Brownsville to Weslaco - RGV - Texas

We left South Padre Island on Feb. 1st, heading south to the Brownsville area staying at Rio Park on Boca Chica Rd.  One late afternoon we went to Olivera Park to watch over 300 Parrots come in to roost for the night.

Yellow-headed Parrot

The noisy birds flew into the trees above our heads.  There were 5 different species:  Red-crowned (native and most numerous), Red-lored, Lilac-crowned, White-fronted, and Yellow-headed (all considered exotics) they have taken up residence in Brownsville and other Rio Grande Valley towns.

Red-crowned Parrot

We spent a day birding at Sabal Palm Sanctuary at the southern most tip of Texas.  This historic Rabb Plantation house has been refurbished  and is the new visitor's center.  The rare bird here was a first for Texas;  the Pacific-slope Flycatcher.

Pacific-sloped Flycatcher

We took two trips to the Resaca de la Palma State Park that we had never visited before.  We took the tram on the 3 mile loop getting on and off to walk the different trails and check out the wildlife.  We found our first Armadillo.  

Our RV park had Monk Parakeets hauling nesting material to a palm tree for their colony nest.

Fulvous Whistling Ducks & Red-eared Slider

Very rare White-throated Thrush

We moved west to Weslaco for the second week of February and were out everyday birding at Estero Llano Grande State Park or Frontera Audubon Thicket Sanctuary.

There were some very rare birds in the area and people were coming from all over the U.S. to see them.

Fox Squirrel steals an orange

Orange-crowned Warbler

Yellow-crowned Night-heron 

Green Kingfisher

Wilson's Snipe 

Gadwall shows his colors

Green-winged Teal

Estero Llana Visitor's Center and viewing deck

Rare Blue Bunting male

We were successful in seeing the rare birds that had come north out of Mexico with lots of patience and perseverance.

Black-headed Grosbeak female

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Clay-colored Thrush

Rare Crimson-colllared Grosbeak female

Summer Tanager

Anhinga swallows huge Tilapia 

Blooming Yucca

You looking at me?  Plain Chachalaca

We are off to Alamo and the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge and other nearby birding areas for the next two weeks.

Love & Prayers,
Ty and Ida