Rio Grande Valley RBA
March 6, 2008
Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 15:42:03 -0500
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From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@AOL.COM>
Subject: Texas: Lower Rio Grande Valley Hotline - March 6, 2008
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RBA
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* March 6, 2008
- Birds Mentioned
+ (Details requested by TBRC - Mark.Lockwood AT tpwd.state.tx.us)
.
Our rare bird alert includes recent reports of…
.
Muscovy Duck
+Masked Duck
Greater Flamingo
Hook-billed Kite
Common Black-Hawk
Golden Eagle
Groove-billed Ani
+Green Violet-ear
+Dusky-capped Flycatcher
Tropical Parula
Mangrove Warbler
White-collared Seedeater
.
hotline: Texas Parks and Wildlife - Lower Rio Grande Valley Birding
Hotline number: (956) 584-2731
to report: rgvbirds AT hotmail.com (preferred) or (956) 584-2731 option
compilers: Mary Gustafson (Rio Grande Joint Venture), Jennifer Owen
(Estero Llano Grande State Park) and John Yochum (Bentsen-RGV State Park).
.
- Transcript
.
Thank you for calling the Lower Rio Grande Valley Birding Hotline sponsored by
Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the World Birding
Center. This hotline is normally updated Thursdays by 5 PM. Please send
observations to Texbirds or to the hotline email address. Thank you to those
who sent reports!
.
Two Greater Flamingos were reported from aerial waterfowl surveys over the
Laguna Madre on February 21. The Flamingoes were reported 3-5 miles south of
Baffin Bay in an area not visible from shore.
.
A Green Violet-ear was reported from Quinta Mazatlan WBC on February 21 with no
additional reports.
.
A Golden Eagle, rare in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, was reported perched on a
phone pole near Rt 490 west of McCook on March 2.
.
Masked Ducks are on the King Ranch to the north of our area. Access to the
ranch is by prior arrangement, call 361-592-8055 for information. These birds
have been seen on the half-day tour of the Santa Gertrudis division, and the
last report had them harder to see recently. This is a TBRC Review Bird.
.
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are nesting at the San Miguelito Ranch about 10 miles
north of Raymondville. These birds are reportedly very visible near their nest
site at the ranch. For access, make prior arrangements with the owner,
Leticia Tijerina, at 956-369-3118 or buny55@aol.com.
.
Aplomado Falcons are often found on Route 100 near Laguna Vista and on the road
to Boca Chica, and also near Buena Vista Road and FM 106. Mangrove Warblers
continue, this well-marked subspecies or unrecognized species is present
year-round. For more information on seeing the Mangrove (Yellow) Warblers
contact the South Padre Island Nature Center at (956) 299-0629.
.
A Tropical Parula made a surprise appearance at the South Padre Island
Convention Center March 4 and remained through the 6th, and a second was found
at the Sheepshead Lots on March 6.
.
At Sabal Palm Grove east of Brownsville, Dusky-capped Flycatchers continue near
the boardwalk. This is a TBRC Review Species. A few Groove-billed Ani winter
over at this site are reported irregularly. A Northern Parula was seen on
February 19 along with several Tropical Kingbirds. A MacGillivray’s Warbler
continued thorough at least February 20 near the new blind, but we have no
recent reports of this bird. Least Flycatcher has wintered at this site and
continues to be reported.
.
Two Rose-breasted Grosbeaks appeared at the feeding station at Laguna Atascosa
NWR.
.
A Summer Tanager is wintering at Valley Nature Center in Weslaco, and a
Clay-colored Robin recently appeared. Martin Hagne reports that Buff-bellied
Hummingbird is now easy to see at the feeders. Frontera Audubon Sanctuary in
Weslaco continues to host several interesting birds including Northern
Waterthrush, Ovenbird, Wilson’s Warbler, and Clay-colored Robins. A single
Groove-billed Ani has been reported as well, most recently on Feb. 24.
.
At Estero Llano Grande State Park, Cinnamon Teal continue on the ponds, and a
Fulvous Whistling-Duck was seen on the Llano Grande with Black-bellied
Whistling-Ducks on February 26. Groove-billed Anis are often seen near
Alligator Lake or the floodway. Check the eBird kiosk for more information.
Shorebirds and herons are present in numbers as well. Short-eared Owls have
wintered in the Llano Grande and are still present, watch for them hunting at
dawn and dusk in the floodway.
.
At Santa Ana NWR a stunning adult male Orchard Oriole was seen again on
Wednesday February 13. Up to two Hook-billed Kites were reported a few weeks
ago and may still be in the area, one on the 13th from the levee, two on the
14th near the start of the Bobcat trail.
.
A White-collared Seedeater of a west Mexican subspecies was seen as late as last
week at the Hidalgo Pumphouse WBC in Hidalgo. Previous instances where this
subspecies has appeared in the USA have been thought to be escaped cage birds.
.
Clay-colored Robins have been easy to see at the suet feeders at Quinta Mazatlan
WBC in McAllen. A Western Tanager is present as are Buff-bellied Hummingbirds.
.
The drake Wood Duck continues at Edinburg WBC, it is usually in the northeast
corner of the north pond before 9AM. Audubon’s Oriole continues at this site
as well.
.
At Anzalduas County Park recent reports include a Townsends Warbler a two weeks
ago below the dam at the east end of the grassy area. There were no additional
reports. Northern Beardless-Tyrannulets and wintering warblers are also
present. The large grassy field on the entrance road has wintering Sprague’s
Pipit but they are tough this year.
.
At Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Rufous Hummingbirds continue but are
harder to find now. Hummingbirds still present include Buff-bellied,
Ruby-throated and Black-chinned. A Tropical Parula is reported sporadically
near Eagle Pond or the Kiskadee Blind and is now singing. Pauraque are present
and often found at dawn or dusk on the park roads. Verdin and Northern
Beardless-Tyrannulet are also present. Elf Owl, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Barn
Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl and Great Horned Owl are all present in the park. A
flyby Muscovy Duck along the canal is reported for completeness, many Muscovy
Ducks are found in Hidalgo and Cameron counties and are thought to be more
likely from feral sources. Birds thought to be wild Muscovys are found upriver
from Roma to Falcon.
.
Red-crowned Parrots and Green Parakeets can be seen or heard in many valley
cities, especially early and late in the day. In McAllen, Green Parakeets
stage on 10th Street between Violet and Dove. Recently Red-crowned Parrots
have been in Weslaco near Valley Nature Center, at Texas and 5th, and 11th and
Indiana. In Harlingen, try Pendleton Park at the intersection of Grimes and
Morgan. Fort Brown in Brownsville has both species, and they have been on Cowan
Terrace recently as well north of Rt. 4 near the airport. Green Parakeets have
been seen in odd locations near Bentsen State Park and Santa Ana NWR.
.
Two Green-tailed Towhees continue at the feeders at Falcon State Park. Earlier
in the winter, Clay-colored Sparrow, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Scaled Quail
were reported from the feeding station. A House Finch, rare anywhere in the
hotline area, was reported from the entrance to the Park on February 28.
.
At Salineno a White-collared Seedeater female is occasionally seen in the tall
grasses and once looking at the drip. Both Hook-billed Kite (two weeks ago) and
Common Black-Hawk (Feb. 20) have been reported off and on. Watch for Red-billed
Pigeons in flight or perched high on the islands early or late in the day.
Muscovy Ducks are seen most often in the late afternoon or early morning, and
numbers up to 20 birds continue to be reported. Your odds can be improved by
walking downstream to look near the river island to the east. The feeding
station is a good place to see Hooded and Audubon’s Orioles, and recently a
Clay-colored Robin appeared.
.
Upriver and out of our area, White-collared Seedeaters can be found with
patience at the San Ygnacio Seedeater Park at the foot of Washington Street and
at the Zapata County Park in Zapata off 9th Street. A Wood Thrush, rare in
winter, was present at San Ygnacio over last weekend but we have no additional
reports.
.
There are no recent reports from Chapeno. There is a public boat ramp at
Chapeno, but access to the river below the feeding station at Chapeno is by
prior arrangement only, contact the owner at 956-237-2033 or fax him after hours
at 956-765-6089. Brown Jay is a TBRC Review Species.
.
The Wikibird guide is back up, check out
http://wikibird.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_Valley_birding_guide . Thanks to Tim
Whitehouse for this great service!
.
Please report sightings to rgvbirds AT hotmail.com (Replace AT with @) or (956)
584-2731 option 3. Thanks to everyone who reported their sightings to Texbirds
or the compilers.
.
Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas