Rio Grande Valley birds, butterflies, dragonflies through the eyes of an ex-Buckeye

May 2008
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May 1 Bentsen State Park Jennifer showed us my first RIO GRANDE CHIRPING FROG, although I've heard them often enough. They're TINY! The strange thing about this frog is that IT HAS NO TADPOLE STAGE. That's right-- it hatches from the egg as a tiny frog instead of as a tadpole. Thanks, Jennifer. The day flew by.  While escorting two VIP's from TPWD around the park:

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mallard (Mexican), Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least and Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue and Tricolored Heron, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed and Mississippi Kites, Gray Hawk, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, White-winged, Mourning, Inca, Common Ground-, and White-tipped Doves, Greater Roadrunner, Barn, Eastern Screech-, and Elf Owls, Lesser and Common Nighthawk. Common Pauraque. Chuck-will's-widow Buff-bellied and Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Black Phoebe, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's, Western, and Eastern Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Green Jay, Bank, Cave, and Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Verdin, Clay-colored Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Yellow Warbler, Olive Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Dickcissel, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Orchard, Hooded, Altamira Orioles, House Sparrow

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May 3 South Padre Island. Warblers were fantastic: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Brown Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Osprey, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Least Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Empidonax sp., Philadelphia Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Marsh Wren, Veery, Gray Catbirds (many!), Northern Mockingbird, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Yellow Warbler (Northern), Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER, Common Yellowthroat, Summer Tanager (red with green splotches is especially nice), Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Buntings, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, many Orchard and Baltimore Orioles, House Sparrow.

May 4 The traffic to South Padre Island was awful today. Thousands (or at least hundreds) of bicyclists blocked the traffic so bad it took two hours to get there! The warblers were still wonderful though. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2, Fulvous Whistling-Duck 3, Mottled Duck, Least Bittern 1, Great and Little Blue Herons, Clapper Rail 2, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover 1, American Oystercatcher 2, Black-necked Stilt 2, Long-billed Curlew 2, Marbled Godwit 2, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Laughing Gull, Least Tern, Royal Tern, Mourning Dove, Common Nighthawk, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Alder Flycatcher, Bank Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Marsh Wren (seen!), Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbird, Tennessee Warbler, Yellow Warbler (Northern), Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Redstart, Common Yellowthroat, Summer Tanager, Indigo Bunting, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole, House Sparrow. At the Valley Fund Lots: Common Nighthawk 1, Tennessee Warbler, Yellow Warbler (Northern), Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush 3, Common Yellowthroat, Indigo Bunting.  The Causeway back was even worse!  Traffic was stopped from South Padre to Port Isabel!  And they tried to get a fire truck through!  It was worth it though!

May 5 Bentsen State Park Today in 1862 the Mexicans defeated the French, keeping Napoleon from funding the Confederate Army, and thus keeping America united. I celebrated with a Bird Walk at Bentsen: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2 Mottled Duck 8, Blue-winged Teal 2, Plain Chachalaca 16, , Least Grebe 2,Pied-billed Grebe 10, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Great Egret 2, Little Blue Heron 2, Green Heron 1,Black Vulture 1,Turkey Vulture 6, Mississippi Kite 1, Broad-winged Hawk 6, Gray Hawk 2, Common Moorhen 4, American Coot 60 Killdeer 2, Black-necked Stilt 4, Laughing Gull 5, White-winged Dove 62, Mourning Dove 19,Inca Dove 1, White-tipped Dove 14, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1, Greater Roadrunner 1, Chimney Swift 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird X, Ruby-throated Hummingbird X,Ringed Kingfisher 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 13,Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 2, Empidonax sp. 1, Ash-throated Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 6 Tropical Kingbird 2, Couch's Kingbird 17, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1, White-eyed Vireo 2, Green Jay 10, Cave Swallow 15, Black-crested Titmouse 2, Gray Catbird 1, Northern Mockingbird 26, Long-billed Thrasher 5, Olive Sparrow X, Lark Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 14, Painted Bunting (1 female bathing), Dickcissel, Red-winged Blackbird 42, Great-tailed Grackle 40, Bronzed Cowbird 28, Hooded Oriole, Bullock's Oriole, Altamira Oriole, House Sparrow.

And then a Butterfly Walk: Black Swallowtail 1, Lyside Sulphur ,Ceraunus Blue 4,Reakirt’s Blue 14, White Peacock 1 (first in awhile), Tawny Emperor 1 ,Queen 1, White Checkered-Skipper 3, Laviana White-Skipper 1, Southern Skipperling 6, but the best art was finding three Dark Flower Beetle, Euphoria sepulcralis.

May 6 Bentsen State Park I got to work too early so checked out the Mission Home Depot. I was surprised to find a giant Ringed Kingfisher guarding a hole from three Great-Tailed Grackles. Neotropic Cormorant 4, Harris's Hawk 1, White-winged Dove 8, Mourning Dove 4, Chimney Swift 14, Couch's Kingbird 2, Cactus Wren 2, Northern Mockingbird 4, European Starling 2, Northern Cardinal 1, Pyrrhuloxia 1, Red-winged Blackbird 7, Eastern Meadowlark 1, House Sparrow.  Back at work, the group of school children under-appreciated the great birds they saw:  Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2, Mottled Duck 6, Blue-winged Teal 4, Least Grebe 1, Pied-billed Grebe 6, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Anhinga 2, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 1, Little Blue Heron 5, Black Vulture 1, Turkey Vulture 8, Osprey 1, Mississippi Kite 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Gray Hawk 1, Common Moorhen 2, American Coot 75, Killdeer 2, White-winged Dove 20, Mourning Dove 20, Common Ground-Dove 4, White-tipped Dove 1, Ringed Kingfisher 3, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Green Jay, Cave Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse 1, Northern Mockingbird, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Altamira Orioles.

May 8 Bentsen State Park Feeding birds was the first order of the day, then 120 second-graders took most of the day. These kids were so lucky with two Groove-Billed Anis (they're back!) flying back and forth in front of them as well as a Least Bittern, and an Altamira Oriole and Great Kiskadees building side-by-side nests at my station alone! At the Kiskadee Trail Blind they had another Great Kiskadee nesting beside a Smudy Oriole nest which was next to a Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet nest! Chachalacas, Green Jays, Javelina (which are usually nesting now) made themselves apparent for their benefit.

May 9 Bentsen State Park Night Hike.  It was a quiet, still night with a quarter moon-- perfect for owls which were our real goal. If anything calls on these nights, we hear it! We did hear many Coyotes howling, sometimes very close, a dozen cottontails, 2 armadillos, a raccoon, a dark tarantula, many toads... The guests loved the mammals, especially the armadillos, were uninterested in the amphibians so they went unidentified. We were handicapped with a loud squeak from the van. At the Resaca sunset, where all five owls have sounded off at once, we waited. Not much! We drove around a lot and finally we came back to where we started. A sigh of relief! The tiniest ELF OWLS started loudly calling! Great! We know we have tons of owls in the park, but until they call, they are just impossible to find! I was so relieved: Little Blue Heron 3, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 2, Elf Owl 2, Lesser Nighthawk 6, Common Nighthawk 1, Common Pauraque 12.

May 10 South Padre Island Two American Oystercatchers, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (a flock of 1o overhead), Blue-winged Teal, Brown Pelican (only two!), Least Bittern 1, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Herons, Reddish Egret 2, White Ibis 2,Roseate Spoonbill 3, Osprey, Clapper Rail 2, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Black-bellied Plover, Wilson's Plover, Black-necked Stilts, Willets, Ruddy Turnstone, Red Knot 6, Sanderling, Least Sandpiper, Dunlins, Short-billed Dowitchers, Laughing Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, Least Terns, Gull-billed Terns, Caspian Tern 1, Royal Terns, Sandwich Terns, Black Skimmers, Mourning Doves, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Least Flycatcher 1, Eastern Kingbird 2, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2, a Red-eyed Vireo, Barn Swallows, a Gray Catbird, Northern Mockingbirds, Yellow Warblers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Great-tailed Grackles. Warblers were almost non-existent, but the Valley Fund Lots were much better: Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, Inca Dove 1, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Olive-sided Flycatcher 1, Eastern Wood-Pewee 1, Veery 1, Yellow Warbler (Northern) 2, Chestnut-sided Warbler X, Magnolia Warbler 1, Northern Waterthrush 2, a green Painted Bunting. And lots of Anoles.

May 11 A jump in the pool first thing this morning turned amazing as a Swainson's Hawk, 6 Broadwings and 6 Turkey Vultures floated by on the breezes, here at home in Harlingen!

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I was surprised to find Texas Mountain Laurel!

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Cottontails were everywhere today.

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My first Ribbon Snake at this park.

May 12 Perfect day of birding and butterflying! Harlingen's Hugh Ramsey Park first thing in the morning from 7am to 9am: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 6, Plain Chachalaca 5, Green Heron 3, Laughing Gull 27, White-winged Dove 52, Mourning Dove 14, White-tipped Dove 1, Red-crowned Parrot 1, Yellow-headed Parrots 2, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 12, Groove-billed Ani 7, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 5, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 12, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3, Olive-sided Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 4, Great Kiskadee 12, Couch's Kingbird 1, White-eyed Vireo 5, Purple Martin 10, Barn Swallow 5, Black-crested Titmouse 1, Verdin 4 on the nest!, Carolina Wren 3, Bewick's Wren 7, Northern Mockingbird 7, Long-billed Thrasher 3, Curve-billed Thrasher 7, Tennessee Warbler 1, Yellow Warbler (Northern) 2, Chestnut-sided Warbler 10, Magnolia Warbler 9, Black-throated Green Warbler 2, Black-and-white Warbler 1, American Redstart 7, Mourning Warbler 2, Common Yellowthroat 4, Olive Sparrow 19, Northern Cardinal 7, Great-tailed Grackle 50, Bronzed Cowbird 2, Orchard Oriole 3, House Sparrow 18. Enroute to Dixieland I saw a Green Kingfisher in the ditch at Arragon/Haverford.

At Dixieland Park: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 12, Neotropic Cormorant 4, Double-crested Cormorant 3, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 2, Snowy Egret 16, Little Blue Heron 2, Green Heron 4, Black-crowned Night-Heron 11, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2, White Ibis 3, White-tailed Kite 1, Harris's Hawk 2, American Coot 8, Killdeer 2, Laughing Gull 18,Forster's Tern 9, Rock Pigeon 4, White-winged Dove 14, Mourning Dove 7, Chimney Swift 4, Ringed Kingfisher 1, Olive-sided Flycatcher 1, Eastern Wood-Pewee 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 2, Tropical Kingbird 1, Couch's Kingbird 4, Eastern Kingbird 2, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 5, Loggerhead Shrike 5 on the nest!, Purple Martin 10, Barn Swallow 7, Verdin 1, Northern Mockingbird 12, Curve-billed Thrasher 5, European Starling 10, Chestnut-sided Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow 1, Lark Sparrow 1, Red-winged Blackbird 6, Eastern Meadowlark 2, Great-tailed Grackle 20, Bronzed Cowbird 3, House Sparrow 12

I got to work too early, so I drove slowly MilitaryRd between Bentsen/Conway, just for fun cuz I was too early for work...Turkey Vulture    2, Killdeer    1, White-winged Dove    2, Mourning Dove    23, Common Ground-Dove    5, Groove-billed Ani 2 ,Buff-bellied Hummingbird    1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker    3, Ladder-backed Woodpecker    2, Eastern Wood-Pewee    1, Great Kiskadee    1, Tropical Kingbird    1, Couch's Kingbird    10, Western Kingbird    1, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher    1, White-eyed Vireo    2, Cave Swallow    X, Barn Swallow    1, Northern Mockingbird    18, Common Yellowthroat    1, Olive Sparrow    1, Lark Sparrow    1, Northern Cardinal    1, Blue Grosbeak    1, Dickcissel    24, Red-winged Blackbird    25, Eastern Meadowlark    2, Great-tailed Grackle    25, Bronzed Cowbird    9, Brown-headed Cowbird    1, Lesser Goldfinch 8, House Sparrow    2

Today's Butterfly Walk at Bentsen State Park was hot and perfect for butterflies, but only 17 species, mostly one per species!: Black Swallowtail, Giant Swallowtail, Lyside Sulphur 2, Little Yellow 4, Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak, Western Pygmy-Blue, Ceraunus Blue 2, Reakirt’s Blue (many), Gulf Fritillary, Phaon Crescent, Queen, White Checkered-Skipper, Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Southern Skipperling (many), Fiery Skipper, Whirlabout, Eufala Skipper 2.

May 14 Bentsen State Park  Even with 120 4th graders around, there appeared Plain Chachalaca, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, Least Bittern 1, Great Egret, Green Heron 1, Turkey Vulture, American Coot, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Forster's Tern 1, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher 1, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher,Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Green Jays, Clay-colored Robins, Northern Mockingbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Altamira Oriole.

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May 15 Bentsen State Park 117 fifth-graders, but still look what showed up at the Resaca! 2 Texas Spiny Lizards, plenty of Whiptails, 2 Blue Spiny Lizards, 1 Bullsnake (at the Pavilion!), 1 Gulf Coast Toad-- Plain Chachalaca, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, Great Egret, Turkey Vulture, Gray Hawk 2, Crested Caracara 1, American Coot, Spotted Sandpiper 1, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Groove-billed Ani, Ringed Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Green Jay, Black-crested Titmouse 1, Clay-colored Robin 2, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler (Northern), Northern Cardinal 1, Dickcissel, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Altamira Oriole

May 16 Palo Alto Battlefield near Brownsville was great for birds too! Northern Bobwhite 11, Turkey Vulture 1, Swainson's Hawk 1, Laughing Gull 1, Common Nighthawk 4, Chimney Swift 1, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2, Horned Lark 3, Purple Martin 1, Cliff Swallow 1, Barn Swallow 2, Verdin 8, Northern Mockingbird 11, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, Yellow Warbler (Northern) 1, Cassin's Sparrow 2, Lark Sparrow 5, Savannah Sparrow 1, Red-winged Blackbird 3, Eastern Meadowlark 30, Brown-headed Cowbird 1

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May 18 Dragonfly Days in Weslaco was Fri, Sat and Sun this week  (“The Rio Grande Valley is known to be one of the most biologically diverse areas in North America. Here the sub-tropics meet the more temperate north, desert meets ocean, and east meets west. More birds and butterflies are found in this four-county area than in most states. Odonates, dragonflies and damselflies, are plentiful as well, and many are found nowhere else in the U.S. Dragonfly Days will allow you to immerse yourself in these environments and find new odonates each day. Field trips guided by experts are offered for three days, as well as seminars by nationally-known odonata gurus. A keynote banquet will feature dragons and damsels at their best! It is an action packed, yet very cozy and laid back event that celebrates these shimmering creatures. Come join us for fun in the field, awesome facts from the seminars, and friendship all around!” , the website says). They offered three tours:  Lower, Mid-, and Upper Valley.  Since I’m in the upper valley all the time at Bentsen State Park, I chose the Lower.  This trip takes you to the Brownsville area.  Possible stops included Sabal Palms, TXPW Fish Hatchery, Old Resacas, and Brownsville Impoundment #2.   Josh, Tom Langscheid and his son David (Tom developed the highly popular King Ranch nature tour program http://www.king-ranch.com/nature_tours.html  and now is a research scientist at the Cesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute http://ckwri.tamuk.edu/38/ and still often leads King Ranch tours for most of the LRGV birding and nature festivals. He has discovered several odonates breeding on King Ranch property which have been recorded very few times elsewhere in the US, including Blue-faced Darner, Black Pondhawk, and Cream-tipped Swamp-damsel.), Huck & Kyle O’Haver, Catherine (the new Josh at Resaca de las Palmas), and one more man from East Texas traveled in a van from Weslaco’s Holiday Inn Express to  Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary.  It was raining and dragonflies were almost non-existent:  Rambur's Forktail, Chalky & Plateau Spreadwings, Roseate Skimmer, Spotwinged Glider, Thornbush Dasher.  Birds are always good there though, so it was still worthwhile: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Ruddy Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Northern Bobwhite, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Green Heron, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite    1, Mississippi Kite    1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Laughing Gull, White-tipped Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Groove-billed Ani, Lesser Nighthawk, Common Nighthawk, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher    2, Green Kingfisher  1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Alder Flycatcher, Empidonax sp., Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's and Eastern Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Purple Martin, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, calling Swainson's Thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Chestnut-sided Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush    2, Mourning Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Olive Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Great-tailed Grackle, and Bronzed Cowbird.  On June 21, 2007 15-year-old Malkolm Boothroyd and his parents cycled south from the Yukon on a year-long, 12,000 mile fossil-fuel-free journey in search of birds.  We ran into the three of them here today!

We had driven from Weslaco to Brownsville and our next stop was Fisheries Field Station (LTC 044).   Dragonflies were still low, but we did get a STILT-LEGGED FLY, and add BandWinged Dragonlet, Blue Dasher, and Four-Spotted Pennant.  Birds in the short period of time: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Egret, White Ibis 1, Turkey Vulture, Broad-winged Hawk 1, Sora    1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Laughing Gull, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Common Nighthawk, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Marsh Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Great-tailed Grackle.

I headed home for awhile and then at the banquet we ate brisket, beans, potato salad and strawberry shortcake on the deck at Estero Llano Grande SP.  Birds were Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Least Bittern 1, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron    2, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron    1, White Ibis    1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Baird's Sandpiper 1, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Common Nighthawk, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Purple Martin, Wilson's Warbler    1.

Keynote Speaker Tim Manolis gave a powerpoint talk entitled "Dragonflies Around the World".  Tim is the author of "Dragonflies and Damselflies of California"
http://www.sonic.net/dragonfly/timsbook.html  and co-author of the "Dragonflies of North America" coloring book http://southwestdragonflies.net/ColoringBook/  
Tim is an accomplished artist and illustrator and a prominent member of the California birding community in addition
to his work on odonates.   

May 19 I went to NABA for lunch, and found the reported BLACK PONDHAWKS, THREE-STRIPED DASHERS and the TURQOUISE-TIPPED DARNERS! But I forgot my camera <blush>.

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Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

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Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

GrooveBilled Ani
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Bullocks Orioles were plentiful

Bullocks nest of monofilament, twine, Easter grass
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Thread-waisted wasp

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Black-Throated Sparrow

May 20-22 Falcon State Park We didn't actually have time to bird but between classes and activities we managed to see in the area (from Roma to Salineno to Falcon) BIRDS: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Northern Bobwhite, Scaled Quail were seen only byt he Goose Island contingent, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Green Heron, Turkey Vulture, Harris's Hawk, Gray Hawk (at Salineno), Swainson's Hawk, Crested Caracara, American Coot, Killdeer, Least Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Black Skimmer 1, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Greater Roadrunner, Groove-billed Ani, Great Horned Owl (just Jose and I saw this one), Lesser Nighthawk (at Roma Bluffs), Common Nighthawk (at Roma Bluffs), Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher (at Salineno), Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Chihuahuan Raven (just Jose and I), Purple Martin, Bank Swallow (Roma), Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Verdin, Cactus Wren (building a nest behind our classroom), Bewick's Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher 1, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Olive Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow (great views!), Northern Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, Blue Grosbeak, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Hooded Oriole (Salineno), Bullock's Oriole (great nest made of monofilament, baling twine and easter grass!), Altamira Oriole (beside nest), Lesser Goldfinch (at El Pollo's fountain), House Sparrow. Butterflies: Lyside, Large Orange, Cloudless, Orange Sulphurs, Reakirt's and Ceraunus Blues, Lantana Scrub Hairstreak, Queens...Mammals: Mexican Ground Squirrels, Cottontails, Coyotes, Raccoons, Bobcat (lazily lying behind the classroom), White-Tailed Deer, Skunk (poorly viewed on night hike) Reptiles/Amphibians: Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Brown Snake, Rat Snake, Blue Spiny Lizard, Mediterranean Gecko, Texas Spotted Whiptails, Other invertebrates: Camel Spider (aka Wind Scorpion), Striped Bark Scorpion, Tarantulas,Thin-Waisted Wasp (more later...)

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Thornbush Dasher

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Sulphur-Tipped Clubtail

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Jose and the RedTailed Pennant

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Slough Amberwing

RedTailed Pennant
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May 23 Bentsen State Park I was filling in for Josh who is on vacation on the Dragonfly Walk, but things went very well with Slough and Eastern Amberwings, Sulphur-Tipped Clubtail, Spot-Tailed, Thornbush and Blue Dashers, Wandering Glider, Four-Spotted and Red-Tailed Pennants, Eastern and Great Pondhawks, Red and Striped Saddlebags, Checkered Setwing, Needham's Skimmer, Familiar and Neotropical Bluets, BlueFronted, BlueRinged, Dusky, and Powdered Dancers, Citrine Forktail (blue form male), Rambur's Forktail afterward, and Amelia's Threadtail in the canal. Great fun. That's Jose above with a Red-Tailed Pennant.  On the Night Hike we only heard Screech Owls, but saw Tarantulas, and Armadillos, and Raccoons, Cottontails, and Scorpions, a Barn Owl, Pauraques, Common Nighthawks overhead, Lesser Nighthawks with two babies, Killdeer on the nest...

May 26 Bentsen Bird Walk Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 3, Plain Chachalaca 3, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Egret 2, Little Blue Heron 2, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2 (an adult and a juvenile), Turkey Vulture 3, Crested Caracara 2, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Greater Roadrunner 1, Lesser Nighthawk 3, Chimney Swift, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker , Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (2 in one spot, silent!), Least Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Bank and Cave Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Verdin, Clay-colored Robin 1 on the Kingfisher Overlook bench, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Altamira Oriole, House Sparrow

May Sightings for the Month at Bentsen summarized:

**Black-Bellied Whistling-Duck—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Mottled Duck—John@Hawktower 5/1

Mexican Duck—School Group 5/6

Blue-Winged Teal—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

**Plain Chachalaca—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Northern Bobwhite—5/23 Night Hike

Least Grebe—John@Kingfisher Overlook 5/1

Pied-Billed Grebe—John@Kingfisher Overlook 5/1

Neotropic Cormorant—Jerry birdwalk@Kingfisher Overlook 5/5

Double-Crested Cormorant—John@Kingfisher Overlook 5/1

11 Anhinga—School group 5/6

Least Bittern—School group 5/8

Great Blue Heron—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Great Egret—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Little Blue Heron—John @ Hawktower 5/1

Tricolored Heron—John@Hawktower 5/1

Cattle Egret—John@Hawktower 5/1

Green Heron—Bird walk 5/5

Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron—Bird Walk 5/26

Whitefaced Ibis—Jose @ Hawktower 5/9

21 Black Vulture—5/5 bird walk

Turkey Vulture—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Osprey—School group 5/6

White-Tailed Kite—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Mississippi Kite—Josh  5/1

Cooper’s Hawk—School group 5/6

**Gray Hawk—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Broad-winged Hawk—5/5/ bird walk

Swainson’s Hawk—5/7 John

Caracara—John@Hawktower 5/1

31 Common Moorhen—John@Kingfisher Overlook 5/1

American Coot—John/Joe/Carol at Resaca 5/1

Killdeer—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Black-Necked Stilt—5/5 birdwalk

Spotted Sandpiper—5/8 school group

Laughing Gull—5/5 birdwalk

Caspian Tern—5/6 school group

Forster’s Tern—5/14 school group

White-Winged Dove—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Mourning Dove—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

41 Inca Dove—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Common Ground-Dove—Carol 5/1 window hit

**White-Tipped Dove—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo—Jerry on birdwalk 5/4

Great Roadrunner—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

**Groove-Billed Ani—5/8 school group

Barn Owl—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

Eastern Screech-Owl—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

**Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl—Lang Elliott et al 5/2

Elf Owl—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

51 Lesser Nighthawk—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Common Nighthawk—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

**Common Pauraque—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

Chuck-wills-widow—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

Chimney Swift—5/5 birdwalk

**Buff-Bellied Hummingbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Black-Chinned Hummingbird—Josh 5/2

**Ringed Kingfisher—John@Kingfisher Overlook 5/1

**Green Kingfisher—5/6 School group

61 **Golden-Fronted Woodpecker—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Ladder-backed Woodpecker—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

**Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Olive-Sided Flycatcher—5/15 school group

Eastern Wood-Peewee—John/Joe/Carol outside our window 5/1

empid Flycatcher –birdwalk 5/5

Black Phoebe—John @ irrigation canal 5/2

Ash-Throated Flycatcher—Jerry on Bird walk 5/4

Brown-Crested Flycatcher—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

**Great Kiskadee—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

71**Couch’s Kingbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

**Tropical Kingbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Western Kingbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Eastern Kingbird—John w/school group 5/2

Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

White-Eyed Vireo—5/5 birdwalk

**Green Jay—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Purple Martin—Josh 5/10

Bank Swallow—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Cliff Swallow—Josh 5/1

81 Cave Swallow—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Barn Swallow—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Black-Crested Titmouse—John with school group 5/2

Verdin—John@Hawktower 5/1

**Clay-Colored Robin—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Gray Catbird—5/5 bird walk @ Kiskadee blind

Northern Mockingbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

**Long-Billed Thrasher—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Nashville Warbler—Josh 5/1

Yellow Warbler—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

91 Black-Throated Green Warbler—Josh 5/8

American Redstart—Josh 5/8

Mourning Warbler—Mary, window strike 5/7

MacGillivray’s WarblerCebula/Welle Rio Grande Trail 5/2

Common Yellowthroat—E-bird 5/6-9

Olive Sparrow—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Lark Sparrow—5/5 birdwalk parking lot

Northern Cardinal—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Rose-Breasted Grosbeak—Paul 5/6 near Pavilion

Blue Grosbeak—John 5/12

101 Indigo Bunting—E-bird 5/1-5

Painted Bunting—5/5 birdwalk

Dickcissel—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Red-Winged Blackbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Eastern Meadowlark—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Great-Tailed Grackle—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Bronzed Cowbird—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Orchard Oriole—John@Hawktower 5/1

Bullock’s Oriole—John on birdwalk @hawktower 5/5

Hooded Oriole—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

111 **Altamira Oriole—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Lesser Goldfinch—Jose at window 5/24

American Goldfinch—John/Joe/Carol at window 5/2

House Sparrow—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Reptiles/Amphibians

Blue Spiny Lizard-- —John/Joe while filling feeders on brick gate 5/1

Texas Horned Lizard—Mary 5/8

Texas Spiny Lizard—School Group 5/15

Texas Spotted Whiptail—John/Joe/Carol 5/1

Bull Snake—Jennifer 5/1

Diamondback Watersnake—5/8 school group

Great Plains Rat Snake—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

Mexican Racer—5/8 school group

Gulf Coast Toad—Night Hike 5/8

Rio Grande Chirping Frog—Jennifer 5/1

Cane (Giant/Marine) Toad—Preston with School Group @ Eagle Pond 5/2

Eastern Spiny Softshell Turtle—John@Kingfisher Overlook 5/1

Red-Eared Slider—John@Kingfisher Overlook 5/1

Butterflies

Black Swallowtail—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Giant Swallowtail—John/Joe/Carol at Gatehouse 5/1

Cloudless Sulphur—John 5/2

Large Orange Sulphur—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

5 Lyside Sulphur—John 5/1

Little Yellow—Butterfly Walk 5/12

Lantana Scrub-Hairstreak –Josh 5/4

Western Pygmy-Blue—Butterfly Walk 5/12

Ceraunus Blue—Butterfly Walk 5/5

10 Reakirt’s Blue—Butterfly Walk 5/5

American Snout—John 5/2

Gulf Fritillary—John 5/2

Phaon Crescent--—Butterfly Walk 5/12

White Peacock—Butterfly Walk 5/5

15 Tawny Emperor—Butterfly Walk 5/5

Queen—John w/schoolgorup 5/2

White Checkered-Skipper—Butterfly Walk 5/5

Tropical Checkered-Skipper—Butterfly Walk 5/12

Laviana White-Skipper—Josh  5/4

20 Sickle-Winged Skipper—Bird Walk 5/26

Southern Skipperling—Butterfly Walk 5/5

Fiery Skipper—Butterfly Walk 5/12

Whirlabout—Butterfly Walk 5/12

Eufala Skipper—Butterfly Walk 5/12

Mammals

Armadillo—Night Hike 5/1

Bobcat—Bird Walk 5/5

Coyote—Night Hike 5/9

Eastern Cottontail—School Group 5/8

Eastern Fox Squirrel—John/Joe/Carol at Gatehouse 5/1

Mexican FreeTailed Bat—Night Hike 5/1

Mexican Ground Squirrel—Night Hike 5/9

Javelina—John/Joe while filling feeders 5/1

Raccoon—Night Hike 5/1

Dragonflies

Amelia’s Threadtail—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Blue Dasher—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Blue-Fronted Dancer—John/Josh 5/2

Blue-Ringed Dancer—John/Joe/Carol/Jennifer 5/1

5 Checkered Setwing—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Dusky Dancer—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Eastern Amberwing—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Slough Amberwing—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Eastern Pondhawk—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Familiar Bluet—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

10 Four-Spotted Pennant—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

HALLOWEEN PENNANT—John 5/29

Great Pondhawk—John/Joe/Carol at Resaca 5/1

Needham’s Skimmer—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Neotropical Bluet—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Powdered Dancer—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

15 Rambur’s Forktail—post-Dragonfly Walk 5/23

RedTailed Pennant—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Roseate Skimmer—John 5/5

Red Saddlebags—John@Hawktower 5/1

Striped Saddlebags—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

20 Sulphur-Tipped Clubtail—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Thornbush Dasher—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Wandering Glider—Dragonfly Walk 5/23

Other Insects/Invertebrates

Anacua tortoise beetles—Jennifer 5/29

Ant Lion—John/Joe/Carol at Pavilion 5/1

Bulia similaris (moth)—John 5/1

Euphoria sepulcralis (Dark Flower Scarab)—Josh/John 5/5

Harvester Ants-- John/Joe/Carol at Pavilion 5/1

Nursery Web Spider—Tom Pendleton 5/10

Striped Bark Scorpion—Josh on Night Hike 5/1

Tarantula—Night Hike 5/8

Tarantula Hawk—John 5/1

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To see my history of birding before I moved to Texas just click one of these links: at Oxbow Lake, in Defiance County.
at Independence Dam State Park, in Defiance County.
in Sherwood Ohio, my old hometown, in Defiance County
the rest of Defiance County.
in Paulding County, one county south of Defiance County, in Northwest Ohio
at 16 and C in Williams County, in Northwest Ohio.
the rest of Williams County
in Fulton County, also in Northwest Ohio
around Lake Erie
as well as other various spots in Ohio
and occassionally other states.
I've also researched my genealogy a bit (my other hobby). Click here to learn about the Yochums.
and the Hinsch's
and the Stahls.
and the Jones'
and the Rathbuns.
and the Mattsons
and the Browns
and the Weisers
and the Batdorffs.
Genealogy Tree, Generations 1 through 6
Genealogy Tree, Generations 7 through 12
Genealogy Tree, Generations 13 and up