We headed out to Brownsville, TX, to try for the Brown Jays that were showing up at a private ranch nearby. One needed a guide to get on the property, but with the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival going on and the pouring rain that flooded the place, we were not sure we were going to make it! On the last day of our visit, on a beautiful sunny day, Simon Kiacz took us to the ranch and he did not disappoint us! Thanks, Simon! In the meantime, we had fun birding the Texas parks.
GOING BACK IN TIME…..
11/15/23 Santa Margarita Ranch, Starr Co., TX: Our last day, Simon Kiacz led us beyond the wall onto the ranch land where we had good looks of a small flock of Brown Jays . We saw over 100 species as well. Thanks again, Simon! Picture-wise we caught: Brown Jay , Ringed Kingfisher (f), Blue-gray Gnatcatcher , Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (f) , Green-tailed Towhee , Morelet’s Seedeater (very distant but of interest), and a Mexican Duck duo in flight. Amazing clouds of butterflies hovered around us as we hiked the trail.
11/13 and 11/14/23 Brownsville, TX: Green Parakeet gas station stop – so cute! Also, at Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and a quick run to Estero Llano Grande State Park: Green Kingfisher (m,f), Great Kiskadee , Nashville Warbler , Neotropic Cormorant , Tropical Kingbird (heard as well), Yellow-crowned Night-Heron , White Pelican , Yellow-throated Warbler , Curve-billed Thrasher , Yellow-rumped Warbler , Semipalmated Plover , and Wilson’s Snipe .
11/12/23 Leguna Atascosa NWR and area ,TX: The pouring rain did not stop us from catching a rather damp and very close Merlin. (We think the rain made it just too much of an effort to fly!) Also : Green Jay , Crested Caracara , Harris’s Hawk , White-tailed Kite , Eurasian-collared Dove , Great-tailed Grackle (m) , Muscovy Duck , and White-tipped Dove .
11/11/23 Benson Rio Grande Valley State Park and National Butterfly Center, TX: At the Butterfly Center we caught Buff-bellied Hummingbird , the reported Altamira x Audubon Oriole Hybrid , Audubon Oriole , Curve-billed Thrasher , Golden-fronted Woodpecker , Great-tailed Grackle (bust shot), Black-crested Titmouse , Green Jay , Inca Dove , Olive Sparrow , Northern Mockingbird , and Plain Chachalaca . A White-tailed Hawk was sighted in the distance overhead.
11/11/23 At Benson RGV State Park, we found: Altamira Oriole , Clay-colored Thrush taking a bath, White-tipped Dove also enjoying the puddles, Wild Turkey , Harris’s Hawk , Great Kiskadee , and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker .
11/10/23 San Benito Wetlands and Estero Llano Grande SP, TX: A stunning Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was out in the rain and hung out with us for a bit. Then we had Common Pauraque , Altamira Oriole , Green Jay , Red-winged Blackbird , White-winged Dove , and some fun wildlife!
11/10/23 Brownsville, TX along the road: Had to run back and take a miserable looking White-tailed Kite hunting from the wire in the rain.
11/10/23 Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and Birding Center, TX: A little male Green Kingfisher showed up and gave us some good looks in the rain while the Least Grebe duo didn’t seem to mind being wet either. Also: Long-billed Thrasher , Double-crested Cormorant with Neotropic Cormorant , Plain Chachalaca , Ruby-crowned Kinglet , Curve-billed Thrasher , and Great Kiskadee .
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