The Backyard & Beyond  - March 2005

Arden and I made a quick trip to the Lower Rio Grande area of Texas, February 3-7. There were many rare species being reported and we just couldn't resist going down to try for some. We tried for 6 ABA species and we got all of them. It was an amazing trip with 3 full days of birding. When this many rarities turn up in an area, birders from all over the USA take time out of their schedules and get there as quickly as they can.

The first place we hit was the Frontera Audubon Center in Weslaco, TX which has native woodlands and wetlands. The land and the house were donated in order to save the habitat for wildlife and what a place it was. Small but productive. Crimson-collared Grosbeaks were being reported from there and several other locations. This beautiful Mexican species has a black head and bright crimson collar and rump with a dark back. The other species there were an Elegant Trogan, Clay-colored Robin and a White-throated Robin. We saw all four before a half an hour!

Next it was off for the other species. We saw some great birds that we had seen before and new photo ops for me but nothing new until the third day. We made our 4th try for a Blue Bunting, a brilliantly colored little deep forest bird. Hard to find and very difficult to photograph. We had several people looking for it and finally there it was. Quick looks but WOW!  We next tried for the Golden-crowned Warbler. A beautiful bright yellow warbler with 2 black stripes on it's head. We searched and searched on the south side of the road as we had been told to do. Then another birded found it on the "north" side the road. It was very cooperative for photos "if" you were quick with the finger. He moved around a lot. I had talked Arden into driving up the valley to try for the Roadside Hawk that was in San Ignacio. We first stopped at the Winter Texans spot in Salineo. Years ago 4 northern couples bought the area and spent there winters down there. They allowed birders to come in and watch the birds they feed. They had Altimira & Audubon Orioles plus Brown Jays and many others that came to their complex. Over the

Flyway Articles

CLICK HERE
for other
Backyard & Beyond Articles

years three of the couples have met their maker and willed their land over to a conservation group that was promising to eventually get a "winter Texan" to take care of the place in the winter as these couples have done for years. In the meantime, the couple that are left are providing a great place to watch birds up close. She is a birder and he says he isn't but he knows about as much about the birds in their yard as she does. She calls him an S.O.B. (Spouse Of a Birder).  From there we drove to the San Ignacio Bird & Butterfly Sanctuary. This is another small place set up to preserve the area for wildlife. The Roadside Hawk came in later on this nice warm day but we got to see him before he disappeared deep in the trees for the night. It was a wonderful trip.

                                                      Happy Birding,   Sherry Hagen