Southern Texas Trip- February 2015

I visited southern Texas, flying into and departing from Brownsville, from February 14 to the 21st.  The trip was enjoyable for both the wildlife observed and the wonderful hospitality and support I received from almost every location I visited or stayed.  During my visit I visited the following sites: Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Estero Llano Grande State Park, Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park, Resaca de la Palma State Park, Falcon State Park, Laguna Atascosa NWR, Santa Ana NWR, Bahia Grande NWR (part of Laguna Atascosa), Salineno Feeding Station and roads in Hidalgo and Starr Counties. Photographs of some of the birds and other wildlife photographed are as follows:

Black-bellied Whistling Duck in Brownsville, Texas

Black-bellied Whistling Duck in Brownsville, Texas

Mottled Duck from southern Texas

Mottled Duck from southern Texas

Cinnamon Teal @ Estero Llanno State Park, Texas

Cinnamon Teal @ Estero Llanno State Park, Texas

Plain Chachalaca @ Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas

Plain Chachalaca @ Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas

Least Grebe @ Sabel Palm Sanctuary, Texas

Least Grebe @ Sabel Palm Sanctuary, Texas

Least Grebe @ Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Least Grebe @ Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Anhinga in Brownsville, Texas

Anhinga in Brownsville, Texas

Neotropical Cormorant, Brownsville, Texas

Neotropical Cormorant, Brownsville, Texas

Reddish Egret @ Padre Island, Texas

Reddish Egret @ Padre Island, Texas

Reddish Egrets foraging @ Bahia Grande, Texas

Reddish Egrets foraging @ Bahia Grande, Texas

White Ibis in southern Texas

Immature White Ibis in southern Texas

White-faced Ibis @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

White-faced Ibis @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

White-faced Ibis @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

White-faced Ibis @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Roseate Spoonbill in southern Texas

Roseate Spoonbill in southern Texas

Northern Harrier @ Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas

Northern Harrier @ Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas

White-tailed Kite in southern Texas

White-tailed Kite in southern Texas

White-tailed Kite in southern Texas

White-tailed Kite in southern Texas

White-tailed Hawk in southern Texas

White-tailed Hawk in southern Texas

White-tailed Hawk in southern Texas (juvenile)

White-tailed Hawk in southern Texas (juvenile)

Red-tailed Hawk from southern Texas

Red-tailed Hawk from southern Texas

 

Western Red-tailed Hawk- intermediate morph from southern Texas

Western Red-tailed Hawk- intermediate morph from southern Texas

Harris's Hawk in southern Texas

Harris’s Hawk in southern Texas

Harris's Hawk in southern Texas

Harris’s Hawk in southern Texas (juv.)

Harris's Hawk (juv.) in southern Texas

Harris’s Hawk (juv.) in southern Texas

Ferruginous Hawk from southern Texas

Ferruginous Hawk from southern Texas

Ferruginous Hawk from southern Texas

Ferruginous Hawk from southern Texas

Ferruginous Hawk from southern Texas

Ferruginous Hawk from southern Texas

Sandhill Crane in southern Texas

Sandhill Crane in southern Texas

Sandhill Cranes in Hidalgo County, Texas

Sandhill Cranes in Hidalgo County, Texas

Long-billed Curlew in southern Texas

Long-billed Curlew in southern Texas

Long-billed Curlew in southern Texas

Long-billed Curlew in southern Texas

Flock of Long-billed Curlew in southern Texas

Flock of Long-billed Curlew in southern Texas

Inca Dove @ Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Inca Dove @ Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

White-tipped Dove in southern Texas

White-tipped Dove in southern Texas

Common Ground-Dove at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Common Ground-Dove at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Great Horned Owl on nest at Sabel Palm Sanctuary, Texas

Great Horned Owl on nest at Sabel Palm Sanctuary, Texas

One of three Common Pauraque at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

One of three Common Pauraque at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

One of three Common Pauraque at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

One of three Common Pauraque at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Buff-bellied Hummingbird @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Buff-bellied Hummingbird @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Ringed Kingfisher from Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas

Ringed Kingfisher from Estero Llano Grande State Park, Texas

Golden-fronted Woodpecker @ Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Golden-fronted Woodpecker @ Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (female) in southern Texas

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (female) in southern Texas

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (male) @ southern Texas

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (male) @ southern Texas

Crested Caracara in southern Texas

Crested Caracara in southern Texas

Crested Caracara in southern Texas

Crested Caracara in southern Texas

Crested Caracara in southern Texas

Crested Caracara in southern Texas

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Crested Caracara putting on show in Hidalgo County, Texas

Crested Caracara putting on show in Hidalgo County, Texas

Great Kiskadee in southern Texas

Great Kiskadee in southern Texas

Tropical Kingbird in southern Texas

Tropical Kingbird in southern Texas

Couch's Kingbird in southern Texas

Couch’s Kingbird in southern Texas

Couch's Kingbird in southern Texas

Couch’s Kingbird in southern Texas

Brown-crested Flycatcher in southern Texas

Brown-crested Flycatcher in southern Texas

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Vermillion Flycatcher @ Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Vermillion Flycatcher @ Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Vermillion Flycatcher in southern Texas

Vermillion Flycatcher in southern Texas

Green Jay in southern Texas

Green Jay in southern Texas

Green Jay in southern Texas

Green Jay in southern Texas

Chihuahuan Raven in southern Texas

Chihuahuan Raven in southern Texas

Cave Swallow @ Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Cave Swallow @ Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Cave Swallow at Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Cave Swallow at Santa Ana NWR, Texas

Black-crested Titmouse in southern Texas

Black-crested Titmouse in southern Texas

Verdin in southern Texas

Verdin in southern Texas

Cactus Wren in southern Texas

Cactus Wren in southern Texas

Clay-colored Thrush @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Clay-colored Thrush @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

White-throated Thrush at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

White-throated Thrush at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

White-throated Thrush @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

White-throated Thrush @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

 

Long-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Long-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Long-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Long-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Curved-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Curved-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Curve-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Curve-billed Thrasher in southern Texas

Gray-crowned Yellowthroat in Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Gray-crowned Yellowthroat in Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Gray-crowned Yellowthroat at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Gray-crowned Yellowthroat at Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Olive Sparrow in southern Texas

Olive Sparrow in southern Texas

Olive Sparrow in southern Texas

Olive Sparrow in southern Texas

Olive Sparrow in southern Texas

Olive Sparrow in southern Texas

Lark Bunting in southern Texas

Lark Bunting in southern Texas

Lark Buntings in Hidalgo County, Texas

Lark Buntings in Hidalgo County, Texas

I found the below female Blue Bunting at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park.  My observation was just beyond the entry dike on the right side.

Blue Bunting (female) at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Blue Bunting (female) at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Blue Bunting (female) at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Blue Bunting (female) at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Blue Bunting (female) at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Blue Bunting (female) at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Hooded Oriole in southern Texas

Hooded Oriole (female) in southern Texas

Hooded Oriole in southern Texas

Hooded Oriole (female) in southern Texas

Immature Hooded Oriole at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Immature Hooded Oriole at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Immature male Hooded Oriole in Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Immature male Hooded Oriole in Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park, Texas

Immature Hooded Oriole at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park Texas

Immature Hooded Oriole at Bentsen- Rio Grande State Park Texas

Altamira Oriole in southern Texas

Altamira Oriole in southern Texas

Altamira Oriole in southern Texas

Altamira Oriole in southern Texas

Altamira Oriole, 1st year, southern Texas

Altamira Oriole, 1st year, southern Texas

Audubon's Oriole in southern Texas

Audubon’s Oriole in southern Texas

Lesser Goldfinch in southern Texas

Lesser Goldfinch in southern Texas

There were also many non-birding moments which as always enhance the overall experience.

Alligator with young on South Padre Island, Texas

Alligator with young on South Padre Island, Texas

Alligator with young in southern Texas

Alligator with young in southern Texas

Texas Soft-shelled Turtle @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Texas Soft-shelled Turtle @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Red Saddlebags- Tramea onusta from southern Texas

Red Saddlebags- Tramea onusta from southern Texas

Variegated Meadowhawk-  Sympetrum corruptum- immature male from southern Texas

Variegated Meadowhawk- Sympetrum corruptum- immature male from southern Texas

Roseate Skimmer (female)- Orthemis ferruginea @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Roseate Skimmer (female)- Orthemis ferruginea @ Estero Llano State Park, Texas

Roseate Skimmer (female)- Orthemis ferruginea @ Estero Llana State Park, Texas

Roseate Skimmer (female)- Orthemis ferruginea @ Estero Llana State Park, Texas

Nysa Roadside-Skipper

Nysa Roadside-Skipper in Hidalgo County, Texas on February 19, 2015

Phaon Crescent

Phaon Crescent in Hidalgo County, Texas on February 19, 2015