Harlingen, Texas about
11:00
am to attend the
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The Rio Grande
Valley hosts many bird species that aren't found anywhere else within the U.S.
as well as western species not seen at home in Florida. And I have wanted to visit here for a long
time.
 |
| Bronzed Cowbird |
So after collecting my rental
car, headed over to the convention center to collect my credentials Here I also
collected my first species of the trip - the very numerous Great-tailed Grackle,
Bronzed Cowbird and Inca Doves.
Estero Llano Grande State Park
Then it was off to
Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco.
This park is a must visit location for birders and had recently hosted a
juvenile Northern Jacana. I had high hopes of seeing this rare-in-the-States Mexican
bird, and had been regular in Estero for several weeks. but disappeared just
two days before the festival began. Disappointing,
but there was so much more to see.(bird List)
 |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
Upon arrival birders were
commenting on sightings of a Ducky-capped Flycatcher and a Blue-throated
Hummingbird. Spent some time looking for hummingbirds and saw Bluff-bellied and
Ruby-throated Hummers. Missed the Blue-throated. At the visitors center deck
over-looking ibis pond, was able see add both Least and Pied-billed Grebes,
American Coots, Gadwall, Great Kiskadee, Great Egret, more Great-tailed
Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds.
 |
| Gadwall |
On the trails I added
White-tipped, Inca and Mourning Doves, Indigo Buntings, Eastern Phoebes, Vermilion Flycatcher, Sora, Lark Sparrow, a Eared
Grebe, American White Pelicans, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Couch's Kingbird, a
pair of White-tailed Kites, White Ibis, Great Blue Heron, Black-bellied
Whistling Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, Tree and Barn Swallows, Blue-gray
Gnatcatchers and Mockingbirds.
 |
| A pair of White-tailed Kites |
 |
| Savannah Sparrow |
 |
| Vermilion Flycatcher |
Later in the afternoon, Dave and
Tammy McQuade arrived at Estero Llano.
Dave and Tammy had been on a guided tour of a northern section of the
King Ranch earlier in the day and had great success including a Ferruginous
Hawk and a large gathering of Mountain Plover.
 |
| Eastern Screech OwlTexas Screech Owl or McCall's Screech Owl (Megascops asio mccallii, Range: Southern Texas (USA) south to northeastern Mexico |
So now they were on-hand and
quickly began a search for the Blue-throated Hummingbird. After a time we moved
on as Dave was going to take me to a spot he knew about, to see a ground
roosting Common Pauraque. This bird was just inches off the trail but was so easily missed do its being able to blend into the forest floor. Then we looked at a near by screech-owl box which had its resident Eastern Screech-Owl (McCall
race) poking its head out to greet visitors. Down the trail was Alligator Pond,
were we saw Anhinga, Ringed and Green Kingbirds, Long-billed
Thrasher, Nashville Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper and Black-crested Titmouse.
 |
| Common Pauraque |
After five and half hours of birding the property, it was
time to check-in to the hotel and crash.
Dave and Tammy stuck around Estero to wait for the arrival of some
friends of the theirs and to continue the search for the Blue-throat. They
would add Plain Chachalaca after I left and Dave would spot a female Red-legged
Honeycreeper at Estero a few days later.
 |
| White Ibis |
Day List (50) - Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Gadwall, Blue-winged Teal, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Anhinga, American White Pelicans, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, White Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, White-tailed Kite, Sora, Common Gallinule, American Coot, White-tipped Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Eastern Screech Owl, Common Pauraque, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Long-billed Thrasher, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Nashville Warbler, Lark Sparrow, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Bronzed Cowbird, Great-tailed Grackle and House Sparrow.
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| Couch's Kingbird |
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| Ringed Kingfisher |
