Revised 2011 bird total:
437 species

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Estero Llano Grande specialties!

Wow, this morning was to a birder new to Texas, birding at it's best!  A friend, Huck Hutchens led a bird walk at Estero Llano Grande State Park and we had such a great time birding with him.  What a great guy Huck is!  This morning on the walk (and some time on both sides of the walk) I managed to get 23-24 (see below for description of why not 24) lifers!  Lifers are as follows (all at Estero Llano Grande State Park):

Golden-fronted Woodpecker -- many, many
Red-crowned Parrot -- local specialty, a wild bird, flock of 5 I saw
Great Kiskadee -- many.  A local specialty bird. Beautiful bird!
Common Ground Dove -- 5-10, a very nice bird
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck -- local specialty bird, 1 with Fulvouses
Black-necked Stilt -- a pair, such a terrifically beautiful bird!
Long-billed Dowitcher -- several
Least Grebe -- a local specialty bird, very similar but obviously different from Pied-billed
Cinnamon x Blue-winged Teal hybrid -- to me a bird that I can say I've "seen" because I have, but since it's a hybrid it's not an ABA countable bird so I can't count it on my Junior Big Year list
Virginia Rail -- heard but not seen
Purple Martin -- what a nice bird.  MANY!!
Curved-billed Thrasher -- local specialty bird.  Several.
Long-billed Thrasher -- ?? -()*
Common Paraque -- beautiful goatsucker bird.  I really enjoyed seeing them...
White-eyed Vireo -- heard but not seen
Cave Swallow -- a real local specialty bird, many, so nice to see!
Bewick's Wren -- ?? -()*
Olive Sparrow -- heard but not seen
Cinnamon Teal -- 2 drakes.  Beautiful ducks!
Sora -- heard but not seen
Buff-bellied Hummingbird -- several at feeders.  Soooo beautiful!
Couch's Kingbird -- 2 perched in a tree together.
Black-crested Titmouse -- ?? -()*
Ladder-backed Woodpecker -- nice woody.

In addition to the awesome lifers, also saw 5-10 Common Yellowthroats for a year bird.

Also, 1st time seen this year but heard before this year, an Eastern Screech-Owl looked great through a scope.

A terrific morning and this afternoon we got to Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park for Altamira Orioles, a Black-vented Oriole, and much else!

Until later,

KestrelSwan

1 comment:

  1. Way to go Garbriel! I'm jealous! Bring some of those birds back to Virginia with you! Enjoying your blog. -Vic

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