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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
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.
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
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 Warbler—Cebula/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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