August 2009

August 1 Today at "work" Mary, Huck and I started the first hour recording how many birds we could see from the deck at Estero Llano Grande State Park. We got to 58, I think: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Harris's Hawk, Crested Caracara, Common Moorhen, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, GULL-BILLED TERN (the adult pair have left and this juvenile showed up-- did they breed here? and why have they deserted their baby? We've watched him beg from Laughing Gulls), Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Groove-billed Ani, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Bank Swallow, Cave Swallow, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, European Starling, PAINTED BUNTING (a beautiful male showed up right beside the deck!), Red-winged Blackbird, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow.

We took a quick walk down the maintenance road to look at the early-migrating LEAST FLYCATCHERS, as well as an early Empid that may have been an Alder Flycatcher. We also picked up Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron, Yellow-Billed Cuckoo, Eastern Screech-Owl in his box by Alligator Lake, a sleeping Pauraque, Curve-Billed Thrashers, Orchard Orioles...

In spite of the over-hundred-degree temperatures, we had a couple more guests in the park. One man from Detroit and I walked Green Jay trail. While he photographed Chachalacas, I photographed a beautiful green darner, a BLUE-FACED DARNER. It is only found in Texas and Florida, the first Texas one discovered by Josh Rose at Santa Ana only nine years ago!

A BOBCAT crossed the road in front of me at the bridge at the park entrance as I drove to lunch about 12:30, right in broad daylight. A Loggerhead Shrike was not at Estero, but there was one at the little recreational park on Airport Road near the Expressway. Lots of shorebirds, including Avocets, were in the Llano Grande at the FM 1015 bridge.

August 2 First thing this morning I took the three dogs to Dixieland Park. They're great about sticking around, but there were two fishermen, a guy walking a husky, two guys playing disc golf...so I just stuck to the edge of the reservoir. 1 Jackrabbit (the dogs didn't even see it), 2 Mexican Ground Squirrels (they don't see these either, but like to sniff at their entrance holes), Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 75, Pied-billed Grebe 8, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Great Egret 2, Snowy Egret 6, Green Heron 4, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 3, Osprey 1, Killdeer 2, Spotted Sandpiper 2, Least Sandpiper 2, Laughing Gull 6, Rock Pigeon 60, White-winged Dove 40, Mourning Dove 6, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1, Great Kiskadee 1, Loggerhead Shrike 1, Purple Martin 1, Northern Mockingbird 1, Red-winged Blackbird 20, Great-tailed Grackle 50, Bronzed Cowbird 3, House Sparrow 3. Tiocano Lake at about 1pm, I arrived to find it very dry-- almost dried up. The Wood Storks were gone, but there were still a few birds left: Great Egret 6, Snowy Egret 2, Little Blue Heron, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture, Crested Caracara, a dozen Black-necked Stilts, five Long-Billed Curlews (right on time), lots of sandpipers including Least, Stilt and Long-Billed Dowitchers, only 4 Laughing Gulls and a juvenile Gull-billed Tern, only 6 Rock Pigeons but lots of Mourning Doves, a Yellow-billed Cuckoo and the requisite bunch of Red-winged Blackbirds and Great-tailed Grackles. It was worth it though. Where else can you go when you only have a few minutes, AND stay air-conditioned?!

August 4 Estero Llano Grande Just a walk from the deck to 1015, a route seldom taken: BlackBellied Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck 100, Mottled Duck 2, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant 6, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 30, Turkey Vulture 2, White-tailed Kite 2, Crested Caracara 1, Common Moorhen, American Coot 8, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs , Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Gull-billed Tern 1, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 1, Groove-billed Ani 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Cave Swallow, Bewick's Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Olive Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle , Bronzed Cowbird , Orchard Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow. 50 Cattle Egrets were at La Feria Sod Farm.

August 7 Gassing up at Walmart, I couldn't help but overhear the Tropical Kingbirds atValley Vista Mall in Harlingen. Estero Llano Grande Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck 100, Mottled Duck 2, Ruddy Duck 5, Plain Chachalaca, Northern Bobwhite 1, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron 6, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron 4, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 40, Turkey Vulture 2, Swallow-tailed Kite, Harris's Hawk, Crested Caracara, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Groove-billed Ani 8, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Common Pauraque 1, Chimney Swift 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Least Flycatcher 2, Empidonax sp., Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren 1, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, ,Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Black-and-white Warbler 1 (first for a long time!), Olive Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird , Orchard Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow.

August 8 Estero Llano Grande Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga 1, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Turkey Vulture, Osprey 1, Harris's Hawk 1, Crested Caracara, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Gull-billed Tern 2, Black Tern 1 (first I've seen at Estero), White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Common Pauraque 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2, Least Flycatcher 1, Empidonax sp. 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Purple Martin, Cliff Swallow 1, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Clay-colored Thrush 2 (first in awhile), Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Black-and-white Warbler 1 (this one female, yesterday's a male), Northern Waterthrush 1 first in a long time, Olive Sparrow, Lark Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal, Painted Bunting 1 beautiful male, Dickcissel, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird , Orchard Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow.

August 11 Dixieland Park with three dogs in the unimproved area only from the road. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 200, Mottled Duck 2, Pied-billed Grebe 6, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret 3, Green Heron 1, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 3, White Ibis 33, White-tailed Kite 1, Harris's Hawk 4, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Forster's Tern 1, Rock Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove 6, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 3, Common Nighthawk 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee 2, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 6, Purple Martin 40, Cave Swallow 2, Barn Swallow 8, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, Olive Sparrow 1, Lark Sparrow 1, Pyrrhuloxia 3 (been a long time since I've seen these around here!), Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow.

August 13 Rangerville Park, Harlingen TX While walking 3 dogs: Mexican Ground Squirrel, Turkey Vulture 1, Killdeer 9, White-winged Dove 1, Mourning Dove 37, Inca Dove 5, Common Nighthawk 52, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1, Great Kiskadee 13, Couch's Kingbird 1, Northern Mockingbird 2, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, European Starling 12, Great-tailed Grackle 17, House Sparrow Tiocano Lake Mottled Duck 8, Snowy Egret 13, American Coot 2, Killdeer 1, Black-necked Stilt 8,American Avocet 26, Least Sandpiper 25, Stilt Sandpiper 200, Long-billed Dowitcher 100, Rock Pigeon 6, Red-winged Blackbird 5 Estero A brief rain stirs up many Common Nighthawks over the marsh, just off the deck. With them are two extremely-ratty molting CHUCK-WILL'S-WIDOWS!

August 15 Estero ANCA-sponsored birder training has us leading 18 trainees: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck 6, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Least Bittern 1, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Crested Caracara, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Curlew 1, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull 3, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Common Pauraque 2, Chuck-will's-widow 1 (one flew over the water for a drink as we all watched from the deck about 4pm in broad daylight!) Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Ringed Kingfisher 1 at Alligator Lake, first in a long time, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher 1, my first of season, Least Flycatchers, Empidonax sp., Great Crested Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Yellow Warbler, Olive Sparrow, Painted Bunting, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird ,Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow

Aug 17 Dixieland Park with three dogs around sorghum field: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 89, Pied-billed Grebe 4, Neotropic Cormorant 6, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 5, Snowy Egret 2, Harris's Hawk 1, Killdeer 8, Black-necked Stilt 2, Least Sandpiper 8, Laughing Gull 20, Rock Pigeon 3, White-winged Dove 7, Mourning Dove 35, Common Ground-Dove 3, White-tipped Dove 1, Groove-billed Ani 2 (I think this is the first time I've seen them in this park), Great Kiskadee 1, Tropical Kingbird 2, Couch's Kingbird 2, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 4, Purple Martin 30, Bewick's Wren 1, Yellow Warbler 2, Olive Sparrow 1, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Great-tailed Grackle 19, House Sparrow 52

Aug 19 Frontera Audubon Ctr (LTC 058) Just a half-hour walk here for lunch when it's over 100 degees!: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 38, Plain Chachalaca 10, Great Egret 5, Snowy Egret 5, Green Heron 1, Gray Hawk 1 (in downtown Weslaco!), White-winged Dove 31, Mourning Dove 1, Inca Dove 3, White-tipped Dove 4, Groove-billed Ani 5, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 8, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 11, Least Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 6, Couch's Kingbird 2, Purple Martin 1, Black-crested Titmouse 3, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, Clay-colored Thrush 1, Northern Mockingbird 1, Olive Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 1, Lesser Goldfinch 2, House Sparrow 4 Just off the deck today at Estero: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal 25, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Great Blue Heron 2, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 2, Wood Stork 8, Turkey Vulture 1, Osprey 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 2, Swainson's Hawk 1, Crested Caracara 1, Peregrine Falcon 1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Phalarope 5, Laughing Gull 1, Black Tern 2, Rock Pigeon 2, Eurasian Collared-Dove 2, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher 1 (beautiful viewing as he circled Ibis Pond just over the deck, twice!), Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Green Jay 2, Purple Martin, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher 1, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, European Starling, Yellow Warbler 2, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Yellow-breasted Chat 1 (my first of season), Painted Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle , Bronzed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow

August 20 A short stop on the way home at El Zacatal: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 86, Mottled Duck 1, Pied-billed Grebe 9, Neotropic Cormorant 74, Anhinga 4, Great Egret 1, Turkey Vulture 1, Common Moorhen 6, American Coot 88, Black-necked Stilt 6, Mourning Dove 1, Cave Swallow X, Red-winged Blackbird 10, Great-tailed Grackle 2, and La Feria Sod Farm Cattle Egret 114, Killdeer, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Curlew 35, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper , Long-billed Dowitcher, Great-tailed Grackle 373

August 21 Butterfly Walk at Estero was pretty exciting: Giant Swallowtail, Cloudless and Lyside Sulphur, Gray Hairstreak, Ceraunus and Western Pygmy-Blues, Fatal Metalmark, American Snout, Gulf Fritillary, Phaon Crescent, White Peacock, Mexican Bluewing, Hermes Skipper, Queen, GUAVA SKIPPER, Brown Longtail, LONG-TAILED SKIPPER, FALCATE SKIPPER, MAZAN'S SCALLOPWING, Mournful Duskywing, White and Tropical Desert-Skippers, Laviana White-Skipper, Whirlabout, Clouded, Eufala, Fiery, and Celia's Roadside- Skippers. A quick stop at La Feria Sod Farm found this time amidst yesterday's birds UPLAND and BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS.

August 22 Estero Llano Grande SP Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal 40, Plain Chachalaca 4, Northern Bobwhite 2, Least Grebe 35, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant 7, Great Blue Heron 2, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 19, Turkey Vulture 1, White-tailed Kite 2, Cooper's Hawk, Crested Caracara, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani 8, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Common Nighthawk 3, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher, Empidonax sp., Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird , Western Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Yellow Warbler 3, Olive Sparrow, Dickcissel 50 (usually blasting overhead, these were in small groups perched along the path from Alligator Lake to the Llano Grande, nicely viewed!), Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow

Aug 25 Valley Nature Center for a half-hour for lunch: Plain Chachalaca, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher , Great Kiskadee, White-eyed Vireo, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow Estero Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal 125, Plain Chachalaca, Northern Bobwhite, Least Grebe 50, Pied-billed Grebe, Anhinga 1, Least Bittern 1, Great Egret , Snowy Egret, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Osprey 1, Swainson's Hawk 1, Sora 2 (Both juvenile, first of season), Purple Gallinule 1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Common Pauraque 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Empidonax sp. , Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Purple Martin, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse 2, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Yellow-Breasted Chat, Olive Sparrow, Painted Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Orchard Oriole , Lesser Goldfinch 4, House Sparrow

Aug 26 Estero Llano Grande SP My camera was stolen over the weekend so fellow Ranger Kyle O'Haver kindly agreed to let me use his photos today, posted above. Just Lakeview and Alligator Lake, 83 species :Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck 1, Blue-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe 50, Pied-billed Grebe 1, Anhinga 1, Least Bittern 1, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture 4, Osprey 1, White-tailed Kite 4 (two were juveniles, all were up close and calling!), Cooper's Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 2, Broad-winged Hawk 1 (first of season), Swainson's Hawk (beautiful intermediate) 1, Sora 2, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet 1, Spotted Sandpiper 2, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs , Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper 1, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot 4, Groove-billed Ani, Eastern Screech-Owl 3 (at 2pm!), Common Pauraque 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1,Eastern Wood-Pewee 1, Least Flycatcher, Empidonax sp., Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird , Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Bank Swallow 1, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling 2, Yellow Warbler 6, Mourning Warbler 2, Canada Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow, Northern Cardinal 2, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Orchard Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow. Enroute home I stopped briefly at the La Feria sod farm Snowy Egret 2, Cattle Egret 142, Roseate Spoonbill 5, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Upland Sandpiper 9, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper 1, Long-billed Dowitcher, Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, Mourning Dove 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark 1, Great-tailed Grackle

Aug 27 Enroute to work at Rangerville/Thieme intersection were two Red-Crowned Parrots on the telephone wire! I went for lunch for a half-hour at Frontera Audubon Ctr (LTC 058): Plain Chachalaca 20, Tricolored Heron 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Common Moorhen 1, White-winged Dove 30, Mourning Dove 4, Inca Dove 5, White-tipped Dove 1, Groove-billed Ani 1, Chimney Swift 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 18, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Empidonax sp. 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 7, Couch's Kingbird 5, White-eyed Vireo 1, Barn Swallow 4, Carolina Wren 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3, Northern Mockingbird 1, Mourning Warbler 2 (first adults of the year), Canada Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 4

Aug 29 Estero Llano Grande SP morning bird walk: Fulvous Whistling-Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Northern Bobwhite 1, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Anhinga 1, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 12, Turkey Vulture 5, Harris's Hawk 4, Swainson's Hawk 1 yesterday's phase, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet 4, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull, Least Tern 4, Forster's Tern 2, Black Skimmer, Rock Pigeon 1, Eurasian Collared-Dove 2, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Common Pauraque 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Olive-sided Flycatcher 1, Least Flycatcher, Empidonax sp., Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird , Eastern Kingbird 1, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, Yellow Warbler 8, Olive Sparrow , Northern Cardinal 1, Dickcissel, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow. Later in the day Javier, Huck and I checked out Lakeview, adding: White-tailed Kite 4, Semipalmated Sandpiper 1, Western Sandpiper 1, Common Pauraque 3, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Olive-sided Flycatcher 4, Brown-crested Flycatcher 2, Green Jay 2, Black-crested Titmouse 2, Carolina Wren 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 20, Black-throated Green Warbler 2 (first of season), Black-and-white Warbler 1

Aug 30 I tried for the banding at Arroyo Colorado Unit but it had no signage and it was very dark so early in the morning, so instead I had a great time (my first time) in a very unorganized hour-long walk at Adolph Thomae County Park so I could be home in time for church: Just an hour very unorganized walk through a park for my first time.
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 50, Blue-winged Teal, Wild Turkey 7, Great Blue Heron 4, Great Egret 3, Tricolored Heron 1, Green Heron 2, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2, White Ibis 2, White-faced Ibis 32, Osprey 1, Harris's Hawk 1, Black-bellied Plover 4, Killdeer 1, Black-necked Stilt 25, Spotted Sandpiper 4, Willet 5, Long-billed Curlew 1, Sanderling 3, Least Sandpiper 6, Laughing Gull 16, Caspian Tern 2, Royal Tern 4, Rock Pigeon 20, Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, White-winged Dove 1, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove 8, Common Ground-Dove 5, White-tipped Dove 1, Groove-billed Ani 11, Common Nighthawk 26, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 7, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 8, Great Crested Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 3, Couch's Kingbird 7, Western Kingbird 1, Eastern Kingbird 2, Green Jay 2, Purple Martin 34, Cliff Swallow 20, Barn Swallow 5, Cactus Wren 1, Bewick's Wren 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 8, Northern Mockingbird 20, Long-billed Thrasher 2, Curve-billed Thrasher 8, Yellow Warbler 17, Canada Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow 8, Northern Cardinal 1, Dickcissel, Great-tailed Grackle 20, Bronzed Cowbird 1, Brown-headed Cowbird 1, Orchard Oriole 1, Altamira Oriole 2, Lesser Goldfinch 2

Aug 31 Dixieland Park with three dogs in improved area only: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 70, Pied-billed Grebe 4, Neotropic Cormorant 6, Snowy Egret 4, Tricolored Heron 2, Osprey 1, Killdeer 2, Least Sandpiper 1, Laughing Gull 4, White-winged Dove 2, Mourning Dove 8, Inca Dove 6, Lesser Nighthawk 8, Ringed Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3, Great Kiskadee 6, Tropical Kingbird 2, Couch's Kingbird 2, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2, Purple Martin 50, Cliff Swallow 8, Cave Swallow 2, Barn Swallow 8, Northern Mockingbird 2, Yellow Warbler 20, Dickcissel, Great-tailed Grackle 10, Bronzed Cowbird 2 Hugh Ramsey Park Great Egret 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 1, White-winged Dove 22, Mourning Dove 2, Inca Dove 9, White-tipped Dove 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Ringed Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 15, Empidonax sp. 8, Brown-crested Flycatcher 5, Great Kiskadee 5, Couch's Kingbird 7, Purple Martin 50, Barn Swallow 10, Carolina Wren 1, Bewick's Wren 2, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2, Northern Mockingbird 2, Long-billed Thrasher 1, Curve-billed Thrasher 4, Yellow Warbler 7, Mourning Warbler 2, Yellow-breasted Chat 1, Olive Sparrow 5, Northern Cardinal 4, Blue Grosbeak 1, Great-tailed Grackle 2, Baltimore Oriole 1, House Sparrow 6