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27 Jan Pictures from Cameron Co. [Mary Beth Stowe ] 25 Jan Cannon Road to Boca Chica (Cameron Co.) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 25 Jan Cannon Road to Boca Chica Take Two [Mary Beth Stowe ] 24 Jan Hidalgo Pumphouse to Anacua WMA (very late) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 24 Jan Pictures from the Week [Mary Beth Stowe ] 12 Jan Falcon SP to Anzalduas [Mary Beth Stowe ] 11 Jan Willacy County [Mary Beth Stowe ] 7 Jan Wheatear Pics [Mary Beth Stowe ] 1 Jan Bare-throated Tiger Heron Pics [Mary Beth Stowe ] 28 Dec CBC Pictures [Mary Beth Stowe ] 22 Dec Willacy County [Mary Beth Stowe ] 21 Dec Santa Ana CBC Hook-billed Kite [Mary Beth Stowe ] 8 Dec Bentsen State Park [Mary Beth Stowe ] 2 Dec La Sal del Rey [Mary Beth Stowe ] 1 Dec Estero Llano and Anzalduas [Mary Beth Stowe ] 27 Nov Thanksgiving Big Day - Hidalgo Co. [Mary Beth Stowe ] 23 Nov Anzalduas County Park [Mary Beth Stowe ] 19 Nov La Sal Tracts [Mary Beth Stowe ] 12 Nov Santa Ana NWR (Apparently NO MADU) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 6 Nov Monte Cristo Tracts [Mary Beth Stowe ] 3 Nov Estero Llano Grande [Mary Beth Stowe ] 22 Oct Monte Cristo & Edinburg Wetlands [Mary Beth Stowe ] 20 Oct Anzalduas & NABA [Mary Beth Stowe ] 15 Oct Estero Llano Grande SP [Mary Beth Stowe ] 13 Oct Quinta Mazatlan & Hidalgo Pumphouse [Mary Beth Stowe ] 8 Oct La Sal del Rey [Mary Beth Stowe ] 6 Oct Santa Ana NWR [Mary Beth Stowe ] 2 Oct Kentucky Warbler @ Frontera [Mary Beth Stowe ] 29 Sep Pics from Monte Cristo & Edinburg [Mary Beth Stowe ] 24 Sep Monte Cristo & Edinburg [Mary Beth Stowe ] 22 Sep La sal del Rey [Mary Beth Stowe ] 21 Sep Cameron Co. (long) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 15 Sep Lark Bunting @ Falcon SP [Mary Beth Stowe ] 8 Sep Hook-billed Kite near Bentsen [Mary Beth Stowe ] 4 Sep Santa Ana NWR [Mary Beth Stowe ] 5 Sep Edinburg Wetland Images [Mary Beth Stowe ] 3 Sep Weslaco [Mary Beth Stowe ] 29 Aug Hot Afternoon @ Edinburg [Mary Beth Stowe ] 27 Aug Anzalduas & NABA [Mary Beth Stowe ] 26 Aug Odd Pluvialis and Other Goodies near SPI [Mary Beth Stowe ] 22 Aug Estero Llano Grande Pics [Mary Beth Stowe ] 22 Aug La Sal del Rey [Mary Beth Stowe ] 22 Aug La Sal del Rey Take Two [Mary Beth Stowe ] 18 Aug Laguna Atascosa NWR [Mary Beth Stowe ] 16 Aug Fwd: Tanzania Sightings July, August 2009 [MM ] 11 Aug Estero Llano Grande SP [Mary Beth Stowe ] 19 May Quinta Mazatlan, Anzalduas, & River Roads [Mary Beth Stowe ] 18 May Masked Ducks @ Laguna Atascosa [Mary Beth Stowe ] 18 May Masked Ducks Take Two [Mary Beth Stowe ] 12 May Bentsen SP [Mary Beth Stowe ] 12 May Masked Ducks & Hudsonian Godwits @ Laguna Atascosa [Mary Beth Stowe ] 12 May Birds Lists from Yesterday [Mary Beth Stowe ] 8 May Quinta & Hidalgo Bird Lists [Mary Beth Stowe ] 8 May Quinta Mazatlan & Hidalgo Pumphouse [Mary Beth Stowe ] 3 May GTBC Highlights (for our RGV team...) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 30 Apr Day 9 - Aransas NWR [Mary Beth Stowe ] 28 Apr Galveston Island [Mary Beth Stowe ] 28 Apr Bird List from Attwater & Galveston Take Two [Mary Beth Stowe ] 26 Apr Poss Glossy Ibis & Brown-crested Flycatcher @ Attwater PC NWR [Mary Beth Stowe ] 25 Apr Palmetto SP & Attwater PC NWR [Mary Beth Stowe ] 24 Apr White-tipped Dove @ Government Canyon SP (Hill Country Part 4) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 24 Apr Mexico: Puerto Vallarta area March 2009 Part 2 [Mike Tanis ] 24 Apr FW: Mexico: Puerto Vallarta area March 2009 Part 1 [Barbara Passmore ] 24 Apr Mexico: Puerto Vallarta area March 2009 Part 1 [Mike Tanis ] 23 Apr Hill Country Part 3 - Lost Maples & Hill Country SPs [Mary Beth Stowe ] 23 Apr Hill Country Part 2: Garner State Park [Mary Beth Stowe ] 23 Apr Hill Country Part 1: McAllen to Uvalde [Mary Beth Stowe ] 18 Apr Hidalgo County Big Day (longish) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 16 Apr South Padre Island--the full story [Mary Beth Stowe ] 14 Apr Quinta Mazatlan & Hidalgo Pumphouse [Mary Beth Stowe ] 12 Apr Bentsen Bird Walk [Mary Beth Stowe ] 3 Apr Estero Llano Grande [Mary Beth Stowe ] 31 Mar Progresso & Hidalgo [Mary Beth Stowe ] 29 Mar Cameron County (longish) [Mary Beth Stowe ] 21 Mar Weslaco Birds [Mary Beth Stowe ] 20 Mar Spotted Towhee @ ESW [Mary Beth Stowe ] Subject: Pictures from Cameron Co. From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:15:48 EST Hi, all! Here are the pictures from Monday's excursion, including the dike-loving Sprague's Pipit, the Krider's Hawk, and some cooperative Lesser Scaups. There's also a mystery skipper for the leppers on te list--it may just be a worn Clouded, but the pattern and glassy forewing spots really threw me. _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Cannon Road to Boca Chica (Cameron Co.) From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:54:59 EST Hi, all! This week's Marathon Monday was gobs of fun, starting up Cannon Road (which is really dicey in spots), circling around Adams Reservoir, heading back down Weaver, and then up Rangerville Road to the little pond and then over to the Ebony Unit of the Las Palomas WMA for the first leg. Highlights along this portion included several Roseate Spoonbills, a beautiful Krider's Hawk, a Sprague's Pipit running along in front of me along the reservoir dike, and a wintering Yellow Warbler near the intersection with FM 3067. The bird of the day for me, however, was a LeConte's Sparrow along the westernmost trail at the WMA, close to where the south end of the trail dumps out on Pecan Drive (and I literally paid in blood--the mosquitoes were HORRIBLE!!!). After that headed over to Resaca de la Palma where the skeeters were just as bad, then headed into Brownsville to check out Resaca Drive and Dean Porter Park, which were the only places I had White Ibis, Moorhen, and Lesser Scaup for the day (plus three very wild-looking Northern Mallards), as well as both Couch's and Tropical Kingbirds. The Fisheries Station had a pretty female Black-throated Green Warbler along with the only Least Grebes of the day, and the small patch of flowers had several species of butterflies vying for nectar, including an Olive-clouded Skipper. Headed down Boca Chica Boulevard after that, picking up some nice raptors and coastal stuff, but dipped on the Aplomado and the reported rare gulls and boobies at road's end. I'll post pics as soon as I have time to process them! Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 1-25-10 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 1-25-10 to 1-25-10 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Snow Goose Chen caerulescens American Wigeon Anas americana Gadwall Anas strepera Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Pintail Anas acuta Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Snowy Egret Egretta thula Green Heron Butorides virescens Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax White Ibis Eudocimus albus Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis [Krider's Hawk] Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Sora Porzana carolina Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Sanderling Calidris alba Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Herring Gull Larus argentatus Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 101 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Cannon Road to Boca Chica Take Two From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 23:06:48 EST Hi, all! Apparently the first message didn't go through, so I'm trying it again... Hi, all! This week's Marathon Monday was gobs of fun, starting up Cannon Road (which is really dicey in spots), circling around Adams Reservoir, heading back down Weaver, and then up Rangerville Road to the little pond and then over to the Ebony Unit of the Las Palomas WMA for the first leg. Highlights along this portion included several Roseate Spoonbills, a beautiful Krider's Hawk, a Sprague's Pipit running along in front of me along the reservoir dike, and a wintering Yellow Warbler near the intersection with FM 3067. The bird of the day for me, however, was a LeConte's Sparrow along the westernmost trail at the WMA, close to where the south end of the trail dumps out on Pecan Drive (and I literally paid in blood--the mosquitoes were HORRIBLE!!!). After that headed over to Resaca de la Palma where the skeeters were just as bad, then headed into Brownsville to check out Resaca Drive and Dean Porter Park, which were the only places I had White Ibis, Moorhen, and Lesser Scaup for the day (plus three very wild-looking Northern Mallards), as well as both Couch's and Tropical Kingbirds. The Fisheries Station had a pretty female Black-throated Green Warbler along with the only Least Grebes of the day, and the small patch of flowers had several species of butterflies vying for nectar, including an Olive-clouded Skipper. Headed down Boca Chica Boulevard after that, picking up some nice raptors and coastal stuff, but dipped on the Aplomado and the reported rare gulls and boobies at road's end. I'll post pics as soon as I have time to process them! Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 1-25-10 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 1-25-10 to 1-25-10 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Snow Goose Chen caerulescens American Wigeon Anas americana Gadwall Anas strepera Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Pintail Anas acuta Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Snowy Egret Egretta thula Green Heron Butorides virescens Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax White Ibis Eudocimus albus Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis [Krider's Hawk] Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Sora Porzana carolina Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Sanderling Calidris alba Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Herring Gull Larus argentatus Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 101 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Hidalgo Pumphouse to Anacua WMA (very late) From: Mary Beth Stowe <miriameagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:22:00 EST Hi, all! I am VERY remiss in getting out a trip report from last Monday (the 18th) as I've started a new job and time is tight (it would help if I got home earlier, but with only one day to bird you make the most of it ;-)), so here it is. I basically followed the LTC map backwards from Old Hidalgo Pumphouse (where a male House Finch bounced overhead) and wound up at the Anacua WMA, chagrined to discover that one can no longer access the levee due to the Border Wall! (It's been awhile since I've been there...) A Merlin was the highlight at the McAllen Sewer Ponds, and several White-tailed Hawks showed off along Wallace Road. A Black-and-white Warbler was at Santa Ana, along with a flock of Cedar Waxwings, which are always fun as I don't see them often here! Two Cinnamon Teals at Estero Llano Grande were nice along with several swallows and the usual suspects, but dipped on the becard. I'll try to do better on tomorrow's adventure, as I barely remember LAST week! :-( Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 1-24-10 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 1-18-10 to 1-18-10 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Snow Goose Chen caerulescens Gadwall Anas strepera Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Snowy Egret Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Merlin Falco columbarius Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Inca Dove Columbina inca White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 94 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Pictures from the Week From: Mary Beth Stowe <miriameagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2010 17:58:10 EST Hi, all! I've just posted some miscellaneous pictures from my lunch hour forays this past week; most were taken at Estero Llano Grande. _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Enjoy! Love, MB Subject: Falcon SP to Anzalduas From: Mary Beth Stowe <miriameagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:48:19 EST Hi, all! Made a sweep today from Falcon State Park all the way to Anzalduas Park; it was pretty miserable weather-wise, but the rain quit enough times to get a few walks in. Ellen, one of the park hosts, had a great setup by her RV (birders are welcome), even attracting Orange-crowned Warblers to a peanut-butter feeder! The lake was pretty socked in, so didn't get many water birds aside from Coots, a couple of Great Blues, and several cormorants of both flavors, but had the usual suspects in the landbird department (although dipped on Black-throated Sparrow). Best bird was on the way out: a Green-tailed Towhee that came in to pishing! Skipped Salieno et al as I didn't want to attempt any dirt roads in this stuff, but did stop at Roma Bluffs and added a bunch of water birds, including some White Pelicans. A Buff-bellied Hummer was in the garden. I wanted to try and find this "Chachalaca Trail" at Fort Ringgold, but the woods there where they say the trail is supposed to be is tremendous; had at least six Clay-colored Thrushes (all very visible, acting more like American Robins), a flock of Cedar Waxwings, an Audubon's Oriole, and a mostly-Bullock's Oriole (I say "mostly" because he looked like he had a bit more black on the head than I would expect)! A Beardless Tyrannulet was at the Yturria Tract, and picked up Ringed Kingfisher and Altamira Oriole at NABA. Checked out the Mission Hike & Bike Trail for the first time and had both Yellow-throated Warbler and Tropical Kingbird. Actually got Black Phoebe OUTSIDE Anzalduas this time (at the entrance levee), but it was almost closing time (and still raining) so couldn't bird as thoroughly as I would have liked. But still ended up with 70 species, which isn't bad when most of the birding was from the car! A couple of feeder birds are here (wasn't a great day for photography): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 1-12-10 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 1-12-10 to 1-12-10 American Wigeon Anas americana Gadwall Anas strepera Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius American Coot Fulica americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Inca Dove Columbina inca Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii Audubon's Oriole Icterus graduacauda 70 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Willacy County From: Mary Beth Stowe <miriameagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 11 Jan 2010 18:25:45 EST Hi, all! Made one last scouting trip to Willacy before the TOS Meeting, and for those of you signed up for that trip, I have a request: if you have walkie talkies, PLEASE BRING THEM! It's mainly road birding (partly on a VERY busy road, I might add), and we'll need to be able to communicate! That said, found a couple of nice little wet spots on some obscure paved roads in case we have to abandon Santa Monica Wetlands due to rain, and had three Gull-billed Terns as the highlight. A Merlin just inside the county line on FM 88 was very nice, and a couple of irrigation canals had Swamp Sparrow and Green Kingfisher again (a different canal than the one along Sacahuistale Flats), as well as Green and Great Blue Heron, and while getting lost on a dirt road I actually kicked up a Sprague's Pipit! Fred Stone got a few new birds in after the cold front, including Herring Gull (had a very pale youngster with an all-black bill; thought I had a Lesser Black-backed at first but I think the mantle was too pale--see the pic below). The highlight here was a female Greater Scaup that flew in, bobbed around briefly, then took off again, her long white wingstripe very obvious! The white morph Reddish Egret is still there, but farther out; hopefully he'll hang around for a few more days! Meager pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon) Bird List (still haven't quite hit 100...) Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 1-11-10 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 1-11-10 to 1-11-10 Gadwall Anas strepera Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Greater Scaup Aythya marila Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Green Heron Butorides virescens White Ibis Eudocimus albus Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Merlin Falco columbarius Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis American Coot Fulica americana American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Herring Gull Larus argentatus Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 72 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Wheatear Pics From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 08:19:05 EST Hi, all! John Yochum and I made a whiz-bang trip up to Beeville yesterday for the Wheatear, and as was said previously, we think John the owner has the bird trained! It came right in for killer views! After that we swung by Choke Canyon and had distant views of the Jacana. On the way back we cut over to 77 via "Hawk Alley" and saw a gorgeous adult Ferruginous Hawk! Pics of the Wheatear (along with some pics from the Bentsen CBC, including a Greater Yellowlegs with a deformed bill) can be seen here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 1-7-10 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 1-6-10 to 1-7-10 Gadwall Anas strepera Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Pintail Anas acuta Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Bufflehead Bucephala albeola Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea White Ibis Eudocimus albus Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis American Coot Fulica americana Northern Jacana Jacana spinosa Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula House Wren Troglodytes aedon Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 64 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Bare-throated Tiger Heron Pics From: Mary Beth Stowe <miriameagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 1 Jan 2010 17:06:17 EST Hi, all! It was a VERY Happy New Year for those of us up on the levee at Bentsen today, being treated to a great show by the Bare-throated Tiger Heron as he caught lunch! I'm sure there will be lots of pictures posted out there today (the light was perfect), but here's my offering: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Not nearly as exciting, but here are some pics of the more cooperative birds from yesterday's outing to Willacy County: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: CBC Pictures From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 11:47:24 EST Hi, all! Participated in the Brownsville CBC on Saturday and part of the La Sal Viejas CBC yesterday; Saturday was pretty miserable weather-wise but had great company with Sharon and Lyle Sands as we surveyed the UTB campus, nearby golf course, and other neighborhood areas; the highlight was a pair of House Finches (considered accidental in the Valley, believe it or not) and a nice Krider's Hawk. On Sunday I personally didn't find anything noteoworthy, but highlights for me included a White Pelican Ballet of about 500 birds, a group of ten Sandhill Cranes "parachuting" down to a field with legs dangling, and at lunch a visit by Bill Clark with a stunning female White-tailed Hawk he had captured and banded! The "double-take" of the day was a decapitated House Sparrow that some shrike had skewered onto a barbed wire fence! :-P Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) Bird List for Brownsville: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 12-28-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 12-26-09 to 12-26-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mallard Anas platyrhynchos Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Snowy Egret Egretta thula Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis American Kestrel Falco sparverius Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Green Parakeet Aratinga holochlora Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 72 SPECIES Bird List for La Sal Vieja (my section): Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 12-28-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 12-27-09 to 12-28-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Snow Goose Chen caerulescens Ross's Goose Chen rossii Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Snowy Egret Egretta thula Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula House Wren Troglodytes aedon Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 57 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Willacy County From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 22 Dec 2009 19:26:37 EST Hi, all! After joining the crowd at the Tiger Heron Vigil this morning (very good for catching up with friends you don't see too often! ;-)) I headed up to Willacy County to scout a bit for the TOS meeting. It was way too windy to bird much, so I was mainly trying to figure out a route that wouldn't get folks stuck in the mud, but had some nice birds despite the wind. Found a decent dirt road southwest of the entrance to La Sal Viejas where I had a Say's Phoebe and a big flock of Sandhill Cranes (the area looks great for sparrows). From Raymondville headed out to Port Mansfield where I had a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on the way in along Sacauistale Flats, and in addition to a few coastal things, a Lark Bunting popped up at the end of the road at Fred Stone Park, and a white morph Reddish Egret fed in the wetlands beyond that. Heading down FM 1420 had a nice Peregrine Falcon next to me, and I thought for sure I had a Ferruginous Hawk at the turnoff to the wildlife refuge, but the pictures didn't rule out a pale young Redtail. Made the "Santa Monica Wetlands Loop" without kicking up anything of note, but in general there were a lot of nice raptors out today. Pics are posted here (and don't laugh at the Starling--he's quite pretty!): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List (one short of half of what we'll need for the TOS trip ;-)): Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 12-22-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 12-22-09 to 12-22-09 Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis American Coot Fulica americana American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Dunlin Calidris alpina Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 49 SPECIES Subject: Santa Ana CBC Hook-billed Kite From: Mary Beth Stowe <miriameagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:31:00 EST Hi, all! Someone else will probably post all the details of the count, but the highlight of my southern territory within the refuge (which was basically the Willow Lakes Loop) was a female Hook-billed Kite, of which horrendous but identifiable pictures are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) (It was pea soup that morning, so besides looking through a haze of fog, I think there might have been fog on my lens, too... :-( ) Clay from Maine met me later at the lakes but unfortunately missed that treasure (but he did add Green Kingfisher and Pintail to our count area, which I missed), but we enjoyed a couple of male Shovelers making chests at each other and showing off their wing colors! John Yochum joined me for the northern portion north of US 281 on some pretty dicey roads, but we had some good birds (the sun had come out by then), including Grasshopper and Cassin's Sparrow, Peregrine Falcon, and one young White-tailed Hawk. Had several Redtails (including a very pale bird), but guess the reported Ferrugie is long gone. I was hoping for Sprague's Pipit on the levee like last year, but not this time... :-( Here's my personal list for the day: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 12-21-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 12-19-09 to 12-21-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Gadwall Anas strepera Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis American Kestrel Falco sparverius Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Sora Porzana carolina Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Cassin's Sparrow Aimophila cassinii Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 77 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Bentsen State Park From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 14:58:09 EST Hi, all! Made the rounds at Bentsen this morning, running into the Gambills on the way in who reported Ferruginous Pygmy and a couple of Barn Owls in addition to the usual night stuff! Had a Least Bittern at Kingfisher Overlook (which was flagged by eBird, but I have a funny feeling that as more people become familiar with the "cackle", there will be more winter records), but missed the Eared Grebe that was seen yesterday and later this morning by Carol and her bird walk group! Best birds for me included a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on the wire walking in, a Groove-billed Ani at the Hawk Tower, and added two birds to my Bentsen park list: some White-fronted Geese flying over unseen, and a Cooper's Hawk giving its "sapsucker call" at Kiskadee Blind. No sign of the becard or CC Grosbeak, but as always it was fun to watch the moochers at the feeders! :-) Mosquitoes were out in force, too... :-( Bird List: Location: Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. SP WBC (Mission)(LTC 069) Observation date: 12/8/09 Number of species: 59 Greater White-fronted Goose 3 Gadwall 20 Blue-winged Teal 2 Northern Shoveler 3 Ring-necked Duck 1 Plain Chachalaca 12 Least Grebe 1 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Neotropic Cormorant 1 Least Bittern 1 Great Blue Heron 1 Osprey 1 White-tailed Kite 1 Northern Harrier 2 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 Gray Hawk 1 Common Moorhen 2 American Coot 20 Long-billed Curlew 1 Mourning Dove 3 Inca Dove 1 White-tipped Dove 8 Groove-billed Ani 1 Ringed Kingfisher 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 15 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 9 Eastern Phoebe 5 Great Kiskadee 20 Couch's Kingbird 2 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 1 Green Jay 30 Horned Lark 3 Cave Swallow 4 Black-crested Titmouse 4 Verdin 1 House Wren 20 Marsh Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8 Hermit Thrush 2 Northern Mockingbird 12 Long-billed Thrasher 9 American Pipit 3 Orange-crowned Warbler 15 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 6 Common Yellowthroat 6 Olive Sparrow 8 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 5 Red-winged Blackbird 20 Great-tailed Grackle 30 Altamira Oriole 6 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 3 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: La Sal del Rey From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 2 Dec 2009 17:21:05 EST Hi, all! Met Ev and Rose from England again up at La Sal first thing, where we hiked the trail to the lake. It was an absolutely gorgeous morning after all the storms yesterday, and it took us forever to get to the lake because the place was Sparrow City! We had scope views of the common stuff like Lark, Savannah, and Lincoln's, but also more interesting sparrows such as Grasshopper, Vesper, Chipping, Clay-colored, Cassin's, and even Black-throated popped up! In between sparrows we had flocks of Sandhill Cranes, Snow and White-fronted Geese, Ring-billed Gulls, and a single Long-billed Curlew fly overhead. They were pleased to see their first Pyrrhuloxia (which quickly became a "junk bird") and Cactus Wren! The lake itself was pretty birdless (except for some Starlings doing a pretty good Eastern Meadowlark), but we did get great looks at a White-tailed Deer waving her flag and a Coyote meandering across the creek! Along the route we enjoyed several raptors, including a curious White-tailed Kite, an adult and immature White-tailed Hawk, several Redtails and Harris', and oodles of Caracaras, including one pair that gave magnificent looks in a mesquite! We had a great flock of activity along the north end of Brushline (where it actually runs east and west), with more Vesper Sparrows, a Verdin, a Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and my personal highlight: a small flock of Lark Buntings that landed on the wires, giving their funny little whistle! Nothing much except a Great Blue Heron and some Mottled Ducks were in the "Mis Suenos Ranch" farm pond, but Ev and Rose got another knockout view of a full adult male Vermilion Flycatcher, and we did manage to add Brewer's Blackbird at the Rio Beef Feedyard. We stopped briefly at the marsh along Rio Beef Road, where a Virginia Rail grunted when I slammed the car door! Unfortunately he didn't show himself... Kissed Ev and Rose goodbye after a delightful morning out, with 64 species for the morning. Pics (along with a couple of skippers from a quick run to Old Hidalgo Pumphouse on Saturday) are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 12-2-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 12-2-09 to 12-2-09 Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons Snow Goose Chen caerulescens Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis Virginia Rail Rallus limicola Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris American Pipit Anthus rubescens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii House Wren Troglodytes aedon Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Cassin's Sparrow Aimophila cassinii Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 64 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Estero Llano and Anzalduas From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 1 Dec 2009 20:42:12 EST Hi, all! Took visiting birders Evelyn and Rose Ebsworth from England out today, and despite the lousy weather (they joked that they consistently bring rain to even the most drought-stricken areas the world over) we were actually able to walk around the park some and see some nice birds! Even though most everything was new, their real target bird was the Vermilion Flycatcher, and we saw plenty of them throughout the day! We did go back into the Tropical Zone but dipped on the becard and any Pauraques that might have been back there. John Yochum joined us on the Alligator Lake portion of the excursion (couldn't find the Pauraque back there, either), but highlights from the park include an Altamira Oriole that greeted us as we came in, a brief look at the Cinnamon Teal, a Green Kingfisher that Evelyn happened to spot while looking at an Anhinga :-), a Cooper's Hawk in the headquarters garden just waiting to pounce on something, both Buff-bellied and Black-chinned Hummers coming in to the feeders, a hovering White-tailed Kite, and a fluffed-up Chachalaca hiding very well in a tree! Of course the Valley specialties were exciting for them as well! The biggest challenge was walking with about five inches of mud caked on to the bottom of our shoes! :-D After dining on the deck we decided to swing through Anzalduas County Park (I had to come up with places that had paved roads from which to bird), and even though it was still dripping on and off, we had some nice things, including the Western Meadowlark flock, an in-your-face look at a perched Osprey, a (finally) cooperative Green Jay, and the biggest surprise in that habitat: an immature White-tailed Hawk sitting on the Mexican side! We did the Pipit March and kicked up several birds (cleaning our shoes off in the process), one actually sitting long enough for us all to get looks! In the middle of all that a Ringed Kingfisher hovered nicely over the river, and a Caracara made a pass. After almost getting stuck in the back portion (I spotted a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher flying overhead that the Ebsworths unfortunately missed), we made a quick stop at Hidalgo Pumphouse for the Black Phoebe since we couldn't kick up the pair at Anzalduas. Dropped Ev and Rose off in Weslaco with 87 species for the day, which isn't bad for such lousy weather! No pics today as I left my camera home... Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 12-1-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 12-1-09 to 12-1-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis American Wigeon Anas americana Gadwall Anas strepera Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Snowy Egret Egretta thula Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Inca Dove Columbina inca White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis 87 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Thanksgiving Big Day - Hidalgo Co. From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:44:30 EST Hi, all! Had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day out in the field yesterday: the weather was perfect fall birding weather, and while many of my regular Big Day spots were closed for the holiday, the timing worked out perfectly with the earlier sunset time. I've posted the bird list in order of sequence below, but here are the highlights: My apartment pre-dawn: a single Snow Goose flying overhead! Bentsen State Park (starting an hour before dawn): "Singing" Screech and Great Horned Owls (the latter in a "hoot battle" with one bird at Kingfisher Overlook and the other at the island camp), cackling Least Bitterns, the only Anhinga of the day, Sora, a calling Clay-colored Thrush, a group of Ring-necked Ducks in the resaca, a singing (!) Olive Sparrow, a distant Ringed Kingfisher, and a Chipping Sparrow on the walk out, in addition to the regular goodies we take for granted in the Valley... ;-) Santa Ana: Beardless Tyrannulet in the parking lot, Green Kingfisher at the canal, a Pied-billed Grebe bullying a Least at Willow Lakes, and a Mary Gustafson sighting ;-), besides all the pretty ducks! Estero Llano SP: The road to the llano was mud, so I skipped that part... Bryan (and Huck later) put forth a noble effort to find a bunch of us the becard, but to no avail :-(, but a flyover Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was nice, in addition to a pale American Robin. Other highlights included the continuing Vermilion Flycatcher(s), a Peregrine giving a Redtail fits, a Tropical Kingbird by Dowitcher Pond, and a nice selection of shorebirds and waders (including White-faced Ibis) at Ibis Pond. Kyle showed me where the American Bittern had been hanging out, but we didn't see him, either. La Sal del Rey area: Delta Lake was open (and free), so I made a swing-through, picking up a hybrid Butterbutt, and a Caspian Tern over the lake. A big flock of Sandhill Cranes was along Brushline Road (south of 186). A hike out to the lake from Brushline added Laughing Gull and Cactus Wren. Other highlights included Vesper Sparrow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, and Brewer's Blackbird (yes, really!) For my lep friends, had a moth stuck in a spider web that I thought at first was a washed out Digrammia of some kind, but I'm not sure (his pic is in the link below). Wallace Road: White Pelicans were synchro-feeding in the wetland and Neotropic Cormorants were making their noises, but added Greater Yellowlegs and Avocet here. Was blessed with a terrific sunset heading down the road! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 11-27-09 Description: Thanksgiving Big Day Location: Texas Trip Date: 11-26-09 Species Seen: 121 Snow Goose Chen caerulescens Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis American Coot Fulica americana Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos American Wigeon Anas americana Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Gray Hawk Buteo nitidus Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus House Wren Troglodytes aedon Sora Porzana carolina Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria House Sparrow Passer domesticus Inca Dove Columbina inca Rock Pigeon Columba livia American Kestrel Falco sparverius White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Gadwall Anas strepera Northern Pintail Anas acuta Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon European Starling Sturnus vulgaris Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Great Egret Ardea alba Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Snowy Egret Egretta thula Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii American Robin Turdus migratorius Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus Verdin Auriparus flaviceps White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus American Pipit Anthus rubescens Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Anzalduas County Park From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:34:20 EST Hi, all! Birded Anzalduas Park this morning, one of my goals being to hike out into the big field and get a recording of the Sprague's Pipit flight call (which I think was procured, but haven't edited the sound files yet...)! Down by the river where the road swings left had a Beardless Tyrannulet in with a feeding flock (along with Black-throated Green and Yellow-throated Warblers) which turned into a mobbing flock when one of the Gray Hawks showed up! Both Green and Belted Kingfishers were calling, and further down the river a Ringed was hovering and making the rounds. Picked up the Black Phoebe pair near the dam, and a House Finch that I initially heard on the way towards the levee access road, but the bird itself was more in the middle of the park, near the maintenance area. On the way to get the finch a birding couple pulled up and asked about the Zone-tailed Hawk, which I had not seen, but no sooner were they out of sight when the thing flew overhead! :-( I ran into them again in the back area where we found nothing out of the ordinary aside from the usual pelicans, cormorants, ducks, and herons. On the way out I stopped at the marsh overlook on the levee where the silly Zonetail suddenly showed up! Seeing an SUV coming towards me on the levee and thinking it was the same couple, I waved like an idiot and pointed over the field, only when we got back on it, it morphed into a TV... :-( Turned out it wasn't the visiting couple but the Gambills, so I felt a little silly crying wolf, but fortunately the one lousy shot I was able to get of the initial bird proved I wasn't losing my mind... ;-) Also had an accipiter that I'm calling a Coop until proven otherwise: it was caught in a thermal in the back area and was certainly big enough for a Coop and had rather straight wings and a roundish tail (although it looked to me like it might have been going through molt), but it "felt" chunkier than most Coops I've seen. Some mediocre pics of that bird are included as well. Pics are posted here (you can scroll down through the butterflies to get to the birds...) _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) Bird List: Location: Anzalduas County Pk (LTC 068) Observation date: 11/23/09 Number of species: 61 Gadwall 20 American Wigeon 2 Mottled Duck 12 Blue-winged Teal 30 Ring-necked Duck 4 Pied-billed Grebe 2 American White Pelican 9 Neotropic Cormorant 2 Double-crested Cormorant 10 Great Blue Heron 3 Great Egret 2 Black Vulture 1 Turkey Vulture 4 Osprey 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Gray Hawk 2 Zone-tailed Hawk 1 Red-tailed Hawk 1 American Kestrel 2 American Coot 20 Killdeer 2 Spotted Sandpiper 2 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Least Sandpiper 1 Rock Pigeon 50 Mourning Dove 3 Inca Dove 1 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1 Black Phoebe 2 Eastern Phoebe 1 Great Kiskadee 7 White-eyed Vireo 2 Green Jay 10 Black-crested Titmouse 4 House Wren 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 9 Long-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 7 Sprague's Pipit 2 Orange-crowned Warbler 8 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Yellow-throated Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 3 Olive Sparrow 5 Northern Cardinal 3 Eastern Meadowlark 2 Western Meadowlark 12 Great-tailed Grackle 5 House Finch 1 Lesser Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 6 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: La Sal Tracts From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:07:27 EST Hi, all! Got out to the La Sal Tracts before dawn this morning, where I had a Great Horned Owl sitting on a telephone pole, and as it got lighter, you could hear the crane cacophony coming from the lake (I assume)! A small flock of White-fronted Geese flew over, and later along GI Road had an even smaller flock of Snow Geese. It was Raptor City with calling White-tailed Hawks, several Redtails (no Krider's), Harris', Caracaras, White-tailed Kite, and a single Red-shouldered Hawk along Rio Beef, among others. A Cooper's Hawk kept riling up the meadowlark flocks, and at the feedlot was a mob of cowbirds and grackles, with at least a couple of Brewer's Blackbirds tucked away. The farm pond near the end of Brushline had a couple of avocets, a yellowlegs, a Neotropic Cormorant, and lots of Least Sandpipers. A singing thrasher almost had me convinced he was a Brown, as I kept hearing repeated phrases, but the culprit finally popped up, proving once again that I'm no good at telling these guys apart by song! (It was a Curve-billed...) Had an Ash-throated Flycatcher along Rio Beef, but the marsh was rather quiet. For a variety of reasons I bailed on hiking to the lake... Bird List: Location: LRGV NWR Driving Route Observation date: 11/19/09 Number of species: 65 Greater White-fronted Goose 30 Snow Goose 12 Northern Bobwhite 4 Neotropic Cormorant 1 Great Blue Heron 2 Black Vulture 8 Turkey Vulture 20 White-tailed Kite 1 Northern Harrier 2 Cooper's Hawk 2 Harris's Hawk 4 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 White-tailed Hawk 4 Red-tailed Hawk 6 Crested Caracara 7 American Kestrel 4 American Coot 1 Sandhill Crane 100 Killdeer 8 American Avocet 2 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Long-billed Curlew 2 Least Sandpiper 30 Eurasian Collared-Dove 6 Mourning Dove 200 Common Ground-Dove 6 Great Horned Owl 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 7 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 8 Eastern Phoebe 15 Ash-throated Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 15 Couch's Kingbird 3 Loggerhead Shrike 5 Green Jay 15 Horned Lark 3 Tree Swallow 2 Black-crested Titmouse 7 Verdin 1 Cactus Wren 1 Bewick's Wren 5 House Wren 30 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Hermit Thrush 2 Northern Mockingbird 30 Long-billed Thrasher 8 Curve-billed Thrasher 6 European Starling 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 9 Common Yellowthroat 2 Olive Sparrow 7 Lark Sparrow 20 Savannah Sparrow 3 Lincoln's Sparrow 6 Northern Cardinal 4 Pyrrhuloxia 4 Red-winged Blackbird 30 Eastern Meadowlark 8 Western Meadowlark 50 Brewer's Blackbird 3 Great-tailed Grackle 40 Brown-headed Cowbird 1000 House Sparrow 12 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Santa Ana NWR (Apparently NO MADU) From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:54:47 EST Hi, all! Once again, I'm terribly behind: made the trek out to Cattail Lakes on Thursday the 11th along with a handful of other folks. I still stopped at my first bench along Willow Lakes Trail for five, and was surprised to hear a Dickcissel razz overhead; guess they're not done yet! The new trail (which branches off from Willow Lakes Trail) was fun, as I had never taken it before (the last time I was out to Cattail Lakes was when the auto tour was still open), so I got to see a different part of the refuge. Chatted with a lady from Port Lavaca part of the way out (didn't get her name), and another couple from DC (didn't get their names, either...) had just spotted their first Beardless Tyrannulet, so they were very happy! Eventually arrived at the lakes where the gal from PL and another gentleman (Chris from Georgia--DID manage to get HIS name!) were already hunting for the duck(s) in the lake where he had seen them on Sunday. Had lots of Gadwall, Shovelers, teal of both varieties (I only heard the Green-winged), along with grebes and coots and a Wilson's Snipe we flushed. We DID find four Ruddies, but their cousins were either in hiding or had gone elsewhere. Dipped on the Hook-billed Kites as well, but we had nice views of a Harrier making a rather clumsy landing in the reeds, and a Merlin chasing yet another Cooper's Hawk! A flock of White-faced Ibis flew over, and at one point we heard distant White-fronted Geese ("Specklebellies" to the lady from PL :-)), which we finally spotted WAAAY up high going into the sun! We happened to be discussing Vermilion Flycatchers when suddenly a young male appeared and gave us great looks! A non-avian treat was a huge Indigo Snake crossing the trail! After enjoying a Sora that Chris found, I headed on about 9:30 towards the main tour road, and while peeking into the lake managed to add a pair of Redheads and American Wigeon to the trip list, and got an energetic Eastern Phoebe singing his little heart out on "tape"! Leps were starting to come out about then: had a pretty Mestra sunning at a rest stop, and several Sickle-winged Skippers chowing down on some scat. A little spreadwing damsel landed and gave great looks; my best guess is Rainpool, but it might be a Chalky. Took the Bobcat Trail across to the eastern side of the tour loop; this was yet another new trail (actually a gravel road), but was rather quiet as things were warming up. I eventually made it back to familiar territory at the Willow/Pintail Lake Trail, and back in the woods was treated to a Mimosa Skipper and a Southern Broken Dash posing. The lakes had the expected waterbirds (no herons, interestingly--the ibis were the only waders I ad all morning), but my first Hermit Thrush for the refuge "thooked" from the understory! I couldn't believe I also dipped on Chachalaca... :-P Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed) Bird List: Location: Santa Ana NWR (LTC 059) Observation date: 11/11/09 Number of species: 66 Greater White-fronted Goose 40 Gadwall 50 American Wigeon 2 Mottled Duck 3 Blue-winged Teal 30 Northern Shoveler 50 Northern Pintail 5 Green-winged Teal 2 Redhead 2 Ruddy Duck 4 Least Grebe 20 Pied-billed Grebe 7 White-faced Ibis 12 Turkey Vulture 1 Northern Harrier 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 Gray Hawk 2 Merlin 1 Sora 1 Common Moorhen 3 American Coot 100 Killdeer 3 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Long-billed Curlew 3 Least Sandpiper 2 Wilson's Snipe 1 Mourning Dove 2 Common Ground-Dove 3 Belted Kingfisher 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 12 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 8 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1 Eastern Phoebe 15 Vermilion Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 20 Couch's Kingbird 3 White-eyed Vireo 7 Green Jay 9 Cave Swallow 2 Black-crested Titmouse 6 Verdin 1 Cactus Wren 1 Carolina Wren 3 House Wren 20 Marsh Wren 5 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 8 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8 Hermit Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 6 Long-billed Thrasher 8 Curve-billed Thrasher 2 European Starling 1 American Pipit 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 5 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 5 Common Yellowthroat 12 Olive Sparrow 15 Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 7 Indigo Bunting 1 Dickcissel 1 Red-winged Blackbird 100 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Altamira Oriole 3 House Sparrow 15 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Monte Cristo Tracts From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:26:34 EST Hi, all! Made a quick run up Wallace Road this morning and it was Raptor City! A huge flock of Western Meadowlarks went tearing by, followed by a Cooper's Hawk being chased by a Merlin; that was pretty funny! A singing Least Flycatcher and a chirping Yellow Warbler were nice additions. After doing Wallace I snuck a peek at Sapo Lake where there was a mixed flock of Gadwall, Pintail, and Lesser Scaup, and afterwards did a little exploring and found a road that accessed Edinburg Lake, where there was a Ringed Kingfisher, four Canvasbacks, and a Laughing Gull! This looks like a promising place! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 11-6-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 11-6-09 to 11-6-09 Gadwall Anas strepera Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Pintail Anas acuta Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Canvasback Aythya valisineria Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Snowy Egret Egretta thula Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Merlin Falco columbarius American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Tropical Kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica American Pipit Anthus rubescens House Wren Troglodytes aedon Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus 71 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Estero Llano Grande From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 19:17:50 EST Hi, all! Had a beautiful morning at Estero Llano; the road along the south side of the llano was open this time, so did the road and the levee, picking up the usual whistling ducks, avocets, stilts, and a few ducks (could have sworn I heard a Wood Duck but couldn't find it). Up on the levee several Great Blue Herons stood sentry in the fields, but the highlight had to be the Peregrine sitting up on one of the big pressure pipes! Coming back out the White Pelicans had moved into the llano, along with a pretty Roseate Spoonbill (a young bird was in the canal seen from the levee, and didn't look too hot...). Got to the park proper about 8:30 and the butterflies were nuts already! Ran into a couple looking for Guava Skipper (and found out later that Huck was able to deliver :-)) and at least two other couples looking for Yellow Angled Sulphurs, but the highlight for me was three different Tropical Buckeyes and a Silver-banded Hairstreak over by Fran's RV. Walking the big loop trail, a young male Vermilion Flycatcher was very cooperative over by the "gazebo", and a Dickcissel flew over, doing it's funny snort, and had I known it was really that rare now I would have tried to "shoot" it, as it gave a great look! The Savannah and Lincoln's Sparrows were back in the grasslands in force, and was able to pish up a couple of pretty Clay-colored as well. Green and Belted Kingfishers were hanging out at Alligator Lake, and the Screech Owl was hanging out his box (perhaps a different individual than the goofy-looking one I saw previously). Back along the Camino de Aves I decided to continue on the maintenance road next to the orchard and check out Kiskadee Pond, since I had never seen it, and had a family of Harris' Hawks posing! Passing Ibis Pond on the way back had what looked like a Twelve-spotted Skimmer according to the book, but also according to the book, they aren't supposed to be here! A Solitary Sandpiper wheeled in just as I was finishing up. Pics for the day are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Location: Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (Weslaco)(LTC 054) Observation date: 11/3/09 Notes: Guess there are still a few Dickcissels coming through here! (Two calling flyovers, one seen...) Number of species: 79 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 30 Gadwall 5 Mottled Duck 6 Blue-winged Teal 12 Northern Shoveler 20 Green-winged Teal 20 Ruddy Duck 15 Least Grebe 15 Pied-billed Grebe 5 American White Pelican 50 Neotropic Cormorant 7 Double-crested Cormorant 2 Anhinga 2 Great Blue Heron 12 Great Egret 3 Snowy Egret 4 Little Blue Heron 4 Tricolored Heron 1 Cattle Egret 1 Roseate Spoonbill 2 White-tailed Kite 2 Northern Harrier 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk 2 Harris's Hawk 5 American Kestrel 1 Peregrine Falcon 1 Sora 1 Common Moorhen 12 American Coot 100 Killdeer 12 Black-necked Stilt 20 American Avocet 20 Solitary Sandpiper 1 Lesser Yellowlegs 5 Long-billed Curlew 1 Least Sandpiper 20 Stilt Sandpiper 12 Long-billed Dowitcher 30 Mourning Dove 6 Common Ground-Dove 4 Eastern Screech-Owl 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2 Belted Kingfisher 2 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6 Eastern Phoebe 2 Vermilion Flycatcher 2 Great Kiskadee 7 Tropical Kingbird 1 Couch's Kingbird 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 7 Loggerhead Shrike 2 White-eyed Vireo 4 Horned Lark 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 20 Barn Swallow 30 Carolina Wren 2 House Wren 12 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 Northern Mockingbird 15 Long-billed Thrasher 2 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 American Pipit 3 Orange-crowned Warbler 8 Common Yellowthroat 4 Wilson's Warbler 1 Clay-colored Sparrow 2 Savannah Sparrow 12 Lincoln's Sparrow 15 Pyrrhuloxia 2 Dickcissel 2 Red-winged Blackbird 1000 Eastern Meadowlark 9 Great-tailed Grackle 50 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 30 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Monte Cristo & Edinburg Wetlands From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:19:08 EDT Hi, all! Well, the big rain storm we were supposed to have didn't materialize (at least along Wallace Road), but for the first time doing this route, the southmost pond you cross was absolutely bone dry! Thankfully there was some water in the next little wetland which had a nice variety of shorebirds, but also a good number of TVs and caracaras hanging around! Had my FOS American Pipit in the fields along with the Horned Larks and Lark Sparrows, and my FOS Green-winged Teal (still in eclipse plumage) were hanging with the Bluewings in the aforementioned wetland. The little pull-in at the trailhead (south of the wetland) had a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks and a fussing Long-billed Thrasher. I rarely see many butterflies along this road, but today they were nuts with Queens everywhere; this one bush also had a White-striped Longtail and Gray Hairstreak along with many little skippers! Over at Edinburg Wetlands I did the south pond first, which had a young Spoonbill and both Green and Belted Kingfishers, along with the requisite Neotropic Cormorants and shorebirds. A pair of Ospreys was circling and trying to fish; every attempt I saw was unsuccessful... :-( Also had a single male Ruddy Duck in the middle of the lake--I don't think I've ever seen one hold his tail up so high! My first Blue Grosbeak for the park was back in the mesquite as well. The group from the Butterfly Festival was delighting in all the activity in the gardens (I scared an Orange-barred Sulphur their way... :-)), but bird-wise had the usual hummers, along with a possible Rufous, but I didn't get a good look at it. A pair of Wilson's Warblers and gnatcatchers were upset with me along the "Jungle Trail", and the north lake had a small group of White Pelicans along with lots of Black-bellied Whistlers (a single Fulvous sounded off near the spillway), Shovelers, and teal. The water level was somewhat low, so several Stilt Sandpipers were over by the spillway as well. A reptilian highlight was a family of Soft-shelled Turtles on the bank of the canal, and also kicked up the female Summer Tanager back here, who looks as though she's missing her right eye! :-( Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Two bird lists follow: Location: Monte Cristo Tract (LTC 062) Observation date: 10/22/09 Number of species: 55 Mottled Duck 9 Blue-winged Teal 8 Green-winged Teal 5 Northern Bobwhite 1 Neotropic Cormorant 30 Double-crested Cormorant 4 Great Blue Heron 5 Great Egret 8 Snowy Egret 2 Black Vulture 1 Turkey Vulture 30 White-tailed Kite 4 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Harris's Hawk 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 4 Crested Caracara 5 American Kestrel 4 American Coot 2 Killdeer 10 Black-necked Stilt 5 American Avocet 1 Spotted Sandpiper 2 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Least Sandpiper 20 Stilt Sandpiper 2 Long-billed Dowitcher 12 Mourning Dove 30 Common Ground-Dove 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2 Eastern Phoebe 2 Great Kiskadee 7 Couch's Kingbird 7 Green Jay 3 Horned Lark 7 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3 Barn Swallow 100 Verdin 1 House Wren 15 Marsh Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 Long-billed Thrasher 3 American Pipit 1 Common Yellowthroat 5 Lark Sparrow 2 Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Eastern Meadowlark 1 Great-tailed Grackle 20 Lesser Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 20 Location: Edinburg Scenic Wetlands WBC (LTC 061) Observation date: 10/22/09 Number of species: 49 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 80 Fulvous Whistling-Duck 1 Blue-winged Teal 60 Northern Shoveler 20 Green-winged Teal 6 Ruddy Duck 1 Least Grebe 5 Pied-billed Grebe 1 American White Pelican 5 Neotropic Cormorant 40 Double-crested Cormorant 8 Great Blue Heron 7 Snowy Egret 2 Tricolored Heron 3 Cattle Egret 1 Green Heron 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 Roseate Spoonbill 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Osprey 3 Common Moorhen 4 American Coot 50 Killdeer 3 Black-necked Stilt 30 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 50 Stilt Sandpiper 15 Long-billed Dowitcher 30 Laughing Gull 1 Rock Pigeon 20 Inca Dove 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 5 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 3 Belted Kingfisher 2 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3 Great Kiskadee 7 Couch's Kingbird 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 2 House Wren 12 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 Northern Mockingbird 6 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 3 Common Yellowthroat 1 Wilson's Warbler 2 Summer Tanager 1 Blue Grosbeak 1 Great-tailed Grackle 10 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Anzalduas & NABA From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:47:19 EDT Hi, all! Before heading to Anzalduas I poked down Old Military Highway, with highlights including an Osprey, Tropical Kingbird, Red-crowned Parrot, and a pair of Ringed Kingfishers near Bentsen. Once at Anzalduas I took Dan's advice and headed over to the dam overlook first to see if per chance the Bald Eagle was still hanging around (it wasn't--I rather suspected it was a one-day wonder), but saw that the DC Cormorants have arrived in force! Also had my FOS American Wigeons, and at least 100 Barn Swallows swarming around. Don't know if Dan's sapsucker was in the back section, but MY FOS one bounced in and attached himself to a tree, only to be promptly bullied off by a Golden-fronted Woodpecker! Also had a nice female Vermilion Flycatcher near the grassy area. Making the rounds in the main part of the park, a very nice Ringed Kingfisher posed at the River, and Rough-winged Swallows had replaced the Caves from last month. Spooked a young Yellow-crowned Night Heron closer to the dam, and almost dipped on the Black Phoebe (DID dip on the tyrannulet :-( along with Dan's other goodies from yesterday). On the way out was treated to a tornado of at least 100 Turkey Vultures lifting off! (Yes, I looked for a Zone-tailed... ;-)) On the way back to NABA I added a pair of Harris's Hawks along the paved levee, and sadly a dead Swainson's Hawk actually up on top of one of the telephone poles--not quite sure how that happened unless someone shot him and he just stayed lodged up there somehow. It had started to cloud over by the time I got to NABA, but the butterflies were still active, the highlights for me being a Malachite, a Nysa Roadside Skipper, and a Melonworm Moth! (Also got to meet Jeff Glassberg, which was pretty neat! :-)) New birds there for the day included three quiet (!) Chachalacas at the feeding station and a whistling Altamira Oriole, plus a single Broad-winged Hawk in the parking lot. Heading west again on OMH the lines were lined with Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, and the fields filled with Cattle Egrets! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu) Two bird lists follow: Location: Anzalduas County Pk (LTC 068) Observation date: 10/20/09 Number of species: 47 American Wigeon 2 Mottled Duck 2 Blue-winged Teal 10 Neotropic Cormorant 6 Double-crested Cormorant 30 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 3 Snowy Egret 1 Cattle Egret 1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 100 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 American Kestrel 3 Common Moorhen 1 American Coot 1 Killdeer 8 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Least Sandpiper 1 Rock Pigeon 1 Mourning Dove 4 Ringed Kingfisher 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 Black Phoebe 1 Eastern Phoebe 1 Vermilion Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 7 Couch's Kingbird 6 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 Loggerhead Shrike 1 White-eyed Vireo 1 Green Jay 5 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 50 Barn Swallow 100 House Wren 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 7 Long-billed Thrasher 2 European Starling 9 Common Yellowthroat 1 Olive Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 1 Red-winged Blackbird 100 Eastern Meadowlark 3 Great-tailed Grackle 80 Bronzed Cowbird 3 Location: NABA International Butterfly Park Observation date: 10/20/09 Notes: Survey includes a 3-mile stretch along Old Military Highway Number of species: 46 Plain Chachalaca 3 Great Egret 1 Snowy Egret 1 Cattle Egret 100 Turkey Vulture 20 Osprey 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Harris's Hawk 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Broad-winged Hawk 1 American Kestrel 3 Common Moorhen 1 Killdeer 2 Black-necked Stilt 1 Mourning Dove 12 Red-crowned Parrot 1 Ringed Kingfisher 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 4 Eastern Phoebe 1 Great Kiskadee 10 Tropical Kingbird 1 Couch's Kingbird 9 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 12 White-eyed Vireo 1 Green Jay 4 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 30 Barn Swallow 100 Black-crested Titmouse 1 House Wren 12 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 Northern Mockingbird 10 Long-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 3 Common Yellowthroat 3 Wilson's Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 3 Northern Cardinal 2 Indigo Bunting 1 Dickcissel 1 Red-winged Blackbird 200 Eastern Meadowlark 2 Great-tailed Grackle 100 Brown-headed Cowbird 7 Altamira Oriole 1 House Sparrow 6 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Estero Llano Grande SP From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:30:59 EDT Hi, all! Despite the threat of horrible heat, had a lovely time at the park this morning; since I woke up super early I went on over and sat in the dark near the Green Jay Trail listening for night birds (picked up Screech Owl and Pauraque) then over to the VC walk in hopes that the King Rail might sound off (which it didn't, but ironically my only BB Whistling Ducks of the day were heard pre-dawn!). A pair of Red-crowned Parrots woke up on the way back to the car. Wound up coming right back because the road to the llano and the levee was closed :-(, but it worked out for the best as I probably would have missed a great warbler flock along the entrance walk otherwise! Ranger Brian (whom I didn't know was Ranger Brian till later ;-)) came up and we were able to sort out Magnolia, Wilson's, and Redstart! Unfortunately the male Hooded Warbler popped up after he left... Ran into Huck after that and we checked out Ibis Pond for awhile; mostly dowitchers and Stilt Sandpipers, with a token Least and Spotted, plus Blue-winged Teal. On the boardwalk added Tricolored Heron and Snowy Egret with the sun to my back. Made my way to the gazebo and still couldn't kick up a rail, but did get a Marsh Wren and Lark Sparrow while sitting, plus a Harris' Hawk sitting where the Magpie Jay often used to sit! A big surprise was a flock of Collared Doves flying over! Since I couldn't drive to the llano I went ahead and climbed up to the levee, picking up some Avocets, Stilts, a spoonbill, and about 60 White Pelicans! Another spoonbill flew over on the way to Dowitcher Pond, as well as a Little Blue Heron. This was where all the coots and grebes were hanging out, as well as additional wintering ducks. The Moorhens had claimed Grebe Pond, and Alligator Lake was rather quiet; I might have flushed a Barn Owl going in, but just didn't get a good look. Heard and Anhinga and Belted Kingfisher there. I didn't do the whole of Camino de Aves for fear of the heat, but at least picked up the requisite Ground and Mourning Doves back there, and by that time the pelicans had lifted off and were performing their ballet high in the sky! From this point on it was really a lep show, as the Milkweed Vine along the trail to CDA was crazy with blooms and butters, best of which was an Ornythion Swallowtail! Ran into Ranger John back near the VC where we had more Ornythions and his Yellow Angled Sulphur from yesterday, and eventually were joined by Huck and Brian, adding Osprey, Greater Yellowlegs, and Red-shouldered Hawk to the bird list, plus a ton of leps that I'll post on the lep listserv! :-) Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu) Bird List: Location: Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (Weslaco)(LTC 054) Observation date: 10/15/09 Number of species: 78 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Gadwall 4 Mottled Duck 5 Blue-winged Teal 30 Northern Shoveler 12 Plain Chachalaca 3 Least Grebe 30 Pied-billed Grebe 3 American White Pelican 60 Neotropic Cormorant 8 Anhinga 1 Great Egret 1 Snowy Egret 3 Little Blue Heron 1 Tricolored Heron 2 Roseate Spoonbill 2 Turkey Vulture 1 Osprey 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Harris's Hawk 3 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 American Kestrel 1 Common Moorhen 12 American Coot 70 Killdeer 9 Black-necked Stilt 3 American Avocet 6 Spotted Sandpiper 2 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Lesser Yellowlegs 1 Long-billed Curlew 1 Least Sandpiper 8 Stilt Sandpiper 12 Long-billed Dowitcher 20 Eurasian Collared-Dove 8 White-winged Dove 100 Mourning Dove 2 Inca Dove 2 Common Ground-Dove 3 Red-crowned Parrot 2 Eastern Screech-Owl 3 Common Pauraque 3 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 4 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Belted Kingfisher 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8 Eastern Phoebe 1 Great Kiskadee 9 Couch's Kingbird 4 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 White-eyed Vireo 1 Green Jay 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 8 Bank Swallow 1 Cave Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 6 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Carolina Wren 2 House Wren 5 Marsh Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Northern Mockingbird 9 Long-billed Thrasher 2 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 1 Nashville Warbler 1 Magnolia Warbler 1 American Redstart 2 Common Yellowthroat 3 Hooded Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 1 Lark Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 3 Red-winged Blackbird 200 Great-tailed Grackle 50 Bronzed Cowbird 3 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 House Sparrow 12 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Quinta Mazatlan & Hidalgo Pumphouse From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:25:05 EDT Hi, all! Made the rounds at Quinta Mazatlan this morning; highlights include my FOS Ruby-crowned Kinglet, two pairs of American Redstarts (unless the same pair followed me all around the complex), and a nice Magnolia Warbler. My first Ringed Kingfisher for the park rattled off in the distance, and a pair of Red-crowned Parrots posed nicely for John Brush and the folks he was showing around! Over at Hidalgo Pumphouse the main show centered around the leps, with my first "NABA" Hermit Skipper and what I'm thinking is a Titan Sphinx based on what photos I could get. Bird-wise I had my first Black-and-white Warbler for the park over by the deck, and while not new, it was nice to see a couple of Anhingas, a Moorhen, a Great Blue Heron, and hear a Green later. Guess the trail behind the Wall isn't open yet... Pics for the day (all leps this time) are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Two bird lists follow: Location: Quinta Mazatlan WBC (McAllen) (LTC 063) Observation date: 10/13/09 Number of species: 37 Plain Chachalaca 20 Killdeer 2 White-winged Dove 12 Inca Dove 2 White-tipped Dove 1 Green Parakeet 3 Red-crowned Parrot 2 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2 Great Kiskadee 2 Tropical Kingbird 1 Couch's Kingbird 3 White-eyed Vireo 2 Green Jay 2 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Carolina Wren 3 House Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 Northern Mockingbird 7 Curve-billed Thrasher 2 European Starling 5 Magnolia Warbler 1 American Redstart 4 Wilson's Warbler 2 Olive Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 4 Blue Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 4 Dickcissel 2 Red-winged Blackbird 100 Great-tailed Grackle 40 Bronzed Cowbird 80 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 20 Location: Old Hidalgo Pumphouse (WBC) (LTC067) Observation date: 10/13/09 Number of species: 30 Anhinga 2 Great Blue Heron 1 Green Heron 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Common Moorhen 1 Rock Pigeon 9 Mourning Dove 10 Inca Dove 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Black Phoebe 2 Great Kiskadee 1 Tropical Kingbird 1 Couch's Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 15 House Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 6 European Starling 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Dickcissel 1 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Great-tailed Grackle 4 Altamira Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 6 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: La Sal del Rey From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 8 Oct 2009 17:39:13 EDT Hi, all! Tim Brush and Javier DeLeon joined me this morning for my route, although we ended up doing it in rather an unorthodox way! :-) We first hiked the trail to the lake from SR 186 in hopes of kicking up some Black-throated Sparrows, but the breeze (which later turned into a pretty stiff wind) kept most of the stuff down (we glimpsed what could have been a Cassin's, but we'll never know...). It was fun seeing gangs of gulls streaming overhead from the lake, as well as Long-billed Curlews! (We were having a little debate as to whether they were Laughing or Franklin's, but they turned out to be the former...) Songbirds were sparse (lots of things were "seep"ing but refused to show themselves), but had a good raptor turnout, including several Caracaras, a Harrier, and a Red-tailed Hawk back at the trailhead. Tim had to get back home, but he stuck with us long enough to bird a bit of Brushline (and for me to show him where I had been having Botteri's Sparrows--my dates on those BTW were 16 JUL 08 and 21 AUG 09). The best shows were the airborne birds, with several Broadies, a Sharpie right overhead, Black and Turkey Vultures, and a "tornado" of about 30 White Pelicans! Shrikes were still quite plentiful along the wires, as well as Scissortails. Tim pointed out a squealing Harris' Hawk as well. After dropping Tim off at his car, Javier and I went straight to Rio Beef (he wanted to "beef up" his Willacy County list... :-P) and stopped at the little marsh where we picked up Least Grebe, Sora, Yellowthroat, and Marsh Wren. Zigzagging up GI Road we had a glimpse of a Krider's Hawk zipping across the road, and on the way out Javier spotted him on a telephone pole (wasn't quick enough with the camera, unfortunately... :-( ). Continuing down GI Road we had lots more Scissortails and Lark Sparrows, plus some Cattle Egrets at the beefyard along with a cloud of Redwings. A lone male Baltimore Oriole was hiding in a roadside bush; I guess they're supposed to be getting pretty scarce by now. We returned up Brushline to check out the farm pond near road's end, which still had the spoonbills from last time, but also more Cattle Egrets, a pod of Least Sandpipers, and a couple of Greater Yellowlegs. Javier spotted some Blue-winged Teal hiding. On the way out a Chuck-will's-widow darted out in front of the car, giving that "all brown falcon" impression! Just for kicks and grins we decided to check out the pond on south Brushline, although it's not part of my "route" (so it didn't get put in the eBird account). It was pretty active, with a Swainson's Hawk, Avocets, dowitchers, Lesser Yellowlegs, Snowy Egret, Shovelers, and White-faced Ibis being new for the day list. Pics are posted here (with some mystery moths from the ranch if any of the leppers out there want a challenge...): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu) Bird List: Location: LRGV NWR Driving Route Observation date: 10/8/09 Number of species: 61 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 1 Mottled Duck 2 Blue-winged Teal 5 Northern Bobwhite 1 Least Grebe 2 American White Pelican 30 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 1 Cattle Egret 11 Roseate Spoonbill 2 Black Vulture 8 Turkey Vulture 30 Northern Harrier 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 Harris's Hawk 2 Broad-winged Hawk 40 Red-tailed Hawk 2 Red-tailed Hawk (Krider's) 1 Crested Caracara 8 American Kestrel 9 Sora 1 American Coot 1 Killdeer 3 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Long-billed Curlew 30 Least Sandpiper 14 Laughing Gull 500 Rock Pigeon 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 Mourning Dove 6 Common Ground-Dove 7 Chuck-will's-widow 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Eastern Phoebe 2 Great Kiskadee 5 Couch's Kingbird 10 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 20 Loggerhead Shrike 12 Green Jay 4 Barn Swallow 40 Black-crested Titmouse 1 Verdin 2 Cactus Wren 4 House Wren 7 Marsh Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 4 Long-billed Thrasher 1 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Olive Sparrow 3 Lark Sparrow 20 Northern Cardinal 2 Pyrrhuloxia 3 Dickcissel 1 Red-winged Blackbird 200 Great-tailed Grackle 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Baltimore Oriole 1 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Santa Ana NWR From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 18:00:39 EDT Hi, all! Made the rounds around the refuge this morning, deciding to go "backwards" on the recommendation of a couple of friends, and that worked out well (getting through the Pintail Lakes area before it got sweltering...)! Nothing earth-shattering; had a kingfisher sweep and flushed a nice adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron at the southeast lake, and Anhingas were out the yin yang! Had a very cooperative Great Crested Flycatcher near the River; other migrants included Nashville, Yellow, and Black-and-white Warblers, Yellow-breasted Chat, and my first Summer Tanager for the refuge. Also had my first Myrtle Warbler of the season along the River. Interesting non-birds included a rather orangeish Lyside Sulphur, a very striking Cellar Melipotes, an American Rubyspot, and a female bluet (or other damsel) for those who care to take a crack at it... Several things seeped and chucked that never came out and therefore have inspired me to study the warbler calls a little better... :-P Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Location: Santa Ana NWR (LTC 059) Observation date: 10/6/09 Number of species: 70 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 40 Mottled Duck 5 Blue-winged Teal 30 Northern Shoveler 6 Northern Pintail 3 Plain Chachalaca 6 Least Grebe 12 Pied-billed Grebe 6 Neotropic Cormorant 2 Double-crested Cormorant 1 Anhinga 10 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 2 Little Blue Heron 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 Cooper's Hawk 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 American Kestrel 1 Sora 1 Common Moorhen 12 American Coot 30 Killdeer 10 Black-necked Stilt 1 White-winged Dove 50 Mourning Dove 4 Inca Dove 1 Common Ground-Dove 3 White-tipped Dove 2 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Ringed Kingfisher 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 9 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6 Least Flycatcher 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 3 Great Kiskadee 12 Couch's Kingbird 15 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 8 Green Jay 10 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 12 Bank Swallow 1 Cave Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 100 Black-crested Titmouse 6 Carolina Wren 7 House Wren 5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5 Northern Mockingbird 2 Long-billed Thrasher 6 European Starling 20 Nashville Warbler 4 Yellow Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 4 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Summer Tanager 1 Olive Sparrow 5 Northern Cardinal 6 Indigo Bunting 4 Dickcissel 2 Red-winged Blackbird 200 Great-tailed Grackle 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Altamira Oriole 2 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 3 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Kentucky Warbler @ Frontera From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 2 Oct 2009 16:13:30 EDT Hi, all! I put that in the subject line as eBird flagged it; I was able to get a mediocre but identifiable photo which is in the "Friday's Pics" gallery (below). My sense of direction gets all turned around in there, but it was along the trail that runs alongside the cemetery but "this" side of where another trail heads left off to the feeding station area. It was a great migrant morning there, with other highlights including a female Summer Tanager, a brightly peeping Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (who finally showed himself), and several other warblers including a brilliant male Hooded and a female Redstart. A Yellow-throated Warbler was working the palms, and an Ovenbird bopped along the trail and flew just before Gloria got to see it! :-( After chatting with her I continued on, flushing a Chuck-will's-widow! My first Anhinga for the preserve was croaking from the pond, as well as a clucking Green Heron. Heard a Clay-colored Thrush give its querulous call early on, and Red-crowned Parrots flew over a couple of times. The local Gray Hawk was pitifully whining, while a pair of Redshoulders yelled more emphatically. One Archilochus hummingbird looked sufficiently long-billed and club-winged to make me feel comfortable calling it a Blackchin (along with a paleish crown and wings that were pretty even with the tail tip). Afterwards got to meet Cindy, the new director! A quick visit to Valley Nature Center added Eastern Wood Pewee to the migrant list; they also had an Ovenbird hanging around the drip. Titmice were also very cooperative at that particular feeder, but too quick for my camera for the most part... :-P Raul was having fun showing all the school kids around! :-) Pics for the day are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Two bird lists follow: Location: Frontera Audubon Ctr (LTC 058) Observation date: 10/2/09 Notes: Photo of Kentucky Warbler available if needed. Number of species: 54 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 15 Plain Chachalaca 15 Anhinga 1 Green Heron 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 Gray Hawk 1 Killdeer 1 Least Sandpiper 1 Rock Pigeon 15 White-winged Dove 20 Inca Dove 4 White-tipped Dove 6 Red-crowned Parrot 3 Chuck-will's-widow 1 Chimney Swift 9 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 12 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 10 Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Belted Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 10 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1 Least Flycatcher 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 8 Couch's Kingbird 3 White-eyed Vireo 6 Green Jay 2 Barn Swallow 5 Black-crested Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 3 House Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 8 Long-billed Thrasher 3 Curve-billed Thrasher 2 Yellow Warbler 4 Yellow-throated Warbler 1 American Redstart 1 Ovenbird 1 Kentucky Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Hooded Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 3 Summer Tanager 2 Olive Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 3 Blue Grosbeak 2 Dickcissel 2 Red-winged Blackbird 10 Great-tailed Grackle 4 Lesser Goldfinch 5 Location: Valley Nature Ctr. (LTC 057) Observation date: 10/2/09 Number of species: 26 Plain Chachalaca 10 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 White-winged Dove 20 Inca Dove 6 White-tipped Dove 2 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 9 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6 Eastern Wood-Pewee 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 6 Couch's Kingbird 3 White-eyed Vireo 3 Green Jay 1 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Carolina Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2 Northern Mockingbird 10 Long-billed Thrasher 2 European Starling 1 Yellow Warbler 1 Ovenbird 1 Wilson's Warbler 3 Great-tailed Grackle 10 Lesser Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 50 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Pics from Monte Cristo & Edinburg From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:25:25 EDT Hi, all! PBase is back up, so here are the pictures from last Thursday (even though the gallery says Monday...). Highlights included Wood Storks and "Gramps" Cormorant at Edinburg! _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/gallery/new_pics_mon_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/gallery/new_pics_mon) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Monte Cristo & Edinburg From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 17:23:54 EDT Hi, all! Managed to avoid the rain this morning and had a delightful time birding Wallace Road (the Monte Cristo Tract) and Edinburg Wetlands! Dickcissels were still moving through in good numbers, and at the tract kiosk the Yellow Warblers were out the yin yang along with a Wilson's. Had a good variety of raptors including Swainson's, Red-shouldered, White-tailed (both hawk and kite), Kestrel, Harris', Caracaras, and a couple of smallish raptors that got away before I could ID them. The water level at the wetland was lower than I've ever seen it, but it still had a good variety of things, highlights including two Wood Storks and a Pectoral Sandpiper. The number of Barn Swallows was incredible, but there were a few other species represented as well. Out in the fields had a flyover Black-bellied Plover and a couple of Horned Larks, as well as good numbers of Lark Sparrows. Other interesting dickies included a couple of Anis, a Warbling Vireo, a Great Crested Flycatcher giving its emphatic "Wheek!" and a group of Blue Grosbeaks towards the north end of the road. Edinburg's south pond was hopping with stuff: besides the hordes of Neotropic Cormorants and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, highlights included another pair of Wood Storks (including one juvenile), a Solitary Sandpiper, several Stilt Sandpipers, a White-faced Ibis, another goofy-looking young Green Heron, and more migrants including a Chat, Eastern Kingbird, and gobs of Yellow Warblers. If anyone had to see a Buff-bellied Hummer or they were gonna die, I'd send them to the butterfly garden: they were all over the place along with tons of Ruby-throated Hummers (at least those I could positively ID)! A family of Kiskadees hung out at the Dragonfly Pond along with a Northern Waterthrush, and another family (or maybe just a pre-migration group) of Couch's Kingbirds gathered along the walkway as well. The north pond had a calling Ringed Kingfisher and several Black-crowned Night Herons in addition to the usual stuff (swallows were all over here as well). Along the canal I flushed an Osprey (had presumably the same individual soaring around on the way in), and had a cooperative White-eyed Vireo, several Baltimore Orioles, and "Gramps" Cormorant, with so much white on his neck he looked like a Great Cormorant! :-) No leps, of course, but then again days like today are why I never gave up birding! :-) PBase is down, so no pics posted today; if you can't stand it and simply must see them, let me know and I'll e-mail them to you! (Otherwise I'll get them up as soon as PBase is up and running...) Two bird lists follow: Location: Monte Cristo Tract (LTC 062) Observation date: 9/24/09 Number of species: 67 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Mottled Duck 12 Blue-winged Teal 8 Northern Bobwhite 2 Least Grebe 12 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Neotropic Cormorant 15 Great Blue Heron 6 Great Egret 15 Snowy Egret 20 Wood Stork 2 Turkey Vulture 1 White-tailed Kite 4 Harris's Hawk 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 2 Swainson's Hawk 2 White-tailed Hawk 2 Crested Caracara 4 American Kestrel 1 Common Moorhen 1 American Coot 7 Black-bellied Plover 1 Killdeer 4 Black-necked Stilt 10 Spotted Sandpiper 3 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 Western Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 7 Pectoral Sandpiper 1 Long-billed Dowitcher 2 White-winged Dove 2 Mourning Dove 15 Common Ground-Dove 6 White-tipped Dove 1 Groove-billed Ani 2 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 5 Least Flycatcher 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 9 Couch's Kingbird 5 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Warbling Vireo 1 Green Jay 4 Horned Lark 2 Bank Swallow 1 Cliff Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 100 Verdin 1 House Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 Northern Mockingbird 2 Long-billed Thrasher 4 Yellow Warbler 10 Common Yellowthroat 5 Wilson's Warbler 2 Olive Sparrow 6 Lark Sparrow 20 Northern Cardinal 4 Blue Grosbeak 4 Dickcissel 15 Red-winged Blackbird 20 Great-tailed Grackle 200 Baltimore Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 6 Location: Edinburg Scenic Wetlands WBC (LTC 061) Observation date: 9/24/09 Number of species: 61 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 100 (at least) Mottled Duck 2 Blue-winged Teal 30 Northern Shoveler 7 Least Grebe 6 Pied-billed Grebe 5 Neotropic Cormorant 100 (at least) Anhinga 2 Great Blue Heron 7 Great Egret 20 Snowy Egret 30 Little Blue Heron 3 Tricolored Heron 3 Green Heron 2 Black-crowned Night-Heron 8 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 White-faced Ibis 1 Wood Stork 2 Osprey 1 Harris's Hawk 1 Common Moorhen 3 American Coot 12 Killdeer 2 Black-necked Stilt 15 Solitary Sandpiper 1 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Lesser Yellowlegs 1 Least Sandpiper 5 Stilt Sandpiper 12 Long-billed Dowitcher 6 Laughing Gull 12 Caspian Tern 2 Rock Pigeon 3 White-winged Dove 5 Mourning Dove 4 Inca Dove 2 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 10 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 12 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2 Least Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 6 Couch's Kingbird 10 Eastern Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 2 Bank Swallow 1 Cliff Swallow 4 Cave Swallow 10 Barn Swallow 50 House Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 Northern Mockingbird 8 Curve-billed Thrasher 3 Yellow Warbler 12 Northern Waterthrush 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Great-tailed Grackle 7 Baltimore Oriole 5 Lesser Goldfinch 3 House Sparrow 3 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: La sal del Rey From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:05:46 EDT Hi, all! Was treated to an absolutely gorgeous sunrise on the way to the La Sal Tracts this morning, and wound up with 60 species for the route. Shrikes and Cactus Wrens were in higher numbers than I've ever had them (probably all the young 'uns) but migrants seemed scant; just had a single Yellow and Wilson's Warbler, and a couple of Baltimore Orioles. The highlight was a tinkling Black-throated Sparrow on the hiking trail heading north from SR 186, along with a young Cassin's Sparrow trying to learn its song! :-) Saw absolutely nothing at the lake, but I didn't go walking down to the water's edge, either--it was WAAAY out there (and it was sweltering to boot)! There were only two wet spots along the route: one was the farm pond near the end of Brushline on the east side that usually has SOME water in it, and today it had several egrets as well as three spoonbills and several shorebirds! The marsh near the south end of Rio Beef Road had water this time, along with Least Grebes and Soras. Retreating from north Brushline, I spooked a Barn Owl while stopped to check out a raptor (TV), and a hovering/soaring buteo near the west end of GI Road turned out to be a Krider's Redtail. Pics (what there are) are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Location: LRGV NWR Driving Route Observation date: 9/22/09 Number of species: 59 Blue-winged Teal 3 Wild Turkey 1 Northern Bobwhite 12 Least Grebe 2 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 5 Snowy Egret 1 Cattle Egret 15 Roseate Spoonbill 3 Turkey Vulture 15 Harris's Hawk 2 White-tailed Hawk 3 Red-tailed Hawk (Krider's) 1 Crested Caracara 5 American Kestrel 1 Sora 2 American Coot 1 Killdeer 4 Black-necked Stilt 1 American Avocet 1 Semipalmated Sandpiper 1 Western Sandpiper 12 Least Sandpiper 5 Stilt Sandpiper 2 Eurasian Collared-Dove 2 Mourning Dove 100 Inca Dove 4 Common Ground-Dove 15 Greater Roadrunner 1 Barn Owl 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 12 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 12 Great Kiskadee 12 Couch's Kingbird 15 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 15 Loggerhead Shrike 15 White-eyed Vireo 7 Green Jay 10 Bank Swallow 3 Cave Swallow 2 Barn Swallow 80 Verdin 10 Cactus Wren 10 Bewick's Wren 10 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 6 Northern Mockingbird 30 Long-billed Thrasher 6 Curve-billed Thrasher 10 Yellow Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 3 Cassin's Sparrow 1 Lark Sparrow 20 Black-throated Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 12 Pyrrhuloxia 8 Eastern Meadowlark 3 Baltimore Oriole 3 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 3 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Cameron Co. (long) From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:31:58 EDT Hi, all! Did kind of a "Big Day" in Cameron County on Friday, meeting Katherine at Resaca de las Palmas predawn first thing. The first puzzle was a prairie dog-like bark that I've always associated with Elf Owls, but every time we heard it we also heard Screech Owls trilling in the immediate vicinity, so we're wondering if those were actually young Screeches (and I couldn't find any sound samples on Xeno-Canto). Pauraques were the only other night birds we picked up, and Katherine pretty much hit on the highlights in her post! On the way out I did pick up a Summer Tanager "peek-ka-choo"ing in the parking area. A quick stop at the Fisheries added a few freshwater marsh species, but unique for the day were a Pied-billed Grebe and a pair of Mississippi Kites flying over. We had gotten Red-shouldered Hawk at Resaca, but a couple were yelling at each other at the Fisheries as well! Headed down Boca Chica Boulevard after that, highlights including a Green Heron having a Bad Hair Day on the telephone wires, a young Gray Hawk, a calling Alder Flycatcher, and a Snowy Plover in the flats. On the beach picked up Sanderling and Piping Plover for the day. Swung by the dump and was heading into the "wetlands" when a sheriff's deputy very nicely told me that no one was supposed to go back there (which was news to me as I had birded that area several times over the last year and a half), so I got in line and for the first time actually went IN the dump! Finally was able to get some decent Chihuahuan Raven shots (complete with white neck), but that was definitely a "been there done that" experience... Headed up to SPI after that, where the trees at the Convention Center were just dripping with Wilson's Warblers! Several Yellows were also around, as well as a young Mourning (had a pretty strong eyering), a Black-and-white, a Chat, and several flycatchers; had a definite Least, but some others I wasn't sure about, including a Myiarchus I thought was a Great Crested at first, but the bill didn't show a pale base: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557435_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557435) Another highlight was a Bell's Vireo that allowed a brief view, and also what was probably a Warbling Vireo, but some aspects looked more like a Philly to me, including darker lores and wingtips, yellowish (although not much) on the throat and under the "wingpits". Any thoughts? _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557607_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557607) ...and then hit "next" for the rest. An immature Yellow-crowned Night Heron out on the boardwalk was very cooperative, but other than that it was the usual fare. A few female Pintail were back. Made a quick stop at Sheephead and had what looked like what might have been a Yellow-bellied Flycatcher; what do you think? _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557647_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557647) ...then hit "next" for the rest. Headed over to the Port Isabel Reservoir where several peeps fed close to the berm; the bill structure looked more Western to me (plus I found out later that Semipals aren't really supposed to get their "winter digs" until next month), but they were definitely TALKING like Semipals, with that warbly little twitter that is supposed to be diagnostic; here's the first of that series, and then you can "next" through them: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557691_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117557691) Shovelers were back here in numbers as well. The last stop of the day was Laguna Atascosa, where highlights included a female American Redstart showing off at the headquarters, along with a male Blue Metalmark! Had a few new odes along the Bayside Loop that I hope I ID'd right, plus another cooperative flock of Yellow Warblers. A delightful little moth was in the ladies' room, but I couldn't find a match for it... All the pics are posted here (along with some shots from Texan Guest Ranch at the beginning): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 9-19-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 9-18-09 to 9-19-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Pintail Anas acuta Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Snowy Egret Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Green Heron Butorides virescens Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis White Ibis Eudocimus albus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Gray Hawk Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Sanderling Calidris alba Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Least Tern Sternula antillarum Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Inca Dove Columbina inca White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio Pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis Bank Swallow Riparia riparia Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 130 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Lark Bunting @ Falcon SP From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:32:58 EDT Hi, all! Had a female Lark Bunting in the westernmost picnic area at Falcon State Park this morning: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117322374_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/117322374) ...then click "next" for the next shot. Apparently she's a tad early, as John's excellent checklist has them showing up about a month from now! Other highlights include a cooperative Roadrunner along the entrance road, a family of Cactus Wrens, and a flock of 70 Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in a "V" over the lake. A smaller flock of cormorants "V"-ing overhead looked rather short-tailed to me, so I logged them as arriving Double-cresteds. As requested I checked out the butterfly garden as well, and while lots of stuff was in bloom, leps were sparse: had one Vesta Crescent, one Lyside Sulphur, one Pipevine Swallowtail, one Monarch, and a gazillion Ceraunus Blues! :-) Headed over to Chapeno which was pretty quiet bird-wise but had several odes (those who know them better than I do can tell me if I guessed right...). Salieno was a little more active with both Ringed and Green Kingfisher (had a Belted at Falcon for a kingfisher sweep), an Ani, a couple of Gray Hawks calling, and an osprey sailing upriver. A Red-shouldered Hawk flew across the road in town. No other specialties, however... All the pics (plus a few from the Texan Guest Ranch) are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Two bird lists follow: Location: Falcon SP (Starr Co.)(LTC 084) Observation date: 9/15/09 Notes: The Lark Bunting was a female and gave its diagnostic mellow whistle. Number of species: 52 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 70 Northern Bobwhite 13 Pied-billed Grebe 2 Neotropic Cormorant 4 Double-crested Cormorant 40 Great Blue Heron 4 Great Egret 2 Snowy Egret 9 Cattle Egret 7 Turkey Vulture 5 Osprey 1 Harris's Hawk 3 Crested Caracara 4 Killdeer 8 Spotted Sandpiper 2 Least Sandpiper 1 Laughing Gull 2 White-winged Dove 8 Mourning Dove 4 Common Ground-Dove 1 Greater Roadrunner 2 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 Belted Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 4 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 7 Ash-throated Flycatcher 2 Great Kiskadee 7 Couch's Kingbird 4 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 Loggerhead Shrike 1 White-eyed Vireo 1 Green Jay 2 Barn Swallow 2 Black-crested Titmouse 1 Verdin 4 Cactus Wren 5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5 Northern Mockingbird 12 Curve-billed Thrasher 6 Yellow Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 15 Black-throated Sparrow 6 Lark Bunting 1 Northern Cardinal 9 Pyrrhuloxia 4 Dickcissel 6 Red-winged Blackbird 12 Great-tailed Grackle 20 Orchard Oriole 1 Bullock's Oriole 2 Baltimore Oriole 7 House Sparrow 3 Location: River Roads Driving Route Observation date: 9/15/09 Number of species: 39 Plain Chachalaca 1 Great Blue Heron 2 Great Egret 2 Snowy Egret 3 Turkey Vulture 15 Osprey 3 Harris's Hawk 2 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Gray Hawk 2 Spotted Sandpiper 3 Mourning Dove 2 Inca Dove 4 Common Ground-Dove 1 Greater Roadrunner 1 Groove-billed Ani 1 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 5 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2 Brown-crested Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 2 Couch's Kingbird 5 Loggerhead Shrike 1 Cave Swallow 1 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Verdin 3 Cactus Wren 2 Bewick's Wren 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 Long-billed Thrasher 1 Olive Sparrow 1 Black-throated Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Great-tailed Grackle 3 Hooded Oriole 1 House Sparrow 6 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Hook-billed Kite near Bentsen From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 16:02:32 EDT Hi, all! After spending about four hours at Bentsen State Park, I decided to explore some of the surrounding roads, and about 0.8 m west on Old Military Highway (west from Bentsen Palm Drive, that is) a female Hook-billed Kite flew across the road! That was definitely the best bird of the day! Had a nice selection of birds in the park, although nothing out of the ordinary. I was afraid I was gonna actually dip on White-tipped Dove until a pair "sang" near the Kiskadee Trail! Other highlights included a pair of Green Kingfishers at Kingfisher Overlook, many Baltimore Orioles (missed a cracking shot of a male because I had forgotten to turn the stupid camera on :-P), several Anis, a flock of about a dozen Eastern Kingbirds going overhead, and my FOS Black-throated Green Warbler. Several warblers were moving through, actually, but none others except a Yellow stopped to let me get a look. El Morrio Banco was dry (evidently they're cleaning out some invasive vegetation), so there weren't many water birds this trip except for what flew over. Back at the VC, it was kinda fun to pick out Dickcissels from the hordes of House Sparrows taking a dip in the little dragonfly pond! On the way out I had a white skipper that was so beat up that I had no clue what it was... Pics are posted here (the first few are from Texan Guest Ranch): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Location: Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. SP WBC (Mission)(LTC 069) Observation date: 9/8/09 Notes: The Hook-billed Kite was seen just north of the park along westbound Old Military Highway. Number of species: 54 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 8 Plain Chachalaca 8 Neotropic Cormorant 11 Anhinga 1 Snowy Egret 3 White-faced Ibis 3 Turkey Vulture 1 Osprey 1 Hook-billed Kite 1 Gray Hawk 3 Killdeer 4 Upland Sandpiper 1 White-winged Dove 50 Mourning Dove 2 Inca Dove 4 Common Ground-Dove 4 White-tipped Dove 2 Greater Roadrunner 2 Groove-billed Ani 8 Common Nighthawk 1 Common Pauraque 2 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Green Kingfisher 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 15 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 12 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 3 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Brown-crested Flycatcher 3 Great Kiskadee 20 Couch's Kingbird 5 Eastern Kingbird 12 White-eyed Vireo 3 Green Jay 15 Bank Swallow 1 Cliff Swallow 2 Cave Swallow 10 Barn Swallow 20 Verdin 5 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 12 Northern Mockingbird 4 Long-billed Thrasher 6 Yellow Warbler 2 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 6 Northern Cardinal 6 Dickcissel 20 Red-winged Blackbird 20 Great-tailed Grackle 12 Orchard Oriole 8 Altamira Oriole 2 Baltimore Oriole 15 Lesser Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 30 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Santa Ana NWR From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 16:51:03 EDT Hi, all! Made the rounds at the refuge this morning, adding a lot of migrants to my personal Santa Ana list, starting with a singing Olive-sided Flycatcher on the Willow Trail. Hit the nightjar jackpot by flushing two separate Chucks, a Pauraque, and a Whippoorwill, only the second I've ever seen in my life! (Thankfully this one landed again after I flushed it, but not long enough for a picture, unfortunately: it was noticeably smaller than the Chucks, about nighthawk size, and much grayer, with those obvious scapular bars...) This latter bird was along the Pintail Lake Trail just before it starts paralleling the Rio Grande. Willow Lakes had nothing out of the ordinary, but along the swampy area heading towards the old headquarters area on Willow Trail, had two Northern Waterthrushes, also new for my list. Was surprised to see another canopy tower AND walk up, so just to check it out I dragged myself up there and met fellow birder/photographer/artist Dora holed up in a corner waiting for birds to land in this berry-laden tree right next to us! Orioles had been coming through (picked up both Baltimore and Orchard there), but the only visitors while I was there was a family of Chachalacas. Tripped over to the other tower and down (warning: don't attempt those stairs if you're the least bit acrophobic...) and continued on to the River, picking up a couple of Beardless Tyrannulets, Ringed Kingfisher, and Clay-colored Thrush in addition to the aforementioned Whip. Didn't see the Masked Duck at Pintail Lakes (although I glimpsed a couple of humans trying for it), but did pick up Green Kingfisher, several female-type Painted Buntings, and a Mourning Warbler along a little swampy area along the south side of one of the lakes. Chats were going through in good numbers (learned their deep "chuck" call note), and saw (and heard) a handful of Alder Flycatchers, their "pit" having a much different timbre than the "whit" of the Least Flycatchers I had been hearing a lot of. An Eastern Kingbird was along this stretch as well, along with three Anhingas soaring around like long-necked raptors! The main lake had a family of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, a pair of Mottleds, several swallows, and a Sora making its upward call, but that was about it. Had a small feeding flock along "Ani Row" (the section of Pintail Lakes Trail that continues north after the cutoff goes west) consisting of mostly Yellow Warblers but also a Wilson's. A Tropical Kingbird gave its rising twitter in the open area here, and a Gray Hawk called in distance. On my way back to the VC the Red-shouldered Hawk got in his two cents at the last minute. No pictures worth posting except a nice female Yellow Warbler; anyone wanting to see it that badly can e-mail me and I'll send it to them! :-) Oh, and for Tim: the Lesser Goldfinches were NOT singing! ;-) Bird List: Location: Santa Ana NWR (LTC 059) Observation date: 9/4/09 Number of species: 77 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 12 Mottled Duck 3 Blue-winged Teal 40 Plain Chachalaca 8 Least Grebe 15 Pied-billed Grebe 7 Neotropic Cormorant 1 Anhinga 3 Great Egret 2 Little Blue Heron 2 Green Heron 1 White Ibis 5 Red-shouldered Hawk 1 Gray Hawk 1 Sora 1 Common Moorhen 6 American Coot 30 Killdeer 5 Black-necked Stilt 2 Lesser Yellowlegs 4 Upland Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 2 White-winged Dove 100 Mourning Dove 12 Inca Dove 2 Common Ground-Dove 4 White-tipped Dove 7 Groove-billed Ani 4 Common Pauraque 1 Chuck-will's-widow 2 Whip-poor-will 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 10 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 12 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 2 Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee 3 Alder Flycatcher 3 Least Flycatcher 2 Brown-crested Flycatcher 5 Great Kiskadee 15 Tropical Kingbird 1 Couch's Kingbird 12 Eastern Kingbird 1 White-eyed Vireo 8 Green Jay 6 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3 Bank Swallow 2 Cave Swallow 20 Barn Swallow 7 Black-crested Titmouse 7 Carolina Wren 15 Bewick's Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 Long-billed Thrasher 7 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 1 Yellow Warbler 9 Northern Waterthrush 2 Mourning Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Yellow-breasted Chat 8 Olive Sparrow 20 Northern Cardinal 5 Painted Bunting 3 Dickcissel 3 Red-winged Blackbird 4 Great-tailed Grackle 1 Orchard Oriole 4 Altamira Oriole 4 Baltimore Oriole 8 Lesser Goldfinch 5 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Edinburg Wetland Images From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 17:59:49 EDT Hi, all! Sorry about the cross-posting, but while meandering around Edinburg Scenic Wetlands today I had an ode that just wouldn't stay still, and when it DID finally land it was belly to me! My best guess is either Tawny Pennant or female Black Setwing; the overall look of the bug in flight was that having a darker thorax and a thin, paler abdomen. The shot I got is in the gallery below. Nothing out of the ordinary; just had some very cooperative Buff-bellied Hummers and Black-bellied Whistling Duck families, in addition to some common leps and odes. Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Weslaco From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 17:11:01 EDT Hi, all! Birded Frontera Audubon and Valley Nature Center this morning; highlights at Frontera include a beautiful male Canada Warbler (the bird in the gallery was taken at Texan Guest Ranch), Clay-colored Thrush, and a Bell's Vireo in the citrus grove. There was quite the gathering of Snowy Egrets in the back pond, and a cackling Least Bittern was the first one for me for the preserve. A Belted Kingfisher announced his return, and had both Green Parakeets and Red-crowned Parrots fly over. Anis were in the parking area, as well as a flyover Upland Sandpiper, and had a pair of Great Crested Flycatchers showing off near the resaca. Other migrants included a couple of Eastern Kingbirds, a flyover Dickcissel (new for my list), and a dull bunting that I just couldn't get any color out of (the lighting was terrible), but given that it looked plain-breasted and that Indigos aren't supposed to be showing up just yet, I'm assuming Painted at this point. At Valley Nature Center, had a White-eyed Vireo in heavy molt that looked like one of those exotic pygmy tyrants! :-) Picked up a curious Yellow-breasted Chat, and after reviewing empid calls, I finally had something I felt comfortable calling an Alder (a Least was around as well). What I thought was a distant gnatcatcher at first turned out to be a full-grown "baby" Brown-headed Cowbird still being fed by a Lesser Goldfinch! Had Mourning Warblers at both spots, and hummingbirds were out the yin yang at both places as well! What few pics I have are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu) Two bird lists follow: Location: Frontera Audubon Ctr (LTC 058) Observation date: 9/3/09 Number of species: 59 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 10 Plain Chachalaca 8 Least Grebe 1 Least Bittern 1 Great Egret 1 Snowy Egret 12 Green Heron 1 Common Moorhen 1 Killdeer 1 Upland Sandpiper 1 White-winged Dove 100 Mourning Dove 1 Inca Dove 1 Common Ground-Dove 1 White-tipped Dove 8 Green Parakeet 3 Red-crowned Parrot 2 Groove-billed Ani 3 Common Nighthawk 1 Chimney Swift 10 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 10 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 4 Belted Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 10 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Great Crested Flycatcher 2 Brown-crested Flycatcher 3 Great Kiskadee 6 Couch's Kingbird 1 Eastern Kingbird 2 White-eyed Vireo 3 Bell's Vireo 1 Green Jay 1 Purple Martin 1 Cliff Swallow 1 Cave Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 4 Black-crested Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 10 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 3 Long-billed Thrasher 6 Curve-billed Thrasher 2 European Starling 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Mourning Warbler 2 Canada Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 3 Painted Bunting 1 Dickcissel 1 Great-tailed Grackle 3 Orchard Oriole 2 Hooded Oriole 1 Altamira Oriole 2 Baltimore Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 7 Location: Valley Nature Ctr. (LTC 057) Observation date: 9/3/09 Number of species: 26 Plain Chachalaca 15 Killdeer 1 White-winged Dove 30 Inca Dove 10 White-tipped Dove 7 Chimney Swift 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 8 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 5 Alder Flycatcher 1 Least Flycatcher 1 Brown-crested Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 4 White-eyed Vireo 3 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Carolina Wren 4 Northern Mockingbird 3 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 9 Mourning Warbler 3 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Great-tailed Grackle 30 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Orchard Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 12 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Hot Afternoon @ Edinburg From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 29 Aug 2009 17:53:57 EDT Hi, all! Had my first Baltimore Oriole of the season at Edinburg Scenic Wetlands this afternoon, plus sparring Buff-bellied and Ruby-throated Hummers (of the ones I could get a good look at), all with their mouths wide open (they were smarter than I was...)! Had some nice odes, too; my "mystery ode" is probably just another female Roseate Skimmer, but the markings on the thorax didn't look very strong. Pics for the afternoon are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) (The Yellow-breasted Chat was shot in my "yard"...) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Anzalduas & NABA From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2009 18:31:30 EDT Hi, all! Birded along Old Military Highway this morning before birding Anzalduas; highlights along this road include an empid that I think is a Least due to the strong eyering and dark bill, but the tertial edges aren't very bold; would appreciate opinions (the first few empids in the gallery were taken at Texan Guest Ranch; I think it's a Least, too). Heard several Upland Sandpipers along the course of the road. At Anzalduas had the requisite Beardless Tyrannulet and Black Phoebe, plus both stilts and avocets in the River which were new for my list there. Also new were three Roseate Spoonbills flying over! The swallows were making it easy by lining the wires; most were cutie-pie Caves but also had a few Barn, Bank, and Roughwings thrown in (there were probably more Cliffs than the one I noticed). To those who know better than me: do we get many dark-throated Caves in the Valley? The reason I ask is because some of these Petrochelidon swallows I see don't seem so cut and dried! In the back area picked up more deep woodland things like Olive Sparrows, Anis, and a couple of White-eyed Vireos, but the highlight was a Yellow-breasted Chat! The river didn't have much except a couple of Spotted Sandpipers. Spooked the Gray Hawk coming out, and both flavors of vultures were starting to gather and kettle on the way out. Went back to the NABA Garden and watched the feeders for five, adding Orchard and Altamira Orioles to the list and enjoying Ruby-throated Hummers battle for feeder rights, as well as a really beat-up Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Flushed a covey of Bobwhite near the levee fence, and a young Blue Grosbeak was along the Walking Trail, as well as a nice Yellow Warbler. Nothing out of the ordinary in the lep department, but had a Common Mellana along the Walking Trail and pretty Bordered Patches here and there, as well as a cooperative Gulf Fritilary at the Visitor's Center. Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_thu) Two bird lists follow: Location: NABA International Butterfly Park Observation date: 8/27/09 Notes: This includes a 3.2 mile stretch of Old Military Highway. Number of species: 40 Plain Chachalaca 1 Northern Bobwhite 12 Great Egret 1 Turkey Vulture 1 Killdeer 3 Upland Sandpiper 5 White-winged Dove 4 Mourning Dove 15 Inca Dove 3 White-tipped Dove 2 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 5 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 9 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6 Alder Flycatcher 1 Least Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 10 Couch's Kingbird 8 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 2 Green Jay 3 Bank Swallow 4 Cliff Swallow 5 Cave Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 10 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Northern Mockingbird 6 Long-billed Thrasher 1 Yellow Warbler 3 Olive Sparrow 7 Northern Cardinal 4 Blue Grosbeak 2 Dickcissel 3 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Great-tailed Grackle 20 Bronzed Cowbird 20 Orchard Oriole 2 Altamira Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 15 Location: Anzalduas County Pk (LTC 068) Observation date: 8/27/09 Number of species: 55 Plain Chachalaca 2 Least Grebe 1 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 4 Snowy Egret 2 Roseate Spoonbill 3 Black Vulture 9 Turkey Vulture 30 Gray Hawk 1 Killdeer 1 Black-necked Stilt 5 American Avocet 2 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Upland Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 2 Laughing Gull 2 Rock Pigeon 20 White-winged Dove 6 Mourning Dove 4 Inca Dove 2 Common Ground-Dove 1 Groove-billed Ani 3 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 10 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 2 Black Phoebe 1 Brown-crested Flycatcher 2 Great Kiskadee 10 Couch's Kingbird 12 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 White-eyed Vireo 2 Green Jay 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 6 Bank Swallow 4 Cliff Swallow 1 Cave Swallow 100 Barn Swallow 12 Black-crested Titmouse 3 Verdin 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Northern Mockingbird 15 Long-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 5 Yellow Warbler 3 Yellow-breasted Chat 1 Olive Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Dickcissel 1 Red-winged Blackbird 1 Great-tailed Grackle 30 Bronzed Cowbird 3 Orchard Oriole 1 Bullock's Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 3 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Odd Pluvialis and Other Goodies near SPI From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:49:38 EDT Hi, all! Had a nice morning along Old Port Isabel Road (still in good shape) and South Padre Island yesterday, and also checked out the Port Isabel "reservoir" (hardly any water, but great for shorebirds--thanks, Rex!). While there I had an odd-looking Pluvialis plover still in alternate plumage; the bulk and white undertail coverts sure reminded me of Black-bellied, but the cap and the rest of the head pattern looked way too dark to me for BB. The pics aren't the greatest, but feedback would be appreciated (click on the link below and then just scroll forward for the rest): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/116541182_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/116541182) While at South Padre (I was VERY happy to see that the full boardwalk loop is now open) I had a peep with a much bigger Sanderling that I first wrote off as a Western due to the longer, droopy bill, but as I look at the pictures and read the literature, I'm wondering now if it's actually a female Semipal; the "jizz" just didn't look right for Western to me, plus it appeared to have a stronger face pattern. Again, here's the first shot, and you can just scroll forward (there are a few individual Sanderlings in the stream, too): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/116541164_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/image/116541164) Just before those peep shots is a bird that took me totally by surprise: I kept hearing an unfamiliar call note, and just shot the little LBJ that popped up and fled, not really knowing what it was until I started processing the pictures, and it looks to be a juvenile Seaside Sparrow (until told otherwise)! That was a nice addition! Other highlights of the morning include several Botteri's Sparrows still singing along Old Port Isabel Road, tons of Piping Plovers out on the beach behind the Convention Center, and a point blank Wilson's Plover along the boardwalk! The full gallery is posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Three bird lists follow: Location: Old Port Isabel Rd (Cameron Co.) Observation date: 8/25/09 Number of species: 30 (The little pond near the south end was totally dry.) Northern Bobwhite 4 Harris's Hawk 2 White-tailed Hawk 4 Crested Caracara 1 Black-bellied Plover 7 Killdeer 3 Black-necked Stilt 1 Greater Yellowlegs 3 Long-billed Curlew 10 Laughing Gull 4 Forster's Tern 1 Rock Pigeon 3 Mourning Dove 3 Common Ground-Dove 2 Common Nighthawk 3 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Great Kiskadee 2 Tropical Kingbird 1 White-eyed Vireo 1 Barn Swallow 12 Verdin 1 Cactus Wren 8 Bewick's Wren 5 Northern Mockingbird 5 Curve-billed Thrasher 3 Olive Sparrow 4 Cassin's Sparrow 1 Botteri's Sparrow 7 Eastern Meadowlark 6 Location: South Padre I.- WBC/Conv Ctr./Laguna Madre Trail (LTC 035) Observation date: 8/25/09 Number of species: 53 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 1 Mallard (Domestic type) 1 Mottled Duck 8 Brown Pelican 12 Neotropic Cormorant 1 Least Bittern 1 Great Blue Heron 6 Great Egret 6 Snowy Egret 12 Little Blue Heron 4 Tricolored Heron 15 Reddish Egret 3 Cattle Egret 1 Green Heron 4 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 3 White Ibis 12 Roseate Spoonbill 12 Osprey 1 Common Moorhen 12 Snowy Plover 1 Wilson's Plover 2 Semipalmated Plover 12 Piping Plover 15 Killdeer 6 Black-necked Stilt 8 Spotted Sandpiper 5 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Willet 15 Lesser Yellowlegs 1 Long-billed Curlew 1 Marbled Godwit 2 Ruddy Turnstone 12 Sanderling 20 Semipalmated Sandpiper 4 Western Sandpiper 20 Least Sandpiper 15 Short-billed Dowitcher 12 Laughing Gull 50 Least Tern 7 Gull-billed Tern 1 Black Tern 30 Royal Tern 12 Sandwich Tern 3 Common Nighthawk 5 Eastern Kingbird 3 Barn Swallow 6 Northern Mockingbird 4 Yellow Warbler 5 Seaside Sparrow 1 Dickcissel 2 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Great-tailed Grackle 30 Orchard Oriole 2 Location: Port Isabel Reservoir Observation date: 8/25/09 Number of species: 15 Reddish Egret 1 Roseate Spoonbill 1 Black-bellied Plover 15 Possible American Golden Plover 1 Snowy Plover 4 Semipalmated Plover 1 Piping Plover 1 Black-necked Stilt 15 Long-billed Curlew 1 Sanderling 10 Semipalmated Sandpiper 2 Western Sandpiper 20 Wilson's Phalarope 1 Laughing Gull 50 Black Skimmer 2 Mourning Dove 2 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Estero Llano Grande Pics From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:24:32 EDT Nothing earth-shattering, but a young White-faced Ibis provided some good photo ops, along with some common leps (Ranger John and I couldn't relocated the Falcate Metalmark). _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: La Sal del Rey From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:14:59 EDT Hi, all! Got there pre-dawn yesterday, although I’m still out to lunch regarding nighthawk flight levels: from what I could tell, all the nighthawks I was seeing were Common (and that’s what was calling), but they were all low-flying! (I did have a single nighthawk later that I felt comfortable calling Lesser...) The big shock throughout the entire drive was the lack of blackbirds; I didn’t see any until I was driving back to Brushline along SR 108, and even then it was just a handful of grackles! But probably the biggest surprise were three (unless the same bird followed me for a mile and a half) Beardless Tyrannulets! That certainly was a first way up there! Other than that it was pretty much the usual; had some nice raptors including a very cooperative young White-tailed Hawk, a couple of Redtails, and a couple of Harris’, along with the usual Caracaras. I was pleasantly surprised to pick up the Botteri’s Sparrow at that one corner where I had them once before (he was doing a partial song), and I was very gratified when an Alder Flycatcher made his ID easy by singing a little "fee-BE-oh!" for me! In the yard of the house at the end of the first little dead end was a covey of Bobwhite, which was neat because you rarely actually SEE them along this stretch! The western wetland along “Ranch Road” was completely dry, and the little farm pond along the eastern side was almost so, but had a few representative herons, a Stilt, and a few peeps; pulling out the scope I could definitely make out Least, and the slightly bigger, whiter ones looked dinky-billed enough (along with that little warbly call note) that I felt comfortable calling them Semipals. The sun was just right, however, for shooting some curious Olive Sparrows, titmice, and gnatcatchers! Another first for the route was Purple Martin—in spades! Upland Sandpipers called periodically overhead, as did a couple of Long-billed Curlews, and I was shocked that I hadn't had them on that route before now! There was no water whatsoever along GI Road (and no blackbirds, either; the only icterids around were Orchard Orioles and a couple of meadowlarks), and the marsh along Rio Beef Road was dry as well (it was from this point north a mile and a half that I had the tyrannulets), but there was just enough water on the western side to pick up a Spotted Sandpiper. On the way out I decided to finally check out the south stretch of Brushline Road, and found that pond everyone’s raving about—wow! That’s where I hit the jackpot, with Stilts, Avocets, Stilt Sandpipers, Wilson’s Phalaropes, Long-billed Dowitchers, more peeps (mostly Least and Western this time but an analysis of the photos did turn up one Semipal), Mottled Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, a handful of Least Grebes, and a single Pectoral Sand! In a little puddle across the street were both ibis and both yellowlegs for good comparison, and somewhere unseen a Fulvous Whistling Duck was wheezing. I’m sorry I didn’ t check this out earlier, as it would have made a great part of the La Sal del Rey Easy Birder Route! I have having problems with eBird yesterday, so here's the BirdBase list: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 8-21-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 8-21-09 to 8-21-09 Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Snowy Egret Egretta thula White Ibis Eudocimus albus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Inca Dove Columbina inca White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Purple Martin Progne subis Bank Swallow Riparia riparia Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Botteri's Sparrow Aimophila botterii Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea Dickcissel Spiza americana Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 79 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX www.miriameaglemon.com Subject: La Sal del Rey Take Two From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:15:55 EDT Forgot to include the link to the pics: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Laguna Atascosa NWR From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:41:46 EDT Hi, all! Went to Laguna Atascosa this morning; highlights include a couple of singing Botteri's Sparrows about a half mile past The Sign on General Brant Road, hordes of Purple Martins and Cave Swallows, and three Ospreys that got flagged by eBird! ;-) Other raptors included point-blank looks at a Harris's Hawk and a nice immature White-tailed, as well as White-tailed Kites. A family of Groove-billed Anis was along Buena Vista Road. Had the usual suspects along Laguna Madre (the seasonal wetlands were dry); the highlight for me along here was a calling Clapper Rail in the vegetation off-shore. Had a couple of Wilson's Plovers as well as other shorebirds and herons. Jip started acting up so I had to cut the drive short; back at the Visitor's Center the yungun's were putting on a cute show at the feeders! A BIG thunderstorm brewed along the Bayside Trail, and by the time I got back to the VC it was thundering real good--woo hoo! Even drove through some rain on the way home! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Location: Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge (LTC 024) Observation date: 8/18/09 Number of species: 67 Plain Chachalaca 20 Northern Bobwhite 1 Great Blue Heron 4 Great Egret 15 Snowy Egret 6 Little Blue Heron 1 Tricolored Heron 3 Reddish Egret 2 White Ibis 5 Turkey Vulture 6 Osprey 3 White-tailed Kite 3 Harris's Hawk 1 White-tailed Hawk 2 Crested Caracara 3 Clapper Rail 1 Black-bellied Plover 4 Wilson's Plover 3 Semipalmated Plover 1 Killdeer 1 Black-necked Stilt 5 American Avocet 5 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Willet 15 Long-billed Curlew 8 Ruddy Turnstone 1 Western Sandpiper 4 Least Sandpiper 10 Laughing Gull 30 Gull-billed Tern 7 Caspian Tern 4 Royal Tern 1 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 White-winged Dove 1 Mourning Dove 50 Common Ground-Dove 4 White-tipped Dove 7 Greater Roadrunner 5 Groove-billed Ani 4 Common Nighthawk 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 5 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 4 Brown-crested Flycatcher 2 Great Kiskadee 1 Couch's Kingbird 3 White-eyed Vireo 12 Green Jay 10 Purple Martin 40 Cave Swallow 20 Barn Swallow 12 Verdin 7 Cactus Wren 4 Carolina Wren 2 Bewick's Wren 6 Northern Mockingbird 20 Long-billed Thrasher 12 Curve-billed Thrasher 4 Olive Sparrow 20 Botteri's Sparrow 2 Lark Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 6 Eastern Meadowlark 6 Great-tailed Grackle 30 Altamira Oriole 1 House Sparrow 6 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Fwd: Tanzania Sightings July, August 2009 From: MM <oscarboy AT GMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:52:26 -0700 For the record, these are the significant sightings during a week long safari in Northern Tanzania in July/August of 2009 Trip Date: 7-29-09 to 8-5-09 Species Seen: 100 Date: 8-16-09 Description: Tarangire, Ngorongoro Forest, Lake Manyara, Manyara District, etc. Location: Tanzania (United Republic of) Ostrich Cattle Egret Gray Heron Woolly-necked Stork Hamerkop Saddle-billed Stork Marabou Stork F Spur-winged Goose F Knob-billed Duck African Fish-Eagle F Lappet-faced Vulture Gabar Goshawk Shikra F Ovampo Sparrowhawk F African Hawk-Eagle Long-crested Eagle Martial Eagle F Pygmy Falcon Helmeted Guineafowl F Hildebrandt's Francolin F Red-necked Spurfowl Yellow-necked Spurfowl F Water Thick-knee F Double-banded Courser F Collared Pratincole Common Sandpiper F Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse F Black-faced Sandgrouse F African Green-Pigeon Tambourine Dove F African Orange-bellied Parrot F Yellow-collared Lovebird Yellow-collared Lovebird F Schalow's Turaco F Purple-crested Turaco F Bare-faced Go-away-bird Klaas' Cuckoo F Yellowbill Verreaux's Eagle-Owl F Freckled Nightjar African Palm-Swift F Striped Kingfisher F Southern Ground-Hornbill F Von der Decken's Hornbill F White-eared Barbet F Spot-flanked Barbet F D'Arnaud's Barbet F Brown-backed Honeybird F Pallid Honeyguide F White-tailed Lark F Fawn-colored Lark F Red-capped Lark F Athi Short-toed Lark F Yellow-bellied Greenbul F Rueppell's Robin-Chat F Collared Palm-Thrush White-browed Scrub-Robin F Schalow's Wheatear F Capped Wheatear Common Cliff-Chat F African Bare-eyed Thrush Buff-bellied Warbler F Banded Parisoma F Trilling Cisticola F Hunter's Cisticola F Stout Cisticola Stout Cisticola F Pectoral-patch Cisticola F Black-headed Apalis F Southern Black-Flycatcher Tawny-flanked Prinia F Silverbird F Arrow-marked Babbler F Northern Pied-Babbler Scarlet-chested Sunbird F Taita Fiscal F Long-tailed Fiscal F Mbulu White-eye F Magpie Shrike F Rosy-patched Bushshrike Brubru F African Golden-Oriole F Ashy Starling F Hildebrandt's Starling . F Fischer's Starling F Swahili Sparrow F Red-billed Buffalo-Weaver F Gray-headed Social-Weaver F Rufous-tailed Weaver F Black-necked Weaver F Vitelline Masked-Weaver F Chestnut Weaver F Red-headed Quelea F Black-winged Bishop F Black Bishop Yellow-bellied Waxbill F Blue-capped Cordonbleu F Cut-throat F Black-and-white Mannikin F Brimstone Canary Thick-billed Seedeater Subject: Estero Llano Grande SP From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:57:17 EDT Hi, all! Spent the morning at Estero, birding the llano and the levee south of there as usual (the gate was open ;-)) and had tons of Stilt Sandpipers along with a few dowitchers, Leasts, stilts and avocets, and one Western Sand. Had four spoonbills fly over, and had an adult in the little wetland on the south side of the levee just west of the locked gate. Also there were a few Fulvous Whistling Ducks and more Stilt Sands. An Upland Sandpiper flew over, plus something that sure looked like a Tree Swallow to me, but they aren't supposed to be here now! (If it was a Cave I didn't catch the buffy rump patch or squared tail...) Had a single Dickcissel buzz down at the levee gate, and icterids were out the roof, gorging on the sorghum from what I could tell on the way out! Discovered a species new to science: the Crested Cowbird! ;-) Made the loop around the park and had the usual suspects; both Kyle and I commented on how the gnatcatchers seemed to have shown up a bit early! Also had a female-type Black-and-white Warbler back in the Camino de Aves area. A pair of White-tailed Kites in the trees by the Forbidden Zone was nice, and I see where they have a newly graded trail that eventually will head back in there; can't wait! :-) Orchard Orioles were going through in good numbers, and has a nice look at a Least Bittern at Ibis Pond (Dowitcher Pond is dried up). An Empid flipped around at Alligator Lake that actually looked rather like an Alder when I first saw it, but looking at what pics I could get, I'm leaning towards Least now (especially with its "whit" rather than "pit" note, although sometimes I have a hard time telling... :-P) Saw the goofiest-looking screech owl I had ever seen back there at the box as well! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Location: Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (Weslaco)(LTC 054) Observation date: 8/11/09 Number of species: 72 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 40 Fulvous Whistling-Duck 4 Mottled Duck 2 Plain Chachalaca 6 Northern Bobwhite 5 Least Grebe 12 Pied-billed Grebe 1 Neotropic Cormorant 2 Anhinga 1 Least Bittern 3 Great Egret 4 Snowy Egret 3 Little Blue Heron 1 Tricolored Heron 3 Green Heron 3 Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 White Ibis 2 White-faced Ibis 2 Roseate Spoonbill 5 White-tailed Kite 2 Cooper's Hawk 1 Common Moorhen 12 American Coot 3 Killdeer 6 Black-necked Stilt 12 American Avocet 4 Solitary Sandpiper 1 Greater Yellowlegs 2 Lesser Yellowlegs 5 Upland Sandpiper 1 Western Sandpiper 1 Least Sandpiper 15 Stilt Sandpiper 40 Long-billed Dowitcher 12 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1 White-winged Dove 400 Mourning Dove 30 Inca Dove 2 Common Ground-Dove 5 White-tipped Dove 7 Groove-billed Ani 1 Eastern Screech-Owl 1 Common Nighthawk 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 7 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 15 Empidonax sp. 4 (probable Least) Brown-crested Flycatcher 1 Great Kiskadee 5 Tropical Kingbird 1 Couch's Kingbird 6 White-eyed Vireo 4 Green Jay 1 Purple Martin 1 Cave Swallow 2 Barn Swallow 4 Black-crested Titmouse 1 Bewick's Wren 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 Northern Mockingbird 12 Long-billed Thrasher 4 Curve-billed Thrasher 6 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 4 Dickcissel 1 Red-winged Blackbird 1000 Great-tailed Grackle 500 Bronzed Cowbird 40 Orchard Oriole 10 Lesser Goldfinch 4 House Sparrow 20 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) Subject: Quinta Mazatlan, Anzalduas, & River Roads From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 19:20:51 EDT Hi, all! Took Pamela and Cindy around for one last day in the Valley; they met me at Quinta Mazatlan and missed the Red-crowned Parrots by three minutes! :-( The parakeets put on a great show, however, especially a pair investigating a hole near the Screech Owl tree (with which the girls were delighted--the Screech Owl, that is...). A few migrants were still around: we managed to find a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Wilson's and Magnolia Warblers, a Swainson's Thrush, and the girls each found a Mourning Warbler, both of which I missed! :-P The Chachalacas showed off as promised. We decided to stop at Anzalduas to try for the Beardless Tyrannulet, and we finally found one as we were heading out of the park! A Clay-colored Robin also posed and then started bouncing along the lawn like an American! We glimpsed the Gray Hawk being harassed by one of the kingbirds in the back section. We then blasted over to Salieno where we picked up both kingfishers and a Bullock's Oriole, but no Audubon's. A screaming Red-shouldered Hawk was a highlight for the girls, but the only other raptor we picked up along the river (besides TVs) was a Swainson's Hawk. We spent a little time at Larry's new "hawk tower" at Chapeno, where the only duck was a Mottled and the only oriole was a Hooded. We also had a young Orchard Oriole. What meager pics I got are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Full bird list below: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 5-19-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 5-19-09 to 5-19-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Egret Ardea alba Snowy Egret Egretta thula Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Inca Dove Columbina inca White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Green Parakeet Aratinga holochlora Red-crowned Parrot Amazona viridigenalis Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Camptostoma imberbe Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis Purple Martin Progne subis Bank Swallow Riparia riparia Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus Clay-colored Thrush Turdus grayi Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 70 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221823248x1201398651/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=May Excfooter51609NO62) Subject: Masked Ducks @ Laguna Atascosa From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 20:58:34 EDT Hi, all! Yes, they're still there, in the center of Alligator Pond and generally being pretty cooperative! I took Pamela and Cindy, two sisters visiting the area, out there and we also had a handful of migrants, including Chestnut-sided and Magnolia Warblers (I didn't see the latter), Red-eyed Vireo, and Eastern Kingbird and Wood Pewee. Another treat at Alligator Pond was a flyover Mississippi Kite! We started the day along the south end of Old Port Isabel Road where both Cassin's and Botteri's Sparrows showed up, and working our way to the big pond on the left we had a good selection of waders and shorebirds, including breeding-plumaged Stilt Sandpipers and Wilson's Phalaropes. A flock of White-rumped Sandpipers flew about and gave us identifiable looks! Heading back out we found a distant Aplomado Falcon, so the girls were happy! Back at Laguna Atascosa, we skipped the Bayside Drive, but on the way out (along General Brandt Road) we stopped at a wetland that had a lingering pair of Lesser Scaups and Redhead! Complete bird list below: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 5-18-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 5-18-09 to 5-18-09 Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Redhead Aythya americana Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Masked Duck Nomonyx dominica Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Snowy Egret Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis White Ibis Eudocimus albus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis Harris' Hawk Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Aplomado Falcon Falco femoralis Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis Dunlin Calidris alpina Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Bank Swallow Riparia riparia Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Verdin Auriparus flaviceps Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas Chihuahuan Raven European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Botteri's Sparrow Aimophila botterii Cassin's Sparrow Aimophila cassinii Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 92 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322941x1201367178/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =Mayfooter51809NO115) Subject: Masked Ducks Take Two From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 20:59:41 EDT I forgot the link to the pics: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322941x1201367178/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =Mayfooter51809NO115) Subject: Bentsen SP From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 18:54:43 EDT Hi, all! Made a quick scouting trip to Bentsen this morning; highlights included a couple of low-flying Lesser Nighthawks, the singing Gray Hawk, a pair of Ringed Kingfishers at the boat ramp, my first Roseate Spoonbills for the park flying overhead, several Beardless Tyrannulets, and Mrs. Clay-colored gathering mud for the nest at Kiskadee Blind! Yellow-billed Cuckoos appear to be back in force, and several anis were at the hawk tower, along with grebes, ibis, a White-tailed Kite, and a Caracara. Back at the office Jose showed me an injured Purple Gallinule he found at the gate that I wound up taking to the rehabber. A female Painted Bunting also knocked herself out at a window, but she recovered nicely. Not many pics, but what I got are here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird List: Location: Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. SP WBC (Mission)(LTC 069) Observation date: 5/12/09 Notes: The Purple Gallinule was found injured at the park gate. Number of species: 58 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 9 Mottled Duck 4 Blue-winged Teal 4 Plain Chachalaca 15 Northern Bobwhite 1 Least Grebe 8 Pied-billed Grebe 10 Little Blue Heron 3 Green Heron 1 White Ibis 15 White-faced Ibis 2 Roseate Spoonbill 6 White-tailed Kite 1 Gray Hawk 1 Crested Caracara 1 Purple Gallinule 1 Common Moorhen 3 American Coot 20 Black-necked Stilt 1 White-winged Dove 20 Mourning Dove 5 White-tipped Dove 20 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 6 Greater Roadrunner 1 Groove-billed Ani 6 Lesser Nighthawk 2 Ringed Kingfisher 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 15 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 5 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 4 Brown-crested Flycatcher 7 Great Kiskadee 10 Couch's Kingbird 12 Western Kingbird 1 White-eyed Vireo 1 Green Jay 8 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 Bank Swallow 15 Cliff Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 12 Black-crested Titmouse 1 Verdin 1 Marsh Wren 1 Clay-colored Thrush 5 Northern Mockingbird 15 Long-billed Thrasher 5 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Olive Sparrow 20 Northern Cardinal 15 Blue Grosbeak 1 Indigo Bunting 1 Painted Bunting 1 Red-winged Blackbird 6 Great-tailed Grackle 10 Bronzed Cowbird 20 Hooded Oriole 1 Altamira Oriole 6 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322936x1201367173/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =Mayfooter51209NO115) Subject: Masked Ducks & Hudsonian Godwits @ Laguna Atascosa From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 18:10:54 EDT Hi, all! Sorry for the late report but was out all day yesterday and this morning... Went on a scouting trip in Cameron County yesterday that included Old Port Isabel Road, South Padre, and Laguna Atascosa. Cassin's Sparrows were out the wazoo on OPIR, and a beautiful Aplomado Falcon perched not too far past the railroad tracks near the south end of the road (heading north). Unfortunately there was too little light (even with the flash) to get a clear shot. Also had a Botteri's Sparrow singing about 4.5 miles up the road, which is still in great shape. Highlights at South Padre include the continuing Purple Gallinule, calling Clapper Rails, and a great show by a Roseate Spoonbill and a Reddish Egret. Had a good larid and shorebird collection as well, including at least ten Common Terns (eBird flagged me at a dozen...). Migrants were scarce: had a Yellow Warbler, Northern Parula, and a young Orchard Oriole. There was nothing except grackles at Sheepshead. The two female-type Masked Ducks continue at Alligator Pond at Laguna Atascosa, although the lilies (or whatever they are) are growing up fast, so it won't be long until they'll have lots of places to hide! Before hiking over there, a flock of at least 20 Hudsonian Godwits flew overhead and then caught a thermal! A pair of Wilson's Plovers were along the shoreline of the laguna right across from the Alligator Pond observation deck, but the alligators were in the laguna! The little wetland along the road to that area had several Stilt Sandpipers along with the usual. The Bayside Loop was pretty quiet; there's still some water at the first pullout after the road forks, which had several White Pelicans, coots, and egrets. Coming back around, however, that large part of Pelican Lake that was flooded by Dolly and provided such great shorebird and duck habitat is now dry as a bone. The link to the pics is here; I'll post the bird lists in a separate message: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_mon) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322936x1201367173/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =Mayfooter51209NO115) Subject: Birds Lists from Yesterday From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 18:12:32 EDT Location: Old Port Isabel Rd (Cameron Co.) Observation date: 5/11/09 Number of species: 43 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 15 Mottled Duck 12 Blue-winged Teal 1 Northern Shoveler 2 Northern Bobwhite 8 White-faced Ibis 4 Roseate Spoonbill 6 White-tailed Kite 1 Harris's Hawk 2 White-tailed Hawk 1 Crested Caracara 2 Aplomado Falcon 1 American Coot 30 Black-bellied Plover 1 Killdeer 2 Black-necked Stilt 1 Willet 8 Whimbrel 1 Long-billed Curlew 2 Wilson's Phalarope 4 Laughing Gull 15 Gull-billed Tern 7 Mourning Dove 5 Common Nighthawk 9 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1 Brown-crested Flycatcher 2 White-eyed Vireo 3 Chihuahuan Raven 2 Bank Swallow 2 Barn Swallow 12 Cactus Wren 2 Bewick's Wren 2 Northern Mockingbird 9 Long-billed Thrasher 3 Olive Sparrow 5 Cassin's Sparrow 20 Botteri's Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird 15 Eastern Meadowlark 20 Great-tailed Grackle 9 Bronzed Cowbird 1 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Location: South Padre I.- WBC/Conv Ctr./Laguna Madre Trail (LTC 035) Observation date: 5/11/09 Number of species: 53 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Mottled Duck 3 Blue-winged Teal 1 Brown Pelican 8 Neotropic Cormorant 3 Least Bittern 1 Great Blue Heron 6 Snowy Egret 1 Little Blue Heron 2 Tricolored Heron 5 Reddish Egret 2 Green Heron 1 White Ibis 15 Roseate Spoonbill 1 Osprey 1 Clapper Rail 2 Purple Gallinule 1 Common Moorhen 5 Semipalmated Plover 1 Killdeer 2 Black-necked Stilt 2 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Willet 7 Lesser Yellowlegs 2 Ruddy Turnstone 7 Sanderling 3 Dunlin 30 Short-billed Dowitcher 30 Laughing Gull 20 Herring Gull 1 Least Tern 2 Caspian Tern 2 Common Tern 10 Royal Tern 30 Sandwich Tern 12 Black Skimmer 15 Inca Dove 2 Willow Flycatcher 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 Bank Swallow 1 Cave Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 6 Marsh Wren 1 Northern Mockingbird 2 Northern Parula 1 Yellow Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Red-winged Blackbird 3 Great-tailed Grackle 15 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Orchard Oriole 1 House Sparrow 3 Location: Laguna Atascosa NWR (LTC 024) Observation date: 5/11/09 Number of species: 71 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 4 Fulvous Whistling-Duck 2 Blue-winged Teal 5 Northern Shoveler 3 Masked Duck 2 Ruddy Duck 1 Plain Chachalaca 3 Northern Bobwhite 3 Least Grebe 4 Pied-billed Grebe 2 American White Pelican 15 Brown Pelican 2 cormorant sp. 5 Great Blue Heron 12 Great Egret 12 Snowy Egret 2 Tricolored Heron 2 White Ibis 8 White-faced Ibis 3 Roseate Spoonbill 20 Turkey Vulture 8 White-tailed Kite 1 Harris's Hawk 2 Crested Caracara 2 Common Moorhen 4 American Coot 100 Black-bellied Plover 1 Wilson's Plover 2 Black-necked Stilt 3 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Willet 3 Lesser Yellowlegs 3 Long-billed Curlew 5 Hudsonian Godwit 20 Dunlin 5 Stilt Sandpiper 12 Short-billed/Long-billed Dowitcher 20 Wilson's Phalarope 6 Laughing Gull 20 Gull-billed Tern 3 Caspian Tern 5 Royal Tern 10 Mourning Dove 12 Common Ground-Dove 4 White-tipped Dove 10 Greater Roadrunner 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 7 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2 Great Kiskadee 3 White-eyed Vireo 5 Green Jay 3 Bank Swallow 5 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Verdin 2 Bewick's Wren 1 Northern Mockingbird 20 Long-billed Thrasher 15 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 European Starling 1 Tennessee Warbler 1 Yellow Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 7 Cassin's Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 15 Red-winged Blackbird 20 Eastern Meadowlark 12 Great-tailed Grackle 30 Bronzed Cowbird 20 Brown-headed Cowbird 4 House Sparrow 3 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322936x1201367173/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =Mayfooter51209NO115) Subject: Quinta & Hidalgo Bird Lists From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 21:06:08 EDT Location: Quinta Mazatlan WBC (McAllen) (LTC 063) Observation date: 5/8/09 Number of species: 41 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 3 Plain Chachalaca 12 Rock Pigeon 2 White-winged Dove 20 Mourning Dove 1 Inca Dove 5 Common Ground-Dove 1 White-tipped Dove 4 Green Parakeet 8 Red-crowned Parrot 2 Eastern Screech-Owl 1 Chuck-will's-widow 1 Chimney Swift 3 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 8 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 9 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Brown-crested Flycatcher 5 Great Kiskadee 2 Couch's Kingbird 1 Green Jay 1 Purple Martin 1 Cliff Swallow 1 Barn Swallow 1 Carolina Wren 2 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 7 Long-billed Thrasher 3 Curve-billed Thrasher 3 European Starling 5 Northern Parula 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 4 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird 2 Great-tailed Grackle 7 Bronzed Cowbird 3 Brown-headed Cowbird 2 Bullock's/Baltimore Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 30 Location: Old Hidalgo Pumphouse (WBC) (LTC067) Observation date: 5/8/09 Number of species: 21 White-tailed Kite 1 Forster's Tern 1 Rock Pigeon 6 White-winged Dove 5 Mourning Dove 3 Inca Dove 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3 Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2 Black Phoebe 1 Great Kiskadee 2 Couch's Kingbird 1 Western Kingbird 1 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 4 European Starling 3 Northern Cardinal 1 Great-tailed Grackle 10 Bronzed Cowbird 4 Lesser Goldfinch 1 House Sparrow 6 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322931x1201367171/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =May5509AvgfooterNO115) Subject: Quinta Mazatlan & Hidalgo Pumphouse From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 21:04:46 EDT Hi, all! The parrots and parakeets were very active at Quinta this morning, with several pairs investigating nestholes. I ran into John and Tim Brush later, and Tim had noticed that one of the Red-crowned Parrots had a broken chain on its leg (oops), and sure enough, the one I photo'd happened to be the one with the chain! Miriam behind the desk pointed me to the Screech Owl hole, and warbler-wise just had a Northern Parula and the continuing Wilson's. Tim and John had a Mourning Warbler at the water feature just north of the "Sulphurbelly Tree", and waiting a few minutes at the Amphitheater Feeders yielded Green Jay and a Clay-colored Thrush raiding the PB log. At Hidalgo Pumphouse added two new birds for my list there: White-tailed Kite and Forster's Tern! Got a glimpse of the Black Phoebe, and despite the wind several leps were flying, including some very worn and beat-up Southern Broken Dashes and several Cyna Blues. Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Just to be safe I'll put the bird lists in a separate post. Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322931x1201367171/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=115&bcd =May5509AvgfooterNO115) Subject: GTBC Highlights (for our RGV team...) From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 3 May 2009 21:42:01 EDT Hi, all! Huck Hutchins and I joined Clay Taylor in the Great Texas Birding Classic yesterday (Saturday) and had a ball running from Bentsen several hours pre-dawn to Falcon and then all the way back to SPI, with several stops in between! I'll leave the gory details to the team captain (if he wants ;-)), but personally I had several highlights: My state Elf Owl (finally) at Bentsen Trilling Lesser Nighthawks along the road to Fronton A gorgeous flyby adult Muscovy at Chapeno Clay-colored Sparrow and Vermilion Flycatcher at Falcon County Park A late Kestrel bombing a Caracara near Falcon Dam A very cooperative Texas Spiny Lizard in the Quinta Mazatlan parking lot Being shown the Yellow-crowned Night Heron nests at Valley Nature Center that were probably there all along but I never noticed... Several Buff-breasted Sandpipers (another state bird, and the first I've seen since getting my one life bird in San Diego a bazillion years ago) at the Progresso Sod Farms Not one, but TWO in-your-face Screech Owls at Estero Llano A Least Bittern and Sora in plain view, also at Estero Llano Grande Aplomado Falcon along Old Port Isabel Road (and the fact that it was actually SMOOTH for the first time in my memory!!!) The continuing Purple Gallinule at the Convention Center Getting to see old friends and make new ones during the course of the day! Pics for the day are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) Thanks again to Clay for inviting me and to both he and Huck for helping to make it a great day of fun and fellowship! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************The Average US Credit Score is 692. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1222376998x1201454298/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=M ay5309AvgfooterNO62) Subject: Day 9 - Aransas NWR From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2009 10:06:19 EDT Hi, all! Stopped at Aransas NWR on the way home yesterday, hoping to see a few more migrants, but I guess the weather and time of month (?) didn't cooperate. Was glad to pick up Swainson's Warbler for the year (easy to at least hear there in the spring), and there were still oodles of Indigo Buntings around, but the only other songbirds of note I had were Northern Parula and Waterthrush. Probably the most interesting sighting was a pair of Great Kiskadees by Jones Lake (or Non-Lake as the case may be, as the whole of the tour route was dry as a bone)! Along the Rail Trail had a Sora right out in the open, and several Least Bitterns gave their contact call, but wouldn't show themselves. The wind felt like gale force, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a big fat Palamedes Swallowtail fighting tenaciously for a thistle along the tour route! Little did I know that several of these beauties would float by at various points in the refuge; one meager patch of thistles by the visitor's center had no less than three different swallowtail species vying for a spot! In back, however, was a large flower patch that had mostly Checkered Whites with a few of what I'm assuming were Orange Sulphurs, as they wouldn't settle down for a look. Also had some odes that the best guess was Thornbush Dasher and Seaside Dragonlet, plus a weird little bug on the Dagger Point Trail that I'm presuming is a Robber Fly of some kind. I thought a small snake along the tour route might have been a young Cottonmouth, as it spread its head and hissed at me as I passed, but checking the book, the best match appears to be Florida Water Snake. Mammal-wise, the place was lousy with White-tailed Deer, kicked up a few Peccaries, and nearly had another road-killed Armadillo (the vultures were making short work of a previous one...). Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/aransas_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/aransas) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-29-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-29-09 to 4-29-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Brown Pelican Great Egret Ardea alba Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Cattle Egret Green Heron Butorides virescens LEAST BITTERN Ixobrychus exilis Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Sora Porzana carolina Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus LONG-BILLED CURLEW Numenius americanus Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris GREAT KISKADEE Pitangus sulphuratus Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Northern Parula Parula americana SWAINSON’S WARBLER Limnothlypis swainsonii NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH Seiurus noveboracensis Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 48 SPECIES For the trip: 179 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Big savings on Dell XPS Laptops and Desktops!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219491521x1201306563/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.double click.net%2Fclk%3B214102108%3B35952091%3Bs) Subject: Galveston Island From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 18:38:20 EDT Hi, all! The main purpose of the last two days was to enjoy visiting with my sister-in-law Audrey and her friend Diane, so birding bookended that activity! Yesterday morning I discovered to my chagrin that the state park was only open on weekends (good thing I got in early Sunday to check it out), so I pulled out the handy dandy Texas Wildlife Trail Map, primarily wanting to check out the famous Lefitte's Cove for migrants. On the way to finding it I stumbled upon a beautiful wetland with Roseate Spoonbills, along with the requisite Laughing Gulls and egrets and ibis. I also found Nottingham Ranch Road, so decided to check that out first, adding a Whimbrel to the trip list and hearing plenty of Upland Sandpipers. The nature trail at Lefitte's Cove was absolutely beautiful; the neighborhood was gorgeous (how wonderful to be able to LIVE there and bird the area every day!), and had a nice marsh complete with Green, Tricolored, and Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Marsh Wrens, Mottled Ducks, Blue-winged Teal, and Neotropic Cormorants in their breeding finery. I don't know what the woodlands looked like before Ike, but even with some of the trees stripped bare, there was still good thick woodland that, while not dripping with migrants as I had hoped, still had a female Blue Grosbeak and a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Checking out their dirt nature trail I scared up a Solitary Sandpiper in the mud. Worked backwards to 8-mile and Sportsmen's Roads, where one spot had several dancing Reddish Egrets, Forster's and Gull-billed Terns, Dunlin, a Short-billed Dowitcher, and a couple of Semipalmated Plovers that came wheeling in just before I left! Further down Clapper Rails sounded off, and I was getting ready to give up hope for the target Seaside Sparrow when I finally had one singing at the very end of Sportsmen's Road! Stopped at Moody Gardens to check out their butterfly garden, but only scared up a White-winged Dove. A walk on the beach with Audrey and Diane later added Ruddy Turnstone and Sanderlings to the trip list. After some jokes about Alfred Hitchcock and the gulls, we pigged out at Landry's, Ben and Jerry's, and a seafood joint that I've forgotten the name of... After breakfast this morning and kissing goodbye, I wanted to check out Lefitte's Cove once again as we had had a tremendous thunder boomer last night. I ran into four other birders who had the same idea :-) but although I saw more than yesterday, it wasn't a fallout. A local lady (who's moving to the Valley shortly) pointed out a Summer Tanager to me, and another gentleman reported a Black-and-white and some Cape May Warblers. We definitely had a Downy Woodpecker call, but I could have sworn I also heard the harsher laugh of the Ladder-backed Woodpecker, but since they're not supposed to be in Galveston County I let that one go, as I couldn't get a visual. The Blue Jays were vocal, so it was nice to get that for the trip! The skeeters finally drove the ladies back to their cars, but I continued on and found the Black-and-white, but got Hooded Warbler and American Redstart instead of the Cape Mays. In addition had two more Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, a pair of Baltimore Orioles, and several Indigo Buntings. Headed south after that, now at Port Lavaca with plans to hit Aransas tomorrow! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/galveston_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/galveston) Bird list for the last two days: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-28-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-27-09 to 4-28-09 Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba REDDISH EGRET Egretta rufescens Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Snowy Egret Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Green Heron Butorides virescens Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea White Ibis Eudocimus albus ROSEATE SPOONBILL Platalea ajaja Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus SEMIPALMATED PLOVER Charadrius semipalmatus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER Limnodromus griseus WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda SOLITARY SANDPIPER Tringa solitaria Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes RUDDY TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres SANDERLING Calidris alba Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla DUNLIN Calidris alpina Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Least Tern Sternula antillarum GULL-BILLED TERN Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Purple Martin Progne subis Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus BLUE JAY Cyanocitta cristata American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia AMERICAN REDSTART Setophaga ruticilla Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas HOODED WARBLER Wilsonia citrine Summer Tanager SEASIDE SPARROW Ammodramus maritimus Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK Pheucticus ludovicianus Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater BALTIMORE ORIOLE Icterus galbula 75 SPECIES So far: 174 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221621499x1201450105/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Apr ilExcScore428NO62) Subject: Bird List from Attwater & Galveston Take Two From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2009 19:18:51 EDT I got an error message saying this post was over 500 lines long (!!!), but it obviously isn't, so I'm trying again... Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-26-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-26-09 to 4-26-09 Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps BROWN PELICAN Pelecanus occidentalis NEOTROPIC CORMORANT Phalacrocorax brasilianus GREAT BLUE HERON Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba TRICOLORED HERON Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea SNOWY EGRET Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Green Heron Butorides virescens YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nyctanassa violacea White Ibis Eudocimus albus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura OSPREY Pandion haliaetus WHITE-TAILED KITE Elanus leucurus NORTHERN HARRIER Circus cyaneus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway CLAPPER RAIL Rallus longirostris Sora Porzana carolina Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus UPLAND SANDPIPER Bartramia longicauda Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca WILLET Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla LAUGHING GULL Leucophaeus atricilla LEAST TERN Sternula antillarum CASPIAN TERN Hydroprogne caspia FORSTER’S TERN Sterna forsteri ROYAL TERN Thalasseus maximus Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura COMMON NIGHTHAWK Chordeiles minor Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus EASTERN KINGBIRD Tyrannus tyrannus Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Brown-crested Flycatcher NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW Stelgidopteryx serripennis Purple Martin Progne subis BANK SWALLOW Riparia riparia Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus SEDGE WREN Cistothorus platensis MARSH WREN Cistothorus palustris Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus BLACKPOLL WARBLER Dendroica striata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Cassin's Sparrow Aimophila cassinii Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis GRASSHOPPER SPARROW Ammodramus savannarum Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna COMMON GRACKLE Quiscalus quiscula Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater ORCHARD ORIOLE Icterus spurius 83 SPECIES So far: 158 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221621499x1201450105/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Apr ilExcScore428NO62) Subject: Poss Glossy Ibis & Brown-crested Flycatcher @ Attwater PC NWR From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:25:55 EDT Hi, all! I'm literally prying my eyes open, so I'll hit the highlights: returned to Attwater this morning and picked up several new birds singing such as Sedge Wren and Grasshopper Sparrow. An ibis in with a flock of White-faced looked to have a rather bluish face, so I'm hoping those who know better than I can provide some input after looking at the pictures (see below). The flycatcher was along the Pipit Trail, along the fenceline, past where the main trail veers to the left (I went straight to check out the flowers for leps, and that's where the bird was, by the little pond). At first I thought it was an Ash-throated (which would be more expected according to their checklist, although that would be a vagrant, too), but the rufous in the tail went clear to the end. Unfortunately, except for a soft "pup", it didn't vocalize. In the lep department I had an unmarked brown skipper with pale fringes that I'm assuming is a Swarthy until told otherwise... I was pleasantly surprised to see Galveston State Park open, although many of the trails were flooded. I ran into a local birding couple who explained that the tall trees had been pretty much killed by in influx of salt water, and the proliferation of grasses and flowers was the aftermath of a controlled burn to get rid of the trash that had blown in. Even on a sunny day those trees along the road where the Clapper Rail Trail is were great for migrants, as I had a pair each of Blackpoll Warblers, Eastern Kingbirds, and Orchard Orioles! I'm curious to see what tomorrow's storm will cause to stick around! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/attwater_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/attwater) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-26-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-26-09 to 4-26-09 Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors NORTHERN SHOVELER Anas clypeata Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps BROWN PELICAN Pelecanus occidentalis NEOTROPIC CORMORANT Phalacrocorax brasilianus GREAT BLUE HERON Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba TRICOLORED HERON Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea SNOWY EGRET Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Green Heron Butorides virescens YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON Nyctanassa violacea White Ibis Eudocimus albus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura OSPREY Pandion haliaetus WHITE-TAILED KITE Elanus leucurus NORTHERN HARRIER Circus cyaneus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway CLAPPER RAIL Rallus longirostris Sora Porzana carolina Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus Killdeer Charadrius vociferus UPLAND SANDPIPER Bartramia longicauda Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca WILLET Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla LAUGHING GULL Leucophaeus atricilla LEAST TERN Sternula antillarum CASPIAN TERN Hydroprogne caspia FORSTER’S TERN Sterna forsteri ROYAL TERN Thalasseus maximus Rock Pigeon Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura COMMON NIGHTHAWK Chordeiles minor Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus EASTERN KINGBIRD Tyrannus tyrannus Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Brown-crested Flycatcher NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW Stelgidopteryx serripennis Purple Martin Progne subis BANK SWALLOW Riparia riparia Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus SEDGE WREN Cistothorus platensis MARSH WREN Cistothorus palustris Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus BLACKPOLL WARBLER Dendroica striata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Cassin's Sparrow Aimophila cassinii Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis GRASSHOPPER SPARROW Ammodramus savannarum Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna COMMON GRACKLE Quiscalus quiscula Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater ORCHARD ORIOLE Icterus spurius 83 SPECIES So far: 158 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy steps!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220814855x1201410739/aol?red ir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=A prilfooter426NO62) Subject: Palmetto SP & Attwater PC NWR From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 21:47:02 EDT Hi, all! It was pitch black when I left the motel this morning, but it was fun to hear the constant buzzes of Dickcissels going overhead! Got to Palmetto SP just before dawn, where the Cardinals were going berserk, almost drowning out the Carolina Wrens and White-eyed Vireos! A nice surprise was a hooting Barred Owl, but alas the Crow beat him out as bird #100 for the trip... A huge roost of Cattle Egrets was lifting off the San Marcos River, and Indigo Buntings were tuning up in the open field. One of the roads was particularly lush and had the usual southern woodland songsters. After checking out the roads I went back to the headquarters building and hiked the trail there to the oxbow lake. Scared up a Green Heron, a couple of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, a Spotted Towhee, and the first Yellowthroat of the trip along here, and on the way back was nearly attacked by what looked like a good Tufted Titmouse this time, with the black forehead! Scared up a Catbird along the creek trail in the tent campground, and enjoyed the nesting Cliff Swallows at the bridge. At least one Cave Swallow was also in the bunch. The next set of trails was back along that lush road. Parking in the picnic area I did the entire "Hiking Trail", picking up a Downy Woodpecker just before the trailhead. It looks like they're in the process of improving the trail; it led down to the river, where they may be getting ready to build a bridge, as there's the beginnings of a good trail on the other side! Sitting for five added another Barred Owl, and this one I actually got to see, albeit briefly in flight! Several odes were about, and I made best guesses on two of them (except for this brown damsel that I have no clue on). Part of the trail went through mesquite woodland, where there were Painted Buntings. Hiked a little of the River Trail, where I came upon this iridescent tiger beetle with white spots. There were more Weekend Warriors along this stretch than there were birds; got on the wrong side of the fence coming back, where there were some nice checkered skippers in the flowers, but had to crawl under the fence back at the group picnic area! A Great Crested Flycatcher sat out in the open fro my troubles... A quick run through the Palmetto Trail was very pretty, but didn't produce anything new. Headed east towards Sealy after that and arrived at the Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR around 2:00. It had been dreary and breezy all day, again threatening to rain, with patches of sunshine here and there, so listening along the entrance and tour roads was sometimes tough. But as in years past, there was a Dickcissel (or two or three or four) every five feet! One of them morphed into a Savannah Sparrow, and near the Pipit Trail was thrilled to hear (and finally see) a Cassin's Sparrow skylarking! What I thought was a Harrier at first turned out to be a Swainson's Hawk with a particularly bright white band on the rump; there were several floating around and hunting, including at least one immature bird. Heading around to the wetlands, the Green Herons were out the wazoo, and picked up a number of water birds to pad the trip list. A Sora skittled along the bank and into the marsh, but the highlight was a Purple Gallinule that flew a good ways before finally plopping down into the reeds! A pair of Pied-billed Grebes was right by the road (I never noticed a difference in bill size in the sexes before, but apparently there is one), and several Fulvous Whitsling Ducks were further out. At one point I was yanking out an apple when I swore I heard a Least Grebe trumpet, and sure enough, there he was out among the lily pads! A group of Turkey vultures had a single young Caracara in with them, and picked up the requisite White-tailed Hawk on the south leg. Another stop produced both Lincoln's and Swamp Sparrow, plus a snake that struck me as a Banded Water Snake (I forgot to bring my reptile book in, so I'm just guessing...) Headed in to Sealy and was all settled in when the rain storm hit! Pics for the day are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/palmetto_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/palmetto) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-25-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-25-09 to 4-25-09 FULVOUS WHISTLING DUCK Dendrocygna bicolor BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCK Dendrocygna autumnalis MOTTLED DUCK Anas fulvigula BLUE-WINGED TEAL Anas discors NORTHERN BOBWHITE Colinus virginianus LEAST GREBE Tachybaptus dominicus PIED-BILLED GREBE Podilymbus podiceps GREAT EGRET Ardea alba LITTLE BLUE HERON Egretta caerulea Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis GREEN HERON Butorides virescens WHITE IBIS Eudocimus albus WHITE-FACED IBIS Plegadis chihi Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus SWAINSON’S HAWK Buteo swainsoni White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway SORA Porzana carolina PURPLE GALLINULE Porphyrio martinica COMMON MOORHEN Gallinula chloropus AMERICAN COOT Fulica americana BLACK-NECKED STILT Himantopus mexicanus KILLDEER Charadrius vociferus GREATER YELLOWLEGS Tringa melanoleuca LESSER YELLOWLEGS Tringa flavipes LEAST SANDPIPER Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Inca Dove Columbina inca BARRED OWL Strix varia Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus DOWNY WOODPECKER Picoides pubescens Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus Purple Martin Progne subis Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus GRAY CATBIRD Dumetella carolinensis Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis TUFTED TITMOUSE Baeolophus bicolor Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus AMERICAN CROW Corvus brachyrhynchos House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Northern Parula Parula americana COMMON YELLOWTHROAT Geothlypis trichas Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus CASSIN’S SPARROW Aimophila cassinii SAVANNAH SPARROW Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii SWAMP SPARROW Melospiza georgiana Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus EASTERN MEADOWLARK Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 72 SPECIES So far: 129 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Check all of your email inboxes from anywhere on the web. Try the new Email Toolbar now! (http://toolbar.aol.com/mail/download.html?ncid=txtlnkusdown00000027) Subject: White-tipped Dove @ Government Canyon SP (Hill Country Part 4) From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:01:35 EDT Hi, all! That was definitely the highlight today: from the C Parking Lot, take the Multiuse Trail and veer right at your first opportunity; the bird was singing not five minutes in, on the right, probably 30 feet or so into the woods. This was one of those times I wish I had a recording device, as the bird naturally never showed itself, but that Coke-bottle "who-HOOOO!" is unmistakable! I consulted the TOS Handbook, and while it confirmed that the WTDO occasionally wanders this far north, they didn't mention any records for Bexar County, so I hope this bird sticks around for the locals to chase and confirm! It was threatening to rain all day, and I did get spit on a little, but in all was able to hike a little at all the trailheads. Other highlights include both Pine Siskins and Dickcissels flying overhead (one of the latter actually gave a little bit of his song in addition to the obnoxious buzz), and a singing Yellow-breasted Chat and Spotted Towhee along the Recharge Trail. Even had a couple of Golden-cheeked Warblers giving a buzzy song, but they weren't nearly as numerous here as at other places. Surprisingly leps were pretty active, with several Reakirt's Blues, Sleepy Oranges, and a Northern Cloudywing. Had a real weird-looking female Dun Skipper that had a white crescent on her hindwing! After finishing that up got a taste of San Antonio traffic with several accidents along the 1604 loop, then headed over to Lockhart State Park. This place actually has a golf course!! Looking at their little checklist, I noticed they evidently had both titmice, and sure enough, near the campground I heard something different, and I initially thought the gray-crested birds I had were Tufted, but then noticed they didn't have the black forehead! Upon closer inspection they had the light forehead (actually buffy on one bird) of the Black-crested but the crest was definitely NOT black, yet not quite as light gray as the rest of the upperparts. So I'm assuming I had a couple of hybrids. I was also chagrined to see they had both Golden-fronted and Red-bellied Woodpeckers on their list, but after hearing nothing but Golden-fronteds for over a year in the Valley, the bird I heard calling DID sound different: a little lower and more robust, with a slight upward inflection to the "laugh". Up the hill is a rec hall (which was dead abandoned while I was up there) that nonetheless had a pretty view of part of the golf course. Along the road I was attacked by a pair of Carolina Chickadees and a Northern Parula! Also flushed a Red-shouldered Hawk with lunch. They have a couple of trails through the woods and I had time to check out one of them, that went by a stream with several sliders who saw me long before I saw them! Very few birds along this trail except for a curious House Wren, but did have a pair of mating damsels that the best match seems to be Kiowa, and another odd damsel with brownish wings that I'm calling a female American Rubyspot until told otherwise... Headed in to Lockhart for the night after that, not quite making 100 for the trip! Pics for the day are here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/govt_canyon_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/govt_canyon) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-24-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-24-09 to 4-24-09 CATTLE EGRET Bubulcus ibis Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Inca Dove Columbina inca WHITE-TIPPED DOVE Leptotila verreauxi Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Archilochus Hummingbird Archilochus sp. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER Melanerpes carolinus Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus Purple Martin Progne subis Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica CLIFF SWALLOW Petrochelidon pyrrhonota Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii House Wren Troglodytes aedon Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis TUFTED x Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor x atricristatus Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Common Raven Corvus corax House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla Northern Parula Parula americana Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens Summer Tanager Piranga rubra SPOTTED TOWHEE Pipilo maculatus Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Dickcissel Spiza americana Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Great-tailed Grackle Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 47 SPECIES So far: 99 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************The Average US Credit Score is 692. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221421330x1201417418/aol?redi r=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072&hmpgID=62&bcd=Ap rilAvgfooter424NO62) Subject: Mexico: Puerto Vallarta area March 2009 Part 2 From: Mike Tanis <mtanis AT PORTICOSYS.COM> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:41:02 -0700 Part 2 MEXICO -- NAYARIT & JALISCO Based in Nuevo Vallarta 21-28 March 2009 El Guamuchil village I made two trips to El Guamuchil. For both trips, I received quizzical looks from taxi drivers when asking about fares to my destination. They all knew where it was, but had no idea why anyone would be interested in going there before sunrise. Both drivers had to call into their dispatcher to find out what the fare should be. I negotiated the taxi on the first morning to 150 pesos, about $11. I arrived at the "plazito" in El Guamuchil at about 6:30am, when it was still dark. After organizing my stuff and applying repellent to my socks for chiggers, it was light enough to begin walking. I decided to go to the communications tower, since I thought it would be easiest to ask about directions for that, since my Spanish is rudimentary. A friendly man in a pickup truck (delivering fresh tortillas) stopped and gave me a ride part way through town, and he helped by finding out which way to the antenna road. I continued walking as the day lightened up and I began hearing birds high up in the tall trees along the road, which really is just the streambed once you walk out of town proper (upstream direction). I found the "tree in the middle of the road" described in previous reports and took the path to the right. The tree is surrounded by a small corral holding a couple of horses. From here the slopes to the sides are steeper and the trees are very tall. About 500m further so you will come to a place were the streambed splits into two equally-sized paths, both blocked by cattle gates. (Leave gates as you found them--open if open, closed if closed. I met no people at all on my first trip up this road, so there was no one to ask permission.) The path on the right leads to the communication tower area. After another 500m or so of gentle uphill alongside the streambed (dry in March), the path turns sharply to the right and climbs out of the canyon to the plateau above, which is both more open and provides far better birding since you are walking on a ridge. Here you can walk about 700m along the undulating road to a little plateau situated just below the communications antenna itself. Birding was excellent along the upper part of the road early in the morning. Highlights for me were awesome views of Varied Bunting, Blue Bunting, and Red-breasted Chat. Elegant Trogons were heard constantly and seen fairly easily. Citreoline Trogons went unheard and unseen until I played just a few notes of the call from my iPod. Immediately four trogons came right in. The second trip by taxi cost me 200 pesos (about $14); the driver wouldn't budge on the price. I reached El Guamuchil a little earlier (about 6:15am) this time. Since I knew the way, I was able to walk to the ridge from the center of town using my flashlight and the early light of dawn in about 30 minutes of uphill walking. Ferruginous Pygmy Owl (in town) and Mottled Owl (in the forest) were heard as I walked; I whistled at the Pygmy-owl and got a look at it flying by the streetlight! I returned to Nuevo Vallarta by bus from the Bucerias-Sayulita highway bus stop. On my first trip, a bus arrived as I was walking out of the El Guamuchil road; on the second trip I had to wait ten minutes, but I saw two Rufous-bellied Chachalacas fly across the road, so the wait paid off in a new bird! Any bus going to Puerto Vallarta costs 10 pesos to Nuevo Vallarta; it will drop you along the main highway, where you can catch a bus to the Mayan resorts (7 pesos). I was in a hurry the second trip to meet the shuttle to Los Veranos, so I hopped out of the bus in Bucerias and took a taxi directly to the resort (110 pesos, about $8). Rufous-bellied Chachalaca Magnificent Frigatebird Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Gray Hawk Rock Pigeon White-winged Dove Inca Dove Common Ground-Dove Orange-fronted Parakeet Lilac-crowned Parrot Squirrel Cuckoo Groove-billed Ani Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Mottled Owl Lesser Nighthawk Broad-billed Hummingbird Mexican Woodnymph Cinnamon Hummingbird Plain-capped Starthroat Citreoline Trogon Elegant Trogon Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Gray-crowned Woodpecker Pale-billed Woodpecker Ivory-billed Woodcreeper Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Greenish Elaenia Greater Pewee Pacific-slope Flycatcher Dusky-capped Flycatcher Nutting's Flycatcher Great Kiskadee Boat-billed Flycatcher Social Flycatcher Tropical Kingbird Thick-billed Kingbird Rose-throated Becard Masked Tityra Bell's Vireo Plumbeous Vireo Golden Vireo Warbling Vireo Black-throated Magpie-Jay Gray-breasted Martin Northern Rough-winged Swallow Sinaloa Wren Happy Wren Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Rufous-backed Robin Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Tropical Parula Yellow Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart Northern Waterthrush MacGillivray's Warbler Wilson's Warbler Red-breasted Chat Western Tanager Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow Stripe-headed Sparrow Grayish Saltator Blue Bunting Lazuli Bunting Varied Bunting Great-tailed Grackle Streak-backed Oriole Yellow-winged (mexican) Cacique Godman's [Scrub] Euphonia House Sparrow Las Palmas This was the first stop on Alex's tour to San Sebastian. We walked the first kilometer of a side road just off the main highway just past Las Palmas, which was very productive. We birded there for about an hour from 8 to 9am. West Mexican Chachalaca Cattle Egret (from road) White-faced Ibis (from road) Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Rock Pigeon Red-billed Pigeon White-winged Dove White-tipped Dove Orange-fronted Parakeet Mexican Parrotlet Lilac-crowned Parrot Broad-billed Hummingbird Cinnamon Hummingbird Plain-capped Starthroat Elegant Trogon Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Greater Pewee Nutting's Flycatcher Great Kiskadee Boat-billed Flycatcher Social Flycatcher Rose-throated Becard Masked Tityra Black-throated Magpie-Jay Gray-breasted Martin Northern Rough-winged Swallow Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Rufous-backed Robin Nashville Warbler Yellow Warbler Black-and-white Warbler Wilson's Warbler Grayish Saltator Indigo Bunting Great-tailed Grackle Streak-backed Oriole Yellow-winged (Mexican) Cacique San Sebastian Also on Alex's tour, we made several stops in the arid mountains near San Sebastian. The first was a short stop along an agave field between La Estancia and San Sebastian. Our next stop was an orchard and coffee plantation just outside the main town of San Sebastian. We walked the property for about 45 minutes. Because the trees were planted so tightly together, birding here was challenging. However, we were able to see Blue Mockingbird and Golden Vireo here. From about 10:45 until noon, we drove out of town up toward the peak of La Bufa, making a few birding stops along the way, eventually stopping for a very late breakfast where there was a nice lookout over the town. Here there was an intersection where the main road descended the other side of the mountain and another continued up toward the peak of La Bufa. The dirt road was somewhat rough in places, but I think that a passenger car might make it with care to that point. Highlights along the road were Mountain Trogon and great views of Red-headed Tanager. Back in town we enjoyed a walk to the church and around the town's plaza, and had a pleasant lunch at a restaurant on the edge of the plaza. Turkey Vulture Rock Pigeon Berylline Hummingbird Mountain Trogon Acorn Woodpecker Cordilleran Flycatcher Vermilion Flycatcher Plumbeous Vireo Golden Vireo Spotted Wren White-throated Thrush Blue Mockingbird Townsend's Warbler Grace's Warbler Slate-throated Redstart Yellow-breasted Chat Red-headed Tanager Rusty-crowned Ground-Sparrow Stripe-headed Sparrow Rufous-capped Brush Finch (seen by others) Audubon's Oriole House Sparrow End Part 2 Mike Tanis Audubon PA mtanis AT porticosys DOT com Subject: FW: Mexico: Puerto Vallarta area March 2009 Part 1 From: Barbara Passmore <bkpass AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:13:16 -0400 -----Original Message----- From: Mike Tanis [mailto:mtanis AT PORTICOSYS.COM] Sent: Friday, April 24, 2009 4:40 PM To: BIRDTRIP AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU Subject: Mexico: Puerto Vallarta area March 2009 Part 1 MEXICO -- NAYARIT & JALISCO Based in Nuevo Vallarta 21-28 March 2009 This one week trip with my wife was my first to any part of Mexico. A friend was able to utilize some accumulated timeshare points to give us a genuine deal on air/hotel to Puerto Vallarta. We stayed at the Mayan Sea Garden in Nuevo Vallarta, and had a great time away from the cold weather. Puerto Vallarta is certainly very americanized, with an economy built on tourism. But it still is culturally distinct from the US, even if it is not drastically different. It seems that almost everyone you encounter speaks passable English. We were also impressed by the friendliness of the people we met, even those who had no tourist service or item to sell. Regarding safety, we took normal precautions with our belongings and valuables, but felt very safe wherever we went, whether in Puerto Vallarta city or while walking alone in the dark outside El Guamuchil village. Lodging and meals The Mayan Sea Garden was excellent: clean, well-run, with helpful staff, an adequate and clean pool, and a nice clean beach with typically fine Pacific gray/brown sand. There were no bogus charges on our bill after our stay. Meal prices at the one restaurant were reasonable considering the resort setting ($10-$25 per plate). An OXXO convenience store just a few steps away provided snacks and drinks for the day. Paradise Village mall (reached via free tourist bus) had cheaper American-style fast food (Subway, Domino's, McDonald's) as another choice. To find other options you could take a bus or taxi to the non-resort part of Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, or Puerto Vallarta city. We averaged under $50 per day for food for two of us, generally eating one or two excellent meals a day at the resort or at a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta. We managed to resist all of the many offers to participate in timeshare sales meetings while in Mexico. Transportation A bus stop was located just outside the resort with connections to everywhere, usually with a short wait time (20 minutes was our longest wait). Our decision not to rent a car turned out to be a good one. There were plenty of taxis available when we needed a timely arrival somewhere, and when time wasn't so important, the buses were frequent, cheap, and relatively easy to decipher. Leave extra time for your route the first time you take a bus somewhere, but it is not difficult to go anywhere by bus. However, competition between bus drivers for customers in Puerto Vallarta certainly makes the trip a bit more exciting than it has to be. Birding Because our trip was intended to be a vacation for both of us, and not a dedicated birding trip, my birding was limited to the trips below. I managed to see or hear 130 species, with about 30 new birds for me. - three late afternoon walks to the area just outside our resort (4 hours total) - two early morning excursions to the El Guamuchil antenna road (5 hours total) - one van excursion with a group of 7 to Las Palmas/San Sebastian with Alex Rodriguez (ALEJANDRO MARTINEZ RODRIGUEZ [birdinginmexico AT gmail.com]) Blake Maybank's website was very helpful in introducing me to El Guamuchil as a good birding site with convenient access for those staying north of Puerto Vallarta. I found it to be wonderfully productive and so convenient that I could reach it by taxi from Nuevo Vallarta in 30 minutes and return by bus in about an hour. http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/Jalisco-Nayarit-01-2006.htm Alex Martinez's birding excursion was well-organized and on time. Our group of seven had varying levels of birding interest, and included two spouses of birders. The tour was described and sold as a birding tour with attention to the cultural highlights of San Sebastian, so the non- birders knew what to expect; the 7am meeting time probably weeded out the shoppers. Alex is very professional and did a great job of balancing the birding, driving, and sightseeing. He brought a telescope for the group, and found some great birds for us at several stops. The cultural activities included a visit to a coffee/fruit plantation (for birding, as well), a short walking tour to the San Sebastian church and plaza, and concluded with lunch in a restaurant on the plaza. The cost of this particular tour was US$85, and included the transportation, guiding, light breakfast, and a group lunch at the restaurant in San Sebastian. If we hadn't already planned so many activities for our short time in Puerto Vallarta, I would have joined other tours that Alex offered. http://www.birdinginmexico.com/ Nuevo Vallarta area There is a fenced-off area containing a tidal lagoon in front of the Mayan resort complex. I birded along Boulevard de Nayarit surrounding this area and also along the Paseo de las Palmas north to just past the Vallarta Adventures offices. A surprising number of interesting species were seen in the late afternoons I birded here. In the list below I am including species I saw from the resort property, the beach, along the roadside in and around Nuevo Vallarta, and a couple of species seen on Banderas Bay during a whale-watching trip. On that trip we eventually found 2 humpback whales, a mother and baby; they were perhaps the last two remaining whales in the bay for the season! http://vallarta-info.com probably has the most useful maps of the whole Puerto Vallarta area; the best map of Nuevo Vallarta itself is here: http://vallarta-info.com/nuevo.html Fulvous Whistling-Duck Brown Booby Blue-footed Booby Brown Pelican Neotropic Cormorant Magnificent Frigatebird Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Green Heron Roseate Spoonbill Wood Stork Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Collared Plover (past the Mayan Palace on the beach near the mouth of the Rio Ameca) Black-necked Stilt Spotted Sandpiper (lagoon) Willet (beach) Long-billed Curlew (beach) Laughing Gull Heermann's Gull Herring Gull Ring-billed Gull Royal Tern Common Tern Rock Pigeon White-winged Dove Mourning Dove Inca Dove Ruddy Ground-Dove Green Kingfisher (Opequimar inlet) Orange-fronted Parakeet Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Greenish Elaenia Pacific-slope Flycatcher Great Kiskadee Tropical Kingbird Cassin's Kingbird Thick-billed Kingbird Rose-throated Becard Masked Tityra Gray-breasted Martin Mangrove Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Sinaloa Wren Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Rufous-backed Robin Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Tropical Parula Yellow Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart MacGillivray's Warbler Summer Tanager Cinnamon-rumped [White-collared] Seedeater Great-tailed Grackle Orchard Oriole Streak-backed Oriole Yellow-winged (Mexican) Cacique House Finch House Sparrow Los Veranos We did the Canopy Tour (zip-line) at Los Veranos on our last day in Mexico, which was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. To try to put it into "thrill" perspective, it is not as scary is a big theme-park roller coaster. It's more of a relaxing adventure, although you are indeed hanging over a lot of empty space at times. It is a bit pricey, $69 with prepaid discount. Don't forget to factor in tipping at the end (driver for the free shuttle, guys who run the zip-lines, the locker guy, the guys at the animal cages, the bartender and waitresses, and so on). I didn't have binoculars with me that afternoon, but probably the best birding on site would be down at the river (near the restaurant area) early in the morning watching the trees on both sides of the gorge. It would be fun to bird from one of their tree towers before tours start for the day, but it probably would not be worth the trouble to arrange that. Without bins, I was still able to get a lifer here. [Maybe two, depending on the species status of Mexican Hermit.] We took the free shuttle Los Veranos offered from Nuevo Vallarta. The ride in the open-air vehicle was quite scenic. Highlights: Yellow Grosbeak, Western Long-tailed (Mexican) Hermit. Muscovy Duck (domestic?) Black Vulture Turkey Vulture White-winged Dove Orange-fronted Parakeet Western Long-tailed (Mexican) Hermit Great Kiskadee Masked Tityra Gray-breasted Martin Mangrove Swallow Yellow Grosbeak Great-tailed Grackle Yellow-winged (Mexican) Cacique House Sparrow END PART 1 Mike Tanis Audubon PA mtanis AT porticosys DOT com Subject: Mexico: Puerto Vallarta area March 2009 Part 1 From: Mike Tanis <mtanis AT PORTICOSYS.COM> Date: Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:39:33 -0700 MEXICO -- NAYARIT & JALISCO Based in Nuevo Vallarta 21-28 March 2009 This one week trip with my wife was my first to any part of Mexico. A friend was able to utilize some accumulated timeshare points to give us a genuine deal on air/hotel to Puerto Vallarta. We stayed at the Mayan Sea Garden in Nuevo Vallarta, and had a great time away from the cold weather. Puerto Vallarta is certainly very americanized, with an economy built on tourism. But it still is culturally distinct from the US, even if it is not drastically different. It seems that almost everyone you encounter speaks passable English. We were also impressed by the friendliness of the people we met, even those who had no tourist service or item to sell. Regarding safety, we took normal precautions with our belongings and valuables, but felt very safe wherever we went, whether in Puerto Vallarta city or while walking alone in the dark outside El Guamuchil village. Lodging and meals The Mayan Sea Garden was excellent: clean, well-run, with helpful staff, an adequate and clean pool, and a nice clean beach with typically fine Pacific gray/brown sand. There were no bogus charges on our bill after our stay. Meal prices at the one restaurant were reasonable considering the resort setting ($10-$25 per plate). An OXXO convenience store just a few steps away provided snacks and drinks for the day. Paradise Village mall (reached via free tourist bus) had cheaper American-style fast food (Subway, Domino's, McDonald's) as another choice. To find other options you could take a bus or taxi to the non-resort part of Nuevo Vallarta, Bucerias, or Puerto Vallarta city. We averaged under $50 per day for food for two of us, generally eating one or two excellent meals a day at the resort or at a restaurant in Puerto Vallarta. We managed to resist all of the many offers to participate in timeshare sales meetings while in Mexico. Transportation A bus stop was located just outside the resort with connections to everywhere, usually with a short wait time (20 minutes was our longest wait). Our decision not to rent a car turned out to be a good one. There were plenty of taxis available when we needed a timely arrival somewhere, and when time wasn't so important, the buses were frequent, cheap, and relatively easy to decipher. Leave extra time for your route the first time you take a bus somewhere, but it is not difficult to go anywhere by bus. However, competition between bus drivers for customers in Puerto Vallarta certainly makes the trip a bit more exciting than it has to be. Birding Because our trip was intended to be a vacation for both of us, and not a dedicated birding trip, my birding was limited to the trips below. I managed to see or hear 130 species, with about 30 new birds for me. - three late afternoon walks to the area just outside our resort (4 hours total) - two early morning excursions to the El Guamuchil antenna road (5 hours total) - one van excursion with a group of 7 to Las Palmas/San Sebastian with Alex Rodriguez (ALEJANDRO MARTINEZ RODRIGUEZ [birdinginmexico AT gmail.com]) Blake Maybank's website was very helpful in introducing me to El Guamuchil as a good birding site with convenient access for those staying north of Puerto Vallarta. I found it to be wonderfully productive and so convenient that I could reach it by taxi from Nuevo Vallarta in 30 minutes and return by bus in about an hour. http://maybank.tripod.com/Mexico/Jalisco-Nayarit-01-2006.htm Alex Martinez's birding excursion was well-organized and on time. Our group of seven had varying levels of birding interest, and included two spouses of birders. The tour was described and sold as a birding tour with attention to the cultural highlights of San Sebastian, so the non- birders knew what to expect; the 7am meeting time probably weeded out the shoppers. Alex is very professional and did a great job of balancing the birding, driving, and sightseeing. He brought a telescope for the group, and found some great birds for us at several stops. The cultural activities included a visit to a coffee/fruit plantation (for birding, as well), a short walking tour to the San Sebastian church and plaza, and concluded with lunch in a restaurant on the plaza. The cost of this particular tour was US$85, and included the transportation, guiding, light breakfast, and a group lunch at the restaurant in San Sebastian. If we hadn't already planned so many activities for our short time in Puerto Vallarta, I would have joined other tours that Alex offered. http://www.birdinginmexico.com/ Nuevo Vallarta area There is a fenced-off area containing a tidal lagoon in front of the Mayan resort complex. I birded along Boulevard de Nayarit surrounding this area and also along the Paseo de las Palmas north to just past the Vallarta Adventures offices. A surprising number of interesting species were seen in the late afternoons I birded here. In the list below I am including species I saw from the resort property, the beach, along the roadside in and around Nuevo Vallarta, and a couple of species seen on Banderas Bay during a whale-watching trip. On that trip we eventually found 2 humpback whales, a mother and baby; they were perhaps the last two remaining whales in the bay for the season! http://vallarta-info.com probably has the most useful maps of the whole Puerto Vallarta area; the best map of Nuevo Vallarta itself is here: http://vallarta-info.com/nuevo.html Fulvous Whistling-Duck Brown Booby Blue-footed Booby Brown Pelican Neotropic Cormorant Magnificent Frigatebird Great Blue Heron Great Egret Snowy Egret Green Heron Roseate Spoonbill Wood Stork Black Vulture Turkey Vulture Collared Plover (past the Mayan Palace on the beach near the mouth of the Rio Ameca) Black-necked Stilt Spotted Sandpiper (lagoon) Willet (beach) Long-billed Curlew (beach) Laughing Gull Heermann's Gull Herring Gull Ring-billed Gull Royal Tern Common Tern Rock Pigeon White-winged Dove Mourning Dove Inca Dove Ruddy Ground-Dove Green Kingfisher (Opequimar inlet) Orange-fronted Parakeet Golden-cheeked Woodpecker Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Greenish Elaenia Pacific-slope Flycatcher Great Kiskadee Tropical Kingbird Cassin's Kingbird Thick-billed Kingbird Rose-throated Becard Masked Tityra Gray-breasted Martin Mangrove Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Sinaloa Wren Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Rufous-backed Robin Orange-crowned Warbler Nashville Warbler Tropical Parula Yellow Warbler Black-and-white Warbler American Redstart MacGillivray's Warbler Summer Tanager Cinnamon-rumped [White-collared] Seedeater Great-tailed Grackle Orchard Oriole Streak-backed Oriole Yellow-winged (Mexican) Cacique House Finch House Sparrow Los Veranos We did the Canopy Tour (zip-line) at Los Veranos on our last day in Mexico, which was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. To try to put it into "thrill" perspective, it is not as scary is a big theme-park roller coaster. It's more of a relaxing adventure, although you are indeed hanging over a lot of empty space at times. It is a bit pricey, $69 with prepaid discount. Don't forget to factor in tipping at the end (driver for the free shuttle, guys who run the zip-lines, the locker guy, the guys at the animal cages, the bartender and waitresses, and so on). I didn't have binoculars with me that afternoon, but probably the best birding on site would be down at the river (near the restaurant area) early in the morning watching the trees on both sides of the gorge. It would be fun to bird from one of their tree towers before tours start for the day, but it probably would not be worth the trouble to arrange that. Without bins, I was still able to get a lifer here. [Maybe two, depending on the species status of Mexican Hermit.] We took the free shuttle Los Veranos offered from Nuevo Vallarta. The ride in the open-air vehicle was quite scenic. Highlights: Yellow Grosbeak, Western Long-tailed (Mexican) Hermit. Muscovy Duck (domestic?) Black Vulture Turkey Vulture White-winged Dove Orange-fronted Parakeet Western Long-tailed (Mexican) Hermit Great Kiskadee Masked Tityra Gray-breasted Martin Mangrove Swallow Yellow Grosbeak Great-tailed Grackle Yellow-winged (Mexican) Cacique House Sparrow END PART 1 Mike Tanis Audubon PA mtanis AT porticosys DOT com Subject: Hill Country Part 3 - Lost Maples & Hill Country SPs From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:58:38 EDT Hi, all! My original plan was to explore Hill Country State Park, as I had never been there, but when the girls told me about the feeding stations at Lost Maples and what they saw there, I changed my mind! It had been at least a decade since I had been there last, and actually got my ABA Tropical Parula there (that was long before digital cameras and the TBRC had to wait for the film to be developed on that one), so it was fun revisiting the place. The girls had primarily done the West Trail, but I blew it and drove all the way to the end where the East Trail was and decided to go ahead and hike that. My original intention was to do the whole loop, but only got as far as the first "steep" spot, and when they say it's steep, they're not kidding! But it was a lovely hike through the woods and over several creek and river crossings; Golden-cheeked Warblers were everywhere, along with the usual White-eyed Vireos, gnatcatchers, titmice, chickadees, and Summer Tanagers. Canyon Wrens again sang from the rock face, and at least three Louisiana Waterthrushes were along the creek beds. At one resting spot managed to get a Hermit Thrush to "thook" at me, and a single (!) Bushtit chittered and came in to see what the fuss was all about! The girls reported that the Red-eyed Vireos had arrived the very day they birded the area, and they (the vireos) were definitely all over, along with yet another Hutton's Vireo! A Yellow-throated sang on the way back, but alas, no Black-capped sang for me... :-( A pair of Variegated Fritillaries were going nuts along the trail, and kept flushing a Roadside Skipper that I'm calling Celia's until proven otherwise (never could see the ventral). Unfortunately, constantly switching lenses caused my first, "Dummy, you got dust on the contacts!" message from my camera, so I stuck with the long lens for the rest of the day... Wound my way to the other trailhead, and ran into the San Diego Audubon bunch enjoying the feeding stations and preparing to feed themselves! :-) I had barely sat down at the picnic table when probably the best bird of the day, a dapper male Dickcissel, joined the Chippes and House Finches! That was a life bird for some, so that was fun to hear the cheers and whoops! Other moochers included both Indigo and Painted Buntings, Blue Grosbeaks (one young male looked like a Varied Bunting wannabe), Black-chinned Hummers, both Chippies and Clay-colored Sparrows, plus Rufous- and White-crowned. Several Scrub Jays sailed in as well, and I noticed they sounded very different than the Scrubbies in San Diego! Pine Siskins also called from the trees but never came in to the feeders. The group told me a Ruby-throated Hummer was hanging around, but he happened to be at the headquarters feeders when I checked out! I was sorely tempted to head up to Kerr WMA just to get the BC Vireo for the trip, but looking at the map, it looked like one of those "you can't get there from here" situations, so decided to head down to Hill Country SP after all. After finally finding the place (the AAA map made it look like it was off FM 470, but it's actually off SR 173 south of Bandera) I did a little road birding and added gobbling Turkeys and a lovely Scissor-tailed Flycatcher to the list, but I soon discovered they were gearing up for a big equestrian event! There was only one day use parking area, so I crawled down there and hiked a little of the Wilderness Trail, where yet another Hutton's Vireo sang, as well as Nashville Warbler, more Goldencheeks, and plenty of Whiteyes, but no Blackcaps. :-( Had another pretty Dun Skipper, at least. Had to head back to Kerrville soon after that, but the dirt road going out the west end dumped out on FM 462, and would make a terrific birding road if I had had the time! On the way up had a road-killed deer that was being devoured by Black Vultures and caracaras! Pics for the day: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/lost_maples_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/lost_maples) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-23-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-23-09 to 4-23-09 WILD TURKEY Meleagris gallopavo Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Inca Dove Columbina inca Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii HERMIT THRUSH Catharus guttatus Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea BUSHTIT Psaltriparus minimus Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus WESTERN SCRUB JAY Aphelocoma californica Common Raven Corvus corax House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni RED-EYED VIREO Vireo olivaceus House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH Seiurus motacilla Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis BLUE GROSBEAK Passerina caerulea INDIGO BUNTING Passerina cyanea PAINTED BUNTING Passerina ciris DICKCISSEL Spiza americana Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus 53 SPECIES So far: 93 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Big savings on Dell XPS Laptops and Desktops! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219799634x1201361008/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doubl eclick.net%2Fclk%3B214133440%3B36002254%3Bj) Subject: Hill Country Part 2: Garner State Park From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:04:48 EDT Hi, all! I wanted to hit Garner pre-dawn to check for night birds, so I got there around 6:20, with several "day birds" tuning up already including Ash-throated and Vermilion Flycatchers and Field Sparrows! Did get a Chuck-will's-widow singing, but no owls. :-( It was magical experiencing the dawn chorus, however, stopping periodically along the roads until it was time to meet the girls at the Pavilion. I had heard that the Old Entrance Road was a good birding road, so I suggested we hike that. Great Crested Flycatchers were calling, but too far away to even hope to see. We took the paved walkway along the river and tried unsuccessfully to draw out a curious Yellow-breasted Chat, then worked our way up the road. An Eastern Wood Pewee serenaded us as we gawked dutifully at the scenic overlook, then started plodding up the trail. Even though it's paved, the first part of the trail is quite steep, and we almost turned around, but thankfully it leveled off shortly. The first highlight actually wasn't a bird at all, but another gorgeous Red Satyr, right in the sun! A little later we had an old friend from San Diego yet that is kind of a local specialty here: a Hutton's Vireo! A Scott's Oriole also sang from somewhere over the hill. Several Golden-cheeked Warblers sang, and we just happened to have two males aggressively song-battling when these two [human] guys came up the trail (one was Canadian but the other guy sounded British) who hadn't seen any yet, so we were happy to show them their life bird! We hiked all the way to the old gate and just turned around rather than go down Wild Horse Creek Trail and back on the road. By the residence we had a female Cardinal with whitish eyebrows! Back at the Pavilion we fixed some lunch and actually had quite a bit of action: both Yellow-throated and another Hutton's Vireo came to say hello (Sue actually saw them mating--two Yellow-throateds, that is), and a Nashville Warbler sang his jingly little song. After that we headed down to the Frio River to try for Green Kingfisher (I had had a pair of Ringed there earlier); dipped on that one, but got a Spotted Sandpiper and great looks at a Yellow-throated Warbler. A Canyon Wren sang his distinctive song from the rock faces, and a Black-crested Titmouse entertained us by taking a bath and preening at point-blank range! Another old San Diego friend, the Common Raven, croaked in the distance. We then headed over to the old Bicycle Trail where I had the fighting Field Sparrows the day before, as the girls really wanted that, but they (the sparrows) weren't cooperative this time (except for a feeding flock that Jan and Sue went chasing after and almost got themselves lost--Sue got the Field but Jan didn't...). It proved to be another great trail for leps, however, as not only did we have several Silvered Checkerspots again, but yet another lifer: a Juniper Hairstreak! Also had a pretty male Dun Skipper with his golden head, and a female Vesta Crescent. We headed back to Neil's Lodges after that and down to the Pecan Grove, where there were more feeders. In addition to the same birds we had the day before, both Pine Siskins and American Goldfinches came in, along with a White-crowned Sparrow and Summer Tanager! Chickadees came to the drip, and a titmouse with the rattiest-looking tail we had ever seen whanged on a sunflower seed! An empid of some kind peeped, but Sue was the only one ene rgetic enough to go chase it down (it eluded her, anyway...). Kissed the girls goodbye so I could get up to Kerrville at a decent hour, only they found a Bullock's Oriole on the way out--alas, I couldn't find it for my list! Pics for the day: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/garner_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/garner) Bird List (birds in CAPS are new for the trip): Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-22-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-22-09 to 4-22-09 BLACK VULTURE Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus SPOTTED SANDPIPER Actitis macularius Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared Dove Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica CHUCK-WILL’S-WIDOW Caprimulgus carolinensis Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris EASTERN WOOD PEWEE Contopus virens Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER Myiarchus crinitus PURPLE MARTIN Progne subis Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET Regulus calendula CANYON WREN Catherpes mexicanus Carolina Wren Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii HOUSE WREN Troglodytes aedon Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Eastern Bluebird Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Common Raven Corvus corax European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons HUTTON’S VIREO Vireo huttoni House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus PINE SISKIN Carduelis pinus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria AMERICAN GOLDFINCH Carduelis tristis ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER Vermivora celata NASHVILLE WARBLER Vermivora ruficapilla Northern Parula Parula americana YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER Dendroica coronata GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER Dendroica chrysoparia Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER Mniotilta varia Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW Zonotrichia leucophrys Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Scott's Oriole Icterus parisorum 61 SPECIES So Far: 83 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Big savings on Dell XPS Laptops and Desktops! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219799634x1201361008/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doubl eclick.net%2Fclk%3B214133440%3B36002254%3Bj) Subject: Hill Country Part 1: McAllen to Uvalde From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:14:52 EDT Hi, all! I got WAY behind in the journal, so I hope I remember the details! Left McAllen, TX on Tuesday the 21st to head into the Hill Country to meet San Diego birding buddies Jan Nordenberg, Sue Smith, Ann Hannon, and Marcie (she was the only one I didn't know and unfortunately didn't catch her last name... :-( ). The plan was to bird Garner State Park together on Wednesday, but it didn't take me long to get to Uvalde and check in, picking up nice birds on the way such as several Chihuahuan Ravens, a White-tailed Hawk, Caracara (lots), and a Krider's Redtail. After getting the key I headed up to Garner to check the place out. White-eyed Vireos were all over, and had Field Sparrows singing on the way in. The feeders at the little visitor's center had both Ruby-throated and Black-chinned Hummers coming in for a drink, plus lots of Chipping Sparrows going after the seeds. Barn Swallows were building a nest under the eaves. Heading up the hill added the first Golden-cheeked Warbler of the trip buzzing outside the car window, then swung down through the cabin area and stopped briefly at the Frio River, where both Yellow-throated Warblers and Northern Parulas were singing. Other road birds included Eastern Bluebird and Vermilion Flycatcher. After checking out all the roads I went back to where I saw a trailhead in an old camping area that looked like it was no longer in use (it was a big field now with just a paved loop). It didn't say No Parking, so I applied the It's Easier To Get Forgiveness Than Permission Rule and backed Jip into one of the old slots nearest the trail. Just heading in ten minutes was a lovely walk through the woods, the highlight being a couple of Field Sparrows having a tiff. A Red-shouldered Hawk yelled in the distance, and several Summer Tanagers "pik-a-chewed". By that time the butterflies were out, and after editing the pics I discovered I had my first lifer: a Silvery Checkerspot! Also had a Bordered Patch and several Pipevine Swallowtails. Had time to hike a little of the Wild Horse Creek Trail over by Shady Meadows, and this looked great for Goldencheeks with all the Ash Junipers, but didn't hear any probably due to the time of day. The butterflies were more active, with several Viola's Wood Satyrs, and another lifer I was thrilled to find: the Red Satyr! A very friendly Chipping Sparrow posed for pictures on the way out, and back at the visitor's center a female Hooded Oriole had discovered the hummer feeder, much to the chagrin of the hummers! Jan called about that time, so I met the girls at Neal's Lodges where after a happy reunion we headed down to one of the feeding stations (where the Rufous-capped Warbler had shown up) and enjoyed the moochers: a brilliant male Hooded Oriole was raiding the jelly when we arrived, and Rufous-crowned and Clay-colored Sparrows were new for my trip list. An Olive Sparrow made a very brief appearance, but unfortunately not everyone got on that one. We were entertained by a female House Finch that seemed hypnotized by the drip (the girls couldn't believe House Finches are actually accidental in the Valley)! Lots of "Black-backed" Goldfinches came in to the faucet, as well as the usual dove contingent of White-winged, Inca, and Common Ground. Just before we left a Bell's Vireo decided to sing next to us! We had a wonderful dinner at the restaurant overlooking the river, where the star of the show was the Ringed Kingfisher that flew in! Comedy relief was supplied by Sue when she accidentally dropped her fried pickle in her glass of wine... After that we kissed goodbye and I headed back to Uvalde with plans to meet at Garner the next morning. Pics for the day: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/uvalde_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/uvalde) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-21-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-21-09 to 4-21-09 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Inca Dove Columbina inca Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens Brown-crested Flycatcher Myiarchus tyrannulus Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus Common Raven Corvus corax European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria Northern Parula Parula americana Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus 64 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Big savings on Dell XPS Laptops and Desktops! (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1219799634x1201361008/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doubl eclick.net%2Fclk%3B214133440%3B36002254%3Bj) Subject: Hidalgo County Big Day (longish) From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:35:36 EDT Hi, all! Had a great time Friday doing a springtime Big Day, following pretty much the same pattern I did in January with a couple of additions due to the extra daylight hours. My first bird happened to be the cacophony of Great-tailed Grackles (1) at the corner of Bentsen Palm Drive and Business 83 well before dawn! Arrived at Bentsen an hour before sunrise where the place was crawling with cops and Border Patrol (and I was very happy to see them, frankly)! The Pauraques (2) were tuning up, but unfortunately that's all that was calling; I made a loop around Acacia to listen for Elf Owl and ran into another visiting birder named Leo, who joined me as we made our way down the Kiskadee Trail and back over towards the Green Jay Blind. A Black-bellied Whistling Duck (3) flew overhead in the darkness, and by then both White-winged (4) and White-tipped Doves (5) were waking up. Leo did happen to hear an Eastern Screech Owl (6), which thankfully called again for me! Red-winged Blackbirds (7) were calling from the reeds, and soon Couch's Kingbirds (8), a Long-billed Thrasher (9), Mourning Doves (10), Cardinals (11), and Kiskadees (12) joined the dawn chorus. As we sat at Kingfisher Overlook awaiting sunrise, we could pick out a Clay-colored Thrush (13) in the mix. Some Chachalacas (14) growled from the vicinity of the blind, and a Pied-billed Grebe (15) hooted from the resaca. A Gray Hawk (16) whistled back around where the nest was, and soon other marsh birds piped up including Coot (17), Yellowthroat (18), and a cackling Least Bittern (19). A Golden-fronted Woodpecker (20) made his presence known as Leo headed for the Hawk Tower, while I scanned the marsh when it became light enough to see and added roosting Cattle Egrets (21) and an Anhinga (22). On the way out the Black-crested Titmice (23) and Beardless Tyrannulet (24) were singing up a storm, and Brown-crested Flycatcher (25), Green Jay (26), and Mockingbird (27) quickly were added. Barely caught an Osprey (28) flying past, and then spotted about three Mississippi Kites (29) circling over the trees! Ran into Jose with the van, and he had seen the same group taking off. Continuing down the entrance road added Ladder-backed Woodpecker (30), Olive Sparrow (31), a burbling House Wren (32), Altamira Oriole (33--at least I'm assuming it was that and not a Smudgy...), and a powerful-sounding Great Crested Flycatcher (34), possibly the same one I heard the previous Saturday. An unidentified waterthrush "pinked" and flew at the "wet spot" along the entrance road, and at the levee several swallows were wheeling around, mostly Caves (35) but also some Banks (36) giving their rapid-fire calls. Another raptor proved to be a White-tailed Kite (37), and a Bronzed Cowbird (38) sang from the headquarters area. Heading to the parking lot added a flyover Killdeer (39) and an Inca Dove (40) on the sidewalk. On the way to Anzalduas several Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (41) lined the wires, and the House Finch-like song of a Blue Grosbeak (42) wafted into the car along Military Highway, along with Eastern Meadowlarks (43). A Bewick's Wren (44) sang along the levee road, and heard the requisite House Sparrows (45) near human habitation. At Anzalduas the guy at the entrance booth told me about their Gray Hawk nest (didn't have the heart to tell him I already had it for the day ;-)), and down at the river added Laughing Gulls (46) and several Turkey Vultures (48) lounging around. Starlings (49) were chattering, and a lone Gadwall (49) was in the river, along with a Moorhen (50) along the bank (no flames about him being on the Mexican side, please... ;-)). Chimney Swifts (51) chittered overhead, and a few Rock Pigeons (52) powered over as well. Driving slowly through the park yielded the singing Black Phoebe (53), and in the back area (the road over the levee is actually PAVED now) had a flock of Lark Sparrows (54) with a single Chippie (55) in with them! Swallows were all over, so easily added Cliff (56), Rough-winged (57), and Barn (58) to the list. At the overlook a lone cormorant turned out to be a Double-crested (59, complete with double crests), and a Spotted Sandpiper (60) bobbed along the rocks. Closer scrutiny added a hiding Neotropic Cormorant (61), several Mottled Ducks (62), and a pair of American Wigeon (63) I almost overlooked! A Great Egret (64) was standing stoically in the river, and a Lincoln's Sparrow (65) buzzed from the grass. On the way out I did look at the Gray Hawk nest tree just in case the guy asked... ;-) Next stop was Quinta Mazatlan, and got a double whammy upon stepping out of the car: the Green Parakeets (66) were screeching over as last time, but so was a Red-crowned Parrot (67)! That was a first! (He later allowed good looks from his palm tree...) A Curve-billed Thrasher (68) feeding at one of the stations was a target bird, and going around the back side ran into a little feeding flock that included Nashville (69), Black-throated Green (70), and John Brush's Blue-winged Warbler (71)! A funny whistle turned out to be a Baltimore Oriole (72) perched atop a dead tree near the little amphitheater, and John's Chuck-will's-widow (73) had moved over to this area as well! Even with the dreary weather, a male Ruby-throated Hummer (74) turned his head so that I was able to get a flash of red, and the resident Buff-bellied Hummers (75) chattered as well. Another target bird, the Tropical Kingbirds (76), twittered over by the golf course, and a Yellow-breasted Chat (77) made an appearance in the little butterfly garden! Blasted up Ware Road and over to Wallace Road, where a Red-tailed Hawk (78) played Telephone Pole Tag with me for a mile or so! Practically ran over a Horned Lark (79), and at one stop Bobwhite (80) were calling in the distance. Savannah Sparrows (81) were in the fields along with lots more Lark Sparrows, and a White-eyed Vireo (82) sang at the NWR tract. A Caracara (83) came through near the tract trailhead, and flushed a Common Ground Dove (84) along the road. A presumed Western Kingbird would have been #85, but the fact that, when he flew off, he was making nice with a Scissortail raised an eyebrow, and indeed the pictures showed a short-tailed Scissortail whose pink flush looked more yellow to me at first glance. :-( Arriving at the wetlands the real #85 was a gurgling Marsh Wren, and in the water added Least Grebe (86) and Ruddy Duck (87). It was really rather quiet except for another White-tailed Kite perched on a dead tree (until I got my camera out); the normal Anhingas were around, but only picked up a few Blue-winged Teal (88) and a single Great Blue Heron (89) flying past. A Brown-headed Cowbird (90) whistled from somewhere, and was pleased to hear the staccato song of a Sedge Wren (91)! At the next wetland some Black Vultures (92) flopped around, and thankfully while I was out of the car the Green Kingfisher (93) decided to zip by! Also along here picked up a single Snowy Egret (94), Tricolored Heron (95), and a couple of Black-necked Stilts (96). Towards the north end of the road, I was shocked to hear Turkeys (97) gobbling, and also the obnoxious buzz of a Dickcissel (98)! Headed over and down to Edinburg Wetlands after that, where I checked the south pond first. Several Long-billed Dowitchers (99) were added to the list, as well as a Green Heron (100) I almost missed along the bank! Least Sandpipers (101) were in the mix as well, along with a few more Neotrops and a pair of Forster's Terns (102) that were unique for the day. In the north pond was a Black-crowned Night Heron (103) and several Shovelers (104), along with the usual contingent of teal, coots, and grebes. I accused Javier of locking up the Spotted Towhee ;-) but did manage to spot another male Archilochus hummer who turned his head enough to show a PURPLE throat this time, nailing him as a Black-chinned (105)! A bright chirp got me into the butterfly gardens again from the other side of the resaca, and was able to track down the Yellow Warbler (106) making it, while also adding the Least Tern (107) flying overhead. Javier was upset on my behalf that I dipped on the Gull-billed Tern and Black Skimmer that had been there earlier! From there headed down to Santa Ana, where a young Broad-winged Hawk (108) was sailing over the levee. At Willow Lake had several White-faced Ibis (109) feeding, and a Red-shouldered Hawk (110) made off with a snake! There were more dowitchers here, along with several Lesser Yellowlegs (111), and over by the blind a couple of White Ibis (112) fed with another truly glossy White-faced! A Sora (113) whinnied in response to the camera clicking, and finally added Carolina Wren (114) singing in the distance. Another migrant flock was heading through, but the only birds I could get on were another knockout Blue-winged Warbler and a cooperative Eastern Wood Pewee (115). Headed over to the Progresso Sod Farms after that, stopping along 281 for a pair of White-tailed Hawks (116). There was nothing at all along this route or the levee (except more Horned Larks), but picked up a Swainson's Hawk (117) where the levee dumped onto 88. Headed north to Frontera Audubon Thicket, and this was where the real party was: migrants were coming in to the water feature like nobody's business! Before I even got there, though, several Tennessee Warblers (118) were in the parking lot, and Purple Martins (119) gurgled overhead. A few other birders were also staked out at the feature when I got there, and shortly both Tennessee and Nashville Warblers came in, along with both male and female Northern Parulas (120), and a lovely male Chestnut-sided Warbler (121)! I decided to take a walk around the loop, but it was rather quiet except for another chat in the marshy area and several more Nashville Warblers near the butterfly gardens. When I came back to the water feature Huck Hutchins had a few people camped out at a drip I didn't even know was there, and they had had both Indigo and Painted Buntings while I was gone! :-( But as Huck was trying to get me on another Chestnut-sided Warbler, I was distracted by an odd metallic chink coming from the water feature, and when my eyes finally caught the movement in the shadows, it was the female Blue Bunting (122)! She eclipsed the warbler, to be sure, and she thankfully gave a brief life look for another visiting birder! I found myself glued there for a good long time after that, just enjoying the birds and fellowship, and adding a skulky Catbird (123), a calling Lesser Goldfinch (124), and another big surprise: a couple of Pine Siskins (125) that had evidently been hanging around! It was 4:50 by that time and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get into Estero Llano Grande, but Huck assured me I could, so I zipped over there (sorry I missed you, John! :-( ) and right away saw that Javier was at least half vindicated as a pair of Gull-billed Terns (126) were batting around, as well as a pair of Least Terns! The light was terrific, and even though they weren't new for the day, enjoyed point blank looks at Long-billed Dowitchers, Least Sandpipers, BN Stilts, and even a Savannah Sparrow! But hidden in the pack of shorebirds were several Wilson's Phalaropes (127), including a couple of brilliant ladies! Also almost overlooked a Stilt Sandpiper (128) in with the dowitchers! Made the loop around the grasslands and didn't kick up anything except Lincoln's Sparrows, but an adult and immature Little Blue Heron (129) flew by in the distance, and walking back along Dowitcher Pond managed to flush a couple of Fulvous Whistling Ducks (130) from the reeds! Still had plenty of daylight, so blasted up to the La Sal del Rey area, stopping every mile along the dirt roads to hopefully tack on some "western" and mesquite grassland stuff. Dipped on the hoped-for Painted Bunting and Cassin's Sparrow, but a Roadrunner (131) obliged nicely, and at another stop a Pyrrhuloxia (132) gave its distinctive chatter. Several Harris' Hawks (133) showed up, and finally picked out a Loggerhead Shrike (134) out of all the other wire birds! I might have had Collared Doves as well, but they took off before I could get a look at them, as did a couple of accipiters. Got more nice looks at Broad-winged, White-tailed, and Swainson's Hawks, and just as the sun was going down a Common Nighthawk (135) was officially the last bird of the day! Pics for the day are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Check all of your email inboxes from anywhere on the web. Try the new Email Toolbar now! (http://toolbar.aol.com/mail/download.html?ncid=txtlnkusdown00000027) Subject: South Padre Island--the full story From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:35:26 EDT Hi, all! I've finally had a minute to write up yesterday's (15 APR) wonderful morning with San Diego birding buddies Alice Debolt, Tony Merceica, and Dennis and Jill Raffelson (Alice's hubby Chuck joined us later)! We were to meet at the Convention Center at eight, and of course I got there early and was treated immediately to a Yellow-billed Cuckoo in the garden! Another birder excitedly pointed out a Painted Bunting on the sidewalk before he ran to get his camera, but by the time he got back (and I emerged from the ladies' room) the bird was replaced by a bunch of Lincoln's Sparrows at the little water feature. I headed out onto the boardwalk where I ran into Tony, and we enjoyed "Texas Flamingoes" (spoonbills), Avocets, Skimmers, and very cooperative Clapper Rails! (I was afraid they had vamoosed with all the construction going on...) The Golden Plover was seen that morning, but not by me; there were several other shorebirds about, including Dunlin and Marbled Godwit. Both flavors of Reddish Egrets were at the overlook, and both Sedge and Marsh Wrens sang from the grasses/reeds. Found Alice and the Raffelsons back in the gardens, and between gab sessions we enjoyed and shot cooperative Black-throated Green, Yellow, Tennessee, and Nashville Warblers, as well as a Warbling Vireo. The female Summer Tanager was pretty skulky, however. (Both Tony and Dennis have monster cameras, so there was a lot of good-natured bantering going on between the Nikon and Canon users... ;-)) Later it dawned on me that I totally forgot to check the mudflats... :-( From there we went to a private lot belonging to a friend of Tony's, where the real show took place: first to greet us was a male Blackpoll Warbler, but shortly after that a gorgeous male Cerulean Warbler dropped in and gave a great show! Not to be outdone, a male Black-and-white came in at point blank range (Tony assured us he'd land on a certain tree and start working it, and he did)!. In addition we had more Tennessees, a couple of Parulas, a Catbird, and Alice thought she had a Kentucky Warbler but he never showed for the rest of us. From there we went to Sheepshead where they have quite the setup since the last time I was there with several drips, a couple of little ponds, and some oranges set out! Chuck, Alice's non-birding hubby, joined us here, but managed to spot the only Worm-eating Warbler of the morning at the pond! A waterthrush also came in at the far pond that looked like a Northern back there, but when it came to the near pond it started looking suspiciously like a Louisiana! I think that's what we're leaning towards (and my lousy picture sure isn't definitive, I don't think...). Also coming in to the area was a Chestnut-sided Warbler; more Tennessees, Nashvilles, and Parulas; Baltimore and Orchard Orioles, and even a Green Heron! Afterwards we all went to lunch at Yummy's (across the street from "Jaws"), a delightful little deli and coffee shop, that served a burger to die for! (I caved and got a coconut espresso afterwards... ;-)) Pics are posted here (and I included the icky WE Warbler and waterthrush just because I know there are some on the list who will want to see those pics...): _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_wed) Bird List: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 4-15-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 4-15-09 to 4-15-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Snowy Egret Egretta thula Green Heron Butorides virescens Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Osprey Pandion haliaetus Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Dunlin Calidris alpina Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Herring Gull Larus argentatus Least Tern Sternula antillarum Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis Black Skimmer Rynchops niger Rock Pigeon Columba livia Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto Inca Dove Columbina inca Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica House Wren Troglodytes aedon Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla Northern Parula Parula americana Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Summer Tanager Piranga rubra Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 65 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Great deals on Dell’s most popular laptops – Starting at $479 (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1220029082x1201385915/aol?redir=http:%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fclk%3B213969145%3B35701480%3Bh) Subject: Quinta Mazatlan & Hidalgo Pumphouse From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:23:35 EDT Hi, all! Bookended a trip to the chiropractor's with a visit to Quinta Mazatlan early and Hidalgo Pumphouse afterwards! I missed John Brush's Blue-winged Warbler, but DID manage to flush his Chuck-will's-widow towards the northwest corner of the loop trail (where the "Hummingbird Restaurant" is)! His Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were also still hanging around, and enjoyed the regulars going after the suet feeders, but only had Black-and-white and Wilson's in the warbler department. A group of four Green Parakeets went screaming over early on, and a pair kept circling over throughout the time I was there. A pretty Ruby-throated Hummer showed up at the "sparrow feeders" where a banded Carolina Wren attacked another suet feeder. I thought I heard a sapsucker at one point, but it didn't call again, and shortly afterwards I spooked a Cooper's Hawk with breakfast off its perch, so that could have been what I heard. The tittering Tropical Kingbirds were still around, as well as a vocal Clay-colored Thrush. After the doctor's I happened to wheel in the OHP parking lot the same time Mike Rickard did, so I followed him around looking for leps while trying to keep a bird list; a Green Heron spooking from the "Swimming Hole" was nice, but dipped on the Black Phoebe this time. I parted company with him briefly in order to check out the resaca, where a Clay-colored Thrush was calling querulously, and a double-take at a Couch's Kingbird proved it to be a Western! A real Couch's was very brave and caught a wasp for lunch, and swallows of several varieties flew overhead, along with a few Chimney Swifts. We had a few nice leps, including Nysa Roadside Skipper and Theona Checkerspot. Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Two bird lists follow: Location: Quinta Mazatlan WBC (McAllen) (LTC 063) Observation date: 4/14/09 Number of species: 37 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Plain Chachalaca 6 Cattle Egret 4 Cooper's Hawk 1 White-winged Dove 12 Mourning Dove 2 Inca Dove 2 White-tipped Dove 6 Green Parakeet 4 Chuck-will's-widow 1 Chimney Swift 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 5 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Great Kiskadee 4 Tropical Kingbird 1 Couch's Kingbird 5 White-eyed Vireo 1 Green Jay 3 Black-crested Titmouse 1 Carolina Wren 3 House Wren 1 Clay-colored Thrush 2 Northern Mockingbird 4 Long-billed Thrasher 4 Curve-billed Thrasher 2 European Starling 2 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Olive Sparrow 3 Lincoln's Sparrow 2 Northern Cardinal 2 Red-winged Blackbird 5 Great-tailed Grackle 7 Bronzed Cowbird 1 House Sparrow 20 Location: Old Hidalgo Pumphouse (WBC) (LTC067) Observation date: 4/14/09 Number of species: 24 Green Heron 1 Rock Pigeon 4 White-winged Dove 1 Mourning Dove 3 Inca Dove 1 Chimney Swift 2 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1 Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1 Great Kiskadee 1 Couch's Kingbird 1 Western Kingbird 1 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5 Bank Swallow 4 Barn Swallow 2 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 3 European Starling 1 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Great-tailed Grackle 5 Lesser Goldfinch 2 House Sparrow 3 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Access 350+ FREE radio stations anytime from anywhere on the web. Get the Radio Toolbar! (http://toolbar.aol.com/aolradio/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000002) Subject: Bentsen Bird Walk From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2009 09:23:09 EDT Hi, all! A power outage prevented me from getting this out earlier, but joined Jose Uribe in leading the bird walk yesterday morning; I actually got there about 7:18 and walked down to the "10-minute Bench" where I had a singing Clay-colored Thrush and a pair of flyover Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, which we didn't see later. I ran into Jose as he was pulling the van out and we cruised around the park, actually seeing a CC Thrush on a tree by the pavilion, making his querulous little call! The biggest surprise was a mini downpour when no rain was even forecast! It let up by the time we reached the VC and joined the rest of the crowd that had shown up; the highlight was a Louisiana Waterthrush that was hanging around the dragonfly pond, along with a Yellowthroat. Jose pointed out an Inca Dove nest to us, and a male Ruby-throated Hummer also made an appearance, while the Buffbellies were vocal but less cooperative. We all piled in and headed to the Gatehouse where we enjoyed the icterids chowing down, including a Darth Vaderish Bronzed Cowbird. More Rubythroats buzzed around the olive tree, and someone spotted a snoozing nighthawk in a tree! We pulled out the books and settled on Common, based on the fact that the wingtips projected a bit beyond the tail. Heading over to Kingfisher Overlook, Jose found said Ringed Kingfisher across the resaca, beating the snot out of a big fish before devouring it and then flying past us! A mob of roosting Turkey Vultures soon started to lift off, and before long we were treated to flight after flight of raptors (I think the overcast skies kept them rather low), mostly Broadies and TVs but with a few Swainson's Hawks sprinkled in. We enjoyed the Kiskadees and Altamira Orioles working on their nests, then made our way over to Acacia loop where Jose showed us the Gray Hawk nest, complete with Gray Hawk! One of the participants spotted a Brown-crested Flycatcher, and in short order we were treated to two sparring Clay-colored Thrushes, and a surprisingly cooperative Beardless Tyrannulet! Eagle Pond was quiet, but Kiskadee Blind produced two gorgeous Indigo Buntings and a photogenic Green Jay, as well as White-tipped Doves an a Javelina. (After editing the pics, it looked as though one of the buntings was more turquoise than the other!) On the way back to the vans a Smudgy Oriole gave us a show! I had to take off after that, but the rest of the gang went on to the Hawk Tower; I'll let Jose report on that part! :-) On the walk out heard a Great Crested Flycatcher and Common Ground Dove to add to my own list. Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) (and the moth and the dragon are best guesses...) Bird List: Location: Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. SP WBC (Mission)(LTC 069) Observation date: 4/11/09 Number of species: 47 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 3 Plain Chachalaca 5 Anhinga 2 Turkey Vulture 40 Broad-winged Hawk 30 Gray Hawk 2 Swainson's Hawk 6 American Coot 40 Gull-billed Tern 1 White-winged Dove 7 Mourning Dove 3 Inca Dove 3 Common Ground-Dove 1 White-tipped Dove 15 Common Nighthawk 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 4 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 12 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 4 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 Brown-crested Flycatcher 2 Great Kiskadee 6 Couch's Kingbird 12 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2 Green Jay 10 Cave Swallow 6 Black-crested Titmouse 2 House Wren 6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3 Clay-colored Thrush 6 Northern Mockingbird 6 Long-billed Thrasher 7 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Louisiana Waterthrush 1 Common Yellowthroat 2 Olive Sparrow 5 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 5 Indigo Bunting 2 Red-winged Blackbird 50 Great-tailed Grackle 30 Bronzed Cowbird 4 Altamira Oriole 2 Altamira x Audubon's Oriole (hybrid) 1 House Sparrow 20 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001) Subject: Estero Llano Grande From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 3 Apr 2009 21:32:31 EDT Hi, all! Had a lovely day at Estero Llano with good company and great birds, including (finally) the very cooperative Rose-throated Becard! The magpie jay also stole the show from a basking Mexican Bluewing! No sign of the Masked Duck or LeConte's Sparrow, however (the wind really kicked up later), but three Cinnamon Teal were out in the open, along with many whistling ducks of both flavors. After Huck took us around The Forbidden Zone, Joyce Davidson and her friend plus Cheryl from Salieno (now at Santa Ana) and I went around the boardwalk in search of the Masked Duck, but just had the usual. (A young Roseate Spoonbill feeding in Ibis Pond was nice, however...) After we split up I had a flyover Ringed Kingfisher near Dowitcher Pond and a calling Least Bittern in the reeds. On the way back to the cars we ran into each other again and had a couple of Nashville Warblers where the Green Kingfisher usually hangs out by the ditch pipe (and we did indeed have one there during the butterfly walk). As the day wore on I switched from birding to lepping when the Rickards showed up along with Tom Pendelton and Fran Bartle, plus a couple of guys from New York, where the star of the show was a Mexican Silverspot in the parking lot! (Although the Cyna Blue was a life bug for Fran... ;-)) Pics for the day are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Bird List: Location: Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (Weslaco)(LTC 054) Observation date: 4/3/09 Notes: A "Myrtle" Warbler and White-tailed Kite were also observed by the rest of the group. Number of species: 84 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 20 Fulvous Whistling-Duck 30 Blue-winged Teal 20 Cinnamon Teal 3 Northern Shoveler 10 Lesser Scaup 1 Plain Chachalaca 3 Least Grebe 20 Pied-billed Grebe 4 American White Pelican 4 Double-crested Cormorant 100 Anhinga 1 Least Bittern 1 Great Blue Heron 1 Great Egret 2 Snowy Egret 3 Tricolored Heron 2 Cattle Egret 5 Green Heron 5 White-faced Ibis 5 Roseate Spoonbill 1 Osprey 1 Broad-winged Hawk 4 Crested Caracara 1 Sora 4 Common Moorhen 7 American Coot 100 Killdeer 4 Black-necked Stilt 8 American Avocet 2 Spotted Sandpiper 1 Greater Yellowlegs 1 Lesser Yellowlegs 5 Long-billed Dowitcher 50 Gull-billed Tern 2 Rock Pigeon 2 White-winged Dove 8 Mourning Dove 10 Inca Dove 6 Common Ground-Dove 3 White-tipped Dove 10 Red-crowned Parrot 8 Chimney Swift 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1 Ringed Kingfisher 1 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 10 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2 Brown-crested Flycatcher 2 Great Kiskadee 7 Couch's Kingbird 8 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 7 Rose-throated Becard 1 Loggerhead Shrike 1 White-eyed Vireo 2 Black-throated Magpie-Jay 1 Green Jay 2 Purple Martin 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 8 Cliff Swallow 3 Barn Swallow 3 Black-crested Titmouse 3 Carolina Wren 2 House Wren 3 Marsh Wren 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 10 Long-billed Thrasher 2 European Starling 4 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Nashville Warbler 2 Common Yellowthroat 3 Olive Sparrow 3 Lincoln's Sparrow 8 Northern Cardinal 3 Pyrrhuloxia 1 Red-winged Blackbird 20 Great-tailed Grackle 20 Altamira Oriole 1 Lesser Goldfinch 3 House Sparrow 20 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001) Subject: Progresso & Hidalgo From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 21:07:09 EDT Hi, all! Since I had to be out of the apartment this morning I decided to finally check out the Progresso Sod Farms, a new spot for me. It was pretty much as Rex described yesterday: what birds that were out there were WAY out there at the north end! But could positively ID a dozen or so American Golden Plovers, and an Upland Sandpiper also flew over. I continued road-birding past the little reservoir and up to the levee, where something evidently spooked the plovers as they all zipped overhead along with some Least Sandpipers. Some Red-crowned Parrots calling in the distance were nice for the list. Decided to continue west along the levee, where after it crossed SR 88 I was on familiar territory from the Weslaco CBC! This was a terrific road to bird as it had many little wetlands and ponds, and today didn't disappoint, as some of the highlights included four Roseate Spoonbills in with a large flock of White-faced Ibis (had some Whites, too), several kinds of ducks, an Anhinga, and at least three Krider's-type Hawks along with a couple of immature White-taileds. Another Upland Sandpiper also flew over, as well as my FOS Cliff Swallows. There was quite a substantial freshwater marsh at one point where I got a Sora to respond to hand-clapping. When I got to FM 493 I decided to be adventurous and continue on, and enjoyed more combinations of agricultural and wetland habitats, along with some thorn scrub and even some grassland thrown in. A Harris' Hawk flew by with a gob of nesting material, and a scruffy-looking Caracara pumped past as well. The unpleasant surprise at Alamo Road was a locked tank-stopping yellow gate, so Jip got to take a nose-dive off the levee onto the farm road in order to access the paved road! Headed to Hidalgo Pumphouse after that, where it was actually drizzling when I got there! :-( I sat in the car for 15 enjoying a pair of Couch's Kingbirds and a Black-crested Titmouse, which was my first for the park. The sun finally came out and I headed down to the channel where I added Green Heron and Cattle Egret, also firsts. The Black Phoebe peeped from somewhere, and added both Buff-bellied and an Archilochus hummingbird after Mike Rickard had joined me. Lep highlights included an ovipositing Cyna Blue and a Forrester Moth Mike pointed out. Headed home with 68 species for the day. Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_tues) Bird list: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 3-31-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 3-31-09 to 3-31-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Anhinga Anhinga anhinga Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Snowy Egret Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Green Heron Butorides virescens White Ibis Eudocimus albus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway American Kestrel Falco sparverius Sora Porzana carolina Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina Red-crowned Parrot Amazona viridigenalis Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris Purple Martin Progne subis Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota House Wren Troglodytes aedon Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus European Starling Sturnus vulgaris House Sparrow Passer domesticus Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus 68 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001) Subject: Cameron County (longish) From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sun, 29 Mar 2009 13:39:03 EDT Hi, all! Sorry about the late report, but I had a lot of photos to sort through... Did a dawn-to-dusk run of Cameron County on Friday the 27th, starting at Sabal Palm Grove. The Audubon's Oriole pair was right there in the parking lot, singing away! Also added my first Altamira for the park while I was taking advantage of the porta potty... A loop of the Forest Trail added a couple of Solitary Sandpipers in the drying resaca along the boardwalk, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk sat on a dead limb. Heard an unfamiliar parrot calling in the distance, and at the photo blind ran into a Canadian gentleman who had seen a Red-lored Parrot in the parking lot, so that could have been what I heard, but I'm not sure. He pointed out a Green Kingfisher to me across the way, as well as a Green Heron, and later a big Ringed same sailing in. Also had my first Lesser Scaup for the park, as well as a Ring-necked Duck. Back at the VC Jimmy Paz filled the feeders and pointed out the "Cooper's Hawk" that was terrorizing everyone (and indeed it was big), but then it started making Sharpie noises! The photos I got of the bird showed that it was indeed a Sharpie (the skinny legs gave it away) and taught me once again to be careful calling an Accipiter by size alone! Sure had ME fooled! The Chachalacas were getting territorial and therefore provided comedy relief... Headed down Boca Chica Boulevard after that; no Aplomados, but lots of meadowlarks, and at one watery stop added Northern Waterthrush and Swamp Sparrow! Had a good selection of raptors, including Black Vulture, harrier, and Red-tailed Hawk which were unique for the day. Also picked up Chihuahuan Raven (saving a trip to the dump), and the expected beach-loving shorebirds at road's end. South Padre was next, and I'm kicking myself for not checking out the jetty, as Dennis Raffelson and Alice DeBolt were enjoying a Black-legged Kittiwake at the time (I found out later)! But there was plenty of action at the Convention Center; sadly no rails due to the construction, but there was a great display (in wonderful light) of White Ibis in high breeding plumage, along with Tricolored Herons, Willets, and Black-necked Stilts! The only ducks out in the laguna were several Red-breasted Mergansers. On the way back had several of these white tiger-like moths feeding on the flowers, which turned out to be Ornate Moths (best match, anyway). The butterfly garden was in good shape, with an Obscure Skipper feeding, and lots of Great Southern Whites batting around. In back of the Convention Center the tide was high, so no shorebirds, but picked up several Skimmers, and the posts were lined with larids watching a fight between two Reddish Egrets (I swear I thought one of them was going to drown the other)! Headed up to Laguna Atascosa after that, where the heat was pretty oppressive (I think the Roadrunner I shot on the way in would agree with that assessment...) and at the visitor's center the leps were rather quiet except for a nice Giant Swallowtail that put on a show. Picked up a Catbird, a Black-and-white Warbler, and Northern Parula along Kiskadee Trail, but the Blue Buntings were smarter than I was and were apparently hiding deep in the shade... After a visit at the feeders I headed down to Alligator Pond for the first time in my life, and was very impressed with the setup! Met a guy named Glen who already had the Masked Duck staked out and in the scope, and what a view! She was near the back side of the pond but still way out in the open, and I have to say that I am very impressed with this Canon EOS Rebel: I could barely see the bird through the viewfinder but several of the shots miraculously came out halfway decent! The Alligator apparently made a lunge at someone and put every bird in the pond on alert status! We walked back to our cars together and then kept leapfrogging on the Bayside Trail; even though he was from Texas and now living on the east coast, he'd never been to the Valley before, so everything was new! I tried to point out his life White-tailed Hawk when I had stopped at one point, but the thing flew behind some trees before he could get on it... :-( We all converged at another stop (Glen, another family I ran into at Sabal Palm, and local birder John whom I keep mistaking for Father Tom... :-}) where there was a Pectoral Sandpiper amongst the other shorebirds and ducks. At one point was a male Shoveler with a BLUE head who was absolutely stunning! The Ospreys had their attendant gulls and turnstones, and on the back side of the loop in the Dolly-flooded fields were many more shorebirds, including several Stilt Sandpipers and my FOS Wilson's Plovers. Most of the peeps I could make out were Westerns (one coming into breeding plumage), but there were also some Leasts and Dunlins tossed in; I couldn't call any of them Semipals with a clear conscience... A beautiful but distant group of spoonbills added to the color, and the icing was a beautiful perched White-tailed Hawk (one of the pics included a Pipevine Swallowtail; almost looked as though he was bombing the hawk, but I doubt that...) Flushed a Merlin on the way out, and was very surprised that I dipped on Caracara... Headed home with 115 species for the day! Pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Bird list: Data of: Mary Beth Stowe Date: 3-27-09 Limitations: One Sighting per Species; From 3-27-09 to 3-27-09 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis American Wigeon Anas americana Gadwall Anas strepera Green-winged Teal Anas crecca Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula Northern Pintail Anas acuta Blue-winged Teal Anas discors Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Masked Duck Nomonyx dominica Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis Plain Chachalaca Ortalis vetula Least Grebe Tachybaptus dominicus Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis Neotropic Cormorant Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias Great Egret Ardea alba Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea Snowy Egret Egretta thula Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis Green Heron Butorides virescens White Ibis Eudocimus albus White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja Black Vulture Coragyps atratus Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura Osprey Pandion haliaetus White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus White-tailed Hawk Buteo albicaudatus Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis American Kestrel Falco sparverius Merlin Falco columbarius Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus American Coot Fulica americana Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus American Avocet Recurvirostra americana Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia Killdeer Charadrius vociferus Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca Willet Tringa semipalmata Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres Sanderling Calidris alba Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos Dunlin Calidris alpina Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Herring Gull Larus argentatus Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis Black Skimmer Rynchops niger Rock Pigeon Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura White-tipped Dove Leptotila verreauxi Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus Buff-bellied Hummingbird Amazilia yucatanensis Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana Golden-fronted Woodpecker Melanerpes aurifrons Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii House Wren Troglodytes aedon Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos Long-billed Thrasher Toxostoma longirostre Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre Black-crested Titmouse Baeolophus atricristatus Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas Chihuahuan Raven Corvus cryptoleucus White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus Northern Parula Parula americana Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater Altamira Oriole Icterus gularis Audubon's Oriole Icterus graduacauda 115 SPECIES Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001) Subject: Weslaco Birds From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:46:18 EDT Hi, all! Made a quick trip to Frontera this morning, where sadly yesterday's big show had moved on... :-( Nothing out of the ordinary, but highlights included a very cooperative Green Kingfisher (thanks to a visiting birder who found him on the boardwalk and pointed him out to me), flyover Green Parakeets and Red-crowned Parrots, a singing (!) Ovenbird and Wilson's Warbler, a calling Clay-colored Thrush, and my FOS Chimney Swift. My first Marsh Wren for the park was also gurgling from the reeds along the boardwalk. After the program at Valley Nature Center I took a quick swing around there as well, where the Chachalacas were chorusing up a storm, and had another Wilson's Warbler at one of the benches. A handful of pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/inbox) Two bird lists follow: Location: Frontera Audubon Ctr (LTC 058) Observation date: 3/21/09 Number of species: 41 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 70 Plain Chachalaca 20 Snowy Egret 1 Turkey Vulture 5 Killdeer 1 White-winged Dove 1 Mourning Dove 2 Inca Dove 4 White-tipped Dove 15 Green Parakeet 7 Red-crowned Parrot 2 Chimney Swift 1 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 4 Green Kingfisher 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1 Great Kiskadee 5 Couch's Kingbird 1 White-eyed Vireo 4 Blue-headed Vireo 1 Green Jay 1 Black-crested Titmouse 2 Carolina Wren 3 House Wren 2 Marsh Wren 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 Clay-colored Thrush 1 Northern Mockingbird 4 European Starling 1 Orange-crowned Warbler 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 2 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler 1 Ovenbird 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Lincoln's Sparrow 1 Northern Cardinal 3 Red-winged Blackbird 15 Great-tailed Grackle 8 Brown-headed Cowbird 1 Location: Valley Nature Ctr. (LTC 057) Observation date: 3/21/09 Number of species: 14 Plain Chachalaca 20 White-winged Dove 2 Inca Dove 4 White-tipped Dove 4 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1 Carolina Wren 1 Northern Mockingbird 1 Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 1 Wilson's Warbler 1 Northern Cardinal 1 Red-winged Blackbird 40 Great-tailed Grackle 4 House Sparrow 50 Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001) Subject: Spotted Towhee @ ESW From: Mary Beth Stowe <MiriamEagl AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2009 20:30:29 EDT Hi, all! Just a quick note to report that the Spotted Towhee is still at Edinburg Wetlands, as it "rrrrr"ed at me from the Kiskadee Pond. The Pyrrhuloxias were very cooperative today; the Wilson's and Yellow Warblers weren't... A few pics are posted here: _http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri_ (http://www.pbase.com/miriameaglemon/new_pics_fri) Enjoy! MB Mary Beth Stowe McAllen, TX _www.miriameaglemon.com_ (http://www.miriameaglemon.com/) **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001)