Friday, January 9. We began the day at Santa Ana, designated as a wildlife
refuge in 1943, with a bird walk led by Mark and Joanie Hubinger. As the
only birders with them, we enjoyed a personalized tour that began with a
Ringed Kingfisher silhouetted in the morning haze. Shortly after seeing
the kingfisher, we were dazzled by a flock of 175 Cave Swallows over
Pintail Lake. A good array of ducks included several Cinnamon Teal. Greater
and Lesser Yellowlegs and Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers,
Wilson’s Snipe, Black-necked Stilts and Black-crowned Night Herons
skittered when the Cooper’s Hawk zoomed over. A special treat were the 6
Green Kingfishers, often in clear view. The thornscrub birds showed in
expected places and numbers.
The walk was followed up by another drive through the Progresso Sod Farms
subdivision. The Burrowing Owl was a no-show. The vibrant Vermillion
Flycatcher and three Loggerhead Shrikes were hunting. We watched a
White-tailed Kite rip up prey on the ground and four jackrabbits bounding
off at full speed as it took to the air. Two Long-billed Curlews were
feeding in a vacant lot.
Lunch was at Nana’s (the second stoplight north of Estero Llano Grande SP
on International). We searched for Brewer’s Blackbirds sometimes in the
parking lot, but saw none. Clare and Kathleen tried something new as I
stuck with my five lonches order (but al pastor this time).
We got to Estero a little after 2 p.m. and sat on the bench until nearly 5,
watching the Green Jay drip where the Tropical Parula had been appearing. No
parula, but bathers included Orange-crowned Warblers showing their orange
crowns, a Nashville and a Black-and white, and a couple Olive Sparrows.
The high winds were back on Saturday, so we began the day car birding along
Valley View Rd., en route to Donna Reservoir. There we watched a Western
Cattle-Egret attending three bulls.
The wind was so strong, most birds were hunkered. We counted 147 Neotropic
Cormorants, most in a huge raft. Our count of 239 Lesser Scaup was
probably low, as many may have been too close to the bank for us to see. A
lone Roseate Spoonbill managed to fly over the road, but it was struggling.
The Spotted and Least sandpipers did better by staying low, as did our
first Barn Swallow of the year.
We headed toward Old Military Highway (US 281) and caught sight of a
distant Northern Harrier, a White-tailed Hawk and a Crested Caracara as we
did our now obligatory try for the owl at the sod farms. The wind was so
bad even the Vermillion was not in view. We did get good looks at a
Savannah Sparrow clutching the fence to stay in place, and we had a good
show of two White-tailed Hawks using the wind to hover.
Because it was Saturday and no trucks were working, we dared to go to the
Progresso Lakes Grain Silos in hopes of seeing Yellow-headed Blackbirds. It
was a bust, but a pigeon aficionado would have been thrilled.
We turned for home and a rest break before a 5 p.m,. run up to McAllen for
the evening fly-in to the roost at 10th and Trenton. From a single spot in
the HEB lot we counted 8,000 Great-tailed Grackles (many, many more were
around), 18 starlings, 3 Bronzed Cowbirds (with the car decorated as proof
of presence), and 150 Green Parakeets flying in small groups and perching
on the power lines on Trenton Rd.
Edge Wade
Alamo, TX
<1edgewade...>
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