Summer Tanager in a Muddle

      The Summer Tanager taking a bath in a muddy puddle was the highlight of my Butterfly Walk at Estero.  This poor bird's bath did not work out so well. She got muddier and muddier and looked frustrated. We were very entertained during the highest heat in humidity of the day.  "It's to dang hot!" May said and added, "I waited all winter to say that."  She is right, the weather was cool and rainy most of our time SRGV.  We hardly had more than two days of sunshine in a row. Fridays were not sunny or warm which is the best for finding butterflies, but I am grateful for the time with an interesting group of naturalists. Thank you Rick and May for hosting the Butterfly Walks and Dave for making it fun.

 

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

I have been hoping to see a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in the SRGV for the last 4 years.  This Flycatcher is common in the summer in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansan and Louisiana.  Well, summer came for me today!  As we left Estero the Scissor-tailed was just sitting there on the barbwire posing for us. 

  

 

A Clay-colored Thrush

         Most times when we see the clay-colored thrush, they are high in the trees or off at a distance. This Thrush was right on the ground and on the road in the Tropical Area at Estero.  Clay-coloreds really behavior as our familiar American Robin.  The last photo is the one I took months ago of the White-throated Thrush. It is still probably at Estero but seldom reported with no multi-sightings in one day. Last week as workers were removing fallen trees it was flushed for a moment.

 White-throated Thrush, you may see why it is difficult to distinguish one from the other.

Everything Green for St Patrick's Day at Estero

                                         

  Little Red-slider Turtle catching a little of the morning rays, not exactly sunshine.

           Three Green Herons let us a glimpse, but one stayed long enough for Gunnar to take a photo.                                   After they flew I spotted him in range across Alligator Lake.

                                                                                                     
                                                                                                        Green-winged Teal                                 

        

         



             Green backdrops for 

                Great Blue Heron
  
                the Showy Egrit

                             and 
            Black-Whistling Ducks.

This pair of Green Kingfishers photographed by the entrance.  

After(because) this photograph(er) the area was sealed off. 3/17/15

NOT MY PHOTO - taken by a invading photographer. 

Long-billed Thrasher Greetings at Estero

There three Thrashers in SRGV here is one the Long-billed Thrasher that inhabit Estereo Llando Grande State Park. One usually greets the visitors in the parking lot or on the walk way to the Visitor Center.  A long-billed thrasher can usually be seen in the Tropical Trail by the water feature. The song of this Thrasher is strong and melodious and I will miss it, but we have the Brown Thrasher in Southern Minnesota. 

Butterfly Walk at Estero Llando Grande

Every Friday or should I say, every fair weather Friday Estero Llando Grande has a schedule Butterfly Walk lead by Rick Snider, a very knowledgeable naturalist. There has been many Fridays this winter that have not been fit for butterflies, but not this Friday the 13th.  It started bad for me when I mistook a Novice for Dan Jones, a name I have heard dropped many times ID-ing birds and butterflies in the Valley.  I did make a lasting impression on the visitor but not on Dan Jones.  I included their photos at the end of this posting. As the temperature increased so did the butterflies, butterfliers, and the excitement. Thank you, Rick, May, Dave and Sue for creating the enthusiasm for our walks.The day was great fun and ended at the Blue Onion with my own Novice Butterflier. 

Gray Hairstreak

Mating White-checked Skipper

Fiery Skipper

Laviana Skipper

Southern Skipperling

Southern Dogface 

Phaon Crescent

                                         White-stripped Longtail (Skipper)

Mexican Blue-wing

 Gunnar took this photo of the group at its peak looking at the White-stripped Longtail.

Dave caught us scanning for butterflies. 

Nice Guy Novice from Nova Scotia

Then there was the bit about who was really the renown expert bird and butterflier of the South Rio Grande Valley and who was the first time butterflier and first year birder in the Valley.  Thanks Chuck for the confusion which turn out a great laugh on me.  Hope we can meet up with them again.

Dan Jones, Field Expert ID-er

Nicolas sharing photo of the Green Kingfisher with Nice Guy