The Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival continued, and on this morning I decided to check out Estero Llano Grande State Park. The buzz at the time was about a Rose-throated Becard, a species I had seen in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but never across the border in the US. Amazingly, just after our arrival we walked straight into the becard (or more precisely a birder loudly announcing the presence of the becard). However, I was not here purely for this Mexican "invader" but to check out a range of "Mexican" species that make it across the border there. This included some leaf-like Common Pauraques roosting in the leaf litter and doing a great job of looking inconspicuous. The feeders were abuzz with birds coming in to feed on oranges and grain. The Green Jays, surely the star of the valley with their outrageously bright and vivid colors, and Black-crested Titmice preferred the grain tables, while Orange-crowned Warblers and orioles flocked in to feast on the oranges. A colorful few hours in the valley, before I returned to Harlingen to man the Tropical Birding booth at the festival.
More to come from the great state of Texas...
1 comment:
Wonderful birds to see...
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