Rio Grande Valley RBA
March 13, 2008
Date: Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:39:28 -0400
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From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@AOL.COM>
Subject: RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley Hotline March 13 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
Hook-billed Kite
Common Black-Hawk
Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Groove-billed Ani
+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 3
compilers: Mary Gustafson (Rio Grande Joint Venture) and Jennifer Owen (Estero
Llano Grande 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!
..
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. A Bald Eagle – adult! –
was reported near Sal de Rey NWR on the west side of the lake. Park at the small
park on the north side of 186 and walk in the caliche path to the lake.
.
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. They are
moving around more lately and have reportedly been harder to find. 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. Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls
are also present on the King Ranch and El Canelo.
.
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 and are setting up territories. 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.
.
Reports of the Tropical Parulas at South Padre Island continued through Friday
March 7 but not subsequently. Northern Parulas are migrating now and are to be
expected at this site.
.
At Sabal Palm Grove east of Brownsville, Dusky-capped Flycatchers wintered near
the boardwalk with the last report from March 8. This is a TBRC Review
Species. A few Groove-billed Ani winter over at this site are reported
irregularly. A Northern Parula continues to be reported along with several
Tropical Kingbirds. A MacGillivray’s Warbler continued through Sunday March 9
near the new blind. A Least Flycatcher has wintered at this site and continues
to be reported.
.
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 between the parking lot and the
visitor center
.
At Estero Llano Grande State Park, Cinnamon Teal continue on the ponds.
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.
.
Santa Ana NWR had an early Swallow-tailed Kite on March 7.
.
Clay-colored Robins have been easy to see at the suet feeders at Quinta Mazatlan
WBC in McAllen, with at least 7 present March 9.
.
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 Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Rufous Hummingbirds continued through
at least March 9, but they are harder to find now. Pauraque are present and
often found at dawn or dusk on the park roads. Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet are
at Paixtle Circle, the resaca area, and the Hawk Tower. Elf Owl, Ferruginous
Pygmy-Owl, Barn Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl and Great Horned Owl are all present in
the park, with Elf Owl calling near the Hawk Tower on March 12. A Hook-billed
Kite flew over the Hawk Tower on March 12 and 13, and a Chihuahuan Raven was a
big surprise for the location on March 13. The Hawk Watch is conducted every
morning weather permitting. March 12 saw a large movement of Turkey Vultures
with some Swainson’s Hawks, and Gray, Cooper’s, and White-tailed Hawk.
Sora, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-necked Stilt,
and Wilson’s Snipe are all present at the Hawk Tower.
.
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. Red-crowned Parrots
were seen at Quinta Mazatlan during the week.
.
Two Green-tailed Towhees continue at the feeders at Falcon State Park.
Clay-colored, White-crowned, and Black-throated Sparrow are present at the
feeders near the rec center. A House Finch, rare anywhere in the hotline area,
was reported from the entrance to the Park on February 28. Red-billed Pigeons
have been seen in Falcon Heights near Falcon State Park.
.
At Salineno the last day for the feeding station will be March 26. Both
Hook-billed Kite and Common Black-Hawk have been reported off and on all winter
but we’ve had no reports for more than a week. Zone-tailed Hawk is often
seen over the river in the morning and evening. 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 two Clay-colored
Robins 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.
.
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