Rio Grande Valley RBA
July 22, 2010
Date: Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:36:48 -0400
Reply-To: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@AOL.COM>
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From: Mary Gustafson <live4birds@AOL.COM>
Subject: RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley, July 22, 2010
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RBA
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* July 22, 2010
Review Species are indicated with CAPITAL LETTERS and + below. Please document
these sightings to the Texas Bird Records Committee: (Mark.Lockwood AT
tpwd.state.tx.us).
http://www.texasbirds.org/tbrc/reviewsp.htm
<http://www.texasbirds.org/tbrc/reviewsp.htm> lists Texas review species
http://www.texasbirds.org/tbrc/TBRCform.rtf
<http://www.texasbirds.org/tbrc/TBRCform.rtf> suggests what to include in
details.
Our rare bird alert this week includes...
+Greater Shearwater
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
Masked Booby
Yellow-green Vireo (no reports)
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
To report rare birds, e-mail rgvbirds AT hotmail.com (preferred) or call (956)
584-2731 option 3. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Lower Rio Grande Valley Birding
Hotline number is (956) 584-2731. This phone service is provided by TPWD. When
you leave a message, it generates an alert to TPWD staff. It may be faster for
you to report rarities to the birding site, and to the email address rgvbirds AT
hotmail.com.
This is a general reminder that recordings are not allowed in Texas State Parks
and many LRGV birding sites. All State Park and National Wildlife Refuge
visitors must stay on trails. Thank you for not disturbing the wildlife or
damaging the vegetation.
******************************************************************
SITE CLOSURES DUE TO FLOODING: The Rio Grande is in flood and many sites located
on the river in Starr, Hidalgo, and Cameron Counties may be closed. Anzalduas
County Park, Santa Ana NWR and Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park are CLOSED
at this time. Please contact the sites for information before attempting to
visit. Bentsen is expected to be closed for at least 2-3 weeks.
The floodways in the LRGV are all carrying water for the first time since 1988.
Many roads that cross the floodways are closed.
******************************************************************
The next pelagic trips are August 21 and September 11. These trips are run at a
“break even” level. If you are interested in participating please contact
Eric Carpenter at ecarpe@gmail.com. Excellent leaders are on board with up to 6
leaders on the boat each trip. For more information see
http://texaspelagics.com/.
******************************************************************
Early migrants continue to appear with Black-and-white Warbler appearing last
week.
The Valley from East to West:
The July 17 pelagic was a great trip, with great views of most species and calm
seas. Highlights included a GREATER SHEARWATER+ and three whale sharks, with
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Masked Booby, Bridled Tern, and a distant Magnificent
Frigatebird.
A Black Phoebe was found on South Padre Island on July 14 on the bayside of the
island near Retama.
Mangrove Warbler, a well-marked subspecies of Yellow Warbler that may be
distinct enough to warrant full species status, can be seen by contacting the
Sealife Center at (956) 299-1957.
A Yellow-green Vireo was last seen at Resaca de la Palma State Park on July 2.
Once these birds stop singing they can be very hard to detect. There are no
more recent reports.
Please report any observations of Hook-billed Kites with age and sex if possible
to rgvbirds@hotmail.com.
Muscovy Ducks and Red-billed Pigeons were present upriver from Roma before the
flood, but most areas with river views are difficult to access due to flooding
and road closures. The feeding station at Salineño is CLOSED until fall.
Red-crowned Parrots are most often seen in flight. Red-crowned Parrots are
sometimes seen in the areas of Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen, and Valley Nature
Center in Weslaco. Both Green Parakeets and Red-crowned Parrots have been seen
recently in Harlingen (near Pendleton Park or 7th and Rio Hondo at dusk), Pharr
(sometimes at Allen Williams residence on Sam Houston), and Brownsville.
Upriver and out of our area, White-collared Seedeaters can be found at the San
Ygnacio County Park/Seedeater Sanctuary at the foot of Washington Street in San
Ygnacio and the Raptor Trail at the west end of town. Another good site for
White-collared Seedeater is next to the library at the county park pond in
Zapata at the south end of 9th and Laredo Streets. The Seedeaters come in to
drink at the pond.
Directions are provided only for sites not included in the ABA Birders' Guide to
the Rio Grande Valley or the Birders' Guide to the Texas Coast. These guides
are indispensable for visiting birders.
Site Closures:
**BENTSEN RIO GRANDE VALLEY STATE PARK closed – 2-3 weeks due to flooding
**SANTA ANA NWR closed due to flooding
**ANZALDUAS COUNTY PARK closed due to flooding
**Check with sites on the Rio Grande before attempting to visit; cross the
floodways on major roads with bridges as most roads are closed. Hidalgo
Pumphouse is OPEN.
Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Brownsville, closed indefinitely
Los Ebanos Preserve, San Benito, open MWF and by appointment
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, closed Sunday morning, Monday, and Tuesday
except by appointment
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, closed Sunday morning and Monday
Quinta Mazatlan, McAllen, closed Sunday and Monday
San Miguelito Ranch is closed until March 2011.
Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas