W18: Falcon Yardbirds

Bird’s Eye View

There are so many to chose from, but this Pyrrhuloxia wins!

Day 16: February 26

The day starts with rain, but good for a moving day. After getting some supplies, we drove for 65 miles to Falcon State Park. Not much to report on except for upcoming elections at the local level and for the March Primaries for the House of Representatives. The “glamour'” signs were plentiful and we both noted the expense of this. Lots of things could be done for the community with that advertising budget.

We got Site 128 ($16 E/W), set up, put out some birdseed and watched the birds arrive in our yard:

Though this park is a great one for birds, it’s claim to fame is fishing, so the birding campers do all the feeding:

This was a great start to our stay (and it did warm up to the 70’s). We had twelve different birds come through the site, along with a Javelina:

Day 17: February 27

It was a misty, even rainy, morning but I still decided to do the guided Bird Walk with Sherry, the leader, and five others. It was an amazing day for birdwatching, but not for bird pictures; however, we saw 27 different birds! And the company and teaching was excellent.

Back at our yard, David got his own collection, including a Greater Roadrunner:

After lunch, we took a six-mile bike ride (and yes, there were way fewer birds) and spotted these Juvenile and Adult male Vermilion Flycatchers (the colours are quite different):

and these hawks (still working on a definitive ID But likely Harris`s), vying for a perch:

and these (Eastern or Western, hard to decide) Meadowlarks:

Back at the campsite, we noticed that, despite our belief it was Red-winged Blackbirds or Javelinas which cleaned all the seed from the ground, it was actually hundreds of red ants, each carrying a seed or piece of corn to a giant hole where another set of ants came to fetch them. Amazing:

Day 18: February 28

We got up early and went to Salineno, the well-run Birding Area a few miles away. We stopped for the usual picture of me, a Huisache (so fragrant) and the Rio Grande (with Mexico over my shoulder):

Our walk along the river (drug “mules” have been seen carrying their packages in the area) yielded a tree filled with White-winged Doves and a Swamp Sparrow (we think):

At the feeding area, we were reacquainted with Merle and Lois and their new rescue, Shamey, and enjoyed viewing 18 different birds (this is our Peanut Butter and Cornmeal and Lard collection):

including this Eastern Screech-Owl:

and the prized Audubon’s Oriole:

It was a perfect visit to this special spot. Oh, and remember those election signs from yesterday: this one today really caught my eye: he`s either pointing at the tractors, the cemetery or the great beyond:

We spent the rest of the afternoon in our own yard, saw a few birds, including this Verdin):

and a few butterflies (they liked the oranges):

All told, we have sighted 53 birds during our three night stay at Falcon State Park, many viewed from my chair!

W18: Hot at the Chimney

Bird’s Eye View

We can’t resist an Altamira Oriole at the Bentsen State Park:

Day 12: February 22

We had a little longer drive today, so we were up early. It was still very cool (49F at 8:30) and there were a few interesting sites and signs:

• “Brush Cat Services” (I do my own)
• Bigger ranches appearing
• the only bank in Orange Grove a drive-through ATM
• “KFC Ranch” (guess that’s where it all comes from)
• more cotton fields (are these new to this area?)
• “Stallion Standing at Stud” (not much good if he’s just standing there)
• BIG Border Patrol stop heading north

We stocked up in Pharr and had to fight traffic on 83W through these bigger towns. Not fun. We got to the Chimney RV Resort and booked four nights ($22.50 FHU, Passport America) and took site 33. Here’s the view of the Moho:

We took a walk along the levee (it was 70F by now), saw some nice birds, including this Couch’s or western Kingbird (I’m going with Western, but the jury is out):

and stopped at La Lomita Chapel. The new addition was the Border Patrol truck parked at the entrance. She said her assignment was to watch the park. This sweet, little park with a chapel. Lots more presence of Border Services than two years ago when we were last here.

And, in case you were wondering, the grass IS always greener:

Day 13: February 23

We got up to 60F with fog and some rain. But we drove to the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park for some birds. Our first stop was the Nature Centre for some “colour” (Green Jay and Orange-crowned Warbler):

We took the trolley straight to the Green Jay Blind and spent some time watching for some more birds (Altamira Oriole and Red-winged Blackbird and a Long-billed Thrasher):

and the first Javelina of the trip:

Oh, and there is always the Plain (but noisy) Chachalaca:

We hiked back then decided to head to the Estero Llano State Park 30 miles away. That’s 30 miles on the busy highway where no one yields!

Our bike ride became a bike walk as we fought the winds, but we saw some Glossy Ibis, loads of Northern Shovelers, both Black-crowned and Yellow-crowned Night-Herons, some sweet Least Sandpipers, a Tricoloured Heron and a truckload of turtles:

Oh, and what we always come for, the Common Pauraque. He’s so well-camouflaged that we almost missed him, but alas, there he was, even with sunlight for some colour:

Finally, we saw a Black Phoebe on our way out:

Back at the park, I visited with the neighbours we’ve talked to every time we’ve been here, and I enjoyed mixing up the “boys on one side, girls on the other” seating arrangement under the portico! Great day!

Day 14: February 24

It was 71F when we got up, so this did not bode well for the expected 90F weather forecasted (it in fact got to 91F).

We decided on a short trip to the Hidalgo Pumphouse Bird Centre only 10 minutes away. It was HOT. And there were very few birds. But we hiked around the lovely surroundings:

and wondered about anyone wanting to “BUILD THAT WALL!:

With a tip from the office, we took a short drive through the town looking for, and finding, Monk Parakeets nesting on the lamp posts. So cute:

On the way back, we picked up some Gas Station Mexican Food for lunch and dinner. By noon, it was in the 90’s, so David sorted photos on the air con and I walked to the Riverside Cafe to listen to the “polka band” Jim and Hazel, from Minnesota, told us about. They follow polka festivals all summer at home, so I was hoping for the best. But, well, not so much:

Afterwards, Jim and Hazel “apologized” and said, “this IS Texas!” in the cutest Fargo accents ever.

I took this tour of the RV Park:

then read in the breeze by the river (that’s Mexico across that might Rio Grande), but I was very safe!

Another good day.

Day 15: February 25

Today promised to be cooler, and it was. So we headed back to Bentsen to bike this time (5 miles). There were few birds, likely because real food is plentiful in the bush and they don’t need the feeders, though a few still gorged on the peanut butter/cornmeal mix, including this Clay-coloured Thrush:

The Vermillion Flycatcher preferred the bugs on high:

And still no Bobcat, so you need to settle for Mandycat:

But we did have our first Hummingbird of the trip: a Buff-bellied. Beautiful:

We were back for lunch, a beer and a nap (well, a blog for me) as we plan our next stop up the river to Falcon. But first, a 6.5 mile along the levee to the Anzalduas County Park where the river divides the Texan park from the Mexican Park (which was way more fun by the sound and look of it!).