A Texas Journal
We kick started the year with a Garganey. Then we decided to find some excellent Texan birds. The big freeze and storm happened right before we arrived there.
The drive was loooooong and well....it's Texas. Not my favorite state to visit, but it had to happen for some very special birds. I found that if we stuck to our birds, it made the trek enjoyable. There are very few spaces for wildlife along the border and if I had to describe it, I'd use the word "fragmented".
The worst part was seeing how parts of the wall destroyed areas designated as wild spaces. The pic above is from Bentsen State Park. It's already a small park surrounded/trapped by RV parks. Thankfully all of that foolishness has stopped now. Texas is a very LARGE state. The area we visited is very left leaning(democratic). We had a great time. The people were awesome. The birds were awesome. And the places we went to visit were very special.
At Resaca De La Palma, near Brownsville, we searched for the rare Crimson-collared Grosbeak. This was probably our hardest bird only because it was unpredictable. The one reliable site, Resaca De La Palma, required patience. When you have a list of birds to find, this can make it hard to know when to say "quit". When we drove all those hours, it really made it hard to dip on this lifer. On our last day, and a several hour wait, we finally were able to observe this beauty.
We didn't know quite what to expect at Estero Llano. I thought that it would be much larger than it really was. It was a big area, but it was also completely doable in less than half a day if you walk quickly. You can see from the pics how this normally tropical and lush area was affected by that powerful snow storm. Instead of green, it's all brown.
Sadly, some of the more tropical birds did not make it. Their ONE Groove-billed Ani was a victim of the cold. We walked the boardwalk where we met eastern, western and neotropical birds all at once. That was actually kind of fun!
There are 2 sections to the park. There are the wetlands and then there is this bizarre converted RV park that serves as their tropical zone. And I have to say that I loved that area a lot. There were a lot of great birds in that small space.
While the next bird wasn't a lifer, it was the much needed "better view". We tried twice for the Golden-crowned Warbler hanging out at the Brownsville Zoo! I'm not sure how that zoo can afford to stay open, but it was a reminder that we should always check the hours of a business if they have a rare bird. The zoo is open only in the afternoon on Friday and all days Saturday and Sunday. It was Thursday. We were leaving on Friday. Um.....a donation then? Turns out the answer was a big YES! And we got to see the most accommodating Golden-crowned Warbler ever!
Another lifer that was super tricky was the White-tailed Hawk. They are seen around the highway that leads into South Padre Island. The problem? There weren't really any spots to pull off (British birders...get your minds out of the gutter:) Luckily, we "kind of" found an area to stop and not get hit by a car. These hawks like the coastal grasslands. Another lifer tick!
Another place we wanted to check out was Bentsen State Park. This place was popular and full of birds. It was here we were able to see several birds that we hadn't seen since our time down in Chiapas!
Who doesn't love Plain Chachalacas!?!
Or that vibrant orange of the Altamira Oriole?
Or the vibrant blues and greens of the Green Jay?
While none of these birds were lifers, they required a better photo. PLUS, I also wanted to count the Green Jays of Texas with their dark eyes. The ones we saw in Chiapas have yellow eyes. I'm not sure on this one, but I do get a sense at some point, they may be split. We used our time in Texas wisely.
The final lifer for me was the Long-billed Thrasher. This was an easy find and like the White-tailed Hawk, a common bird for this part of the US.
As of this time, I have completed all my thrashers and hummingbirds for the US. We also completed my Texan journeys. It took 2 trips to get all the Texas specialties, but we did it. I don't play the ABA game, but if I did, I'd say that you'd never be done with birding in Texas. It really is a great state to bird.
My favorite place to bird was South Padre Island. Here is a pic from their very birdy boardwalk.
Honorable mentions? The Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge. This was one of the most unique habitats we experienced in Southern Texas. It was quite large as well.
Spanish moss draped the trees and it was like we were transported to the tropics. This is yet another area where they tried to place the wall. In fact, most of the places we visited were along the border. And they all fought tooth and nail to keep the wall from fragmenting and destroying the little wild habitat they have left.
Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge is home to the few remaining ocelots in the United States.
On our lists, we had target birds that required closer attention. At Estero Llano, we were able to witness the unique camouflage of the Common Pauraque below. It took us awhile to “see” this bird.
At the National Butterfly Center, we had access to a great birding area where we were able to watch Golden-fronted Woodpeckers up close. There were also Olive Sparrows!
In the tropical zone of Estero Llano(Yano), we had a fantastic bird blind/hide. Here we witnessed the often shy White-tipped Dove up close.
Just a few miles from our hotel in McAllen, we had access to a premiere birding location, the Quinta Mazatlan. In one afternoon, we landed 3 rarities! We saw the Rose-throated Becard and a new subspecies of Dusky-capped Flycatcher. We were confused when we first saw it. It was slightly "off". Come to find out, it was the Lawrence's Dusky-capped Flycatcher.(Myiarchus tuberculifer lawrenceii)
McAllen is also known for their beautiful Green Parakeets.
We played detective one night and heard the flock of hundreds of Green Parakeets fly to the telephone lines along the busy McAllen streets. It was pretty amazing.
Other surprises included this Yellow-throated Warbler.
And this really cool Clay-colored Thrush.
It was a fun trek, but we looked forward to getting home. Maybe I'm getting old and like sleeping in my own bed. Or maybe it was that tropical heat and humidity that made me want to take a siesta in the afternoon. Either way, we made it home in one piece. My journeys to Texas are complete. My friendships made while on the treks are just beginning.
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