Hidalgo County Birdathon - 2019

4/20/19 

Headed out the door with the first bird being a Purple Martin gurgling overhead in the dark!  A distant Great-tailed Grackle (2) was next, followed by the tittering of a Tropical Kingbird (3).  Once at Bentsen, I think the White-winged Dove (4) again claimed the prize to be the first songster there, along with the awakening Couch’s Kingbirds (5), but there were plenty of Pauraques (6) singing, and a lone Mockingbird (7) contributed to the pre-dawn chorus.  A Curve-billed Thrasher (8) gave his rude whistle, and walking into the park the Cardinals (9) were tuning up.  At the resting bench I was thrilled to hear a distant Chuck-will’s-widow (10), and a Dickcissel (11) gave his obnoxious flight call.  Thankfully the Screech Owls (12) came through this time, but I was shocked to actually miss the Elf Owl this year!  (It was a calm, clear, full moonlit night, and I recall someone telling me that small owls generally don’t vocalize under those conditions in order to avoid drawing attention to themselves…)  I also dipped on the Whippoorwill, but I’m thinking my friends are right – I’ve only gotten them on Big Days that I’ve done earlier in the month…

At any rate, picked up Mourning Dove (13) in short order, and a distant Great Horned Owl (14) was a good one to add.  From then on the diurnal birds were starting to wake up:  Brown-crested Flycatcher (15), Olive Sparrow (16, that actually started singing when I turned on my flashlight to jot down the flycatcher J), Black-bellied Whistling Duck (17), Sora (18), and White-tipped Dove (19) were all added before reaching the resaca.  As the sky lightened, the Yellowthroats (20) started yelling, and even the Chachalacas (21) started their chorusing a little early!  I actually heard a Green Heron (22) before seeing it, and other unseen songsters included Golden-fronted Woodpecker (23), Gray Hawk (24), Kiskadee (25), and Brown-headed Cowbird (26).  A Snowy Egret (27) flew back and forth seemingly trying to find a place to land while Green Jays (28) called in the distance.  Both a Great Blue Heron (29) and Great Egret (30) stood sentry at the other end.

Once dawn officially arrived I started back to the parking lot, adding Ladder-backed Woodpecker (31), Red-winged Blackbird (32), Altamira Oriole (33), and a burbling House Wren (34) to the list.  At the “fork” I heard a distant Tyrannulet (35, probably the one that hangs at the entrance to the Acacia Loop), plus a Black-crested Titmouse (36), and now that I was away from the Mockingbird cacophony I could pick out a Long-billed Thrasher (37) singing!  I had almost tuned out a Yellow-billed Cuckoo (38) doing its cou…cou…cou call, as at first I thought I was hearing the “you” part of the Whitewing’s “Who cooks for you?” song, until I realized it was repeating itself!  The other surprise was a singing Roadrunner (39, and I resisted the temptation to mess with ‘im J)!  The Clay-colored Thrush (40) started singing his sad song, and even a lingering Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (41) buzzed!  At the bridge lots of Cave Swallows (42) flew and chattered, and a Buff-bellied Hummingbird (43) rattled by at the visitor’s center.  On the way back to the parking lot a Bronzed Cowbird (44) sat on the sidewalk, and just before I left a Harrier (45) glided over the trees!

Headed along Old Military Highway from there, and decided to try that back road discovered during the Hook-billed Kite phenomenon, but added nothing new.  Back on the main drag I stopped at my traditional spot by the end of the Butterfly Center’s Walking Trail, and by golly the Blue Grosbeak (46) was back!  (No bluebirds this year, though… L)  Dipped on the meadowlark as well, I think, by taking that back road, as I didn’t pick them up anywhere else…  But I did add Killdeer (47) along the road, and the Black Phoebe (48) came through at the bridge (along with lots more Cave Swallows), despite all the construction going on!  Now that the levee is off limits, I went through the old, beat-up, original “Old Military Road”, which is beautiful habitat wise, but added only House Sparrow (49) and Lesser Goldfinch (50 - and had to drive around a fallen tree limb to boot).  Getting back up on the levee near Chimney Park added the Euro-trash Starlings (51) and Rock Pigeons (52), plus a Western Kingbird (53) giving his chattering song.  The first of the Turkey Vultures (54) went aloft, and I almost drove by what I thought was just another grackle at first, but that still, small voice said, “Check it out!” and it turned out to be the only Groove-billed Ani (55) of the day!  Over near La Lomitas a Caracara (56) sat on a pole, and just before the gate I spooked a Cooper’s Hawk (57) and heard Verdins (58) chirping.

Groove-billed Ani

Puffed up Crested Caracara

  

On to Anzalduas, where Black Vultures (59) joined the Turkeys, and in the Rio Grande itself added Neotropic Cormorant (60), the feral Muscovies (61 – I know, that’s pushing it…), a couple of Laughing Gulls (62), and a Coot (63).  In the park proper I heard the high, ringing calls of some Cedar Waxwings (64), and a Spotted Sandpiper (65) bobbed on the boat ramp.  A pair of Hooded Orioles (66) chattered and eventually chased each other out of the tree, while a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (67) jumped up from a wire as well.  Over by the dam a couple of Cattle Egrets (68) stalked breakfast in the grass, and Rough-winged Swallows (69) swooped over the water.  Picked up the requisite Cliff Swallows (70) nesting under the dam itself, and on the swing back heard a White-eyed Vireo (71) singing (dipped on the resident House Finches…).  A short-tailed, dumpy Double-crested Cormorant (72) flew over on the way out, and I settled on IDing a puzzling juvenile hawk soaring overhead as a Broad-winged (73), based on the very white underwings (almost with a thin black liner, as opposed to the somewhat darker flight feathers of a juvenile Swainson’s) and uniform brown upperparts (as a Swainie will often show a bit of a white rump band).  As I was comparing all this on the Sibley app a Mottled Duck (74) flew overhead, and rolling through Granjeño on my way to the freeway picked up Collared Dove (75).

Since Quinta Mazatlan was having a big (reeeely big) event going on, I skipped that in favor of Edinburg Wetlands, which was terrific!  Right away added Inca Dove (76) singing in the parking lot, while a pair of Anhingas (77) flew overhead!  The Purple Martin house was a big hit with a lot of the families coming in for a kids’ event!  Couldn’t kick up any migrants in the woods, but I did literally kick up a Pauraque (the “Giant Mockingbird”) that nonetheless sat on the side of the trail long enough to get a photo!  By that time it was warming up, and I was momentarily distracted by a couple of cooperative dragonflies…  The north pond had a pair of Black-necked Stilts (78), and something chased a Black-crowned Night Heron (79) out of hiding.  Walking down to the canal overlook an unseen Green Kingfisher (80) was making a fuss, and on the way out an overhead Cardinal was singing and vibrating his tail in plain sight!  The south pond was extremely productive (and was sharing it with some couples having their Easter pictures taken, probably), with Least Sandpipers (81) on the shoreline, and a Tricolored Heron (82) near the vegetation.  Lots of Blue-winged Teal (83) were both in the water and lazing on shore, and Forster’s Terns (84) batted around giving their grating calls.  A nice surprise was a young Roseate Spoonbill (85), and Gull-billed Terns (86) gave their more mellow calls.  But the real prize was a lady Ringed Kingfisher (87) that rowed in and landed on this tall platform, only to be immediately chased away by the terns!  On the way back to the car an Orange-crowned Warbler (88) allowed himself to be briefly seen, and a Lark Sparrow (89) sang in the open area.

Purple Martin

Pauraque

Female Blue Dasher

Female Red-tailed Pennant

Young Roseate Spoonbill

Least Sandpiper

Black-necked Stilt

Female Ringed Kingfisher

The La Sal del Rey Route was next, which for Birdathon purposes covers Brushline Road north of SR 186, and then back to Ken Baker and Rio Beef Roads.  That was also incredibly productive, picking up most of the “western” targets I hope to get up here!  I had barely turned onto the road when Pyrrhuloxias (90) started chattering, and as I’d stop, get out, and listen every mile added Common Ground Dove (91), Bewick’s Wren (92), Bobwhite (93), a nyehing Orchard Oriole (94), a skylarking Cassin’s Sparrow (95), and a Harris’ Hawk (96) on a pole, along with lots more Caracaras!  Bona fide Swainson’s Hawks (97) were moving through in good numbers, and up near the “jog” added a smacking Lincoln’s Sparrow (98) and the Black-throated Sparrow (99) that always seems to hang at the ranch there!  The honor of Bird #100 went to the Bullock’s Oriole that was giving its slow chatter, and at another stop a Cactus Wren (101) sang in the distance.  The farm pond at the end of the road was pretty sparse, but at least had a Pied-billed Grebe (102) to add.  A Common Gallinule (103) cackled from the “swampy” side, and when I walked down the road a little I flushed a pair of Mottled Ducks that got the Least Grebes (104) going!  I almost ignored another “TV” until that voice once again urged me to check it – this time it was a young White-tailed Hawk (105)!  Ken Baker had lots more Swainies, an adult Whitetail, and gobs more Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, but didn’t add anything new until almost to the end of Rio Beef Road, where a Summer Tanager (106) pik-a-chooed and shot across the road!

Greater Roadrunner

Caracara with a full crop

Harris' Hawk

Swainson's Hawk (above and below)

Next stop was the “1015 Pond” to the east of Delta Lake, and this time the surprise was a mob of Fulvous Whistling Ducks (107)!  A few Barn Swallows (108) also swooped around as I enjoyed my lunch…  After that it was Valley Acres Reservoir, which requires special permission to enter, but while last year it was outstanding, this year the water level was very high, so there really wasn’t much out there; I added a few White Ibis (109) flying across my view, and on the central island I did pick out a couple of Fulvous Whistling Ducks and a Spoonbill (in case I hadn’t gotten them elsewhere).  Dipped on the White-tailed Kite that usually hangs here, and no Least Bitterns called from the reeds…  But I was still appreciative to Javier who gave permission to come; under other conditions I’m sure it could be its old productive self again!

Great Egret hunts amongst the pretty flowers

Another Great Egret poses on a dead tree

  

Frontera was next, and I really had to scoot as they were closing at 4:00!  But what Valley Acres lacked in species, Frontera made up in spades!  Right in the parking lot added Chimney Swifts (110) flying over, and some activity in the woods next to the lot revealed a Black-and-white Warbler (111) creeping around on a tree, a Yellow-breasted Chat (112) talking to himself, and a curious Swainson’s Thrush (113) that popped up to pishing!  Once inside and checked in, I sat at the water feature for a while, and was visited by several Nashville Warblers (114) and a single Tennessee (115)!  (I missed a great photo op with the two of them together on the stick that could have been captioned, “Nashville, TN”…)  Once inside, a Blue-headed Vireo (116) sang its sweet song, and a Carolina Wren (117) belted it out from the woods.  A Least Flycatcher (118) gave its soft whit, and near the cemetery I spooked a Chuck-will’s-widow that “chucked” at me annoyedly!  At the pond I was very pleased to bag a stunning Yellow-crowned Night Heron (119), and near the little “kingfisher resaca” a Warbling Vireo (120) scolded and actually did a little of his song!  Another view of the big pond gave me a Solitary Sandpiper (121), and a Ruby-throated Hummingbird (122) chattered softly.  Back at the water feature a Gray Catbird (123) gave its own cat-call, and a Great Crested Flycatcher (124) gave its very strong Wheep!

Nashville Warbler (showing the rarely-seen rusty cap above)

Tennessee Warbler (also below)

 

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Black-necked Stilt

  

On to Estero Llano Grande, and I had just entered the Tropical Zone when another birder pointed me in the direction of a pod of folks led by Host Huck and Ranger John, who pointed out a lovely Cerulean Warbler (125), a true rarity for Hidalgo County!  As tempted as I was to linger (especially with a new drip that they said was attractive to migrants), I headed out to the deck, where the water level there was pretty high, as well as birdless (unlike last week when we had all those shorebirds)!  Still not willing to abandon the slogan “Estero never disappoints” (and it certainly didn’t with that Cerulean), I headed out on the boardwalk to make the loop, and discovered that the shorebirds were all tucked together on a little island, away from the wind, so added Long-billed Dowitcher (126), White-faced Ibis (127, some actually getting their white faces), and Lesser Yellowlegs (128) to the list!  Back in the Tropical Zone the only additional migrant I could glean was a curious Eastern Wood Pewee (129).

The Progresso Sod Farms had zilch, zero, nada, so I continued on to the last stop of the day:  Santa Ana.  Heading over the levee I heard a Greater Yellowlegs (130) flying somewhere, along with the raspy chattering of a Bank Swallow (131).  Taking the Chachalaca Trail, I ran into another couple who had birded the Valley for over 20 years; he hadn’t seen any Cinnamon Teal, so I guess they had left (unlike the one last year that hung around clear into May).  I did add a Marsh Wren (132) singing from the reeds, and on the way out a couple of Sharp-shinned Hawks (133) flew overhead.  

Dimorphic Gray Moth on Heppy

I still had an hour to go before sunset, but I was shot, so I headed home at that point, but the day wasn’t done:  Green Parakeets screeched over in the neighborhood for a grand total of 134 species! 

Estero Never Disappoints - Even When the Weather Does!

4/21/19 

What a difference a few days (and a change in the weather) makes:  last week had great migrant conditions where we managed to bag an incredible 90 species during one morning of birding at Estero Llano Grande, but today, with the horrendous south winds and high water in the ponds, we were doing well to manage 46! L  Dale and Suzanne from Oregon just wanted a half day of casual “best of” birding as he called it, so even with the challenging weather, Estero was the place to go!  But I’m not willing to abandon the slogan coined by Nydia from Texas Birding (“Estero Never Disappoints”), because even though the overall birding was pretty dismal compared to the previous week, we had wonderful looks at some of our special hard-to-see birds!

As far as my guests were concerned, things started off with a bang with a male Cardinal darting in front of us as we pulled into the parking lot!  (Ya gotta remember:  we west coast people don’t have Cardinals! J)  Starting right in the parking lot, I thought we had our resident Long-billed Thrasher singing from the wire against the light (as he always does), but once I got the scope on it, it turned out to be the Curve-billed Thrasher!  Heading in to the Tropical Zone, Dale’s sharp eyes spotted their first Clay-colored Thrush sitting ram-rod against a tree!  I was amazed (although he admitted he saw the thing fly up there… J)!  As we spotted two pairs of Golden-fronted Woodpeckers battling on a dead tree, some Chimney Swifts flew over, and about that time a volunteer named Donna came by with food for the feeders, which was a real blessing as I assumed that once the park hosts left for the summer, that was the end of the feeding!  The other blessing this Easter morning was one of the Red-crowned Parrots which alighted in another dead tree in beautiful morning light!  Also high up in the treetops were the Chachalacas, starting the spreading of the Morning News, and Suzanne noticed how red their malar skin became when they chorused!

Red-crowned Parrot

Chachalacas giving the traditional Easter greeting in their own tongue! J

We eventually made our way down to the open feeders, and ended up spending about 15 minutes there as the place was hopping:  White-tipped Doves were all over the floor, and Green Jays, more Goldenfronts, and Black-crested Titmice raided the cage feeder.  I got a glimpse of a Long-billed Thrasher zipping into the undergrowth, and Suzanne caught two of them zipping back and forth like “ghosts”, so fast that she couldn’t see any detail!  I said that was typical… J  A Buff-bellied Hummingbird snuck in to feed at the feeder right next to us, as did a brilliant male Ruby-throated Hummer, but unfortunately Dale couldn’t get on him… L  But the real highlight was the normally skulky Olive Sparrows coming right out in the open to feed, just like any other sparrow!  From behind us a Blue-headed Vireo was singing his sweet song.

Black-crested Titmouse

Olive Sparrow darting behind a log

We didn’t spend much time at the drip due to the angle of the sun, so we decided to spend time in the Indigo Blind to see if the Rubythroat would come in there (plus someone had seen a Blue-winged Warbler there the day before).  The White-tipped Doves were marching in like a line of soldiers, only to be challenged by the White-winged Doves who constantly flipped their wings and tails at them!  Once the Fox Squirrel vacated the cage feeder the doves and jays got into the act, and a pair of Brown-crested Flycatchers made a lot of noise in the trees, but never showed themselves.  Eventually, however, the male Rubythroat did come in, although he tended to stay in the tree next to the feeder!  But at least Dale got a good look, so I was happy about that!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird in the shadows

White-tipped Dove

White-winged Dove showing his annoyance at the other doves...

We circled around and enjoyed a Kiskadee, but nothing much else due to the wind.  At the Green Jay Trail (where the Cerulean Warbler was spotted the previous afternoon) I once again ran into Huck, another friend of his, and Mary G. who was chilling in her fold-out chair waiting to see what would come by!  Not surprisingly, nothing was showing, so Mary agreed to guard my scope while we hiked the trail.  At least two different Carolina Wrens sang very close to the trail but never showed themselves, and when we casually mentioned our frustration to a passing photographer, he told us where he had found them nesting, so after retrieving my scope (Mary said it only tried to run away twice J) we headed to the spot and got wonderful looks at yet another notorious skulker!  

Carolina Wren with lunch for the kids...

We finally made our way to the deck where the wind and high water had effectively removed any birds that had been there the week before (there were several Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, mostly on the shore, but that was about it); even the normally omnipresent stilts had vamoosed the joint!  Unfortunately while Suzanne and Dale were preoccupied elsewhere two young White Ibis flew in and circled several times, but decided not to hang around…  So once we were checked in we quickly checked out the pond from the boardwalk (better light) where a Marsh Wren sang his rickety-rack song and Dale spotted an Osprey flying overhead!  From there we fought the gale out to Dowitcher Pond (nada, except for a lone Mottled Duck way out there), but at the relative shelter of Grebe Marsh we had a little pod of Least Sandpipers on the shore and a lone Great Egret looking for lunch.  At Alligator Lake the night herons had been replaced by a couple of Green Herons, but unfortunately I could find neither hide nor feather of either Pauraque that usually hangs out in the area (and with them breeding, I really didn’t expect them to be easily found).  Nothing was on the deck, so we headed back to the VC, but not before another couple spotted Big Mama Gator gliding through the water!  We all got a great look before she decided to slowly submerge…

Suzanne and Dale search in vain for the Pauraque...

The walk back was filled with conversation about various tropical trips and lodges (plus a few Rough-winged Swallows), and once back to the deck we listened in on Ranger John’s recap of the bird walk he had just finished with some folks; they did indeed find the Pauraque, but they had all but given up until someone with sharp eyes spotted it way back there, tail on!  That would have been nearly impossible to find!  While we chilled we added a lovely Harris’ Hawk that flew by, plus a Spotted Sandpiper bobbing on a log.  After comparing our eBird lists, we headed back to the car, where we heard an Altamira Oriole calling that (like so much stuff today) was hidden deep in the tree, so we wrote that one off as a “heard-only” as well.  We were glad to get into the air-conditioned car!

Bird list:

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 

Mottled Duck 
Plain Chachalaca 
Inca Dove 
White-tipped Dove 
White-winged Dove 
Mourning Dove 
Chimney Swift 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 
Buff-bellied Hummingbird 
Least Sandpiper 
Spotted Sandpiper 
Great Egret 
Green Heron 
White Ibis 
Osprey 
Harris's Hawk 
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 
Red-crowned Parrot 
Brown-crested Flycatcher 
Great Kiskadee 
Tropical Kingbird 
Couch's Kingbird 
White-eyed Vireo 
Blue-headed Vireo 
Green Jay 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 
Purple Martin 
Barn Swallow 
Black-crested Titmouse 
Marsh Wren 
Carolina Wren 
Clay-colored Thrush 
Curve-billed Thrasher 
Long-billed Thrasher 
Northern Mockingbird 
Lesser Goldfinch 
Olive Sparrow 
Altamira Oriole 
Red-winged Blackbird 
Brown-headed Cowbird 
Great-tailed Grackle 
Common Yellowthroat 
Northern Cardinal 
House Sparrow

Estero Never Disappoints!

4/18/19 

Had a last-minute request from a trio of brothers for some guiding services, as this was their first time to the Valley (originally from Wisconsin but now spanning Idaho, New Mexico, and Missouri), so since I only had a half day to spare we went to Estero Llano Grande State Park, which “never disappoints”!  It sure lived up to its reputation this morning, as we ended four hours of birding with an incredible 90 species! 

The dreaded wind never really materialized, and it was an absolutely gorgeous, crisp, sunny morning as we started in the Tropical Zone with a bang, zeroing in on a Clay-colored Thrush in the camp host area (now devoid of camp hosts)!  A Tropical Kingbird teed up on a tree and tittered amidst all the Couch’s Kingbirds sneezing away, and a very nice little cadre of migrants had us distracted for a good while:  no less than three Blue-headed Vireos were song-battling, and others busily feeding included Nashville and Tennessee Warblers, a single Black-throated Green, and my personal favorite, a Red-eyed Vireo for the year!  A Ruby-crowned Kinglet chattered and joined the fray as well.  Ranger Javier spotted us and told us about a Harris’ Hawk that was showing well, so after we finished with the feeding flock we continued on and found the hawk, just posing and stretching in perfect light!  (Kept watching for those Swallow-tailed Kites Estero was always reporting… L)  What I thought was a House Sparrow flying up to the wire was actually a changing Indigo Bunting!

The guys zero in on their life Clay-colored Thrush (below)!

Nashville Warbler (salvaged from a "shooting blind" photo...)

Harris' Hawk posing for the camera...

I kept hearing a Brown-crested Flycatcher but we could never pin him down; we did have a Myiarchus in view but in lousy light, and since its tertial edgings were so bright I really couldn’t rule out Great Crested (which we did hear “wheeping” back at Alligator Lake).  Although the feeders were no longer being stocked, a couple of White-tipped Doves were still patrolling the floor, and we could hear the Chachalacas sounding off in the distance (and saw some as we returned to the main park).  The drip was pretty slow, so after greeting Rangers Raul and Hector, we sat at the Indigo Blind for a while, where a Green Jay was stuffing his face at the feeders until a couple of White-tipped Doves ran him off!  Several Cedar Waxwings were in the trees outside the blind, and heading back we got great looks at both Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers in the same dead tree.  We heard a Buff-bellied Hummingbird rattling at one of the flowering trees, but John was the only one to get a good look at it… L  We heard a couple of Green Parakeets screeching over, and later had a single (silent!) Red-crowned Parrot fluttering and circling overhead as if checking us out!  On the way out a Curve-billed Thrasher bounced along the road while a Long-billed sang right above him in the tree; made me think of that funky hybrid thrasher that we have there!

Cedar Waxwing

This Green Jay was minding his own business until shoved away by a White-tipped Dove (below)!

(Interesting effect caused by the slow shutter speed...)

After checking in we checked out Ibis Pond, which was stuffed with shorebirds:  mostly Long-billed Dowitchers, Stilt Sandpipers, and Least Sandpipers, but the resident Black-necked Stilts were also there, along with a single Pectoral and a couple of Lesser Yellowlegs.  We sat at the hummer feeder for awhile hoping the hummer (or the reported Painted Bunting) would come in, but they didn’t, so we continued on, enjoying the Purple Martins sharing their apartment building with the House Sparrows!  On the boardwalk we had both a Lincoln’s and Clay-colored Sparrow feeding in the mud, and at Dowitcher Pond we added a pair of Fulvous Whistling Ducks in with the plentiful Black-bellied!  At Grebe Marsh someone (I think it was Tom) spotted a Solitary Sandpiper, and a couple of young White Ibis sat and preened.  An adult and subadult Yellow-crowned Night Heron showed at Alligator Lake, followed by a rocking Northern Harrier, and while we couldn’t find the “traditional” Pauraque, another couple staying with us at the Inn, Ian and Julie, spotted the “backup” that’s often sitting at the foot of the entrance to the big deck!  So we were all very pleased to see that guy!  A Yellow-breasted Chat was tentatively singing while all this was going on, and a quick look on deck added a trio of Green Herons.  Heading out we caught Ian and Julie zeroed in on something in the tree, which turned out to be the Cardinal we had heard singing previously (which are always exciting to our British visitors J)!

Long-billed Thrasher in full song

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Pauraque

Aphids on an airplant

Another calling Brown-crested Flycatcher got us briefly back into the Camino del Aves Trail, but he flew before we could get a good look.  Returning to Dowitcher Pond, we went the long way in order to get a better look at the Fulvous Whistling Ducks, and in the process saw the Spotted Sandpiper well into getting his spots!  A fracas between several Black-necked Stilts was fun to watch (one was actually pulling on another’s tail), and up on the levee we added a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, a couple of Common Ground Doves, some avocets, and a pair of caracaras making more caracaras, but never spotted the White-tailed Kite pair that was hanging out there.

The guys enjoying the birds at Dowitcher Pond

Spotted Sandpiper

Fulvous Whistling Ducks

The more plentiful Black-bellied Whistling Ducks

The pond's namesake (Long-billed Dowitcher)

Black-necked Stilt fracas

We finished the loop, getting more photo ops of the shorebirds, before chilling at the hummer feeder again before it was time to go.  An Inca Dove fluttered in, one of the guys spotted a soaring Swainson’s Hawk, and while I only heard an Orchard Oriole, the Hooded Oriole pair made an appearance!

Blue-winged Teal

With a Kiskadee

Curve-billed Thrasher

It was time to head home (after grabbing an ice cream and razzing Ranger John about not tying down a Swallow-tailed Kite for us J), very pleased with such a fabulous morning!  Bird list:

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 

Fulvous Whistling-Duck 
Blue-winged Teal 
Northern Shoveler 
Mottled Duck 
Plain Chachalaca 
Inca Dove 
Common Ground-Dove 
White-tipped Dove 
White-winged Dove 
Mourning Dove 
Common Pauraque 
Chimney Swift 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 
Buff-bellied Hummingbird 
Sora 
Black-necked Stilt 
American Avocet 
Killdeer 
Stilt Sandpiper 
Least Sandpiper 
Pectoral Sandpiper 
Long-billed Dowitcher 
Spotted Sandpiper 
Solitary Sandpiper 
Greater Yellowlegs 
Lesser Yellowlegs 
Laughing Gull 
Double-crested Cormorant 
Great Blue Heron 
Great Egret 
Snowy Egret 
Cattle Egret 
Green Heron 
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 
White Ibis 
Turkey Vulture 
Northern Harrier 
Harris's Hawk 
Swainson's Hawk 
Golden-fronted Woodpecker 
Ladder-backed Woodpecker 
Crested Caracara 
Red-crowned Parrot 
Green Parakeet 
Great Crested Flycatcher 
Brown-crested Flycatcher 
Great Kiskadee 
Tropical Kingbird 
Couch's Kingbird 
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 
White-eyed Vireo 
Blue-headed Vireo 
Red-eyed Vireo 
Green Jay 
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 
Purple Martin 
Bank Swallow 
Barn Swallow 
Black-crested Titmouse 
Marsh Wren 
Carolina Wren 
Bewick's Wren 
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 
Clay-colored Thrush 
Curve-billed Thrasher 
Long-billed Thrasher 
Northern Mockingbird 
European Starling 
Cedar Waxwing 
Lesser Goldfinch 
Olive Sparrow 
Clay-colored Sparrow 
Lark Sparrow 
Lincoln's Sparrow 
Yellow-breasted Chat 
Orchard Oriole 
Hooded Oriole 
Red-winged Blackbird 
Brown-headed Cowbird 
Great-tailed Grackle 
Tennessee Warbler 
Orange-crowned Warbler 
Nashville Warbler 
Common Yellowthroat 
Black-throated Green Warbler 
Northern Cardinal 
Indigo Bunting 
House Sparrow