We are now volunteering 30 hours a week on the Hawk Tower at Bentsen Rio Grand Valley State Park counting raptors coming north out of Mexico in their bi-annual migration.
First Phase are the thousands of Turkey Vultures along with the Black Vultures pictured here forming kettles and streaming, making their way to the states and Canada. Today over 13,000 vultures observed.
Mixed in are 20 other species of hawks, falcons, and kites.
 |
| White-tailed Kite |
 |
| Cooper's Hawk |
 |
Crested Caracara |
Many other birds and wildlife inhabit the 800 acres of Bentsen State Park. There are 10 feeding stations and bird blinds that give the public great opportunities to study and photograph wildlife.
 |
| Bobcat |
 |
| Vermilion Flycatcher |
 |
| Lark Sparrow |
 |
| Greater Roadrunner |
 |
| Javelina |
 |
| Long-billed Thrasher |
 |
| Audubon's Oriole |
 |
| Olive Sparrow |
 |
| Green Jay |
 |
| Altamira Oriole |
 |
| White-collared Seedeater |
Along the banks covered in tall grasses are the sought after White-collared Seedeaters, a small, shy bird that is a blessing to find. We also saw Red-billed Pigeons, a Mexican species only seen in this small area along the river.
 |
| Northern Cardinal |
 |
| White-winged Dove |
 |
| Black-crowned Night-heron |
 |
| California Carpenter Bee |
 |
| Lincoln's Sparrow |
 |
| Western Banded Snake |
We signed up for the pontoon boat ride on the Rio Grande with our RV park and enjoyed the wildlife along the river in Spring just as much as we did last Autumn.
 |
| One year old Alligator |
 |
| Fiery Skipper |
 |
| McCall's Eastern Screech Owl |
 |
| A Budgerigar checking out The House of China in McAllen |
We have six more weeks of Hawk Watch until we head north with the warbler migration.
Love & Prayers, Ty & Ida Baumann
