Last Days at Rio Grande Valley

 

Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park 5 am bird walk to listen for night birds...

Chuck-will's-widow

Common Pauraque

Full moon setting in the west and..

Sunrise from the Hawk Tower

We guided the Laguna Vista Bird Club around the park with a stop at the Hawk Tower.

Peregrine Falcon

Crested Caracara

Harris's Hawk 

Broad-winged Hawk

Broad-winged Hawk (over 7,000 went over on March 30th )

Swainson's Hawk

Cooper's Hawk

Rare sighting - Swallow-tailed Kite comes in to rest

Ty went down the tower to get closer look

Time to groom some feathers after a long flight

Total raptor count for the month of March was 58,156

Raptors aren't the only birds we see from the hawk tower.

Greater Roadrunner calling daily high off the ground

Olive Sparrow calling, setting up territory below the hawk tower

White-eyed Vireo 

Verdin  eating blossums from the Retama

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Lark Sparrow

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Out in the parking lot, an Altamira Oriole is constructing a nest..

Four days later, it's ready for eggs.

Red ribbon adds a touch of color

Hooded Oriole

Curve-billed Thrasher singing

Tom Turkey flies across the canal

Resting from the flight

Getting ready to court the ladies

Back at the RV park, our Owlet has fledged and is free flying

Fiery Skipper feeds on Sky Flowers

Valley Carpenter Bee (Teddy Bear)

Six-lined Racerunner

Gray Hawk

Bronzed Cowbird

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - migrating north in big numbers

Took one last trip to Salineño - Osprey fishing over Rio Grande

 

Osprey eating fish surrounded by Red-eared Sliders and Soft-shelled turtles

Ash-throated Flycatcher at Falcon State Park

Male Green Kingfisher

Happy Easter to all.  Good News, the tomb is empty - Jesus lives!

We begin our travels again tomorrow.

❤️ Love & Prayers 🙏 

Ty & Ida Baumann

Owls at Bentsen Palm - Mission, TX

 

For three weeks we have been at Bentsen Palm Village RV Resort and observing 

a Great Horned Owl nest.  It's located so we can see it from our "dining room".

We have been hearing them nightly and fortunately seeing them during the day.

Male Great Horned Owl 

Female GHO 

Female blending in on the nest on the side of a palm tree.

When she leaves we see two little downy owlets.

Mom coming in with prey for breakfast.

Looks like she caught a rabbit.

Mom tears up the food and little ones are hungry.

Growing fast,

We notice daily growth.

Mom naps, owlets observe all the people coming to see them

Great Horned stares down brave N. Mockingbird

Yawning!

Adult tearing up prey

Taking off for the nest

Door Dash delivery arrives

 

Owlets developing fast, feather tracts - wings, tail, then head

Exercising wings

Dad on radio tower, waiting for dusk to hunt.

Next door at Bentsen State Park is the small McCall's race of the Eastern Screech Owl

Ty had 19 calling on his walk in the dark to the hawk tower.

At the entrance to the park, Elf Owls have nested in this utility pole for many years

The Elf Owl is 5 and 1/4 inches tall, our smallest owl.

Our new birding friend David with special camera and lens was able to get and share this close up.

Next week's blog will cover hawk watch and wrap-up our time in South Texas.

❤️ Love & Prayers 🙏 

Ty & Ida Baumann