Rio Grande Valley RBA
June 18, 2009
Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:26:05 -0400
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From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@AOL.COM>
Subject: RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley Birding Hotline, June 18, 2009
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n5JDQr0N061985
** Don't forget to register for the July 25 pelagic out of South Padre
Island!**
RBA
.
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* June 18, 2009
.
+ (Details requested by TBRC - Mark.Lockwood AT tpwd.state.tx.us)
.
Our rare bird alert includes recent reports of...
.
+Masked Duck (status unknown)
Yellow-green Vireo
Mangrove Warbler
.
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).
We’re also on the web at http://www.rgvbirds.blogspot.com!
.
- 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!
.
This is a general reminder that tapes are not allowed in Texas State
Parks and many LRGV birding sites. All State Park visitors must stay
on trails. Thank you for not disturbing the wildlife or damaging the
vegetation.
.
Birding site closures: Quinta Mazatlan is closed on Sunday and Monday,
and Valley Nature Center is closed Sunday morning and Monday.
Audubon’s Sabal Palm Sanctuary is=2
0closed, access is restricted to
pre-arranged groups until October 15. Frontera Audubon Sanctuary is
closed on Sundays.
.
The RGV Report, generally from E to W.
.
Mangrove Warblers are a well-marked subspecies of Yellow Warbler that
may be distinct enough to warrant full species status. For more
information on seeing Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler contact the Sealife
Center at (956) 299-1957.
.
Magnificent Frigatebirds were seen at South Padre Island through June
12.
.
At Laguna Atascosa, there is a temporary site closure due to
construction for the trail out to Alligator Pond. This is the site
where two female-plumaged Masked Ducks were present through May 30.
Call the refuge for access information at (956) 748-3607. This is a
TBRC Review Species.
.
A Yellow-green Vireo has returned to a Brownsville neighborhood for the
sixth year. From Boca Chica Blvd. (Rte 4) between Billy Mitchell Blvd.
and Clubhouse Rd. take E. Cowan Terrace north to Heather Lane through
at least June 11. The Yellow-green Vireo’s territory is centered on
this intersection. Please, be considerate when birding in residential
neighborhoods.
.
A Wood Thrush has been heard singing in Edinburg for a week.
.
A Hook-billed Kite was near Pintail Lakes at Santa Ana NWR on May 28.
A Yellow-green Vireo was singing from the levee road east of the main
road on June 16. Three Purple Gallinules were also present.
.
At Bentsen-RGV20State Park a male Hook-billed Kite was seen weekly
through June 7. A very late Mississippi Kite was present June 7.
.
Red-crowned Parrots are wandering more widely to feed and roost and are
not always easy to find in the summer, as their locations are more
unpredictable. They are most often seen in flight. Red-crowned
Parrots are sometimes seen in the area of the Valley Nature Center and
Estero Llano Grande State Park. Green Parakeets often stage before
going to roost in McAllen on North 10th street between Violet and Dove
at about 7:15 PM. Both Green Parakeet and Red-crowned Parrot have been
seen in Harlingen (near Pendleton Park), Pharr (sometimes at Allen
Williams residence on Sam Houston), and Brownsville.
.
At Salineno, Red-billed Pigeon and Muscovy Duck are presumably still
present along the river near Salineno although we have no recent
reports.
.
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are at San Miguelito Ranch about 10 miles north
of Raymondville. There is a fee to access this site, and prior
arrangements are required (Leticia Tijerina, 956-369-3118 or
buny55ATaol.com). Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are found on the King Ranch
(Norias Division) and often at El Canelo (no recent news). They are
also heard (and rarely seen) at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in
the pre-dawn hours. Remember, the use of tapes is not allowed at
Bentsen or many LRGV sites. Always ask before using tapes.
.
Traditional sites for White-co
llared Seedeaters are at the San Ygnacio
County Park/Seedeater Sanctuary (still flooded?), Zapata near the pond
at the south end of 9th Street, and Laredo.
.
The Wikibird guide provides birding site information for the Rio Grande
Valley at http://wikibird.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_Valley_birding_guide
.
Thanks to Tim Whitehouse for this great service! Many RGV specialties
like Clay-colored Thrush are covered in the RGV recent sightings
information in greater detail than we can cover in the hotline.
.
Please report sightings to rgvbirdsAThotmail.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