Monday, October 15, 2018

Adventures at Bentsen RGV - Part 2

Red Bird of Paradise 

We are in our 6th week on the Hawk Tower at Bentsen RGV State Park in Mission,Texas and it has been a different adventure every day.  We have seen over 130 species of birds here but rarely over 70 on any given day.  There are blooming flowers full of insects and birds, the weather has been extremely hot and humid but that is to be expected in this sub-tropic area along the Rio Grande. 
Long-billed Thrasher, one of the many South Texas birds endemic to the area

Cattle Egrets make a friend, located right behind our RV Park

Panamanian Golden Tortoise Beetle - one half inch jewel

Couch's Kingbird has dragonfly for breakfast

Green Garden Bug

Cane Toad - half a foot tall x foot long

Groove-billed Ani, all fluffed up
Most have left for Mexico

Great Kiskadee, our largest flycatcher

Buff-bellied Hummingbird - another jewel of South Texas

Plain Chachalaca -  noisy flocks are scattered throughout the park

Resident Gray Hawk

Texas Gopher Tortoise

Desert Brown Tarantula

Tobacco Hornworm Moth
Vine Sphinx Moth

Javelina or Collared Peccary roam throughout the park

The tiny Green Kingfisher 

Curve-billed Thrasher

Dew covered spider web

The White-eyed Vireo brightens our day with it's cheery song

Northern Harrier passes by the Hawk Tower

Harris's Hawk catches the early morning sun

One of our more rare species - White-tailed Hawk

Green Lynx Spider

Cloud to cloud horizontal rainbow

We have had over 75,000 raptors, 22 different species counted from the hawk tower,  it has been amazing seeing so many birds.  We have 16 days left until the official hawk count is done.  If you are interested in seeing the hawk counts from all over North America, you can go to www.hawkcount.org and find a place near you.

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann