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Posted by Jeff Weber on 13:29:59 05/02/06
Birding with VENT last week in South Texas yielded most of the expected specialties, plus a mini-fallout at South Padre Island.
The specialties included: Muscovy Duck (the real one), Altamira Oriole, Hook-Billed Kite, Green Jay, Brown Jay, White-Collared Seedeater, Hooded Oriole, Clay-Colored Robin, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Tropical Parula, Gray-Crowned Yellowthroat, Least Grebe, Groove-Billed Ani, Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl, Green Parakeet, Red-Crowned Parrot, Tamaulipas Crow, Chihuahuan Raven, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Curved-Billed Thrasher, Boteri's Sparrow, Bronzed Cowbird, and White-Tailed, Gray and Harris' Hawks.
The causeway to Padre at Port Isabel had large numbers of waders, including many of Roseate Spoonbills and more Reddish Egrets than I have ever seen anywhere (There were 19 in one spot, both white and dark morph). A momentary look away from the water turned up one of the reintroduced Aplomado Falcons feeding on a dove. Terns were many and varied: Common, Royal, Caspian, Sandwich, Forster's, Least and Gull-Billed. Franklin's Gulls were migrating through, and many had the strong pink wash of breeding season on the belly.
Warblers coming off the Gulf filled the few trees at the South Padre Island Convention Center, the best being Chestnut-Sided (killer looks at arm's length), Golden-Winged, Wilson's, and Mourning. There were 17 species in all, with Yellow Warbler being the most numerous.
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