Sunday, March 10, 2024

Rio Grande Valley Field Trips

 

Indian Blanket - flowers blanket the field near Falcon

Green Jay at SalineƱo Wildlife Preserve bird feeders

Altamira Oriole

Altamira Oriole loves peanut butter

Elusive Audubon's Oriole

White-winged Dove

We went with Scott & Connie Jo Dirks and this is his photo of the male Morelet's Seedeater

Ty's photo of female Seedeater

Ringed Kingfisher female over the Rio Grande

Pink Prickly Poppy

Black-throated Sparrow

Greater Roadrunner at Falcon State Park

Northern Bobwhite scurries away

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Lark Bunting female near end of 14 hour day of birding

Least Grebe at San Benito Wetlands

Northern Harrier - close flyby

Cinnamon Teal with a pair of Blue-winged Teal

Greater Roadrunner opening back feathers to the sun at Laguna Atascosa NWR

Most numerous wintering bird in the Valley
Red-winged Blackbird

Large Indigo Snake crosses our path

Close up reveals Wood Ticks attached.  How many can you find?

Gull-billed Tern seen from Osprey Point

Long-billed Curlews in Hidalgo

Inca Dove nesting at Quinta Mazatlan

Green Jay

Green Jay sports colorful bands, Great Kiskadee wishes he had bling.

Plain Chachalacas

Yellow Prickly Poppy

Great Egret at Hugh Ramsey Preserve

Curve-billed Thrasher nesting in tall Yucca


Couch's Kingbirds returning for Spring

 

After long days of birding we all get tuckered out.  

We are now back at Mission and the Bentsen RGV State Park for Hawk Watch.
Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann





Thursday, February 29, 2024

Resaca de la Palma, Frontera Audubon, & Estero Llano Grande

 

We took many birding trips with long time birding friends, Scott & Connie Jo Dirks
 from Minnesota. 
Roadside Hawk up from Mexico at Resaca de la Palma State Park.

Green Jay getting a drink from the drip.

Bullock's Oriole

Ladder-backed Woodpecker female

Nashville Warbler bathing on 90 degree day

First time visitor to the U. S. - Gray-collared Becard

Best Becard photo of our 5 visits with different couples to the park

Rare Hermit Warbler at Buena Vista Cemetery in Brownsville


Red-crowned Parrot

Evening roost in Weslaco with four species of Parrots

Yellow-headed Parrot next to the smaller Red-crowned

There were about 300+ parrots that noisily settled into the neighborhood

Frontera Audubon Center is famous for it's Vulture roost, both Turkey & Black....

and this Pied-bald Turkey Vulture displaying it's white wing

Female Crimson-collared Grosbeak eating Granjeno berries, another rarity birders were seeking.

Buff-bellied Hummingbird, large and noisy S. Texas specialty

Coming in for a nectar treat

Yellow-crowned Night-heron at Estero Llano Grande near Alligator Lake

Who's that hiding in the reeds?  A Nutria!

Common Pauraque peeking through the branches

Clay-colored Thrush looking for a peanut butter treat

Limpkin is still hanging out in Texas, a Florida regular

Male Crested Caracara watching his mate incubating on nest.

Abundant Orange-crowned Warblers visiting peanut butter feeders

Yucca about to bloom

White Prickly Poppy

Javelina checking us out

Black-headed Grosbeak

Male Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Northern Beardless Tyrannulet, it's name is longer than it is.

White-tailed Kite

Pair of Kites on territory by the Llano Grande River

Male Kite sees rival and responds

Male attacks interloping kite

Our RV Park had an assortment of blackbirds..
Bronzed Cowbird

Yellow-headed Blackbirds surrounded by hundrds of Brown-headed Cowbirds & Red-winged Blackbirds

The Purple Martins have arrived from South America

Some Purple Martin scouts will soon be arriving up north.

We have moved over to Mission to start Hawk Watch and see what new
migrants will be arriving.

❤️ Love & Prayers šŸ™ 
Ty & Ida Baumann