Finding Birds in South Texas update

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Falcon Dam State Park


2014  The feeding station at the RV plot at Falcon Dam is now not active (the state parks authority told her to stop feeding the birds there as 'it wasn't a bird park'!!!! Still feeding at the bird blind nearby (adjacent to the butterfly garden) but quails and Roadrunners not as reliable (Neil Glenn).


November 2016 We couldn’t find any feeders in the caravan area but did pick up a single Roadrunner in this area. The best hiking trail was next to the visitor centre, but in the late morning heat and in a strongish wind that had got up getting decent views of Black throated Sparrow, Verdin and Pyrruloxia was hard work. (Andrew Pearson)


Quinta Mazatlan


1st Nov 2012 Get there early we were inundated with school parties causing mega disturbance. owl roost has been disturbed and no one is sure where new roost site is or were not letting on. closed Sunday and Monday (Rob Yates)


Santa Ana


Nov 2012 there is NO car access at anytime of year. walking or travel by tram (3 times a day fee payable)  are only option. we used guided bird walk which set off on foot 8.30 which lasted  2 hours on foot then drove to the distant areas. NB at least two sightings of the wonderful indigo snake by photo hide (Rob Yates)


Frontera Audubon


January 2012 Current visiting details: Tuesday-Saturday 8-4pm, Sunday 12-4pm, entry 5$ per person, 4$ for seniors and free for under 12s. (Sarah Williams/Frontera Audubon)


Estero Llano Grande


1st March 2013 During the bird walk the following were noted; Black bellied whistling duck, Gadwall, Mottled duck, Blue, green and cinnamon teal, Northern shoveler, Northern pintail, Ring-necked duck, Lesser scaup, Least & Pied billed grebe, Anhinga, White pelican, Little & Great blue heron, Snowy & Cattle egret, Tri-colored heron, Black & Yellow crowned night heron, White ibis, Least sandpiper spotted sandpiper, solitary sandpiper, stilt sandpiper, Pauraque, Green and ringed kingfisher, Golden fronted woodpecker, Eastern Phoebe, Couch's Kingbird, White eyed vireo, Purple Martin, Black crested titmouse, Yellow rumped warbler and Northern cardinal. (Tim Bott)


November 2016 Estero Llano Grande was easily the best site overall we visited in the Valley. There are now two Pauraques roosting by the trail and the large pool opposite has Yellow crowned Night Herons. At the next turning left along this tail there is a box with a McCall’s Eastern Screech Owl. This was the only site where we had more than one kingbird (in the Tropical area and near the visitor centre), but we were only able to confirm a single Couch’s. (Andrew Pearson)


Laguna Atascosa


2014 The loop drive is now closed to self-drive vehicles due to Ocelots being run over! Visitors can still get around using an electric tram. (Neil Glenn)


November 2016 We had a pair of Aplomado Falcons exactly as described (page 32, site 8) opposite the blue building. They were on a pylon opposite with a nest. (Andrew Pearson)


Bentsen


November 2016 The main feeding site at Bentsen is now far and away the best in the Valley (and we visited a lot of them.) You can save a lot of time by concentrating effort here. You can sit in the shade while watching the feeders and the rangers here are knowledgeable and helpful. This was the only site where we had all the Valley specialities in one place, including the only Altimira Orioles of the trip and a Clay coloured Robin. (Andrew Pearson)


Mission Hike and Bike


November 2016  The rangers at Bentsen put us onto a nearby site a few minutes’ drive away where you can get some of the species like Cactus Wren that have now gone from Bentsen itself. Mission Hike and Bike (next to a gun club) was very birdy, although we only tried the car park, but it would probably be even better earlier in the morning. Five Scissor tailed Flycatchers were totally unexpected at this time of year, and we also had Black Phoebe, three Cactus Wrens, three Lark Sparrows and a kingbird sp that didn’t call. Roadrunners are also supposed to be here. You can apparently walk down to the Rio Grande and the area is regularly patrolled. (Andrew Pearson)


Edinburgh wetlands


November 2016 Excellent. A Ringed Kingfisher, three Green Kingfishers that were showing just before we arrived, White Pelicans and a Tricoloured Heron. This is the only site where we were able to compare Neotropical and Double crested Cormorants side by side. Definitely worth a visit. (Andrew Pearson)


Rio Grande


November 2016 We were at the Rio Grande at dawn but other than a Ringed Kingfisher most of the action focussed on Ospreys and Crested Caracaras over the river. We had a friendly welcome at the nearby feeders but disappointingly there were no orioles at all. There was nothing we hadn’t seen elsewhere and in greater numbers, so this site was a bit of a disappointment. The best sightings were a Bewick’s Wren, large flocks of White winged Doves and an immature Sharp shinned Hawk continually raiding the birds using the feeders. (Andrew Pearson)


Sal del Rey


November 2016 Due to the drought and evident efforts to pump out water, Sal del Rey is now much reduced in volume. It’s a long walk from the car park for very few waders and distant Sandhill Cranes. There was a large flock of 40+ Wild Turkeys here. (Andrew Pearson)


      

Finding Birds in South Texas

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