May 2009

May 2 Southmost Nature Preserve Norway Rat, Cottontail, Beaver, Rio Grande Leopard Frog, Narrowmouth, Mexican Freetail, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Redhead 1, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Black Vulture 1, Turkey Vulture, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitcher 1, Laughing Gull, Forster's Tern, Rock Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Barn Owl 2, Great Horned Owl 1, Common Nighthawk, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Least Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Green Jay, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Barn Swallow, Marsh Wren, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Yellow Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Olive Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Eastern Meadowlark, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Hooded Oriole 1, Altamira Oriole, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow Brownsville Crested Caracara 1, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Gull-billed Tern, Cliff Swallow, Blue Grosbeak 1 Dump Brown Pelican 1, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Chihuahuan Raven Old Port Isabel Road Northern Shoveler, Ruddy Duck, Northern Bobwhite, American White Pelican, Reddish Egret, Roseate Spoonbill, Harris's Hawk 2, White-tailed Hawk, Aplomado Falcon 2 (Excellent views!), Black-bellied Plover, American Avocet, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Whimbrel, Sanderling, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Dunlin, Stilt Sandpiper, Wilson's Phalarope, Least Tern, Caspian Tern, Black Skimmer, Eurasian Collared-Dove, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Tree Swallow, Cave Swallow, Verdin 1, Cactus Wren 1, Bewick's Wren , Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Cassin's Sparrow, Botteri's Sparrow 1, Lark Sparrow, Dickcissel South Padre Island Red-breasted Merganser 2, Least Bittern 1, Clapper Rail, Purple Gallinule 1, Black-bellied Plover, Snowy Plover, Wilson's Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Piping Plover, Killdeer, American Oystercatcher, Black-necked Stilt, Long-billed Curlew, Ruddy Turnstone, Pectoral Sandpiper 1, Short-billed Dowitcher, Common Tern 1, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Inca Dove, Western Kingbird 4, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Philadelphia Vireo 1, Tennessee Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler , Northern Waterthrush ,
Wilson's Warbler 1, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, Orchard Oriole, Baltimore Oriole

May 3 Dixieland Park, Harlingen TX While walking 3 dogs, from uncivilized portion of park road only. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Neotropic Cormorant 3, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 6, Snowy Egret 4, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 6, White-tailed Kite 2, American Coot 20, Killdeer 6, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Laughing Gull 33, Rock Pigeon 2, White-winged Dove 6, Mourning Dove 4, Common Ground-Dove 4, Red-crowned Parrot 4, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Great Kiskadee 1, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2, Purple Martin 3, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1, Bank Swallow 1, Barn Swallow 8, Northern Mockingbird 4, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, Lark Sparrow 4, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackles, Bronzed Cowbird 2

May 4 Dixieland Park While walking 3 dogs, civilized section of park only. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 14, Lesser Scaup 4, Pied-billed Grebe 8, Neotropic Cormorant 11, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret 1, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 2, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 2, Osprey 1, White-tailed Kite 1, American Coot 14, Killdeer 5, Laughing Gull 3, Forster's Tern 1, White-winged Dove 4, Mourning Dove 16, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 4, Great Kiskadee 1, Tropical Kingbird 2, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 4, Loggerhead Shrike 1, Purple Martin 27, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5, Bank Swallow 1, Barn Swallow 21, Northern Mockingbird 5, Eastern Meadowlark 2, Great-tailed Grackle 14, Bronzed Cowbird 5, Brown-headed Cowbird 1, House Sparrow 15. Tiocano Lake Very dry, not much swamp left. all from car. Fulvous Whistling-Duck 36, Blue-winged Teal 4, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Snowy Egret 2, Tricolored Heron 1, American Coot 1, Black-necked Stilt 24, American Avocet 15, Long-billed Curlew 1, Least Sandpiper 20, Stilt Sandpiper 100, Long-billed Dowitcher 21, Wilson's Phalarope 26, Least Tern 10, Gull-billed Tern 2, Rock Pigeon 8, Eurasian Collared-Dove 6, Mourning Dove 10, Brown-crested Flycatcher 1, Couch's Kingbird 3, Northern Mockingbird 5, Lark Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 1, Red-winged Blackbird 5, Great-tailed Grackle 23, Bronzed Cowbird 1

May 6 Estero Llano Grande SP Filling of the ponds greatly reduces diversity and numbers of shorebirds. Hispid Cotton Rat, Bobcat, Tarantula, Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake, Indigo Snake, Nutria, RoseBellied, Spiny, Whiptail Lizards also. Black-throated Magpie-Jay, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 18, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal 19, Northern Shoveler 6, Plain Chachalaca 4, Least Grebe 19, Pied-billed Grebe 7, Neotropic Cormorant 8, Great Blue Heron 14,Great Egret 4, Snowy Egret 11, Tricolored Heron 3, Green Heron 6, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 4, White Ibis 5, White-faced Ibis 1, Roseate Spoonbill 5, Turkey Vulture 2, White-tailed Kite 5, Swainson's Hawk 2,Sora 3, Common Moorhen 23, American Coot 139, Killdeer 4, Black-necked Stilt 8, Spotted Sandpiper 3, Lesser Yellowlegs 17, Least Sandpiper 5, Long-billed Dowitcher 17, Laughing Gull 4, Gull-billed Tern 2, Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, White-winged Dove 22, Mourning Dove 10, Inca Dove 6, Common Ground-Dove 3, White-tipped Dove 3, Red-crowned Parrot 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 7, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 3, Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 10, Least Flycatcher 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 3, Great Kiskadee 5, Couch's Kingbird 2, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1, White-eyed Vireo 2, Green Jay 1, Purple Martin 9, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2, Cave Swallow 2, Barn Swallow 3, Black-crested Titmouse 1, Carolina Wren 1, Northern Mockingbird 12, European Starling 1, Yellow Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow 2, Lark Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 4, Red-winged Blackbird 2, Great-tailed Grackle 35, Baltimore Oriole 1, Lesser Goldfinch 1, House Sparrow 20

May 8 Estero Llano Grande SP Huck, Kyle and I from the deck alone: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron 1, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis 1, Turkey Vulture 1, White-tailed Kite 2, Swainson's Hawk 2, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper 1, Long-billed Dowitcher, Laughing Gull 1, Gull-billed Tern 3, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani 1, Eastern Screech-Owl 3, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Great Kiskadee, White-eyed Vireo 1, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling 1, Olive Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow, Giant Swallowtail, Southern Dogface, Cloudless Sulphur, Mallow Scrub-Hairstreak, Clytie Ministreak, Ceraunus Blue, Phaon Crescent, Mexican Bluewing, Hermes Satyr, Queen, Brown Longtail, Mazan's Scallopwing, Sicklewing Skipper, White/Desert/Tropical Checkered-Skipper, Laviana White-Skipper, Fiery Skipper, Celia's Checkered-Skipper. I went back about 9pm and found TEN Scorpions, 3 Tarantulas, Barn Owl 1, Eastern Screech-Owl, Lesser Nighthawks, Common Pauraques. For lunch I went to Harlan Block Sports Complex Rock Pigeon 6, White-winged Dove 6, Mourning Dove 6, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2, Loggerhead Shrike 6, Northern Mockingbird 7, European Starling 1, Great-tailed Grackle 25, Bronzed Cowbird 1, House Sparrow 13

May 9 Estero Night Hike Lots of Pauraques, two Screech-Owls, THIRTEEN Tarantulas, and many Banded Bark Scorpions. Here Peter is holding one! It was a very diverse group age-wise ranging from older adults to middle age adults to young adults to two children; I think Cora was 6. We heard many Rio Grande Leopard Frogs, and even got to see one very close up on land. Dixieland Park In the morning while walking the three dogs: A Jackrabbit, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 6, Ruddy Duck 7, Pied-billed Grebe 4, Neotropic Cormorant 10, Great Blue Heron 1, Great Egret 1, Snowy Egret 5, Green Heron 1, Osprey 1, White-tailed Kite 1, Harris's Hawk 4, American Coot 14, Laughing Gull 21, Forster's Tern 1, White-winged Dove 16, Mourning Dove 2, Common Ground-Dove 5, Chimney Swift 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 1, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Great Kiskadee 2, Couch's Kingbird 4, Purple Martin 6, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 8, Barn Swallow 4, Northern Mockingbird 7, Olive Sparrow 1, Lark Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 1, Red-winged Blackbird 8, Great-tailed Grackle 25

May 10 Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary Giant Swallowtail, Texas Crescent, Orange/Clouded/Orange Barred Sulphurs, Little Yellow, Mimosa Yellow, Great Southern White, Mazan's Scallopwing, Armadillo, Cottontail, Whiptail, Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 5, Plain Chachalaca 7, Least Grebe 9, Pied-billed Grebe 2, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron 1, Common Moorhen 3, American Coot 1, Laughing Gull 1, White-winged Dove 3, Mourning Dove 12, Inca Dove 1, Common Ground-Dove 3, White-tipped Dove 9, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2, Groove-billed Ani 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 3, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Wood-Pewee 7, Brown-crested Flycatcher 4, Great Kiskadee 3, Couch's Kingbird 6, Eastern Kingbird 18, White-eyed Vireo 2, Yellow-throated Vireo 1, Warbling Vireo 1, Yellow-green Vireo 1, Green Jay 3, Black-crested Titmouse 2, Carolina Wren 4, Gray Catbird 1, Northern Mockingbird 9, Long-billed Thrasher 5, Tennessee Warbler 4, Yellow Warbler 1, Chestnut-sided Warbler 5, Magnolia Warbler 3, Blackburnian Warbler 1, American Redstart 2, Common Yellowthroat 3, Northern Cardinal 3, Blue Grosbeak 3, Indigo Bunting 1, Great-tailed Grackle 4, Bronzed Cowbird 3, Brown-headed Cowbird 1, Lesser Goldfinch 2

May 11 2-5pm Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge An endangered Texas Tortoise, White-Tailed Deer, Cottontail, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 19, Fulvous Whistling-Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal 7, Red-breasted Merganser 1, Masked Duck 2, Plain Chachalaca 5, Least Grebe 1, Pied-billed Grebe 20, American White Pelican 72, Neotropic Cormorant 24, Great Blue Heron 4, Great Egret 47, Snowy Egret 25, Little Blue Heron 1, Tricolored Heron 9, Reddish Egret 4, White Ibis 22, White-faced Ibis 2, Roseate Spoonbill 110, Black Vulture 18, Turkey Vulture 10, Harris's Hawk 1, White-tailed Hawk 1, Crested Caracara 5, Common Moorhen 5, American Coot 481, Black-bellied Plover 1, Wilson's Plover 1, Black-necked Stilt 6, Willet 8, Lesser Yellowlegs 12, Whimbrel 4, Long-billed Curlew 9, Ruddy Turnstone 2, Least Sandpiper 1, Dunlin 3, Stilt Sandpiper 30, Short-billed Dowitcher 46, Wilson's Phalarope 8, Laughing Gull 50, Gull-billed Tern 2, Caspian Tern 22, Forster's Tern 1, Royal Tern 95, White-winged Dove 3, Mourning Dove 20, Common Ground-Dove 1White-tipped Dove 10, Barn Owl 1, Common Nighthawk 2, Chimney Swift 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 4, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Brown-crested Flycatcher 2, Great Kiskadee 1, Couch's Kingbird 2, Eastern Kingbird 2, Loggerhead Shrike 1, White-eyed Vireo 1, Green Jay 6, Barn Swallow 11, Black-crested Titmouse 2, Bewick's Wren 1, Northern Mockingbird 30, Long-billed Thrasher 8, Curve-billed Thrasher 1,European Starling 1, Yellow Warbler 2, American Redstart 1, Northern Waterthrush 1, Olive Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 7, Red-winged Blackbird 27, Eastern Meadowlark 20, Great-tailed Grackle 13, Bronzed Cowbird 32, Brown-headed Cowbird 6, Hooded Oriole 2. In the morning, walking the three dogs at Dixieland Park in Harlingen: "improved" area only, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 6, Neotropic Cormorant 12, , Snowy Egret 4Black-crowned Night-Heron 4, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1, American Coot 11, Killdeer 4, Black-necked Stilt 3, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Wilson's Phalarope 2, Laughing Gull 6, Rock Pigeon 8, White-winged Dove 1, Mourning Dove 25, Inca Dove 5, Chimney Swift 1, Tropical Kingbird 2, Loggerhead Shrike 1, Purple Martin 10, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1, Bank Swallow 2, Barn Swallow 6, Northern Mockingbird 2, European Starling 3, Great-tailed Grackle 15, Bronzed Cowbird 6, House Sparrow 3

May 13 Estero We inexplicablly missed many bird species today, but did see a bobcat, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler 2, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Least Bittern 3, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill 9, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite 5 (3 young'uns out of the nest!), Swainson's Hawk 1 (a classic, soaring low overhead), Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpiper 1, White-rumped Sandpiper 1, Stilt Sandpiper 26, Long-billed Dowitcher 2, Wilson's Phalarope 5, Laughing Gull 2, Gull-billed Tern 2, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot 9, Groove-billed Ani 3, Common Pauraque 1 (it was tough finding this one asleep on the ground), Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2, Green Kingfisher 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Purple Martin, Barn Swallow, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher 1, European Starling, Olive Sparrow, Red-Winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch 8, House Sparrow

May 14 Estero Simple chatty-walk with visiting journalist, not including Lakeview. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Shoveler 2, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron 5, White-faced Ibis 40, Turkey Vulture , White-tailed Kite 5 (3 young ones sitting near the nest), Swainson's Hawk, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, White-rumped Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Phalarope, Laughing Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Eurasian Collared-Dove 2, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot 8, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Purple Martin, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, Curve-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Olive Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow

May 16 Estero Llano Grande SP with Huck and Kyle from the deck only, our version of Big Sit, 60 species: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Cooper's Hawk, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Stilt Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Phalarope, Laughing Gull, Gull-billed Tern, Rock Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Purple Martin, Cave Swallow, Barn Swallow, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, Olive Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Sparrow. Today I saw the first BLACK-STRIPED SNAKE I've ever seen at Estero Llano! Mildly venomous (rear-fanged), this snake is a THREATENED SPECIES, and in the US seen only in the three counties of Hidalgo, Cameron and Willacy!

May 17 Estero Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck 1, Mottled Duck 2, Blue-winged Teal 4, Plain Chachalaca 6, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, American White Pelican 1 (been gone for awhile!), Neotropic Cormorant 3, Least Bittern 1, Great Blue Heron 2, Great Egret 8, Snowy Egret 2, Little Blue Heron 9, Tricolored Heron 2, Green Heron 6, White Ibis 3, White-faced Ibis 2, Roseate Spoonbill 8, White-tailed Kite 4, Sora 2, Common Moorhen, American Coot 55, Killdeer 4, American Avocet 1 (been gone for awhile!), Spotted Sandpiper 2, Least Sandpiper 2, Stilt Sandpiper 15, Long-billed Dowitcher 2, Wilson's Phalarope 4, Laughing Gull 16, Gull-billed Tern 2, Rock Pigeon 1, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove 12, White-tipped Dove, Red-crowned Parrot 8, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 2, Groove-billed Ani 1, Common Pauraque 1, Chimney Swift 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Green Kingfisher 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee 2, Empidonax sp. 5, Brown-crested Flycatcher 3, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird 3, Warbling Vireo 1, Philadelphia Vireo 1, Green Jay 3, Purple Martin 13, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Bank Swallow, Cave Swallow 1, Barn Swallow, Black-crested Titmouse 1, Carolina Wren 3, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher 2, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, European Starling 5, Yellow Warbler (Northern) 2, Chestnut-sided Warbler 1, Blackburnian Warbler 1, Common Yellowthroat 2, Olive Sparrow 2, Lark Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 1, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Hooded Oriole 2 (first I've seen at Estero!), Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow. Lunch was spent at Frontera Audubon with Kyle: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Laughing Gull, White-winged Dove, White-tipped Dove, Green Parakeet 2, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Empidonax sp. , White-eyed Vireo 1, Warbling Vireo 1, Carolina Wren, Swainson's Thrush 2, Northern Mockingbird, Nashville Warbler 1, Chestnut-sided Warbler 1, Magnolia Warbler 2, Black-and-white Warbler 2 (been awhile!), American Redstart 2, Canada Warbler 1, Northern Cardinal 1, Great-tailed Grackle, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow. Enroute home from work at Bluetown were two Bobwhite by the side of the road! LaFeria sod farm only had 16 Cattle Egrets.

May 22 Santa Ana NWR With Bob Behstock, Matin Reid and about 20 other people we stumbled upon the great find by John Abbott, author of THE Texas field guide to Dagonflies and keynote speaker fo our Dragonfly Days here in Weslaco. From Tex Odes:

"Hello All,

This morning at about 11 A.M., John Abbott, Kendra Bauer, and I were at the front pond at Santa Ana N.W.R. where Bob Behrstock, Martin Reid and others had recently found numbers of Cream-tipped Swamp Damsels (Leptobasis melinogaster) . We found several of this species and photographed both males and females. John called Kendra's and my attention to an interesting orange colored damselfly that he was trying to identify and we started getting photos of it. John thought this could be a new U.S. species but we were not certain what it was. Bob Behrstock, Martin Reid and others arrived with a field trip from the Dragonfly Days festival and between John, Bob and Martin decided that Leptobasis vacillans was the most likely identification. We lost sight of the original damsel, but Martin found a 2nd one, and later we found a 3rd one. All were more or less teneral and recently emerged. There is no accepted (by the DSA names committee) common name as yet for this tropical species. Later examination of images shows that we photographed both male and female. Dennis Paulson has looked at the images and agreed with the ID as Leptobasis vacillans. I do not have a way to post images to my website while on the road, but Jan Dauphin will post a few of my shots as well as some of her shots and make a note to TexOdes in a while with a link to the location where the images can be seen.

Greg Lasley
Austin, Texas
currently at the Dragonfly Days festival in south Texas

We also saw a host of amazing other dragonflies, including my very first Blue-Striped Spreadwings! Martin captured one and passed it around ina plastic bag before releasing it. Amazing.
Metallic Pennant (Idiataphe cubensis)This species was new to Texas last summer when Martin, Josh, Jose, Tom and I saw it at Bentsen with the Dauphins. Here was my second one, the first for me at Santa Ana. Of course, the "normal" stuff was nice too: Four-spotted and Red-Tailed Pennants, Red Saddlebags, Citrine Forktail, Familiar Bluet, Spot-tailed and Thornbush Dashers, Eastern and Great Pondhawks, Roseate Skimmers and Wandering Gliders, Slough Amberwing, Neotropical Bluet and Rainpool Speadwings... There were probably more, but they were all far overshadowed by the Big Four-- three of them I saw for the very first time!

Of course there were birds, too: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Mottled Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga 31, Black-necked Stilt, Gull-billed Tern, Forster's Tern 1, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, White-tipped Dove, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Groove-billed Ani, Lesser Nighthawk, Common Nighthawk, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1, Acadian Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher 1, Empidonax sp., Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Couch's Kingbird, Western Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Red-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Yellow Warbler, American Redstart, Olive Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow. And the occasional Celias's Road-side Skipper and Lyside Sulphur...

May 23 Estero Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, White-faced Ibis, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Sora, Common Moorhen, American Coot, Killdeer, Black-necked Stilt, Lesser Yellowlegs, Gull-billed Tern 4, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Inca Dove, Common Ground-Dove, White-tipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani 3, Green Kingfisher, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Eastern Wood-Pewee 6, Empidonax sp. , Brown-crested Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird 1, Couch's Kingbird, Eastern Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Green Jay, Purple Martin, Northern Mockingbird, Long-billed Thrasher, European Starling, Yellow Warbler (Northern) 1, Chestnut-sided Warbler 3, Black-and-white Warbler 1, Ovenbird 1, Northern Cardinal, Red-winged Blackbird, Great-Tailed Grackle, Bronzed Cowbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Lesser Goldfinch, House Sparrow, but of course, we were really here for dragonflies.

May 25 Dragonfly Days Festival is over. Unfortunately I only made it to the mid-Valley, with no upper-Valley or lower-Valley trips for me. Therefore I missed a lot of great bugs... THe official list, with tiny ones being ones I missed: Blue-spotted Comet (Anax concolor) seen and photographed Sunday near C deck at Resaca de la Palma State Park; first county record, maybe 6th US!Common Green, blue-faced, and bar-sided Darners, Broad-striped and Narrow-striped Forceptail, Eastern Ringtail, Sulphur-tipped Clubtail, Ringed Forceptail, Five-striped Leaftail, Russet-tipped Clubtail (Stylurus plagiatus), prince baskettail, Red-tailed, Four-spotted, tawny and halloween pennant, black setwing, Pin-tailed, Eastern and Great Pondhawks, band-winged dragonlet, Metallic Pennant, Needham's Skimmer (Libellula needhami) Martin Reid showed me a few at Bentsen on Thursday, Marl Pennant, hyacinth glider,- many off torres rd, Spot-tailed and Thornbush Dashers, carmine and Roseate Skimmers, blue dasher (usually at Estero!), Spot-winged Glider, Slough and Eastern Amberwings, Mexican Scarlet-tail (Planiplax sanguiniventris) at Bentsen,Arch-tipped Glider (Tauriphila argo) at Bentsen, Striped, black, Red Saddlebags, smoky rubyspot, plateau, Rainpool, chalky, and Blue-striped Spreadwings, Coral-fronted and amelia's threadtails, blue-fronted, Kiowa, powdered, golden-winged, Blue-ringed and Dusky Dancers (A. translata), Familiar, Neotropical, and orange bluets, Citrine Forktail and Rambur's Forktail (I. ramburii), Desert Firetail (Telebasis salva), Caribbean Yellowface (Neoerythromma cultelatu), Cream-tipped Swamp-damsel (Leptobasis melinogaster), Leptobasis vacillans. 39 dragons, and 21 damsels, 60 species total over the three days of field trips. Not too shabby at all, and with the two species of Leptobasis at Santa Ana, the rare darners near Brownsville, and the rare skimmers at Bentsen, the quality was off the charts." --Josh Rose on TexOdes Listserve

May 26 Tiocano Lake Still thinking about a large rail that crossed the road... Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 4, Fulvous Whistling-Duck 1, Northern Bobwhite 2, Neotropic Cormorant 1, Great Egret 4, Snowy Egret 4, Tricolored Heron 1, Roseate Spoonbill 1, Swainson's Hawk 1, Sora 1, Killdeer 2, Black-necked Stilt 34, American Avocet 5, Stilt Sandpiper 6, Least Tern 3, Rock Pigeon 4, Eurasian Collared-Dove 5, White-winged Dove 6, Mourning Dove 8, Common Nighthawk 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 2, Purple Martin 2, Northern Mockingbird 2, Red-winged Blackbird 12, Great-tailed Grackle 79, Bronzed Cowbird 2, Brown-headed Cowbird 1, House Sparrow 4. La Feria sod farm White-faced Ibis 2, Black-necked Stilt 12, Lark Sparrow 2, Red-winged Blackbird 20, Eastern Meadowlark 2, Great-tailed Grackle 30, Bronzed Cowbird 2 Dixieland Park Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Green Heron 1, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Turkey Vulture 2, White-tailed Kite 2, Harris's Hawk 2, Crested Caracara 2, American Coot, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Franklin's Gull, Rock Pigeon, White-winged Dove Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 1, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee 2, Tropical Kingbird 2, Couch's Kingbird 2, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 2, Loggerhead Shrike 6, Purple Martin 10, Northern Rough-winged Swallow 50, Bank Swallow 5, Cliff Swallow 75, Barn Swallow 90, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, Olive Sparrow 2, Lark Sparrow 2, Northern Cardinal 1, Red-winged Blackbird 6, Eastern Meadowlark 3, Great-tailed Grackles, Bronzed Cowbird 10, Brown-headed Cowbird 2, Lesser Goldfinch 4, House Sparrow 8

May 27 Dixieland Park While walking three dogs from unimproved area road only: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Pied-billed Grebe, Neotropic Cormorant, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Osprey 1, American Coot, Killdeer, Laughing Gull, Rock Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Common Ground-Dove, Loggerhead Shrike, Barn Swallow, Northern Mockingbird, Curve-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow. South Padre Island in high winds and looking like rain any second. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 2, Mallard (Domestic type under the boardwalk at the Convention Center) 1, Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Tricolored Heron, Reddish Egret 1, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Common Moorhen, American Coot, American Oystercatcher 2, Black-necked Stilt, Spotted Sandpiper, Willet, Dunlin, Laughing Gull, Least Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Black Tern 75, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Eurasian Collared-Dove, White-winged Dove, Mourning Dove, Yellow Warbler 2, American Redstart 1, Great-tailed Grackle, House Sparrow

May 30 Estero Llano Grande SP Tom Pendleton, Huck, Kyle, Don Carrell and I took an unusual route this morning: Lakeview,GreenJayTrail, outer perimeter around and past Kiskadee pond, behind Alligator Lake on Camino de Aves to HQ: Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 16, Mottled Duck 1, Plain Chachalaca 18, Least Grebe 8, Pied-billed Grebe 3, Least Bittern 3, Great Egret 2, Snowy Egret 1, Little Blue Heron 1, Tricolored Heron 2, Green Heron 4, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1, Common Moorhen 9, American Coot 39, Killdeer 1, Black-necked Stilt 2, Laughing Gull 1, Eurasian Collared-Dove 1, White-winged Dove 35, Mourning Dove 25, Inca Dove 12, Common Ground-Dove 9, White-tipped Dove 3, Red-crowned Parrot 5, Yellow-billed Cuckoo 7, Groove-billed Ani 5, Common Nighthawk 5, Common Pauraque 1, Buff-bellied Hummingbird 4, Ruby-throated/Black-chinned Hummingbird 2, ,Green Kingfisher 2, Golden-fronted Woodpecker 27, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet 1, Eastern Wood-Pewee 2, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 2, Empidonax sp. 7, Brown-crested Flycatcher 10, Great Kiskadee 8, Couch's Kingbird 8, White-eyed Vireo 3, Red-eyed Vireo 1, Green Jay 5, Purple Martin 11, Black-crested Titmouse 2, Carolina Wren 3, Northern Mockingbird 19, Long-billed Thrasher 7, Curve-billed Thrasher 2, European Starling 2, Canada Warbler 1, Olive Sparrow 1, Northern Cardinal 2, Red-winged Blackbird 6, Bronzed Cowbird 6, Brown-headed Cowbird 2, Lesser Goldfinch 11, House Sparrow 4. We casually noticed White Peacocks, Celia's Roadside Skipper, Lyside Sulphur, Queen, Ceraunus and Reakirt's Blues butterflies. Also dragonflies Rambur's Forktail, Blue-Ringed Dancer, Familiar Bluet, Common Green Darner, Eastern, Great, and Pintailed Pondhawks, Red-tailed and Four-Spotted Pennants, Roseate Skimmers, Striped and Red Saddlebags, Eastern Amberwing... all pretty normal and average and unremarkable until Revered Terry Fuller found my first-for-the-park AMELIA'S THREADTAIL at the bridge over the irrigation ditch. There were also many Blue-Ringed Dancers and Striped Saddlebags.