TEXAS - 19th February

Another glorious, sunny start to the day but it clouded over by late morning and the wind picked up dramatically but it was a good days birding; I spent all day at Santa Ana NWR where there weren’t too many new birds with a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK over the centre first thing, a cracking drake WOOD DUCK with other ducks on Pintail Ponds, a pair and a couple of 1^st winter GREY HAWKS seen around the reserve, a pair of LESSER GOLDFINCHES seen along the Cattail Trail and an Empidonax Flycatcher seen briefly, also along the Cattail Trail and photographed which, after discussions with a helpful Park Ranger, we worked out that it was a YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER – probably an early migrant.   One of the day’s highlights was however great views of a RACOON as it paddled across a pool at first light!

                Other birds around included the now usual selection of bush birds such as Black-and-White Warblers, Orange-crowned Warblers, a single Nashville Warbler, White-eyed Vireos, Altamira Orioles, Green Jays, Plain Chachalacas, Black-crested Titmouse, Great Kiskadees and Couch’s Kingbirds while a few raptors included a Cooper’s Hawk, a couple of Harris Hawks, a ringtail Northern Harrier and a couple of Red-tailed Hawks.

                There was a good selection of ducks on the pools but surprisingly no Herons and Egrets while waders included Black-necked Stilts, Greater Yellowlegs, 2 Lesser Yellowlegs, a few Wilson’s Snipe and a few Killdeers.

Black-crested Titmouse

Racoon record shot!

Grabbed shot of a 1st winter Grey Hawk

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - I wonder if all Rangers, as well as chasing Yogi Bear are trained in sorting out Empidonax Flycatchers?   This one was!

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Northern Harrier

Lesser Goldfinch

American Kestrel

Green Kingfisher

Waders

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Orange-crowned Warbler

TEXAS - 17th February

Spent all day around Estero Llano Grande State Park where despite the cloudy, overcast conditions and the very cold, brisk N wind I had an excellent days birding.   Most of the action was in the woodland around the centre, concentrated around the feeders and fruiting trees; the highlight in the grand scheme of things was probably good views of a WHITE-THROATED THRUSH feeding underneath a fruiting tree in the company of quite a few CLAY-COLORED ROBINS – a real quality bird in US terms being around the 15^th record for the country!

                Other new birds for the trip in no particular order were several BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRDS whizzing around the feeders and chasing each other, a single RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD at one of the feeders, a wintering SUMMER TANAGER, several pairs of CURVE-BILLED THRASHERS, a stunning ALTAMIRA ORIOLE, a 1^st winter male ORCHARD ORIOLE, a single YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD with hundreds of Grackles, Cowbirds and Red-winged Blackbirds, 2 PURPLE MARTINS overhead, a TROPICAL KINGBIRD picked out amongst the several Couch’s Kingbirds on call, great views of a roosting COMMON PAURAQUE and many COMMON GROUND-DOVES and WHITE-WINGED DOVES around the place.

                There were stacks of other things around as well including a Black-and-white Warbler, a Nashville Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, White-eyed Vireo, Olive Sparrow, several American Robins, loads of Great Kiskadees, Blue-grey Gnatcatchers, Black-crested Titmouse, White-tipped Doves, Green Jays, Plain Chachalacas, Long-billed Thrashers, great views of perched adult Cooper’s Hawk, a Harris Hawk, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Golden-fronted Woodpecker and Inca Doves.

                Good numbers of birds around the pools and channels included 20+ CINNAMON TEAL in amongst Green-winged Teal, Blue-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Shoveler, Gadwall and Pintail, a pair of LEAST GREBES, great views of a GREEN KINGFISHER, an ANHINGA, a Night Heron with Great Egrets, Little Blue Herons, Roseate Spoonbills etc. 20+ Least Sandpipers and a couple of Spotted Sandpipers.

                The rest of the reserve away from the centre was actually fairly quiet although there was a female INDIGO BUNTING by Kiskadee Pool, a VERMILLIAN FLYCATCHER on Spoonbill Trail and a flock of 80+ White-fronted Geese seemed to have had enough of the cold weather a flew high south into Mexico!

Green Kingfisher

Orchard Oriole

Golden-fronted Woodpecker eating Oranges

Buff-bellied Hummingbird

Common Pauraque

Great Kiskadee

Clay-colored Robin

Black-and-White Warbler

Least Sandpiper