California Dreamers, Part 3

12/8/19

 

All photographs ©2019 by Ron Lam

This was the day I hated to miss:  Salineño! L  It’s a perfect setup for photographers, and I’m sure the guys weren’t disappointed with the regulars that came in to Merle and Lois’ banquet (with Mike helping out J), including Baldy the Audubon’s Oriole!  The seedeater was apparently a no-show along the river, but the ever-present Spotted Sandpiper and Osprey made a showing, along with the target Mexican Duck, some Green-winged Teal and Gadwall, three Anhingas, the Black Phoebe along with a couple of Vermilion Flycatchers, a Gray Hawk family, and a Ringed Kingfisher that was machine-gunning somewhere unseen.   

Altamira Oriole

"Baldy" the Audubon's Oriole

Northern Cardinal

Plain Chachalaca

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Olive Sparrow

White-tipped Dove

Osprey with breakfast

They spent the afternoon at Rancho La Lomitas, and I was surprised that they didn’t bag the Scaled Quail (as that’s the main target there), but they did have yet another Audubon’s Oriole, along with lots of Cactus Wrens, and a couple of Roadrunners (always a hit, although they do occur in California).  Somewhere they picked up House Finch, which becomes more expected the further west you go, but is generally considered rare in the Valley.

Black-crested Titmouse

Black-throated Sparrow

Cactus Wren

Show-off Green Jay

Olive Sparrow

Greater Roadrunner

Zebra Heliconian (token butter)

They ended the day with a modest 51 species (about average for Starr County), with 12 new birds for the trip, marked with an asterisk.  Bird list:

Gadwall 

Mexican Duck*
Green-winged Teal
Plain Chachalaca 
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) 
Eurasian Collared-Dove 
Inca Dove 
White-tipped Dove 
White-winged Dove 
Mourning Dove 
Greater Roadrunner*
Spotted Sandpiper 
Anhinga - 3 on Rio Grande 
Double-crested Cormorant 
Great Egret 
Snowy Egret 
Black Vulture*
Turkey Vulture 
Osprey 
Harris's Hawk 
Gray Hawk*
Red-tailed Hawk 
Ringed Kingfisher*
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 
Crested Caracara 
Black Phoebe*
Eastern Phoebe 
Vermilion Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee 
Loggerhead Shrike 
Green Jay 
Black-crested Titmouse 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
Bewick's Wren*
Cactus Wren*
European Starling 
Curve-billed Thrasher 
Long-billed Thrasher 
Northern Mockingbird 
House Sparrow 
House Finch*
Olive Sparrow 
Black-throated Sparrow*
Altamira Oriole 
Audubon's Oriole*
Red-winged Blackbird 
Great-tailed Grackle 
Orange-crowned Warbler 
Northern Cardinal 
Pyrrhuloxia*