Sunday, April 14, 2019

Hawk Tower at Bentsen - Plus

Great Egret at dawn


Six days a week we go to the hawk tower to count the migrating raptors arriving from Mexico.  Ty walks the 2 and a half miles early to listen for Owls and Nightjars and Ida rides the tram at 8:30.  We walk up the long ramp to the two story tower above the trees and a great panorama along the Rio Grande.
Looks like a great day for hawks

Fun to count when the raptors form kettles

White-tailed Kite

Broad-winged Hawk

Crested Caracara

The rare Hook-billed Kite that birders long to see

Swainson's Hawk

Mississippi Kite

Sweet smelling Retama Trees in bloom looking toward Mexico

Ladder-backed Woodpecker near the tower

Verdins call all around the tower

Purple Martin resting just above tower

Brown-crested Flycatcher just arrived

Altamira Oriole pays us a visit

Four-lined Skink all the way up on the tower

Spider Web covered in dew

Lincoln's Sparrow

Male Hooded Oriole

Female Hooded Oriole

Coral Bean blossum 

Bold Jumping Spider eats insects on our RV

Harvest Ants drag a caterpillar to their hole

Vine Sphinx Moth

Hanging Clubtail Dragonfly

Blue-collared Spiny Lizard

Bronzed Cowbird

Thousands of Mexican Freetail Bats emerge from overpass 

The bats go out many miles and consume thousands of insects



We have two weeks left on the hawk tower.  We also have been enjoying worshipping at Palm Valley Church each week. 

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann

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