Feb 2009

Feb 1 Estero Llano Grande State Park, Weslaco TX Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal 1, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis 15, Roseate Spoonbill 10, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite 2, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, Crested Caracara 1, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Rock Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Belted Kingfisher 1, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Tree Swallow, Cave Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Marsh Wren 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Tropical Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Black-throated Gray Warbler 1, Pine Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, American Goldfinch, House Sparrow, BLACK-THROATED MAGPIE-JAY

February 2 Dixieland with 3 dogs just from the road in the undeveloped section only: Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Turkey Vulture 1, White-tailed Kite 3, Harris's Hawk 1, American Kestrel 1, American Coot, Spotted Sandpiper, Long-billed Curlew 1, Laughing Gull, Forster's Tern, Rock Pigeon, White-winged Dove 1, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Barn Owl, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe 1, Vermilion Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 33, Savannah and Lincoln's Sparrows, Easten Meadowlark 1, Western Meadowlark 12, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow

February 3 Dixieland Park Harlingen With 3 dogs, from the road only, in the undeveloped section only: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Turkey Vulture 1, Osprey 1, White-tailed Kite 3, Northern Harrier 1, Cooper's Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Crested Caracara 2, American Kestrel 1, American Coot, Killdeer, Laughing Gull, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Belted Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe 1, White-eyed Vireo 1, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Robin 1, Northern Mockingbird,Curve-billed Thrasher 2, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Savannah and Lincoln's Sparrows, Northern Cardinal 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow

Feb 4 La Sal de Rey area: Snow Goose, Gadwall, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican 22, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron 1, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Harris's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk 1, White-tailed Hawk 2, Red-tailed Hawk 3, Crested Caracara, American Kestrel 1, Peregrine Falcon 3, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Snowy Plover 6, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs 1, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe 3, Wilson's Phalarope 34, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Greater Roadrunner 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Great Horned Owl 1, Belted Kingfisher 1, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay 3, Horned Lark, Bewick's Wren 1, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, American Pipit, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Black-and-white Warbler 1, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Pyrrhuloxia, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Brewer's Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch 2, House Sparrow.

Feb 5 walking the dogs at Dixieland Park (Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Pied-billed Grebe X, Neotropic Cormorant 7, Double-crested Cormorant 4, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret 12, Black-crowned Night-Heron 3, Turkey Vulture 1, Osprey 2, American Kestrel 1, American Coot 16, Killdeer 2, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Forster's Tern 2, Mourning Dove 13, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2, Vermilion Flycatcher 1, American Pipit 36, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 31, Western Meadowlark 6, Great-tailed Grackle 4)

I also drove by Tiocano Lake. A fantastic place: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 800, Blue-winged Teal 32, Northern Shoveler 36, Green-winged Teal 22, American White Pelican 21, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 5, Snowy Egret 24, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2, White Ibis 1, Roseate Spoonbill 25, Turkey Vulture 21, American Kestrel 1, Killdeer 1, American Avocet 18, Long-billed Curlew 39, Rock Pigeon 2, Mourning Dove 5, Northern Mockingbird 1, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird 20, Great-tailed Grackle 1

Feb 6 McAllen I stopped at 10th and Dove, and looked over into Lowe's from the Walgreen's parking lot-- 378 Green Parakeets! That was 5:30pm. At 5:40pm I was a few blocks away (10th and Violet) where I counted about 250 Green Parakeets. They're harder to count here because of the green trees available for them to hide in-- and they're well-camoflauged!!! I went inside the Chinese buffet there for about half-an-hour (that Teriyaki chicken looked AWFUL, and they had no ice cream, but thye had lots of other good food, the strong point for any buffet. At 6:15 the parakeets outside had swelled to 500

Feb 7 Choke Canyon State Park Calliham Unit The first bird walk was with everyone altogether, just a short distance up the bird trail and back along the shoreline of the huge lake. The second trip was split with Josh and taking half and Miles and I taking half. The third trip, I took a van load: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Greater White-fronted Goose, Gadwall, Mallard, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback 22, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe 1, American White Pelican, Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 10, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Northern Harrier 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 3, Red-tailed Hawk 2, Crested Caracara, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Sandhill Crane 30, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher 12, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull 1, Forster's Tern 2, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Great Horned Owl 1 (nesting in the parking lot), Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Least Flycatcher 1 (at the blind), Empidonax sp. 1 (maybe the pine?), Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher 2, Great Kiskadee 1, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Purple Martin 1 (my first of the season!), Tree Swallow, Verdin 2, Carolina Wren 1 (playing with 2 Bewick's!), Bewick's Wren, Marsh Wren 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, European Starling, American Pipit 5, Orange-crowned and Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Olive, Savannah and Lincoln's Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow 1 (great views at the Pine Flycatcher site), White-crowned Sparrow 4 (two juveniles, two adults at the blind), Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Audubon's Oriole 4 (THREE AT ONE FEEDER! And the guy who owned the feeder was the photographer for Mark Klym's hummingbird book).

Feb 9 Estero We took three tours back to Lakeview today, 38 people in total. Lakeview only, with Black-Throated Magpie-Jay, Plain Chachalaca 10, American White Pelican 2, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Killdeer, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Barn Owl 1 (in the scope), Eastern Screech-Owl 1 (in the scope), Common Pauraque 2 (on the ground-- in Lakeview!), Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Rose-throated Becard 1, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Green Jay, Tree Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Bewick's Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Clay-colored Thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Tropical Parula, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Black-throated Gray Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, Pine Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch 2, House Sparrow.

Huck and I went to Frontera for lunch: Plain Chachalaca, White-tipped Dove, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Black-crested Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Wilson's Warbler 1, Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow.

Feb 10 Estero No scheduled bird walks yesteday or today but still people show and we go, today 30 of them, just from the deck through Lakeview: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite 1, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Rock Pigeon, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Barn Owl 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Rose-throated Becard 1, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Green Jay, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Cave Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Bewick's Wren 1, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Clay-colored Thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, American Pipit, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Black-throated Gray Warbler 1, Pine Warbler 1, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal , Blue Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch 2, American Goldfinch 1, House Sparrow. The Becard allowed his picture to be taken again!

Feb 11 The day started perfectly when almost EIGHTY RED-CROWNED PARROTS flew up from behind Valley Nature Center. It was amazing as they circled closely overhead! We then headed to the Estero Llano RV Park where Wylene High had promised a flock of 80 at 7:50am. Of course, I jest, because wild birds are certainly unpredictable. At 8:20 we left without parrots, but at 8:25 we stumbled on a flock of TWENTY, just before we left the park. Their color was brilliant in the morning sun. We then headed to three spots in Brownsville (including Fort Brown) where we did NOT find any parrots at all. Then it was to Resaca de la Palma.

Feb 13 Estero Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal 2, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail 2, Green-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least and PiedBilled Grebe, American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 11, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite 2, Red-tailed Hawk 1, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Common Pauraque, Ringed Kingfisher, Belted Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Vermilion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Common Yellowthroat , Lincoln's Sparrow , Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow, not going into the Lakeview side of the park.

Feb 14 Estero Black-Throated Magpie-Jay, of course, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Cooper's Hawk, Harris's Hawk, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Curlew, Least Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Barn Owl 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 2, Common Pauraque 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird,Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Belted Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher,Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Vermilion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Rose-throated Becard 1, Blue-headed Vireo, Green Jay, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Bewick's Wren 1, House Wren, Marsh Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Clay-colored Thrush, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Parula 1, Tropical Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Black-throated Gray Warbler 1, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow

Feb 19 Back a week or so ago, I was asked to be a tour guide at the Choke Canyon Birding Festival. While there, a birder not on our tour showed me a note he'd had in his wallet for twelve years. Willis Milburn had found a dead bird in his garage back home in Laconia, southern Indiana in 1997. The band on its leg (1521-6634 Open Abre) he had kept, hoping someday to find out its secrets. I entered it into reportband.gov and discovered belonged to a House Finch banded in 1995 in Southern Indiana. He sounded excited on the phone that finally the mystery was solved. He had originally thought the dead bird "wren-like."

Feb 20 I did get the Fox Sparrow (perhaps the first record for the Valley!) at Valley Nature Center.

I got back to the park just in time for the Estero Butterfly Walk. It was cold and windy. I didn't think it would be warm enough for butterflies to even fly! Great Southern White, WHITE ANGLED-SULPHUR, Gray Hairstreak, Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Dusky-Blue Groundstreak, American Snout, Phaon Crescent, Mexican Bluewing, Carolina Satyr (many, probably all actually Hermes Satyrs), Queen (one!), Brown Longtail (many), Potrillo Skipper (I collected one, hanging by his tongue dead, the obvious victim of a Crab Spider, hidden for ambush in the plumbago bloom), Funereal Duskywing (2), White Checkered-Skipper (few), Tropical Checkered-Skipper (one), Fawn-Spotted Skipper (one), Clouded Skipper (one), and a female Whirlabout, so wrongly pictured in the Kaufman guide. We hadn't gone very far down the walk on the butterfly walk when the Pennsylvania man discovered a sleeping Bobcat not 10 feet off the sidewalk! A crowd of 20 gathered to take his picture. He woke up, raised his head to give us a sleepy glare, and then went back to his catnap!

Earlier this morning when I pulled in a Bobcat was on the bridge at the entrance. Two Bobcats walked openly along the lagoon toward Lakeview in front of many cheering guests earlier-- so this was my fourth Bobcat of the day!

Feb 22 Estero Llano State Park 92 Species (if I had known I were this close, I would've tried for 100!): Black-Throated Magpie-Jay, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal 2, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga (we watched two eat fish), Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis 2, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier 1, Harris's Hawk 3, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper 1, Greater Yellowlegs 1, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe 1, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Barn Owl 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Common Pauraque 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Belted Kingfisher 2, Green Kingfisher 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Phoebe 1, Vermilion Flycatcher 2, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird 1, Couch's Kingbird, Rose-throated Becard 1, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo,Green Jay,Purple Martin 1, Tree Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren 4, House Wren,Marsh Wren 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Clay-colored Thrush, American Robin 1, Northern Mockingbird,Long-billed Thrasher 2, European Starling, American Pipit 1, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Parula 1, Tropical Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Black-throated Gray Warbler 1, Yellow-throated Warbler 1, Pine Warbler 1, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat, Lark Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch (beautifully yellow eating bright red sage in the parking lot-- pictures from the car window) , House Sparrow.

Feb 23 Estero Llano State Park Today Lucky Lady from Louisiana spotted the BLUE BUNTING on the back fence of the horse corral, a place we have never seen it! Then she spotted the Becard in a Live Oak in front of Benten's mailbox! It was great! We had long luxurious looks at both! Just from the deck through Lakeview: BlackThroated MagpieJay, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron 1, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Cooper's Hawk 1, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Wilson's Snipe 2, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot 10, Barn Owl 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe 1, Vermilion Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Rose-throated Becard 1, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Green Jay, Black-crested Titmouse, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Tropical Parula 1, Pine Warbler 1, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Blue Bunting 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow

Feb 25 At 7am for "work" I picked up Roy Rodriguez and 7 guests for a tour of Laguna Atascosa. This was another wonderful day, with beautiful weather and two standout birds!: Gadwall, American Wigeon, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Ruddy Duck 2, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Black Vulture 1, Turkey Vulture, Osprey 13, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Harris's Hawk 1, White-tailed Hawk 3, Crested Caracara, American Kestrel, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Wilson's Plover 3, Killdeer 3, Black-necked Stilt, Lesser Yellowlegs, Long-billed Curlew, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Laughing Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull 1, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Forster's Tern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, White-tipped Dove, Greater Roadrunner 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike 1, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Horned Lark, Tree Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush 1, Gray Catbird 1, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher 1, European Starling 1, Orange-crowned Warbler, a beauty of a Nashville Warbler 1, Northern Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Wilson's Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird , Eastern Meadowlark, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow

Feb 26 This morning started off very well as I headed to Riverside by Pepe's on the River in Mission for a riverboat ride on the Rio Grande River. Of course, I had to be a guide to earn my spot, but it was fun with 36 guests and Roy Rodriguez (great guy): Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron,Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Turkey Vulture, Osprey, Hook-billed Kite 1, White-tailed Kite 2, Gray Hawk 3, American Kestrel 1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Ringed Kingfisher, Belted Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Black Phoebe 1, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike 1, Green Jay, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Northern Mockingbird, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow.

Feb 27 Estero Llano Grande State Park Black-Throated Magpie-Jay, Fulvous Whistling-Duck 1, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Green-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 2, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier 1, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt,American Avocet, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Barn Owl 1, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Rose-throated Becard 1, White-eyed Vireo, Blue-headed Vireo, Tree Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wren, House Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher , Clay-colored Thrush 1, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Orange-crowned Warbler, Northern Parula 1, Tropical Parula 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle), Black-and-white Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow. I missed it, but Huck's group got a Western Tanager!

The Butterfly Walk was interrupted but got: Pipevine and Giant Swallowtails, FLORIDA and Great Southern Whites, ORANGE, WHITE ANGLED-, Cloudless, Large Orange and Lyside Sulphurs, Southern Dogface, Little and Mimosa Yellows, Gray and Mallow Scrub-Hairstreaks, Dusky-Blue Groundstreak, Clytie Ministeak, Reakirt's Blue, Fatal Metalmark, American Snout, Phaon Crescent, White Peacock, Mexican Bluewing (4 at once at Shelley's feeder), Tropical Leafwing (also many at Shelley's feeder), Hermes Satyr, Monarch, Queen, Soldier, White-Striped and Brown Longtails, TWO-BARRED FLASHER, Funereal and Mournful Duskywings, Potrillo, Long-Tailed, White Checkered-, Laviana White-, Fawn-Spotted, Clouded, and Fiery Skippers, Southern Skipperling, Whirlabout, and Sachem.

Feb 28 Dixieland Park with the dogs was very eventful today!: First jackrabbit in awhile, but I still can't get a second bobcat sighting, from stone road only: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, White-tailed Kite 3, Crested Caracara 2 MATING!,American Kestrel 2, Merlin 1, American Coot, Killdeer, Laughing Gull, Forster's Tern, Rock Pigeon, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove 4, Tropical Kingbird, Tree Swallow, House Wren, Sedge Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, Savannah Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow.