Wednesday, 18 February 2015

TEXAS - 18th February


An infinitely nicer day than yesterday; calm with not a cloud in the sky and pretty warm so I decided to have another day at Estero Llano Grande SP, I went straight out to the Spoonbill Trail and soon connected with the reserves other long staying US mega that I missed yesterday – a cracking GREY-CROWNED YELLOWTHROAT which showed brilliantly well in the long grass.   There weren’t too many other new birds but I finally caught up with a few BLACK-NECKED STILTS and a Black-winged Kite flew over but several Buff-bellied Hummingbirds and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds were around the feeders, a female Indigo Bunting was near the centre and 10+ Purple Martins were overhead while most of yesterday’s birds were seen well again.

                I had an unproductive jaunt to Frontera Audubon Thicket at lunchtime although several Olive Sparrows showed very well along the paths before heading back Estero Llano for another few hours in the afternoon; the highlight was a male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD at one of the feeders along with great views of a couple of Altamira Orioles, lots of Clay-coloured Robins, several Black-and-White Warblers and an adult Cooper’s Hawk again.

                There were a couple of new birds around the lakes in the afternoon with a female HOODED MERGANSER in front of the centre, 3 YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERONS with 2 Black-crowned Night Herons and a NEOTROPIC CORMORANT perched next to a Double-crested Cormorant on Alligator Lake.
 
Grey-crowned Yellowthroat

Couch's Kingbird

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Altamira Oriole

White-faced Ibis

Least Sandpiper

Plain Chachalaca
 

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