Brushline Road - Pyrrhuloxia & Other Song Birds

            January 28th the temperature was 34 degrees when we left Alamo heading north to Brushline Road northeast of Edinburg.  The windows were rolled down in front for sighting and it was freezing in the back. I checked the temp on the truck at I was right 30 degrees plus windchill. But we were soon rewarded by seeing Pyrrhuloxias in the high brush. The photos were all females or immatures which sort of cardinal look a like.  

Incomparison to the Pyrrhuloxia,   Cardinals ( Frontera)

  in Texas are much more vibrant than those in  Oakwood (MN)

 The Curved-billed Thrasher was in the undergrowth below the Pyrrhuloxia.

Sprague's Pipits (sparrow like bird) did a courtship flight from the ground to high in the air.  No Photographs but we chanced on another rare bird, the Green-tailed Towhee very high.

Vesper Sparrow 

 Savanah Sparrow, below Verdin and White-eyed Vireo

                                                  















                        Eastern  Phoebe  

                                                                                                               

Vermillion Flycatcher, 2 photos 

Mockingbird (pretending to be someone else) 

 

Two Kiskadees, more to come to the pair. 

Frontera Rare Birds and Birders

In the last weeks, Frontera was humming with birders and rare birds. I was lucky enough to see most of them. The Blue Bunting, the rarest of the birds seldom seen in the US drew hundreds of birders. I have spent 5 mornings there with the crowd and the chance to see rare and wonderful birds. Crimson Collared Grosbeak, Blackheaded Grosbeak, Painted Bunting and the Blue Bunting were all firsts for me. Paul and I were without cameras when the Crimson sat smackdab in front of us. The Blue Bunting was a fleeting sight so Frontera is now a regular haunt for Gunnar and I. We want our own photos of it.  

Photo by Michael Emenaker 

 Above:  Black-throated Green Warbler,    Below Tropical Parulas  

On January 26th, our Warbler Day with no camera day, we saw 10 warblers species. 

After the rain stopped and the warblers were actively feeding.  Good call Paul.

           After the news of the Blue Bunting, Frontera was a zoo, exciting but claustrophobic. 

                                  

                No sighting yet . . .   But that day, Carolee, Paul and I scored a Blue Bunting! Not everyone did. 

                              Black-headed Grosbeak (female)

Feeding Station Regulars  : Buff-belled Hummingbird, Gray Catbird, Clay-colored Thrush

 

                

 Altimara Oriole (immature)  Ovenbird, below

Virginia Rail Day at Estero Llano Grande

I had good intentions on going on the Butterfly Walk at Estero on Friday. But then word spread that it was a Rail Day instead. The group that were butterflying was too large for our liking and the thought of seeing a Virginia Rail to enticing.  Sue and I stayed on the boardwalk and NE edge of the pond by the visitor center waiting. Our patience paid off big time. Six Soras were coming in at out of the reeds as was the timid V Rail for 20 seconds. That was enough for a great look or photo op.

Sora, heard more often than seen. The rest of the photos are of the Virginia Rail.

Whistling Dixie Ducks at Frontera

Blackbelly Whistling Ducks are a South Texas specialty, meaning they are seen very few other locations in the US. They are not a delicacy as you see by the photos. First group of ducks are with a White Ibis and unfocused. Then the ducks get serious . . . 

That's all folks!

Northern Jacana Even Closer

Today I went again to Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge for the Northern Jacana.  This was our target bird for the last week.  Now we can let it rest, because it cooperated nicely.  Actually he disregarded us and came within 50 feet of Gunnar and I and a couple from Norman, OK. It was a grand morning of Jacanaing!

Check out his feet!  

A Lifer: The Northern Jacana at Santa Ana

The Northern Jacana is a rail usually seen in Mexico. It can walk on lily pads but in these ponds he was on the floating debris.  He has long light green legs and extremely long toes. This male juvenile was a rare site this far north so there was much excitement for the many birders who flood the valley are carry huge cameras. 

This Jacana has been in the Valley since November. It has been seen at Santa Ana since we have arrived last week. We saw this juvenile last week from afar but today. I got up early enough to see this targeted bird. The plan was to go with Laura who leads the bird walk. When too many non-birders gathered I decided it would not happen with such a large group.  I followed Javi to the third blind at Willow Lakes, no luck.   We went to the levee between Lake 3 and 4 and met 4 guys with big smiles on their faces. We were also smiling when this rail stayed long enough for photos. This male juvenile is molting and getting more color.  

This is last weeks attempt of seeing the Jacana. He was way across the pond, but we were happy to catch a peek. There island of reeds and vegetation in these small ponds.