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In June of 2004, Michelle and I took a birding trip to south Texas. We enjoyed seeing a new part of the country, hiking in some new territory, and adding some amazing birds to our life lists. Below is a day-by-day account of our trip.
In June of 2004, Michelle and I took a birding trip to south Texas. We enjoyed seeing a new part of the country, hiking in some new territory, and adding some amazing birds to our life lists. Below is a day-by-day account of our trip.
We left Weller Yard on June 11, 2004 and headed south through Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi – finally reaching Louisiana after some 790 miles of driving. The next morning we were up early and greeted by our first life bird sitting on a power line outside our motel room – a pair of Eurasian Collared-Doves. After crossing the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge we officially kicked off our western birding trip. We spotted two Mississippi Kites and a small flock of seven Anhingas as we made our way across the state. After a couple of “Cajun Burgers” at Lafayette we headed south along the coast on our way to Port Arthur, Texas. Near Abbeville we found a flooded field full of Glossy and White-faced Ibis, Cattle Egret, and a few Black-necked Stilts thrown in. Loggerhead Shrikes were found in good numbers on the power lines along the coast roads. Near Pecan Island we turned a curve and before us in a flooded field were 115 Roseate Spoonbills, numerous Ibis and Herons, along with Common Moorhen and Purple Gallinule. Above the fields soared eight Wood Storks. We then visited the Rockefeller National Wildlife Refuge were we found a host of wading birds including White, Snowy, and Reddish Egrets, Great Blue, Little Blue, Green, Black-crowned Night, and Louisiana (Tri-colored) Herons. We found our first Least Bittern of the trip here. Near the entrance we saw a couple of ducks out in the marsh. Looking like possible Mottled Ducks we put the scope on them only to discover they were in fact only decoys. Alligators and Armadillos started showing up along the waterways and roadways as we made our way toward Texas. Near Holly Beach we found Willets, Royal,Least, Forster’s, and Sandwich Terns, and Ruddy Turnstones. Michelle took a swim in the Gulf of Mexico and later spotted a White-tailed Kite as we entered Port Arthur, TX. We spent the night at Winnie, TX.
The next morning (June 12) we were up early and headed to Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. Heading south on Rt. 124 we spotted two juvenile Swainson’s Hawks sitting on a dead snag. We double-checked with the scope to make sure they were not “Krider’s” morph Red-tailed (which we have never seen) but they were not. Michelle spotted a pair of Fulvous Whistling-Ducks, a Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and a Little Blue Heron on a farm pond. As we entered Anahuac we could hear Dickcissels from the surrounding fields and after several minutes Michelle finally managed to find one singing from an open perch. Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Loggerhead Shrikes, Eurasian Collared-Doves, and White-winged Doves were found in good numbers along the power lines. All the wading birds to be expected at Anahuac were found. We had the opportunity to study all the grackle species (Common, Boat-tailed, and Great-tailed) – one of the few spots in the U.S. you can do this. At one point a Clapper Rail worked its way down the road in front of our truck. We found both Fulvous and Black-bellied Whistling Ducks in the area along with Mottled Ducks. Wood Storks soared above the refuge, and we spotted several Alligators. The deer flies were very bothersome and made birding the Willows area almost impossible. We decided not to stop at High Island and made our way on to Bolivar Flats. There we found American Avocets, White-rumped Sandpipers, Ruddy Turnstone, various terns, Reddish Egret, and Snowy Plover along with many other shore species. Five species of tern were spotted and we added the Gull-billed Tern to our trip list. One of the highlights of the trip was a pair of Magnificent Frigatebirds soaring over the ferry we rode to Galveston. Hundreds of Laughing Gulls followed the ferry and several Neotropic Cormorants rested on the channel buoys. As we were arriving at ferry dock we noticed a Collared-Dove that appeared to be smaller and lighter colored than the other Eurasian Collared-Doves in the area. This could have been a possible Ringed Turtle-Dove. We spent the night at Port Lavaca.
The next morning (June 13) we headed into Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. The first bird we spotted at the entrance turned out to be our first Painted Bunting. We also found Wild Turkey near the Visitor’s Center. While hiking the Rail Trail, we found our first of many Buff-bellied Hummingbirds we would see on the trip. At Birding Trail #1 we found another Painted Bunting but the mosquitoes managed to run us back to the truck before I could get any video. Stopping at the Picnic area we found Bell’s and White-eyed Vireo, Great Crested Flycatcher, and heard a Swainson’s Warbler. A very large Alligator was seen from Dagger Point. At Jones Lake we found a Least Grebe with two little ones trying to keep up with her. As we drove out of the NRW we found several Dickcissels singing from the fields and spotted a flock of five Crested Caracaras. We drove through Corpus Christi to Kingsville and stopped there to bird Chamberlain Cemetery. We quickly racked up four life birds with the Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Couch’s Kingbird, and Great Kiskadee. We picked up some picnic supplies and had supper at Dick Kleberg Park in Kingsville were we found the Black-crested Titmouse, Harris’ and White-tailed Hawks, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers and many other species. Making the long drive down Rt. 77 to Harlingen we saw several Crested Caracaras and White-tailed Hawks along the road.
The next morning (June 14) we made our way to Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge. The parking lot at the Visitor’s Center was hopping with birds. In about five minutes we had spotted the Green Jay, Plain Chachalaca, White-tipped Dove, and Long-billed Thrasher. We asked about the Yellow-green Vireos that have nested at the NWR in the past and were informed that they have not shown up in the past couple of years. We then drove about 20 miles around the NWR looking for the Aplomado Falcon. We missed the falcon but did see Alligator, Roadrunners, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, White-tailed Kites, Crested Caracara, Black-necked Stilts, and flocks of 65 White Ibis and 12 Wood Storks. After lunch in Port Isabel we looked for the Tamaulipas Crow but did not find it. We then headed out to Sabal Palms Wildlife Sanctuary. Michelle spotted our only Groove-billed Ani just as we entered the Sanctuary. Along the trails we found the Yellow-green Vireo but missed the Gray-crowned Yellowthroat that had been reported there. Along the Resaca we had great looks at Green and Ringed Kingfishers, Altamira Oriole and other south Texas specialties. After a nice dinner in Harlingen, TX we drove out to McKelvey Park looking for roosting parrots and later along farm roads hoping for a Common Pauraque – we found neither.
The next morning (June 15) we were up early and back at McKelvey Park looking for parrots. Again we missed the parrots but we did find Green Kingfishers, Inca Doves and other great birds. After driving to Pharr, Texas we spent about three hours at Allen Williams’ house on Sam Houston Boulevard. Allen has turned his backyard into a wildlife sanctuary complete with feeders, birdbaths, native habitat, water drips, etc. Two birds that had been seen the previous day in his yard were the Blue Mockingbird and the Black-headed Nightingale-Thrush – both very rare birds in the U.S. In fact the Nightingale-Thrush was the first of its species ever to be found in the ABA birding area. After about three hours Michelle and I decided to spend some time at Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge and come back to the Williams’ yard later in the evening. At Santa Ana it was very hot but the birding was fantastic. We found a Clay-colored Robin preening, a flock of four White-tailed Kites, two Tropical Parulas, Bell’s Vireo, Green Kingfisher, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and many other species on our hike around the three mile Loop C. After hearing the call of the Olive Sparrow several different times we finally got some great looks at this new bird for us. After arriving back at Pharr, TX we got a room at Comfort Inn (only about a mile from the Williams’ residence) and headed back to Allen’s – determined to see the Nightingale-Thrush. After a couple of hours the birding gods answered our prayers and the Nightingale-Thrush put on a great show by taking a bath only about 25 feet from us. It then preened and sang as if to make sure we all got a good look.
The next morning (June 17) we were up early and headed back to Allen Williams’ place to try for the Blue Mockingbird. After a couple of hours we decided to give the bird just five more minutes before heading on up the Rio Grande Valley. We had just made that decision when the mocker gave us all a great but brief look – working its way through the trees in front of us. This is a truly beautiful bird. We thanked Allen again and headed up the Rio Grande. While driving up Rt. 83 we had a pair of Muscovy Ducks fly in front of us and toward the river. We checked the field guides to make sure, but these birds are not hard to identify. Out first stop was the El Rio RV Park at Chapeno where we found our first Brown Jays along with a number of Green Jays. We looked hard for the Red-billed Pigeon along the river but would not find one on this trip. At Falcon Dam State Park we found good numbers of Pyrrhuloxia singing in the park. From there we visited Joel Ruiz’s Bird Sanctuary at San Ygnacio. There we found the Audubon’s and Hooded Orioles, a single female White-collared Seedeater, and many other species. After a nice Italian dinner in Laredo we made the long drive to Uvalde, TX to put us near Lost Maples State Park on the Edwards Plateau.
The next morning (June 18) we drove to Lost Maples State Park. Michelle, our raptor and warbler expert, spotted a Zone-tailed Hawk flying with a group of Turkey Vultures. The six-mile East Trail is the best loop for spotting both the Golden-cheeked Warbler and the Black-capped Vireo. We heard several Vireos singing along the ridges but it took quite a while for us to finally get a good look at the field marks on the Blacked-capped – a very easy vireo to identify. We had much more trouble finding the Golden-cheeked Warbler and finally found a pair of juvenile birds with only a mile or so left in our hike. We had hoped for a male in breeding plumage but it was not to be on this day. During the hike we enjoyed many of the same birds we find in the mountains of SW Virginia including Carolina Chickadee, Black-and-white Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Cooper’s Hawk, Yellow-throated Vireo, Acadian Flycatcher, Carolina Wren, and others. The park is a beautiful area and it was nice to get back into an area with some terrain. After hiking in the park we made the long drive to Fort Stockton, TX for our next day’s hike in Big Bend National Park.
We were up early the next morning (June 19) and made the 120-mile drive to Big Bend National Park. On the drive in we made several stops along the way and managed to find a couple new birds – a singing Cassin’s Sparrow and several Scaled Quail. We stopped at a Prairie Dog colony and spotted a Burrowing Owl while watching the Prairie Dogs through the scope. At the park Visitor Center we found several Cactus Wrens. We then drove into the Basin area of the park for lunch at the lodge. In the bushes around the lodge we found several Canyon Towhee – apparently very used to people. After lunch (about 12:30) we started out on the 10-mile Colima Loop trail. Our quest was to find the elusive Colima Warbler. We spotted a Scott’s Oriole, several Spotted Towhees, Black-headed and Blue Grosbeak, Mexican Jay, Varied Bunting, Lark and Rufous-crowned Sparrows, a female Black-chinned Hummer, and several more Canyon Towhees on the hike up the canyon. Near the top, close to Laguna Meadows, we found our first Colima Warbler of the hike. At the entrance to Laguna Meadows, Michelle spotted a hummingbird and identified it as a Broad-tailed Hummer. This bird was more interested in defending his territory from a rival male than our presence and allowed us looks as close as 10 feet. We picked up two more life birds on the hike when a Cordilleran Flycatcher and a Bushtit both gave us good looks. We had a strange bird fly by us where the Pinnacles Trail and the Boot Spring trail meet on the ridge. It sure looked like an Eared Quetzal (Trogon) to me but I was told by a local birder that it was probably just a Band-tailed Pigeon. I’m waiting to see if anyone reports an Eared Quetzal this year at Big Bend before I call this bird a pigeon. We camped that night at Big Bend.
Early the next morning (June 20) as we were having breakfast a White-winged Dove flew into camp and landed on a rock about 15 feet from us. It then proceeded to walk right up to us in our camp chairs and begin taking morsels of granola bar from my hand. I could not resist feeding the bird a few crumbs from my hand while I got an amazing look at just how beautiful this bird really is. Michelle and I then headed to the Rio Grande Village section of the park where a Common Black-Hawk is nesting. As soon as we arrived at the area marked on my map by a park ranger we found the Black-Hawk working his way from limb to limb and showing that broad white band in his tail. We got great looks as he perched on dead limbs near the road. We also looked for a Crissal Thrasher that had been seen at this location but could not find him. We did find Verdin, Black-tailed Gnatcatchers, Black Phoebe, Black-throated Sparrow, Vermilion Flycatchers, and other great birds along the river and marshes. After temperatures climbed into the nineties, we decided it was time to head back to the mountains of Virginia. The drive home was 1,800 miles and completed in just two days. It is amazing how far you can push yourself when it comes to getting home. Overall we covered some 5,077 miles, added over 50 life birds to our ABA list, saw some great territory, fed many hungry mosquitoes, and finally got to bird one of the best birding areas in the country.
Ed Talbott and Michelle Justus
Grundy, Virginia
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