ESTERO LLANO GRANDE STATE PARK
E-bird List: Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (LTC 054), Hidalgo County, Texas
"Estero Llano Grande State Park added Texas specialties including: Couch’s Kingbird, Least Grebe, Green Kingfisher, Great Kiskadee, Ladder-backed and Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Clay-colored Thrush, Long-billed Thrasher and Olive Sparrow."
This was one of my favorite places. There was a great diversity of birds and insects. ….and we saw Ken Kaufmann and his wife there!
"At Estero Llano, folks enjoyed flocks of Plain Chachalacas and both whistling-ducks."
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| Immature Plain Chachalaca |
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| A Vermillion Flycatcher that was so far away but still so colorful. |
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| Fulvous Whistling Duck |
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| More Fulvous Whistling Ducks |
The Common Pauraque was hiding in plain sight as it slept on the groun
d. "Most years Common Pauraques roost along the trails, but after spending 20 minutes looking near a "stakeout" we had nothing. We rechecked other likely spots getting excited at a likely candidate that turned out to be a piece of wood in the shadows about 20 feet back. One of those wood birds! As I stood there, I looked to my right and there one sat, in plain sight, about five feet away! Those Pauraques…."
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| Can you see me? I'm a Common Pauraque, but so so hard to find. |
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| Common Pauraque |
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| Common Pauraque |
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| Great Kiskadees were so photogenic. I couldn't stop photographing this one. |
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| He got a little frisky just before he caught…. |
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| ….a dragonfly |
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| It took a lot of work to gulp it down |
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| 2 more Great Kiskadees were barely tolerating each other from their perches. |
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| …and flaring a yellow crest in protest. |
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| Couch's Kingbird on Parkinsonia Tree |
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| Red-eared Slider and Spiny Softshell Turtle |
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| Lots of Buff-bellied Hummingbirds at the feeders |
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| Buff-bellied Hummingbird |
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| Buff-bellied Hummingbird |
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| Golden-fronted Woodpecker at orange station |
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| I think it got all the orange. |
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| Giant Swallowtail - Papilio cresphontes |
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Bordered Patch - Chlosyne lacinia
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SANTA ANA NWR
E-bird List: Santa Ana NWR (LTC 059), Hidalgo County, TX
Santa Ana NWR in Alamo, TX was not as birdy as we would have liked. It is a huge area to cover and we took quite a hike. We had hoped to find Groove-billed Ani there but missed them. I think the mid-day siesta was in full swing while we were there. ….oops! no photos here. I left the camera in the van due to heavy clouds.
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