We really had to dance around the
storm front descending on the Valley, but thankfully the morning was to be
rain-free, so I decided to focus on local walking preserves to nail the regular
Valley specialties for “Chad and Marge” from Pennsylvania (names changed to protect identity). I left it up to them: the original plan was to do Santa Ana NWR,
then work our way to Anzalduas by way of Hidalgo and Granjeño, but seeing as
the Crimson-collared Grosbeak and Tropical Parula were still being reported at
Frontera, I gave them the option to go there and then on to Estero Llano Grande
for some other specialties. Either was
fine with them, so we headed to Weslaco, and since we were very early I once
again tried cruising the neighborhood listening for parrots. Got our fill of grackles instead, so headed
on to Frontera, where lo and behold a
pair of Red-crowned Parrots flew towards us!
I pulled over post haste and had Chad and Marge jump out of the car,
where they were able to see the first of their target birds (and that’s a good
one to get under the belt early)!
On to Frontera, where once again
they were open early, and once again Chris Benesh had yet another group trying
to track down the grosbeak! J After some initial bantering we agreed to
alert each other if we found it, then went our separate ways. I did hear a Clay-colored Thrush, so we went
that direction until Chad informed me that he had seen tons of them in Costa
Rica (their national bird, after all J),
so we decided to go into the forest, but not before getting crippling views of
a Buff-bellied Hummingbird that was stretching itself by the water feature, and
a great belly view of a White-tipped Dove that decided to perch right overhead!
We passed by the manicured pond
south of the fenceline, where a few Black-bellied Whistling Ducks took flight
while a cute little pair of Carolina Wrens hopped right up on a small bush and a
couple of Hermit Thrushes thooked
from the woods. Marge spotted a pair of
noisy Kiskadees, and I think this turned out to be her favorite bird as we had
many great looks at them drinking, flopping around, and being typical
Kiskadees! J We reached the little resaca and walked the
new little dead end trail where a feeding flock came in which had two Northern Parulas in it (not the
Tropical, alas)! While we were working
that flock a big line of Snow Geese went overhead which included at least one
Ross’!
The trail to the new observation deck was
cordoned off (probably because the trail was too muddy), so we meandered back
the other way, getting a glimpse of a very mad Long-billed Thrasher, and of
course witnessing tons of Turkey Vultures taking flight (and yes, the aroma was
quite strong…)! We eventually stumbled
onto the “feeders in the round” (where all the fancy benches are) and enjoyed
Black-crested Titmice, Cardinals, and the fattest Fox Squirrel any of us had
ever seen! Then we stumbled onto a
feeder area that was totally new to me since I was there last, and here we
enjoyed the Chachalacas and White-tipped Doves coming in for breakfast! Chad and Marge got brief looks at some Green
Jays as well.
Feeder area at Frontera
White-tipped Dove
Since this was just a half day of
guiding, we needed to scoot to Estero Llano Grande, so we found our way out,
adding a singing Black-and-white Warbler in the parking lot. We practically had the place to ourselves,
and at the deck at Ibis Pond quickly added another target bird, the puffy
little Least Grebe! A couple of male
Cinnamon Teal were nice amongst the duck throng, and a female Vermilion
Flycatcher flopped around one of the shepherd’s hooks. As I got us checked in, I sent them over to
the hummer feeders to enjoy themselves, and after hitting the ladies’ room, I
found them happy as peaches as they had just seen the Bullock’s Oriole!
It was clouding over a little bit,
so I suggested heading straight out to Alligator Lake for the Pauraque and
owl. On the way we saw a little Sora
swimming across Dowitcher Pond, and Grebe Marsh had a nice Greater Yellowlegs
and battling Solitary Sandpipers! Making
the turn to the lake, the trees across the way were full of night herons of
both flavors, so we got scope views of those beauties! At the first overlook, Chad announced he had
an American Bittern, and at first I thought he was talking about the young
night heron in front of us, but when he got me looking the right direction, he
had indeed found a bittern hiding on a clump across the way! I was jazzed!
One of the singing Long-billed Thrashers finally decided to show across
the pond as well; not the best look, but better than we’ve had!
Battling Solitary Sandpipers
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
American Bittern
The Pauraque was next, and
thankfully he hadn’t found a different roosting spot and was easy to find! Both Chad and Marge were just awestruck with
this bird, and it was hard to drag them away to view the Screech Owl, which I
advised them to put “in the bank” in case the ornithological authorities
decided to split “McCall’s” Screech Owl in the future! A peek at the main overlook added the Anhinga
pair and the requisite Alligators, plus some cute Pied-billed Grebes. We were getting ready to hike Camino de Aves
in hopes of Common Ground Dove, but as we took a look at some Chachalacas on
the trail behind us, what should also be feeding on the ground but a pair of
the Ground Doves! Chad was a very happy
camper with that (and so was I, as it saved some walking J)!
Heading back out to the bridge we got a quick glimpse of a Bobcat that
had been sitting on a log!
Enjoying the Pauraque behind the barrier!
Anhinga (female above, male below)
We then took a quick look at the
whole of Dowitcher Pond hoping for Stilt Sandpiper, but got a nice Redhead
instead. Curlew Pond had a mob of Snowy
Egrets and one Tricolored Heron, so from there we headed straight back to the
VC to enjoy the feeders before we had to head back. The immature Black-chinned Hummingbird came
in for a sip, as did more Chachalacas, but the oriole never returned.
Male Redhead
Checking out Dowitcher Pond
White-faced Ibis
We had to head back after that; I
personally logged 70 species (many of which were heard-only), but the real
total is at least 71 including the Bullock’s! Bird List:
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Snow Goose
Ross's Goose
Gadwall
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal
Northern Shoveler
Northern Pintail
Green-winged Teal
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Plain Chachalaca
Least Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe
Anhinga
American Bittern
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
White-faced Ibis
Turkey Vulture
Sora
Common Gallinule
American Coot
Black-necked Stilt
Spotted Sandpiper
Solitary Sandpiper
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Inca Dove
Common Ground-Dove
White-tipped Dove
Eastern Screech-Owl
Common Pauraque
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Red-crowned Parrot
Eastern Phoebe
Vermilion Flycatcher
Great Kiskadee
White-eyed Vireo
Green Jay
Black-crested Titmouse
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Hermit Thrush
Clay-colored Thrush
Long-billed Thrasher
Northern Mockingbird
Black-and-white Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Northern Parula
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Olive Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
House Sparrow
70 SPECIES
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