February 2008

Feb 1 went birding for an hour at Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary. Best was the DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER! I had walked for 45 minutes seeing many other fine birds, but when I came to the only section in the park with activity (a crew loudly hammering, building a new blind) there was this amazing bird! The list: Gadwall 94, Mottled Duck 15, Northern Shoveler 9, Northern Pintail 15, Plain Chachalaca 1, Least Grebe 17, Pied-billed Grebe 4, Snowy Egret 2, White-faced Ibis 12, Turkey Vulture 1, Gray Hawk 1, American Kestrel 1, Sora 1, Common Moorhen 7, American Coot 25, Sandhill Crane X, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Laughing Gull X, White-tipped Dove 11, Great Horned Owl 1 (hooting at noon?!), Buff-bellied Hummingbird 2, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3, Eastern Phoebe 2, Dusky-capped Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 1, White-eyed Vireo 2, Green Jay X, House Wren 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2, Northern Mockingbird X, Orange-crowned Warbler 4, Nashville Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 2, Olive Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 4, Red-winged Blackbird X, Great-tailed Grackle X

Feb 2 South Padre Island 2hrs Gadwall 24, American Wigeon 12, Northern Pintail 15, Redhead 14, Common Loon 1, Pied-billed Grebe 1, ,Brown Pelican 49, Neotropic Cormorant 8, Double-crested Cormorant 2, Great Blue Heron 2, Great Egret 4, Snowy Egret 2, Little Blue Heron 5, Tricolored Heron 5, Reddish Egret 1, White Ibis 8, Roseate Spoonbill 4, Turkey Vulture 5, Osprey 5, Harris's Hawk 1, American Kestrel 2, Peregrine Falcon 2, Common Moorhen 2, American Coot 2, Quite a collection of plovers!: 1 Black-bellied, 1 Snowy, 1 Wilson's, 11 Semipalmated, 1 Piping, Killdeer 1, Willet 17, Long-billed Curlew 2, Ruddy Turnstone 1, Sanderling, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull X, Ring-billed Gull 30, Herring Gull 1, Caspian Tern 2, Forster's Tern 26, Royal Tern 90, Black Skimmer 150 (undercounted, poor view), Rock Pigeon 1, Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, Mourning Dove 25, Northern Mockingbird 2, Long-billed Thrasher 3, European Starling 7, Orange-crowned Warbler 2, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 2, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Pyrrhuloxia 1 (on the island?!) , Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow

Feb 3 Bentsen Rick Snider led: van straight thru to resaca, then straight to hawktower, then to paixtle, walk to Kiskadee blind, then to HQ: Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 63, Least Grebe 1, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Double-crested Cormorant 3, Anhinga 2, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 2, Green Heron 1, Black Vulture 2, Turkey Vulture 5, Cooper's Hawk 2, Harris's Hawk 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Gray Hawk 2, White-tailed Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 3, Crested Caracara 1, Common Moorhen 2, American Coot 137, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs 1, Mourning Dove 4, Inca Dove 1, Common Ground-Dove 1, White-tipped Dove 3, Greater Roadrunner 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Rufous Hummingbird 1, Allen's Hummingbird 1, Ringed Kingfisher 3, Belted Kingfisher 1, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 12, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 2, Eastern Phoebe 3, Great Kiskadee 3, White-eyed Vireo 4, Green Jay 14, Black-crested Titmouse 2, House Wren 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5, Northern Mockingbird 4,Long-billed Thrasher 3, Orange-crowned Warbler 8, Nashville Warbler 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2 (one each Audubon's and Myrtle), Black-and-white Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 1, Olive Sparrow 4, Lincoln's Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 15, Pyrrhuloxia 1, Red-winged Blackbird 230, Great-tailed Grackle 12, Altamira Oriole 4 (includes one Smudgy, ie Audubon's X Altamira), American Goldfinch 26, House Sparrow 2. A nice hot day for dragonflies: Common Green Darner, Variegated Meadowhawk, Red Saddlebags, Double-Striped & Familiar Bluets, Blue Ringed & Dusky Dancers, and Rambur's Forktail. Butterflies included Funereal Duskywing, Common Mellana, Tropical Leafwing, GUATEMALAN CRACKER, YELLOW-ANGLED SULPHUR, and COMMON BANNER.

Feb 4 Arrived too early at work so counted birds at the Mission Home Depot Pond on Shary at 83: Blue-winged Teal 3, Ruddy Duck 14, Great Egret 1, American Coot 36, Great Kiskadee 2, Tropical Kingbird 1, European Starling 4, Great-tailed Grackle 3, and also at Sharyland Plantation. Gadwall 8, American Wigeon 44, Mottled Duck 9, Ring-necked Duck 10, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Great Egret 1. The morning bird walk at Bentsen: Blue-winged Teal 2, Ring-necked Duck 3, Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 56, Least Grebe 1, Pied-billed Grebe 1, Double-crested Cormorant 4, Anhinga 3, Great Blue Heron 2, Great Egret 2,Green Heron 1, Black Vulture 7, Turkey Vulture 60, Osprey 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Broad-winged Hawk 3, Gray Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 3, Crested Caracara 2, Common Moorhen 1, American Coot 104, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Lesser Yellowlegs 1, Least Sandpiper 6, Mourning Dove 12, White-tipped Dove 3, Greater Roadrunner 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 4, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 5, Eastern Phoebe 1, Great Kiskadee 4, White-eyed Vireo 2, Green Jay 18, Black-crested Titmouse 1, Verdin 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3, Northern Mockingbird 2, Long-billed Thrasher 1, Orange-crowned Warbler 17, Nashville Warbler 3 (all three together, bathing in the spray at Eagle Pond), Yellow Warbler 2, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 1, Savannah Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 15, Red-winged Blackbird 98, Eastern Meadowlark 1, Great-tailed Grackle 9, Altamira Oriole 4, American Goldfinch 4 Anzalduas for lunch: Gadwall, Blue-winged Teal, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret,Cattle Egret, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey 1, White-tailed Hawk 2, Crested Caracara, American Kestrel 1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, White-tipped Dove, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Black Phoebe 1, Green Jay, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Northern Mockingbird, Yellow-rumped Warbler,Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow

Feb 5 Bentsen One RUBY-SPOTTED SWALLOWTAIL. Lunch at Anzalduas: I thought perhaps I'd finally found a black-headed groseak but no, I had a ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, normally a good find. Gadwall X, Blue-winged Teal X, Least Grebe X, Pied-billed Grebe X, Neotropic Cormorant X, Great Egret X, Black Vulture X, Turkey Vulture X,Osprey 1, American Kestrel 1, Common Moorhen X, American Coot X, Long-billed Curlew 2, Mourning Dove X, Golden-fronted Woodpecker X, Ladder-backed Woodpecker X, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Black Phoebe 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Green Jay X, Black-crested Titmouse X, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher X, Eastern Bluebird X, Northern Mockingbird X, Orange-crowned Warbler X, Yellow-rumped Warbler X, Yellow-throated Warbler 1, Chipping Sparrow X, Northern Cardinal X, Red-winged Blackbird X, Western Meadowlark X, Great-tailed Grackle X, American Goldfinch X

Feb 6 I still got at work too early so stopped by the Mission Home Depot Pond: Mottled Duck 1, Ruddy Duck 10, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Great Egret 1, American Coot 24, Rock Pigeon 5, Vermilion Flycatcher 1, Tropical Kingbird 1. Bentsen Rick found the FIRST EASTERN TAILED-BLUE I've seen in Texas. Not expected here, it's common in Ohio! The Night Hike: Coyotes howling, Armadillo, Raccoon with two young, many Javelina, one GHOW in spotlight, 2 ESOW actually seen. Barn Owl 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 8, Great Horned Owl 6, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl 2, Common Pauraque 3.

Feb 7 Butterflies at NABA again! CHESTNUT CRESCENT! 8-SPOTTED LONGTAIL! Wednesday night's Night Hike here at Bentsen was pretty durn incredible. We started off with two Screech-Owls, easily seen in their respective tree-holes, since it wasn't quite dusk yet when we started out the night. We arrived at the Resaca (Kingfisher Overlook) aiming for a beautiful sunset. We got more than that with at least 3 pairs of hooting Great Horned Owls, at least six calling Screech-Owls, the overflight of a Barn Owl, and once again stereophonic Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls. We got great looks at the silhouetted Great Horned Owls on the far shore, glorious in the darkening pinks and blues of a sunset framed by black shadows of tall palm trees. Simply beautiful. The group even had one Great Horned in the spotlight near the Pavilion. The calls of Pauraque from the near-by feeders were the icing on the cake-that was the first night of the year I'd heard them do the full "puh-WHEEER."

I approached Thursday night's Night Hike with a bit of intrepidation-could there be two good nights in a row? It was practically a repeat!-- except that we heard MORE Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls calling, and some got to actually SEE a Little Guy, and one got great
pictures. The night was over before it started. You know how time
flies when you're having fun.

Feb 8 South Padre Island American, Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Redhead, Pied-billed Grebe, Brown Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret X, Little Blue Heron , Reddish Egret 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Harris's Hawk, Sora 1, Common Moorhen, American Coot X, Killdeer, Willet, Long-billed Curlew X, Ruddy Turnstone X, Sanderling X, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher X, Laughing Gull X, Ring-billed Gull X, Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, Royal Tern, Black Skimmer X, Eurasian Collared-Dove X, Mourning Dove, House Wren, Northern Mockingbird X, Long-billed Thrasher 2, Orange-crowned Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Pyrrhuloxia 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, plus a Lark Sparrow at the Port Isabel Walmart.

Feb 10 The morning bird walk at Bentsen included the SINGING Tropical Parula!: Gadwall 1, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal 45, Northern Shoveler 22, Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 14, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Double-crested Cormorant 3, Anhinga 2, Great Egret 2, White-faced Ibis 15, Black Vulture 3, Turkey Vulture 3, Harris's Hawk 2, Gray Hawk 1, Common Moorhen 2, American Coot 98, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs X, Lesser Yellowlegs X, Mourning Dove 3, White-tipped Dove 3, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Rufous Hummingbird 1, Allen's Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Phoebe 3, Great Kiskadee 4, Couch's Kingbird 1, White-eyed Vireo 8, Green Jay 11, Tree Swallow X, Cave Swallow X, Black-crested Titmouse 4, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 3, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 10, Northern Mockingbird 4, Long-billed Thrasher 3, American Pipit X, Orange-crowned Warbler 13, Tropical Parula 1 (SINGING!), Yellow-rumped Warbler 6, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 1, Olive Sparrow 2, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 8, Pyrrhuloxia 1, Indigo Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird 370, Great-tailed Grackle 19, Altamira Oriole 6, American Goldfinch 50, House Sparrow 20 South Padre Island My heart just wasn't in the Dragonfly Walk, although we did have a Hoary Skipper... I finally called Carol and got an hour off: South Padre here I come! I stopped and picked up Bruce, and soon we were at the Valley Fund lots to see the first WHITE-CREsTEd ELAeNIA OUTSIDE OF SOUTH AMERICA! A FIRST RECORD FOR TEXAS! A FIRST RECORD FOR THE UNITED STATES! A FIRST RECORD NORTH OF THE EQUATOR!

Feb 11 Bentsen Gadwall 2, Mottled Duck 9, Blue-winged Teal 11, Cinnamon Teal 1, Northern Shoveler 24, Ring-necked Duck 2, Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 17, Least Grebe 3, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Anhinga 3, Great Blue Heron 4, Great Egret 2, Black Vulture 1, Turkey Vulture 7, Osprey 1, White-tailed Kite 2, Cooper's Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 1, Broad-winged Hawk 1, Gray Hawk 4, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Crested Caracara 4, American Kestrel 1, Common Moorhen 1, American Coot 110, Killdeer 1, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs 1, Lesser Yellowlegs 20, Mourning Dove 5, Inca Dove 6, White-tipped Dove 3, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Rufous Hummingbird 1, Ringed Kingfisher 1, Belted Kingfisher 1, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3,Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 4, Great Kiskadee 7, Loggerhead Shrike 1, Green Jay 7, Black-crested Titmouse 3, Verdin 1, House Wren 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 2, Northern Mockingbird 5, Long-billed Thrasher 1, American Pipit 6, Orange-crowned Warbler 7, Yellow-rumped Warbler 3, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Ovenbird 1, Common Yellowthroat 2, Olive Sparrow 2, Savannah Sparrow 1, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 10, Pyrrhuloxia 2, Indigo Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird 60, Eastern Meadowlark 1, Western Meadowlark 6, Great-tailed Grackle 15, Altamira Oriole 6, American Goldfinch 9, House Sparrow 12.

Feb 13 Bentsen When I pulled into the driveway at work about noon, a COYOTE was standing in the middle of it in broad daylight! So beautiful and my camera in the trunk... The CHESTNUT CRESCENT appeared at Bentsen today! Wow! In no time at all it was Night Hike time. It was a great time-- we spent the first twenty minutes watching a BOBCAT pad down the road in front of our van. Then came the Screech Owl in the tree, with many guests very happy. Then a male Tarantula. The resaca harbored a beautiful sunset again, but the only owls we heard and saw were Great Horned. We heard many Pauraque and saw many Pauraque. We had cottontails in the spotlight many times, too, but the best spotlighted creature was a COYOTE at La Coma circle!

Feb 14 I arrived in at work way too early, so I stopped off at the Mission Home Depot pond on Shary (American Wigeon 30, Canvasback 2, Redhead 1, Ring-necked Duck 30, Ruddy Duck 2, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Great Egret 3, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Coot 118, Great Kiskadee 3) and at Mission's Sharyland Plantation (Gadwall 11, American Wigeon 32, Mottled Duck 1, Blue-winged Teal 4, Northern Shoveler 2, Ring-necked Duck 5, Great Kiskadee 1) before heading to the park. Work was all inside today in spite of the beautiful weather. For lunch, a new place: a pond off Conway: American Wigeon 30, Canvasback 2, Redhead 1, Ring-necked Duck 30, Ruddy Duck 2, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Great Egret 3, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Coot 118, Great Kiskadee 3. That was fun!

Feb 15 Harlingen's Hugh Ramsey Park Plain Chachalaca 4, Turkey Vulture 2, Cooper's Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 1, Mourning Dove 7, Inca Dove 6, White-tipped Dove 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 6, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 5, White-eyed Vireo 3, Green Jay 1,Black-crested Titmouse 4, Verdin 5, Carolina Wren 1, Bewick's Wren 3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1,Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3, Northern Mockingbird 3, Long-billed Thrasher 3, Curve-billed Thrasher 5, European Starling 5, Orange-crowned Warbler 6, Black-and-white Warbler 2, Olive Sparrow 3 (one of which was banded), Lincoln's Sparrow 3, Northern Cardinal 5, Pyrrhuloxia 1, Painted Bunting 1 bright male!, Lesser Goldfinch 2, House Sparrow 9 Dixieland Park Ring-necked Duck 6, Lesser Scaup 368, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Eared Grebe 1, American White Pelican 1, Neotropic Cormorant 45, Double-crested Cormorant 10, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 3, Snowy Egret 6, Osprey 1, White-tailed Kite 1, American Kestrel 2, American Coot 47, Laughing Gull 8, Forster's Tern 4, Rock Pigeon 5, Mourning Dove 2, Northern Mockingbird 2, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, American Pipit 70, Savannah Sparrow 1, Red-winged Blackbird 40, Great-tailed Grackle 3

Feb 17 Stopped off at Mission's Home Depot Pond (Mottled Duck 1, Blue-winged Teal 3, Ruddy Duck 13, Pied-billed Grebe 1, American Coot 18, Killdeer 1, Rock Pigeon 12, Mourning Dove 3, Belted Kingfisher 1, Vermilion Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 2, Tropical Kingbird 1, Northern Mockingbird 1, Lark Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 2, Great-tailed Grackle 6) and Sharyland Plantation (Gadwall 30, American Wigeon 18, Mottled Duck 1, Ring-necked Duck 14, Great Egret 1, American Coot 10, Spotted Sandpiper 1) before "work," and then it was the bird walk: Mottled Duck 3, Blue-winged Teal 18, Northern Shoveler 14, Ring-necked Duck 2, Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 24, Least Grebe 2, Pied-billed Grebe 8, Neotropic Cormorant 2, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Anhinga 1, White-faced Ibis 1, Black Vulture 3, Turkey Vulture 1, Osprey 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Gray Hawk 1, White-tailed Hawk 2, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Crested Caracara 2, Common Moorhen 6, American Coot 120, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs 8, Lesser Yellowlegs 5, Mourning Dove 6, Inca Dove 6, Common Ground-Dove 2, White-tipped Dove 3, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 1, Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Rufous Hummingbird 1, Allen's Hummingbird 1, Ringed Kingfisher 1, Belted Kingfisher 1, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 13, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Phoebe 5, Great Kiskadee 12, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1, Loggerhead Shrike 1,White-eyed Vireo 4, Green Jay 16, Tree Swallow X, Cave Swallow 4, Black-crested Titmouse 3, Verdin 2, House Wren 2, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 11, Clay-colored Robin 1, Northern Mockingbird 7, Long-billed Thrasher 6, American Pipit 25, Orange-crowned Warbler 13, Tropical Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 4, Common Yellowthroat 1, Olive Sparrow 4, Lark Sparrow 2, Savannah Sparrow 2, Lincoln's Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 17, Pyrrhuloxia 1, Indigo Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird 500, Eastern Meadowlark 1, Western Meadowlark 10, Great-tailed Grackle 10, Altamira Oriole 8, American Goldfinch 25, House Sparrow 10.

Dragonflies on the scheduled walk included an amazing Red-Faced Dragonlet (a FIRST for the area), BandWinged Dragonlets, BlueFronted Dancers, Red Saddlebags, Wandering Gliders, DoubleStriped Bluets and Great Pondhawks.

Feb 18 Bentsen The Bird Walk: Gadwall 4, Mottled Duck 5, Blue-winged Teal 6, Northern Shoveler 25, Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 36, Least Grebe 3, Pied-billed Grebe 9, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Anhinga 1,Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 1, White-faced Ibis 1, Turkey Vulture 10, Osprey 2, White-tailed Kite 1, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Common Moorhen 6, American Coot 118, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs 3, Lesser Yellowlegs 5, Mourning Dove 25, Common Ground-Dove 11, White-tipped Dove 11, Greater Roadrunner 1, Rufous Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Great Kiskadee 7, Couch's Kingbird 1, Green Jay 23, Black-crested Titmouse 2, Verdin 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 3, Northern Mockingbird 17, Long-billed Thrasher 4, American Pipit 4, Orange-crowned Warbler 6, Yellow-rumped Warbler 2, Common Yellowthroat 6, Olive Sparrow 4, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 42, Pyrrhuloxia 1, Red-winged Blackbird 444, Great-tailed Grackle 6, Altamira Oriole 5, American Goldfinch 20, House Sparrow 10.

Feb 19 Anzalduas I walked only the downstream side of the park for half an hour: 3 Armadillos, Gadwall 132, American Wigeon 64, Mottled Duck 12, Blue-winged Teal 10, Neotropic Cormorant 5, Double-crested Cormorant 2, Snowy Egret 1, Cattle Egret 1, Black Vulture 6, Turkey Vulture 4, Osprey 1, American Coot 4, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Rock Pigeon 13, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Vermilion Flycatcher 3, Green Jay 1, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 48, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, Northern Mockingbird 4, American Pipit 75, Olive Sparrow 1, Great-tailed Grackle 8, American Goldfinch 25.

Feb 20 Just down the road from home in Harlingen(Rangerville Rd/Jiminez) was a small pond with Ruddy Duck 2, Least Grebe 6, Pied-billed Grebe 1, Osprey 3, Common Moorhen 1, American Coot 12, Black-necked Stilt 2, Red-winged Blackbird X, Great-tailed Grackle X. Old Hidalgo Pumphouse was excellent, albeit I did not find the reported seedeater: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 12, Blue-winged Teal X, Neotropic Cormorant 2, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 1,White-tailed Kite 3, Cooper's Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 1, Gray Hawk 1, American Kestrel 2, American Coot X, Caspian Tern 1, Rock Pigeon 24, Mourning Dove 2, Inca Dove 3, White-tipped Dove 1, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 14, Black Phoebe 1, Eastern Phoebe 2, Great Kiskadee 25, Tropical Kingbird 1, Couch's Kingbird 6, White-eyed Vireo 5, Green Jay 2, Tree Swallow X, Northern Rough-winged Swallow X, Barn Swallow 1, Black-crested Titmouse 4, Cactus Wren 3, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4, Northern Mockingbird 8, Long-billed Thrasher 4, Orange-crowned Warbler 4, Common Yellowthroat 1, Northern Cardinal 2, Lesser Goldfinch 4, House Sparrow X.

Tonight's Bentsen night hike was very nice with many armadillos and raccoons and rabbits, but also at Kingfisher Overlook was a loud cacaphony at precisely 6:55pm: Common Pauraques, Great Horned Owls, Screech Owls and a Ferruginous Pygmy Owl! As I locked up the gates at the end of the night, I felt like I was being watched-- and I was! A Bobcat sat on the gate, his legs curled under him like any housecat, watching me clang the iron gates, bang the padlocks, and start/stop the car! I even tried a lot of settings on my camera, then on my videocamera as he patiently posed.

Unfortunately the cloudy night eclipsed the moon eclipse tonight...

Feb 23 Harlingen's Tiocano Lake Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 650,Gadwall 2, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal 10, Northern Shoveler 6, Green-winged Teal 18, Ruddy Duck 5, Pied-billed Grebe 3, American White Pelican 15, Neotropic Cormorant 30, Double-crested Cormorant 2, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret 7, Tricolored Heron 1, Cattle Egret 7, White-faced Ibis 2, Roseate Spoonbill 8, Turkey Vulture 1, White-tailed Kite 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, American Kestrel 1, American Coot 24, Killdeer 2, Black-necked Stilt 35, American Avocet 15, Long-billed Dowitcher 180, Laughing Gull 2, Rock Pigeon 20, Mourning Dove 5, Northern Mockingbird 1, European Starling 6, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Eastern Meadowlark Dixieland Park Ring-necked Duck 2, Lesser Scaup 300, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Neotropic Cormorant 30, Double-crested Cormorant 2, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret 3, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, Turkey Vulture 2, Osprey 1, White-tailed Kite 2, Harris's Hawk 3, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Crested Caracara 1, American Kestrel 1, American Coot 57, Sandhill Crane 21, Spotted Sandpiper 5, Laughing Gull 1, Forster's Tern 2, Rock Pigeon 8, Mourning Dove 8, Belted Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2, Vermilion Flycatcher 2, Loggerhead Shrike 1, White-eyed Vireo 1, Purple Martin 6, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, Northern Mockingbird 2, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, American Pipit 76, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1,Pyrrhuloxia 1, Eastern Meadowlark 1, Great-tailed Grackle X, American Goldfinch 20 Hugh Ramsey Park (just the inner Ebony loop) American Coot 1, Long-billed Curlew 1, Mourning Dove 6, Inca Dove 5, Common Ground-Dove 1, White-tipped Dove 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 5, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 3, Ash-throated Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 5, White-eyed Vireo 3, Verdin 1, Carolina Wren 1, Bewick's Wren 6, House Wren 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, Northern Mockingbird 5, Long-billed Thrasher 4, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, Orange-crowned Warbler 8, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow 3, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 4, Lesser Goldfinch 3, House Sparrow 6

Feb 24 Bentsen American Wigeon 6, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal 12, Northern Shoveler 34, Ring-necked Duck 7, Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 10, Least Grebe 6, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Neotropic Cormorant 3, Double-crested Cormorant 1, Anhinga 2, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 1, Black Vulture 1, Turkey Vulture 12, Common Moorhen 8, American Coot 138, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs X, Lesser Yellowlegs X, Mourning Dove 10, Inca Dove 1, White-tipped Dove 11, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Black-chinned Hummingbird 1 (with purple gorget!), Rufous Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 6, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 8, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Great Kiskadee 8, Couch's Kingbird 2, White-eyed Vireo 1, Blue-headed Vireo 2, Green Jay 20, Purple Martin 6, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2, Cave Swallow X, Black-crested Titmouse 8, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5, Northern Mockingbird 7, Long-billed Thrasher 2, Orange-crowned Warbler 12, Tropical Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow 3, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 19, Red-winged Blackbird 660, Eastern Meadowlark 1, Great-tailed Grackle 30, Altamira Oriole 6, American Goldfinch 13, House Sparrow 24

Feb 25 Bentsen American Wigeon 4, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal 14, Northern Shoveler 20, Ring-necked Duck 15, Lesser Scaup 1, Plain Chachalaca 11, Least Grebe 1, Pied-billed Grebe 7, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Anhinga 2, Great Egret 9, Black Vulture 4, Turkey Vulture 28, Northern Harrier 1, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Gray Hawk 1, Common Moorhen 4, American Coot 107, Mourning Dove 7, Inca Dove 1, White-tipped Dove 3, Greater Roadrunner 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Belted Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 3, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Phoebe 2, Great Kiskadee 9, Green Jay 16, Tree Swallow X, Cave Swallow X, Black-crested Titmouse 4, House Wren 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 5, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4, Clay-colored Robin 2, Northern Mockingbird 3, Long-billed Thrasher 2, Orange-crowned Warbler 4, Tropical Parula 1, Olive Sparrow 3, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 9, Indigo Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird 290, Great-tailed Grackle 12, Altamira Oriole 6, American Goldfinch 6, House Sparrow 10

Feb 26 Anzalduas Park Just for 15 minutes, above the dam walking the Rio Grande: American Kestrel 1, American Coot 29, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Mourning Dove 1, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Black Phoebe 1, Great Kiskadee 2, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 3, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, American Pipit 26, Orange-crowned Warbler 4, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 4, Common Yellowthroat 1 El Rancho Pond American Wigeon 28, Mottled Duck 2, Canvasback 4, Redhead 4, Ring-necked Duck 35, Lesser Scaup 4, Ruddy Duck 8, Least Grebe 3, Pied-billed Grebe 10, Double-crested Cormorant 3, Tricolored Heron 1, Cattle Egret 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, Turkey Vulture 1, Common Moorhen 4,American Coot 295, Ringed Kingfisher 2, Belted Kingfisher 1, Great Kiskadee 1

Feb 27 Bentsen The Night Hike started off very nicely with Coyotes howling in broad daylight right at the headquarters. Many heard and saw Coyotes early all through the park. We found a Screech Owl in its hole on Acacia Loop, and as the sun began setting and turning on all its colors, we watched at the Resaca. At 6:55pm, right on time, the Great Horned Owls, Screech Owls and a single Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl called raucously with numerous Pauraques. A Great Horned Owl flew over the Resaca from the Brand Camp. The night was cool though, less than 50 degrees, which was inhibitive for all cold-blooded animals: no geckoes, no scorpions, no tarantulas, one Vine Sphinx moth, and (most amazingly) no Pauraques sitting on the side of the road! Plenty of Javelina, Cottontails and a huge Raccoon-- no Armadillos. The only frog was the Rio Grande Leopard Frog. The participants seemed to really enjoy all this, but I personally like it better when the night ends, instead of begins, with a Bang.