RBA Lower Rio Grande Valley Rare Bird Alert, July 9 2009

[Mary Gustafson-2]

RBA
.
* Texas
* Lower Rio Grande Valley
* July 9, 2009
.
+ (Details requested by TBRC - Mark.Lockwood AT tpwd.state.tx.us)
.
Our rare bird alert includes recent reports of...
.
+Masked Duck (no recent sightings)
Yellow-green Vireo
Mangrove Warbler
.
hotline: Texas Parks and Wildlife - Lower Rio Grande Valley Birding
Hotline number: [phone]
to report: rgvbirds AT hotmail.com (preferred) or [phone] option
3
compilers: Mary Gustafson (Rio Grande Joint Venture) and Jennifer Owen
(Estero Llano Grande State Park).
We're also on the web at http://www.rgvbirds.blogspot.com!
.
- Transcript
.
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!
.
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.
.
Birding site closures: Frontera Audubon Sanctuary is
closed on Sundays, Quinta Mazatlan is closed on Sunday and Monday,
and Valley Nature Center is closed Sunday morning and Monday.
Audubon's Sabal Palm Sanctuary is closed, access is restricted to
pre-arranged groups until October 15.
.
Shorebirds are in good numbers very early this year.
.
The RGV Report, generally from E to W.
.
Mangrove Warblers are a well-marked subspecies of Yellow Warbler that
may be distinct enough to warrant full species status.  For more
information on seeing Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler contact the Sealife
Center at [phone].
.
Magnificent Frigatebirds are seen almost daily near South Padre Island.
.
At Laguna Atascosa, the trail out to Alligator Pond has reopened.  This
is the site where two female-plumaged Masked Ducks were present through
May 30, when the trail was closed.  Please report any sightings of
these birds, as Masked Duck are TBRC Review Species.
.
A Yellow-green Vireo has returned to a Brownsville neighborhood for the
sixth year.  From Boca Chica Blvd. (Rte 4) between Billy Mitchell Blvd.
and Clubhouse Rd. take E. Cowan Terrace north to Heather Lane through
at least June 16. The Yellow-green Vireo's territory is centered on
this intersection.  Please, be considerate when birding in residential
neighborhoods.
.
A Wood Thrush was in Edinburg through June 21.
.
A Hook-billed Kite was near Pintail Lakes at Santa Ana NWR on May 28.
A Yellow-green Vireo was singing from the levee road east of the main
road on June 16 and continued in the Pintail Lakes area June 24. Three
Purple Gallinules were also present.
.
At Bentsen RGV State Park, a Peregrine Falcon was seen over the park on
June 26 and 27.
.
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 area of Quinta Mazatlan, Valley
Nature Center and Estero Llano Grande State Park.  Green Parakeets
are readily seen at Quinta Mazatalan, near the Weslaco parakeets, and
hundreds
often stage before going to roost in McAllen on North 10th Street
between Violet and Dove in the evening.  Both Green Parakeet and
Red-crowned Parrot have been seen in Harlingen (near Pendleton Park),
Pharr (sometimes at Allen Williams residence on Sam Houston), and
Brownsville.
.
At Salineno, Red-billed Pigeon and Muscovy Duck are reported
present along the river near Salineno.
.
Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls are at San Miguelito Ranch about 10 miles north
of Raymondville. 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
(Norias Division) and often at El Canelo (no recent news).  They 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.
.
A singing White-collared Seedeater was seen at the San Ygnacio
County Park/Seedeater Sanctuary, Zapata, down the slope at the end
of Washington Ave.
.
The Wikibird guide provides birding site information for the Rio Grande
Valley at http://wikibird.org/wiki/Rio_Grande_Valley_birding_guide
.
Thanks to Tim Whitehouse for this great service!  Many RGV specialties
like Clay-colored Thrush are covered in the RGV recent sightings
information in greater detail than we can cover in the hotline.
.
Please report sightings to rgvbirdsAThotmail.com (Replace AT with  AT )
or
[phone] option 3. Thanks to everyone who reported their
sightings to Texbirds or the compilers.





John Yochum

Park Ranger IV

Estero Llano Grande State Park

Weslaco TX

956-565-3919



Sundays, Amazing Alligators Walk  2-3pm

Wednesdays, Bird Walk 8:30am

Thursdays, Junior Ranger Program 9-11am

Fridays, Butterfly/Dragonfly Walk 1:30pm

Saturdays, Why Go Birding? 9am



Full Moon Parties 8-10pm  July 7, Aug 5, Sep 4...

Family Camp-outs July 10-11, Aug 7-8






TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at:
http://moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds