RBA: Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley - October 22, 2009

[Mary Gustafson-2]

RBA
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* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* October 22, 2009
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+ (Details requested by TBRC - Mark.Lockwood AT tpwd.state.tx.us)
http://www.texasbirds.org/tbrc/reviewsp.htm lists Texas review species
http://www.texasbirds.org/tbrc/TBRCform.rtf suggests what to include in
details
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Our rare bird alert this week includes...
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Migration Update
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Bald Eagle
Hook-billed Kite
Mangrove [Yellow] Warbler
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Hotline Number: Texas Parks and Wildlife - Lower Rio Grande Valley
Birding Hotline number: [phone]
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To report: rgvbirds AT hotmail.com (preferred) or [phone] option
3
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- Transcript
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Thank you for calling the Lower Rio Grande Valley Birding Hotline
sponsored by Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas Parks and Wildlife,
and the World Birding Center. This hotline is normally updated Thursdays by 5 PM. Please send observations to Texbirds or to the hotline email address. Thank you to those who sent reports!
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This is a general reminder that tapes are not allowed in Texas State Parks and many LRGV birding sites. All State Park visitors must stay on trails. Thank you for not disturbing the wildlife or damaging the vegetation.
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Birding site closures:
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Frontera Audubon Sanctuary in Weslaco *REVISED* is now closed on Sunday morning, Monday and Tuesday without a prior appointment.  
Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen is closed on Sunday and Monday;
Valley Nature Center in Weslaco is closed Sunday mornings and Mondays.
Audubon's Sabal Palm Sanctuary is closed-- *REVISED* - access is restricted to pre-arranged groups until further notice. Audubon is working towards a re-opening early in 2010.  Watch their website for additional information.
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Migration continues with some large movements of Turkey Vultures with some Broad-winged and Swainson’s Hawks behind the fronts over the weekend.  Winter residents are arriving with numbers of Orange-crowned, Nashville, and Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warblers appearing across the area.  Mourning Warblers continued in small numbers through at least the weekend.  Yellow-throated Warblers were found at Anzalduas County Park.  Ruby-throated Hummingbirds continue in good numbers across the area.  
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At Lake Tiocano near La Feria, White-fronted Geese were resting on October 21.  Also present were a variety of shorebirds, egrets, herons, and Roseate Spoonbills.  
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At Estero Llano Grande State Park several Sora and single Virginia and King Rail are present.  Waterfowl are increasing in numbers.  
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A Northern Beardless Tyrannulet was found at Frontera Audubon Center in Weslaco on October 12. They are rare away from the Rio Grande in Hidalgo County.  Migrant warblers continue in good numbers at this site.
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Quinta Mazatlan has Clay-colored Thrushes, migrant warblers, and hummingbirds.  
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At Anzalduas County Park, five House Finches were present on October 18.  Most remarkable was an immature Bald Eagle the same date, seen flying over the levee.  
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At Bentsen Rio Grande State Park in Mission, a Green Kingfisher has been observed in the resaca at the Headquarters.  Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet can be found within the park, and Gray Hawks are present and vocal.   A Chuck-will’s Widow was seen (but not heard) on October 15.  Barn Swallows in numbers that darkened the sky were present the evening of October 17.  While numbers continue, some biologists estimated a million birds were present on October 17.
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Mangrove Warbler, a well-marked subspecies of Yellow Warbler that may be distinct enough to warrant full species status, can be seen by contacting the Sealife Center at [phone].
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Red-crowned Parrots wander widely to feed and to roost and are not always easy to find in the summer, as their locations are more unpredictable. They are most often seen in flight. Red-crowned Parrots are sometimes seen in the areas of Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen, and Valley Nature Center in Weslaco.
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Green Parakeets are readily seen at Quinta Mazatlan, in the vicinity of Oklahoma Street in Weslaco, and hundreds often stage before going to roost in McAllen on North 10th Street between Violet and Dove in the evening. Both Green Parakeets and Red-crowned Parrots have been seen in Harlingen (near Pendleton Park), Pharr (sometimes at Allen Williams residence on Sam Houston), and Brownsville near Fort Brown.
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Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are also heard (and rarely seen) at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park in the pre-dawn hours. Remember, the use of tapes is not allowed at Bentsen or many LRGV sites. Always ask before using tapes.Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are at San Miguelito Ranch about 10 miles north of Raymondville, easiest seen February through May. There is a fee to access this site, and prior arrangements are required (Leticia Tijerina, 956-369-3118 or buny55ATaol.com). Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are found on the King Ranch and often at El Canelo, as well.
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Salineno is the the traditional site for seeing Red-billed Pigeons and Muscovy Ducks (both present in early October).
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White-collared Seedeater can be found the San Ygnacio County Park/Seedeater Sanctuary at the south end of 9th Street and Laredo.
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The Wikibird guide provides birding site information for the Rio Grande Valley at http://wikibird.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_Valley_birding_guide 
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Thanks to Tim Whitehouse for this great service!
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Please report sightings to rgvbirdsAThotmail.com (Replace AT with @) or [phone] option 3. Thanks to everyone who reported their sightings to Texbirds or the compilers.
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Mary Gustafson
Mission, Texas