Rio Grande Valley RBA
May 8, 2008
Date: Thu, 8 May 2008 11:54:04 -0400
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From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@AOL.COM>
Subject: RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley Hotline, May 8 2008
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RBA
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* May 8, 2008
- Birds Mentioned
+ (Details requested by TBRC - Mark.Lockwood AT tpwd.state.tx.us)
.
Our rare bird alert includes recent reports of…
.
+Masked Duck
Muscovy Duck
Hook-billed Kite
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!
.
Lincoln’s Sparrows and House Wrens are nearly gone from the RGV, a few
lingerers were present over the weekend. Orioles have been passing through in
large numbers, with lots of Baltimore and Orchard Orioles as well as nesting
Hooded, Altamira, and Bullock’s Orioles.
.
Four Masked Ducks continue on the King Ranch as of May 3. Access to the ranch
is by prior arrangement, call 361-592-8055 for information. There is a fee to
access this site. This is a TBRC Review Species.
.
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. There is a fee to access this site. Prior arrangements
are required, contact Leticia Tijerina, at 956-369-3118 or buny55ATaol.com.
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are also present on the King Ranch and El Canelo (both
fee sites).
.
Aplomado Falcons are often found on Old Port Isabel Road, Route 100 near Laguna
Vista and on the road to Boca Chica, and also near Buena Vista Road and FM
106. Botteri’s Sparrow use similar coastal habitats with bunch grasses.
.
Mangrove Warblers are a well-marked subspecies or unrecognized species. For
more information on seeing the Mangrove (Yellow) Warblers contact the South
Padre Island Nature Center at (956) 299-0629.
.
South Padre Island had a good warbler fall out on May 3 with MacGillivray’s,
Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, and Cape May Warblers. The Surf Scoter continues
as well. The Convention Center Boardwalk had a variety of rails and Least
Bitterns over the weekend.
.
At Estero Llano Grande State Park, a good variety of shorebirds including a
Hudsonian Godwit are present, and Fulvous Whistling-Duck and Roseate Spoonbill
can often be seen from the deck over Ibis Pond. Red-crowned Parrots are seen
occasionally early and late in the day over all Weslaco sites. Valley Nature
Center and Frontera Audubon Sanctuary are always good for migrants.
Groove-billed Ani were seen at Frontera over the weekend and a variety of
warblers including Blue and Golden-winged Warbler, and Cerulean Warbler.
.
At Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, the best bird of late is an immature
male Lucifer Hummingbird well photographed on April 27 and not seen
subsequently. Pauraque are common in the park and five species of owls can be
heard. Please remember, the use of tapes is not allowed in most RGV birding
sites including Bentsen.
.
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. Red-crowned Parrots have been in
Weslaco near Valley Nature Center, at Texas and 5th, and 11th and Indiana as
well as Estero Llano Grande State Park and Frontera Audubon Sanctuary. In
Harlingen, try Pendleton Park at the intersection of Grimes and Morgan.
.
At Salineno watch for Red-billed Pigeons and Muscovy Duck early or late in the
day. Your odds can be improved by walking downstream to look for them near the
river island. A pair of Hook-billed Kites have been reported crossing the
river between 9 and 11 AM on several days, recently a single on April 25. This
is a good place for Audubon’s Oriole as well.
.
Upriver and out of our area, White-collared Seedeaters can be found at the San
Ygnacio Seedeater Park at the foot of Washington Street and at the Zapata County
Park in Zapata off 9th Street.
.
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