South Texas, Lower Rio Grande Valley
March 2012
In March 2012, during spring break at
Northern, I used frequent flier miles to fly into San Antonio, and then drove
down to the Valley to do a little birding. This was only the third time IÕd
taken a flight expressly for the purposes of birding. It was my good fortune
that a number of U.P. birding friends were also in the Valley that week, so we
combined forces and found some really good birds. IÕm typing up this trip
report over four years after the trip itself, so IÕll dispense with the
commentary and just post pics of a few of the better birds:
Plain Chachalaca, Frontera
Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, 6 March 2012.
Zone-tailed Hawk,
Anzalduas Park, 7 March 2012.
White-winged Dove, North
Central Park, Laredo, 8 March 2012.
Eastern Screech Owl,
Sali–eno, 8 March 2012.
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, San Miguelito Ranch, Kennedy County, 7 March 2012; here
is a shot showing this birdÕs tail.
Common Pauraque,
Estero Llano Grande State Park, Weslaco, 6 March 2012.
Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, 6 March 2012.
Rufous Hummingbird,
Estero Llano Grande State Park, Weslaco, 6 March 2012.
Ringed Kingfisher, Las
Palmas Trail, Laredo, 8 March 2012; here is another photo of this bird.
Green Kingfisher,
Frontera Audubon Thicket, Weslaco, 6 March 2012.
Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Sali–eno, 8 March 2012.
Red-crowned Parrot,
at sunset, over McAllen, 7 March 2012.
Great Kiskadee, Sali–eno,
5 March 2012.
Brown
Jay, Sali–eno, 8 March 2012; here is another view of this bird.
Green
Jay, Sali–eno, 8 March 2012.
Cave
Swallow, Sullivan City, 8 March
14, 2012.
Clay-colored Thrush,
Estero Llano Grande State Park, Weslaco, 6 March 2012.
Orange-crowned Warbler,
Sali–eno, 8 March 2012.
Hooded Oriole, Sali–eno,
8 March 2012.
Altamira Oriole, Sali–eno,
5 March 2012.
Audubon's Oriole,
Sali–eno, 5 March 2012.
Finally, just to show that
I was paying attention to things beyond birds, hereÕs a (crummy) shot of a
snake:
Western Ribbon Snake,
North Central Park, Laredo, 8 March 2012.
