RV Trips: SW16: Mission Accomplished

Bird's Eye View

The sunsets are not as spectacular here, but the birds are. So I'll start with a favourite bird picture this time: “twin” Green Jays at Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park in Mission, Texas:

Day 32: March 8

We leave Falcon and head slightly south to Salineno, where Merle and Lorna (and this year Bob) tend feeders for Texas Fish and Wildlife, right on the Rio Grande. And to prove it, here's a shot with Mexico on the left, Texas on the right, and a Border Patrol boat in between!

The birds are still plentiful:

And we saw what we REALLY came for, Audubon Orioles:

We stayed for a couple of hours and enjoyed the comings and goings and Merle and company. Strangely, Bob relished firing pebbles near the Red-winged Blackbirds using his slingshot. Odd for a birder, but effective. It was a beautiful stop.

On we went to another “perennial” stop for us, The Chimney RV Park in Mission. Our “neighbours” for the past three years, now, Dan and Patty from Kansas, welcomed us back. It was HOT! We hung out in our site 39 ($21 Full Hookups-PA), enjoyed the air conditioner, and hoped we'd avoid the storms they were predicting.

Day 33: March 9

It was a crazy night. First a train went through, blowing its whistle LOUDLY around 11:30. Then the storm DID come around 3:30. Then a little later, there was a lot of commotion with cars and sirens either in or near the park (I was determined the last was to do with a very fit senior man I saw climb UP the levee wall yesterday and, when he got to the top, shifted his handgun from his pocket to his waistband-seriously).

And all that led to non-stop rain all day. We were housebound. I read, David tagged pictures, and Mandy slept.

I did get out for a short walk during one break in the weather and got this view from my chair:

Day 34: March 10

We've had such great weather every day until yesterday, so hoped this would all end. Despite overcast skies, we packed up and drove to Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park for some more birding.

It's a great biking and birding park, so it's made for us!

Here are some shots of birds and little beasts from two feeding stations and the Comfort Station:

...and a Roadrunner from the road (he posed for David in all his glory):

...and a group of Hawk lovers on the Hawk Tower that helped us see a Life Bird, a Hooked-billed Kite (only a speck in the binoculars, but confirmed all around).