West Texas southward

We spent 4 cold days in the Davis Mountains in West Texas.  Looking down into the valley you can see the campground and to the top left, the lodge built in the 1930's.

At the Interpretive Center is a feeding station where many birds congregated to eat and drink.

Morning temperature- 19 degrees and  snow squalls most of the day.

White-winged Dove

White-winged Dove shows why he got his name

Spotted Towhee

Pine Siskins

Mule Deer

Black-crested Titmouse

Rock Wren faces strong wind

Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Rare visitor to West Texas - Brown Thrasher

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

Female Ladder-backed Woodpecker

There's five here - can you find them?

One of the mammals of the area are the Aoudads.  Once imported from North Africa for ranches for hunting, they escaped and are faring well in the Davis Mounntains.  This exotic is competing with native sheep.

Aoudad's can have lambs twice a year

As we left Davis Mountains, we were greeted by this beautiful sunrise

We drove south to Laredo and stayed at Lake Casa Blanca State International Park  for two nights.  We had some very "hot" weather in the 90's and our first tropical birds.

Cactus Wren, nest building in Prickly Pear Cactus

Long-billed Thrasher

Morelet's Seedeater (formerly called White-collared Seedeater)

Snowy Egrets - at odds

The never ending fight.

White-tailed Hawk, an early surprise at Falcon State Park

We then drove south to Falcon State Park and spent two days in the desert.  We also went to Salineno Bird feeding station along the Rio Grande.

Northern Bobwhite came to a camper's feeders

Rio Grande, flowing hard as water is released to the lower valley for irrigation

Osprey catches a large Catfish

Several Zone-tailed Hawks soaring above the river

Audubon's Oriole at dawn

Green Jay 

Great Kiskadee displays crest

Altamira Oriole enjoying the Peanut Butter

Golden-fronted Woodpecker also comes in for a treat

Olive Sparrow prefers to be hidden, but sneaks out for seed.

Now it is to the Rio Grande Valley and even more great birding areas and a chance to see friends that we have met here through the years.

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann