On Monday we got an early start for Laguna Atascosa NWR. After much searching, the pair of Blue Buntings that were hanging around put on a great show for all to see. Several of the valley specialties were seen at the feeders and on the trails. The Bayside Wildlife Drive was closed, so after a stop at the Alligator pond we headed to the Boca Chica beach for some birding on the gulf, getting good looks at White-tailed Hawks along the way. We drove from one end of the beach to the other, seeing lots of Sanderlings and Ruddy Turnstones among other shorebirds, as well as a variety of terns. We then made a late afternoon visit to Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary and finished the day trying for Green Parakeets in Brownsville (but settling for Red-crowned Parrots).
Monday
Great-tailed Grackles
Parrots coming in to roost
Red-crowned Parrots
Watching the Blue Bunting at Laguna Atascosa
Blue Bunting female eating grass seed
Alligator pond at Laguna Atascosa
Alligator
Deer
White-tipped Dove
Green Jay with blackbirds
Texas Sage
Gaillardia
Verbena
Don at Laguna Atascosa
Sora Rail
Sora Rail
Tri-colored Heron
A female Great-tailed Grackle
Green Jay
Javelina with a feeder buddy
Blue-headed Vireo
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
A daycare center in Brownsville feeds ducks
White-tailed Kite.
White-tailed Hawk
Our caravan on the beach at Boca Chica
The group at Boca Chica
Don Tan photographing the rest of us
The mouth of the Rio Grande
Adding to our Mexico lists
Scanning the Gulf
Ruddy Turnstone
Ruddy Turnstones
Sanderlings
Laughing Gulls
Mexican fisherman casting his net
Brown Pelican
White Pelicans
The Border Patrol thought the white vans were suspicious
Watching Terns
Forster’s Terns
Photographing at the Sabal Palm feeders
Feeder watching
Sabal Palms
Ringed Kingfisher
