Friday, April 23, 2010

Estero Llano Grande State park, Weslaco, TX

Howdee all,

Today Jeff and I spent the morning and early afternoon birding at Estero Llano Grande State park 

This is a very nice park..with the most wonderful birders who work here..
Huck, John and Kyle..always helpful..you can tell they love what they are doing!

I am combining some photos I took a few days ago with today's…

The below photo was not today..today was all gray..until the sun broke thru the clouds and then it was all HOT..

Estero_020

Black-bellied whistling duckEstero Llano_001 Estero_006

Roseate spoonbill..men in pink tights…with pink tutu

Estero LLano_001

Wood stork…men in gray tights..with white tutuEstero Llano_016 Estero Llano_017Black-necked stilt Estero Llano_007We were looking for the Phalarope..no luck today..Estero Llano_010The stilts are always fun to watch.. Estero Llano_011  We really wanted to see the Groove-billed Ani today..it would be a life bird for us…

So we went into the woods, where it had been seen

estero llano_027We didn't see it there…We decided to head for what used to be a camping area..to look for the Rose-throated Becard...

Another birder spotted the Becard…we had nice views but no camera shots..

Estero_008

While looking at the Becard..someone noticed the Ani fly by…

How exciting..two great birds in minutes…

Groove-billed Ani 

A life bird for us!Estero Llano_071 jeffs pics Estero_005Isn't it a strange looking bird? jeffs pics Estero_002A Rose-throated Grosbeak was also nearby..Estero Llano_073We had nice looks at a Common Pauraque

The photos below were of a bird we saw a few days previously…

This birds nests on the ground…and blends in very well..

I thought it was a piece of bark..Thanks Huck for showing us this very cool bird.jeffs pics santa ana benston_005

jeffs pics santa ana benston_001

It became very hot in the afternoon..

estero llano_001       I felt as though I was melting….birding with friends_034        Sunflowers are blooming here…Estero LLano_031Fulvous Whistling Ducks jeffs pics santa ana benston_009   Curve-billed ThrasherEstero Llano_075 Estero Llano_079  Great-tailed Grackle Estero LLano_016

Another great day of birding in Texas!

Birds of the Day

White- wing dove
Great-tail grackle
Mourning dove
Plain Chachalaca
White-tipped dove
Inca dove
Couchs kingbird
Tropical kingbird
Bronzed cowbird
Cardinal
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Golden-fronted woodpecker
Purple martin
Wood stork
Mockingbird
Stilt sandpiper
Black-neck stilt
Long-billed dowitcher
Black-bellied whistling duck
Blue-wing teal
Great egret
Semi-palmated sandpiper
Buff-bellied hummingbird
Ruddy duck
American avocet
Red-wing blackbird
Long-billed thrasher
Great kiskadee
Olive sparrow
Brown-crested flycatcher
Curve-billed thrasher
Cedar waxwings
Green jay
Starling
Groove-billed ani
Rose-breasted grosbeak
Indigo-bunting
Rose-throated becard
Baltimore oriole
Barn swallow
White-eyed vireo
Lesser goldfinch
Brown-headed cowbird
Gull-billed tern
Eastern Meadowlark
Mississippi kite
Pied bill grebe
Forsters tern
American coot
Least grebe
Fulvous whistling duck
Northern shoveler
Gadwall
Marsh wren
Common moorhen
Glossy ibis
Common yellowthroat
Green heron
White pelican
Tri-colored heron
Snowy egret
Scissortail flycatcher
Harris hawk
Eastern kingbird
Chipping sparrow
Roseate spoonbill
Common nighthawk
Killdeer
Clay colored robin
House sparrow
Common paroque

8 comments:

  1. Another great birding day, thanks for sharing Dawn, love your pics, especially the Ani, i have always wanted to see one, very cool looking bird i think

    dan

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great shot of those Fulvous Whistling Ducks. Such a cool bird and getting harder to find down there. Also, congrats on the Ani and the Becard!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I would love to be a stowaway Dawn. Your bird list, photos and adventures are awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  4. WOW!! I'm speechless with all that you saw over a few days..and of course very jealous! An Ani..how cool was that! Your photos are wonderful and I just love that blk necked Stilt and my oh my how colorful are those whistling ducks! Man, you found some great birds!

    ReplyDelete
  5. those twiggy legs look like a good breeze could snap them. That is some list you're amassing!

    I had no idea. . . it's a completely different world there, isn't it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Awesome bird list, Dawn! Looks like you and hour hubby are having a great time birding. I would love to see some of these birds. Great post.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That grooved bill Ani looks like it has an attitude. Another place that isn't far from my Mom's to check out. But in the winter, too hot now.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Howdee all,
    Jeff and I have just left High Island and are leaving TX., heading to NC. Done with intense birding for a while ..and more time to read blogs..one of my passions...cant wait to really catch up and see what i have been missing..
    thanks to all of you commenting.

    forestal
    The Anni is a very cool looking bird..prehistoric..

    ILBirder
    Thanks..We were lucky to see some many Fulvous..

    Debbie Miller @HooootOwl
    I do have a sofa bed..come join us sometime..You could get awesome photos! ones my baby camera cant get...

    Tina
    Howdee Tina..thanks..glad you enjoyed all these awesome birds..we had a blast in Texas.

    merrilymarylee
    Howdee u merry gal, yeah..those legs are so twiggy..it is a different birdie world here for sure..

    eileeninmd
    Thanks..we are having an awesome time..but alas I have been too tired after birding and posting to my blog..that i havent been able to keep up with blog reading..I sorta look forward to non-birding and reading my fav. blogs..dont tell anyone..hee hee

    Bird Girl
    Aww ..thanks..I wish you could paint..I would love a photo of that..go to school and learn will ya..hee hee
    You must come to Tx and bird some time.

    Gaelyn
    Yeah..you have a place to stay..u must check it out...so many nice places to visit!!

    ReplyDelete

ok what do you really think?????