Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Field Trips around Weslaco



About four miles west of our RV Park is a Parrot Roost with mostly Red-crowned Parrots, but in the midst of them can be found:  Red-lored, Lilac Crowned and Yellow Headed Parrots.  We went to the roost at dawn and followed the noisy squawking to find them.
Yellow-headed Parrot

Orange-crowned Warbler enjoying a bath at Frontera Audubon Center

Clay-colored Thrush



We went two different days to Quinta Mazatlan to look for the rare Crimson-collared Grosbeak.  This Cooper's Hawk kept the birds at the feeders scattered and our first visit the Grosbead was a no show.
Our second visit was a success early in the morning, this female (or young male) was very cooperative.

We saw the bird several times

A young male Indigo Bunting was molting into his blue finery

A Blue-headed Vireo came close for a photo



We made a stop at Hidalgo, near the old pump station.  We found five colony nests of Monk Parakeets.  They love building their bulky stick nests on electric transformers.




We then stopped at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge during a rather hot afternoon.  Pretty quiet but we did find a lone White-faced Ibis.

 

We joined the bird club for a field trip to Progresso Lakes finding hundreds of Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.  One of the birders has a home on the lake and let us scope the lakes from his property.

In a large tree in his yard was an Eastern Screech Owl,  mostly sleeping but woke up to see a huge crowd of birders staring up at him.



We spent two different days at the Valley Nature Center about five miles from us.  Of course, there was a rare bird we were looking for, and we took in some of the other wildlife along the way, like these Red-eared Sliders.
Leusistic Plain Chachalaca

The bird we came to find - The Golden-crowned Warbler


We drove over toward Brownsville, on the way we found this balancing Northern Harrier



On the south end of Old Port Isabel Road we found a pair of White-tailed Hawks constructing a nest on the only tree in a field.
Looking Good!


We think she likes it,  but she may have to rearrage a few sticks.

Starting his Spring song, this Eastern Meadowlark is planning his trip north.

Crested Caracara

Pink Ladies - Showy Evening Primrose

A one day visitor at Estero Llano - A Yellow-headed Blackbird

Long-billed Dowitchers

A young male Summer Tanager picking off Honey Bees from the hummingbird feeder.

Yucca or Spanish Dagger budding

One week later Yucca in full bloom



Our month at Weslaco is coming to a close and we will be heading west to Mission and the Spring Hawk Watch at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park.


Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann

Sunday, February 17, 2019

Estero Llano Grande State Park

Texas Mountain Laurel
smells like grape soda


For the month of February, we are staying at 1015 RV Park in Weslaco, Texas.  We are a mile and a half north of Estero Llano Grande State Park and World Birding Center.  This is a great place to spend time and we have been there at least 8 times in the last two weeks.  We have also gone to several other birding areas but those will have to wait until the next blog.


Vermilion Flycatcher

Groove-billed Ani

Common Pauraque in his day roost,  he is camoflagued so well he doesn't even think we can see him


Yellow-crowned Night-heron



Neotropic Cormorant with a Pleco

Least Grebe scootering across the pond, trying to impress the ladies

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Female Hooded Oriole

Orange-crowned Warbler's favorite treat, an orange of course

Northern Shoveler pair

Green-winged Teal pair

White-tailed Kite is setting up nesting territory

Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake

Immature Gray Hawk likes sitting above the bird feeders, wonder why?

Long-billed Thrasher, one of the S. Texas specialties

Cinnamon Teal

Pied-billed Grebe gets a fine catch

American Pipit skulks along the lagoon shoreline

A rare find for the park - a lost Cattle Egret

White-tailed Kite brings home a Pack Rat for lunch to his mate

Desert Cottontail Rabbit at the "Bird" blind

Olive Sparrow



Shrimp flower

A fellow Winter Texan - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Everyone hopes to find this little gal - a Green Kingfisher

An Anhinga spears a large fish

Is it going to go down the throat?  Oh yes it does!

Sora Rail hunting along the cattail edges




Right next to our RV is a very tall communications tower (app. 320 feet) a Peregrine Falcon comes often around sunset.


We are enjoying a very warm winter, especially compared to "you all"  up north.

Love & Prayers,
Ty & Ida Baumann