South and West Texas Trip ~ May 1, 1991

Early morning, we parked at the spillway at Falcon Dam and started hiking down to the famous Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl spot. Our Canadian buddies happened to catch up with us on the way down to the old Scout camp. They showed us where a lucky birder found the owl a few days before. Then, Babe took us to where she had seen it a few years before. On the way, we found a very accommodating male Audubon's Oriole singing from a treetop. It was Babe's 600th 'life bird'. A long period of searching and waiting turned up some 'pellets' and 'whitewash' but no owl. Babe had two large bees buzzing around her and, because African Killer Bees are becoming more common in the Rio Grande Valley, we didn't stay in one spot too long. The bad thing about these bees is that when an intruder gets too close to a hive, they attack in swarms instead of in small numbers like most of our bees. While in the area, we did find Groove-billed Anis, an Altamira Oriole's nest, and a Long-billed Thrasher. On the way back to the spillway, I heard a screaming call like one that I remembered studying on the tapes at home before I left. After some searching, the calls led us to a flock of Brown Jays! I got great looks at an immature with its yellow bill and long tail.

Brown Jay below Falcon Dam, Texas.

We left Falcon Dam and motored northwestward to San Ygancio. About three miles past the town, we pulled into a roadside picnic area with a sign proclaiming, "Watch for Poisonous Snakes!" Following the helpful directions of our Canadian friends, I walked down the trail from the shelter to the bluff overlooking the Rio Grande River. I faced in the 10 o'clock direction and looked for a small dead tree in the canebrakes. It was in that tree that the Canadians had seen one of our Texas target birds. The amazing part came when I looked into that very same tree and found the same male White-collared Seadeater singing his song. Further observation produced the female Seedeater and more Groove-billed Anis. Totally shocked by the ease of finding this rarity, we watched them until we had our fill.

The Rio Grande River near San Ygnacio, Texas. The canebrakes at the lower left held a pair of White-collared Seadeaters.

Back on Route 83, we passed through Laredo and headed for Del Rio. Along the way, we stopped at a small waterhole that held about 30 White-faced Ibis. We also got nice looks at Lark Sparrow, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Great Kiskadee, and males of both Painted Bunting and Vermilion Flycatcher---two of the most brilliantly-colored birds that were only a few feet apart.

Vermilion Flycatcher between Laredo and Del Rio, Texas.

Crested Caracara and Swainson's and Harris's Hawk were also seen on the way to Del Rio. At Del Rio, we checked into the Motel 6 and then drove over to Vega Verde, a large pond where Olivaceous Cormorants were supposed to be but weren't.

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