Rio Grande Valley Help

[elkershner]

I am headed to the Rio Grande Valley, TX for the February Partners in Flight Conference and plan to do some birding while I am there. I have a list of target species that I know can be difficult to find. I am trying to find the best locations to find these species in winter.

Can you give some advice on these species or point me in the right direction to find this info?

The species I am targeting (along with all the other residents or winter specialties of the valley) are:

Muscovy
Hook-billed Kite
Green Parakeet
Groove-billed Ani
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Brown Jay
tropical Parula
Tamulipas Crow
Aplomado Falcon
White-collared Seedeater
Audubon's Oriole

I will be based in McAllen but willing to drive to get to the appropriate sites.

Thanks for the help.

Eric

[AndyB]

Hi Eric, I'm not an expert but have been birding down there a few times but some of my info is a few years old. antshrike may be able to help you with more local knowledge (http://www.surfbirds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3000) but here's my 2 cents:

Muscovy - saw these at Salineno - have tried a few times before I saw them on last attempt so may not be easy
Hook-billed Kite - saw at Bentsen but this was before it became World Birders Center so not sure if access is as easy as before
Green Parakeet - Fort Brown, Brownsville roost site
Groove-billed Ani - Bentsen SP and Sabal Palm in summer - not sure about status in Feb
Ferruginous Pygmy Owl - El Canelo Ranch north of Raymondville on Hwy 77 - $20 entrance fee to see the birds roosting in backyard
Buff-bellied Hummingbird - Sabal Palm visitor center
Brown Jay - El Rio RV Park
tropical Parula - Santa Ana and Anzalduas
Tamulipas Crow - Brownsville airport in summer - not sure about status in Feb
Aplomado Falcon - finally saw one on
White-collared Seedeater - this was a tough one but we saw them at both Zapata (City Park) and San Ygnacio - not sure about status in Feb
Audubon's Oriole - Salineno and Capeno - not sure about status in Feb

By the way, I'd thoroughly recommend ABA Birder's Guide to the Rio Grande Valley.

[antshrike]

Moscovey-relaiable at Salineno this winter
Hook-billed Kite-rarely seen this winter, Bentsen is best bet
Green Parakeet-Fort Brown or between Violet and Dove on north 10th Sr. in McAllen
Groove-billed Ani- several at Estero Llano Grande
F. P. Owl- Calling daily at Bentsen
Buff-bellied Hummingbird- Estero Llano Grande, Valley Nature Center, Frontera Audubon Thicket, Santa Ana. Bentsen
Brown Jay-no recent sightings, El Rio RV Park
Tropical Parula-one on Kiskadee trail at Bentsen
Tamp. Crow-none reported since last summer
Aplamado Falcon-Hwy 106 past 1847, Laguna Atascosa, Hwy 48 to Boca Chica, Hwy 100 by "stink corner" to Laguna Vista
W-c Seedeater- San Ygnacio and Zapata library, also Laredo
Audubon's Oriole-normally Salineno but see my blog.

[antshrike]

Also check Texbirds listserv http://listserv.uh.edu/archives/texbirds.html