4/22/23 – Hidalgo County Birdathon
The neighborhood Killdeer was sounding off as I was
packing the car, so he got the honor of being the first bird, followed closely
by the neighborhood Mockingbird (2), who got #1 last year! Headed out to Estero Llano Grande State Park
and arrived around 5:30, where Purple Martins (3) were gurgling in the dark,
and several Pauraques (4 – the Valley’s answer to the north’s Whippoorwill)
whistled all around. The White-winged
Doves (5) were starting their syncopated songs already (sunrise was around
7:07) as I headed to the back side of the Tropical Zone, and was thrilled to
hear a “McCall’s” Screech Owl trilling as I made a detour to the restrooms to
check for moths that had been attracted to the lights!
Settled in at the picnic table at the feeder area near Pauraque Hall, where White-tipped Doves (7) were moaning in the woods, and a Black-necked Stilt (8) barked from one of the ponds. Soon a Mourning Dove (9) added his coo, and a Great Blue Heron (10) croaked, also from one of the ponds. Shortly a Cardinal (11) started his cheerful song, and I was thrilled to hear a distant Chuck-will’s-widow (12 – another Whippoorwill relative), as the main point of getting there an hour before dawn is to pick up the night birds! Also added Brown-crested Flycatcher (13), Black-bellied Whistling Duck (14) flying overhead, and Couch’s Kingbirds (15) starting their dawn songs.
The Chuck sounded like it was back around the
Tyrannulet Trail, so I wandered to a picnic table back there to see in the dawn
(and hopefully pick up the resident Great Horned Owl, which didn’t happen… L) A Clay-colored Thrush (16) added his lovely
song, and between then and sunrise I added (by ear) Yellow-crowned Night heron
(17), Kiskadee (18), Carolina Wren (19), Olive Sparrow (20), Black-crested
Titmouse (21), Great-tailed Grackle (22), Golden-fronted Woodpecker (23), Green
Jay (24), and Red-winged Blackbird (25).
By then it was light enough to see, and when I got up to investigate
some possible warbler action behind me, I discovered a big ol’ Turkey Vulture
(26) on a dead palm! A House Wren (27)
burbled just as I left.
Continuing on the Tyrannulet Trail, this was one
area where so many warblers were being seen previously, so I just poked along
and listened for "seeps” and looked for movement in the trees, adding Inca
Doves (28), Ladder-backed Woodpecker (29), and Long-billed Thrasher (30), all
heard-only. Finally got some migrant
action when a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak (31) squeaked and showed herself on
top of a tree! A Brown-headed Cowbird
(32) did his gurgling song, and a Hooded Oriole (33) wheeped. Down in the park host area, the Chachalacas
(34) were spreading the morning news with their chorusing back and forth, and a
Mottled Duck (35) quacked from unseen Ibis Pond. A Dickcissel (36) flew overhead, giving its
diagnostic flatulent-like call, and some orioles chattered that I suspected
were Baltimores but couldn’t rule out Orchard, so I chased them down until I
glimpsed enough orange to satisfy me (37)!
An Altamira Oriole (38) gave his happy whistle in the distance for good
measure.
I decided to sit at the Green Jay Drip for a while, seeing as it often can be a migrant magnet; a Buff-bellied Hummingbird (39) chattered behind me, and some Tropical Kingbirds (40) tittered from (I’m assuming) the parking lot, but nothing came in to the drip… L I heard some seeping down the trail, so set off in search of the sources, but alas, the only bird I was able to get on was a Nashville Warbler (41).
Was time to hit the main part of the park with its
wetlands, so headed over to the Visitor’s Center to check in and then check out
Ibis Pond. Birding buddies Huck Hutchins
and Ranger Raul Garza were already there, getting ready to lead a bird walk;
Huck had his scope on a Semipalmated Sandpiper (42) along with gobs of Stilt
Sandpipers (43). A White-rumped
Sandpiper had been reported earlier in the week, and Huck had the suspect bird
now, but he had his reservations about that initial ID and suspected the similar
Baird’s Sandpiper – the bird did indeed turn out to be a Baird’s (44), similar
in size and shape to the Whiterump, but more likely this time of year. Also in the pond were a few Shovelers (45),
Least Sandpipers (46), tons of Long-billed Dowitchers (47), and one lovely
Avocet (48). I moved to the boardwalk
where the sun was in a better position, enjoying the Purple Martins gathering
nesting material from the grasses along a side trail (as there’s a martin house
right there on the main trail)! Added a
calling Yellowthroat (49) to the list, along with a Greater Yellowlegs (50)
while this was going on. There was a
group of visiting birders on the boardwalk as well, and one of the guys spotted
(no pun intended) a Spotted Sandpiper (51) fleeing to the opposite end of the
pond! Several pretty Wilson’s Phalaropes
(52) swam around, and some Lesser Yellowlegs (53) flew in and joined the
party. One of the ladies pointed out a
goofy-looking Yellow-crowned Night Heron on top of a tree in perfect light,
while a whole flock of Avocets wheeled in and joined the lone individual that
had been there.
Continuing on the boardwalk, I checked out Avocet Pond (which can be challenging as you’re looking into the sun on that one), but managed to add Snowy Egret (54) and Blue-winged Teal (55) to the list. As I followed the trail over to Curlew Pond I heard a Pied-billed Grebe (56) singing, and Rough-winged Swallows (57) buzzing overhead. Curlew Pond had a few Coots (58) that moved to the opposite side when I showed up, but the Tricolored Heron (59) stayed put. A Common Ground Dove (60) sang from the brush as I added a pair of Gadwall (61) and a Common Gallinule (62) to the list. They have a picnic table there which is a great resting spot, so I sat for five, adding a calling Sora (63) and a flock of Fulvous Whistling Ducks (64) that flew past.
From there the boardwalk crosses Dowitcher Pond, which at that point is mostly reeds, but opens up as you head towards the bridge to Alligator Lake. Least Grebes (65) were calling unseen, much to the chagrin of that same group who desperately wanted to see them! Chimney Swifts (66) chittered overhead, and a Great Egret (67) and more night herons occupied Grebe Marsh, but no namesake grebes for the visiting group. Alligator Lake was pretty sparse bird-wise: a Green Heron (68) called from the vegetation, but there was no sign of the hoped for Green Kingfisher, Least Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, or even cormorants. I took a quick peek for Pauraques in their normal hangout by the trail, but I figured they were nesting now and therefore way back in the “stuff”. The overlook was even more devoid of birds, but I rested for five anyway, and was rewarded with an Anhinga (69) croaking unseen in the sticks!
Ran into the group heading out, and they had miraculously found a Pauraque! Even though I had gotten plenty of them singing that morning for the sake of the Birdathon, I snapped a quick picture for the blog (once I found the bird J) and headed back to the VC. A Catbird (70) popped up along the canal, and back at the martin house the House Sparrows (71) had awakened and were chirping (and contrary to many claims, these martins and sparrows have been coexisting peacefully for years)! Another quick look at Avocet Pond from the deck was very productive, as a couple of Roseate Spoonbills (72) and a White Ibis (73) had joined the crowd, and in Ibis Pond an appropriate White-faced Ibis (74) was feeding!
On the way back to the car a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (75) was on the wire, but while entering the eBird checklist I was really bothered by a single descending, emphatic note I had heard along the Green Jay Trail, thinking it sounded like a Veery to me, but knowing that they’re more expected towards the coast I wanted to get a second “listen” just to be sure, but the bird didn’t call again. Even so, I saw that eBird’s checklist showed that they were expected at Estero, so I reviewed the recording on the Sibley Birds app, and there was no doubt in my mind after that that I had heard a Veery (76).
A visit to a sod farm is a must during spring migration, as that’s where you’ll get your “grasspipers” (hopefully, because they can be hit or miss depending on how much water there is in the fields). Traditionally the Progresso Sod Farms was the hotspot of choice, but that property is now a housing development, so the only other sod farm in Hidalgo County that was within easy access was the Rio Rico Sod Farms down on US 281. So I ran down there to check them out, but they were pretty devoid of birds (except for grackles). On the way out I was able to log a singing Eastern Meadowlark (77), and lo and behold a sharp, rough call revealed a couple of Pectoral Sandpipers (78) having words! So at least we got them!
Since the migrants weren’t cooperating at Estero, I wondered whether a stop at Frontera Audubon Thicket (a famous migrant trap in the heart of Weslaco) would be worthwhile, but decided to go for it, as “you never know”. Picked up Rock Pigeons (79) at the FM 1019/US 281 intersection, and a Cattle Egret (80) heading up FM 88. Chris (the manager) was displaying an eBird list of migrants that Tiffany Kersten, a local guide, had gotten the day before (we had had a big bangy thunderstorm move through yesterday, so I was hoping that would result in grounded migrants today – not), so I went in hopefully, but as it turned out the only new migrant I bagged was a Northern Waterthrush (81) near the pond (picked up another Nashville somewhere along the trail). The normal woodland Valley birds that I had logged at Estero were also there, along with a Green Heron at the pond and White-tipped Doves and Chachalacas at the feeders. Along the back side that abuts an RV resort, a Painted Bunting (82) was singing (I don’t really consider them “migrants” as they breed here), and a Barn Swallow (83) chattered overhead. Got distracted by a tiny moth on the Guinea Grass that turned out to be a Cabbage Webworm – no friend to the local farmers, probably!
Now it was time to head up to the La Sal del Rey area, with a stop at the “1015 Pond” on the way. This is a nice little roadside wetland that’s technically “behind” Delta Lake to the west, and while it can be feast or famine, it’s usually good for one or two additional species. Today it provided a couple of Double-crested Cormorants (84) hanging with a Snowy Egret, and a flyover Laughing Gull (85).
There are several Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR tracts up in the ranchlands of the north part of the county, and this is where you really pack the list with “western” type open-country birds. (The La Sal del Rey is just one tract, but I use that name for the whole route of dirt roads that I follow up there…) But to get to the main route you have to “cheat” and pass through a little of Willacy County, so while traveling up Rio Beef Road (Willacy) I try not to stop for anything until I get to Ken Baker Road (Hidalgo)! But if something just insists on being counted, I cave and add it to the list, like the pair of Swainson’s Hawks (86) that passed in front of me! (I also added the Bewick’s Wren – 87 – that I heard on the fly, but I knew we’d hear lots of those along the route…) This is a road-birding route, so the strategy is to stop every mile and listen for two minutes (kind of like a mini Breeding Bird Survey protocol); thus the first stop was there at the intersection of Rio Beef and Ken Baker, where tons of grackles and Bronzed Cowbirds (88) lined the wires! (I think there were some Brown-headed Cowbirds in there, too…) A little further down a pair of Lark Sparrows (89) were on the wires, and a chattering Pyrrhuloxia (90) got added on the fly. At the next stop I was very happy to spot a soaring White-tailed Hawk (91), as this is the most reliable stretch for them! And if I hadn’t bagged that Scissor-tailed Flycatcher at Estero, I knew I’d get them here, no problem!
At a cleared right-of-way I spotted a Roadrunner (92) and also heard him singing, so I couldn’t help but mess with ‘im: by imitating his “coo”, you can get them to practically jump in the car! This guy performed famously, running towards the car, wagging his tail, and cooing back at me with each “coo” I gave ‘im, until he finally just ran ahead of me and we “raced” down the road together for a bit until he finally dove into the brush (guess this competitor was too big for him J)! A Curve-billed Thrasher (93) gave his rude whistle while this was going on…
Continuing on I was very pleased to hear a Black-throated Sparrow (94) singing, as they’re a desert bird that is by no means guaranteed along this route! At the next stop I heard a Bobwhite (95) in the distance, and a pair of Caracaras (96) claimed a couple of power poles. A Verdin (97) chirped in between stops, and once on northbound Brushline Road, a nice Harris’ Hawk (98) posed on another pole! A stop at the corner where Brushline veers right, a Bullock’s Oriole (99) called and sat right up top of a mesquite, and a singing Cactus Wren got the honor of being Bird #100 (the oriole got it last year, so he came close J)!
There’s a large farm pond near the terminus of Brushline that always has something, and it was unusually full of birds this day: a mob of Cattle Egrets in beautiful breeding plumage lined the south shore, along with a couple of spoonbills and an American Wigeon (101), as well as many shorebirds that were too far away to ID. On the north side was a pair of Gull-billed Terns (102) making funny noises at each other, along with more ducks and a Greater Yellowlegs. Backtracking down to SR 186, a Black Vulture (103) crossed the road, and heard more Pyrrhuloxias and even another Roadrunner, but nothing new until I crossed 186 and took South Brushline through the ag fields, where a Horned Lark (104) flew across the road. I thought I heard a Groove-billed Ani (105) as I passed a row of thornscrub, so I backed up and listened for a minute; didn’t hear anything until a Cooper’s Hawk (106) came dashing in, and that got the anis going again! On the way to the freeway a Common Nighthawk (107) flew high over the road!
Was still missing some expected resident birds along with uncooperative migrants J, so decided to stop at Edinburg Scenic Wetlands on the way to the National Butterfly Center, as this can be a good place for both Ringed and Green Kingfishers. Was really surprised that I hadn’t bagged a White-eyed Vireo yet, but one came through in the parking lot (108)! Checked out the south pond first, where I finally bagged the Neotropic Cormorants (109 – if you don’t get one here, something’s wrong… J) hanging out with more Snowy Egrets. A bona fide Mallard pair had been regularly reported (they’re actually rare in the Valley), but the pair I was looking at currently looked a little too dumpy for my taste (there are lots of “funny ducks” here that get into the mix), so I left them off the list. However, a striking breeding-plumaged Forster’s Tern (110) was sitting on a post right off the overlook, and further out were several Ruddy Ducks (110).
Back in the parking lot I ran into the same group of visiting birders who had unfortunately dipped on the kingfishers L, but I was still hoping! This can be another great migrant trap; sadly the woods were quiet; but along the trail paralleling the north pond I heard a few seeps, and Glory Hallelujah a Northern Parula (112) popped into view! There were lots of ducks, herons, cormorants, and even another Anhinga in the north pond, but nothing new, and as reported, no kingfishers there or along the canal… L On the way out a Texas Tortoise plodded along the trail, and a huge Texas Spiny Lizard posed nicely!
Next stop was the National Butterfly Center to try for the resident Audubon’s Oriole and reported Hook-billed Kite, but I wouldn’t have much time there before they closed, so I cowgirled up and took the freeway through that terrible construction at the I-2/I-69C interchange (I normally take great pains to avoid that) and made it through just fine! Ran down to the feeder area to wait it out till closing time, and did indeed hear the sad note of the Audubon’s (113), but he never came in to the feeders (normally only upriver, this lost guy had paired up with an Altamira Oriole and produced some interesting-looking hybrid offspring). What did come in included the normal White-tipped Doves, grackles and blackbirds, Green Jays and Cardinals, but I noticed a flash of color in the water feature, and Howdy Doody – a brilliant male Painted Bunting was taking a bath! But even better for the Birdathon was a brilliant Blue Grosbeak (114) that came in above him! I was also surprised that no Ruby-throated Hummers had shown up during the course of the day (because they should be coming through in droves now), so was relieved to see a female come in to the feeder (115)! What also came in to the hummer feeder was a huge Altamira Oriole! J The ani on the wire was nice to see as well!
My warning beeper went off, so I headed out just as
a staffer was coming to get me J, and headed over to Old Hidalgo Pumphouse to at least bag the Monk
Parakeets. Didn’t even make it to the
Pumphouse before adding them (116) as they were rasping along Bridge
Street! Also picked up a chattering
Western Kingbird (117) just before getting to the park proper, and I was really
surprised at the number of people there; usually I’m there first thing in the
morning and I have the whole place to myself!
Headed over to the overlook to hope for the kingfishers and Black
Phoebe, but it wasn’t meant to be (had to disappoint another couple of guys
with monster cameras who were hoping for the kingfishers as well).
It was almost sunset by that time, so decided to
head up to Alamo for the traditional dipped Dairy Queen cone J and to sit in front of the
Alamo Inn’s Garden Suites waiting for the Lesser Nighthawks that nest on the
roof to show up! They did (124), along
with a “beent”ing Common Nighthawk higher in the sky. (Apparently some visiting birders had the
same idea as they were having their own tailgate party with their eyes on the
roof!) Heading back home to the Alamo
Country Club, I cruised around the complex until I heard a House Finch (125)
and called it a wrap! However, the
cumulative eBird list claimed I had a total of 127 species, so comparing the
two, I discovered I had forgotten to write down the Starling (126) and Collared
Dove (127) I had bagged leaving Weslaco (but managed to input an on-the-fly
eBird checklist…not surprising that I would forget about two introduced
species!)
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