We decided that today was the best day we have had in ages to do some birding. This winter season has been difficult for many because instead of having just one nasty day and back to good weather, we've had lots of nasty days and few good ones.
The winds were pretty high today but the air was nice and warm so we decided we had better do it while the getting was good.
Our first stop as at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco which isn't really very far from our place. It is right on the road into Nuevo Progreso, Mexico.
This is a map of the park. Since we became Texas citizens only a short while ago, we were able to pick up our State Park cards which give us reduced rates in all the Texas State Parks. That will sure come in handy for other birding ventures!
This was a list of what the early risers today have seen thus far at the park.
Golden Fronted Woodpecker
There are loads of trails in this park and we did a bunch of the walks today. The bird above though was right outside the door of the Visitor Center.
There is a nice deck right outside the Visitor Center and the next few pictures were taken from this deck.
White-faced Ibis
Redhead
Redhead
Turtles sunning themselves
American Coot
Great Scaup
Northern Shoveler
White-faced Ibis and a Snowy Egret
White-faced Ibis
I know the face isn't white anywhere but apparently it is only white at a certain part of the year. We were told that this actually could be a glossy ibis that got detoured by hurricane winds but that most probably it was a white-faced ibis
We left the deck and started walking around the park so here are a few scenes that we encountered along the way.
The funniest thing that happened today is that we were sitting at a pavillion and I thought I saw a large bird but it ended up to be a large part of a trunk of a tree. While we and another couple sitting by us were trying to figure out what it was, Lee took a close up and we decided it was a log. While we were talking, we found out that the couple was from Quebec, Canada. They spoke fairly well in English too. They came over to stay here for a month but ended up being here almost three because he slipped and fell on the ice and hurt his shoulder and his leg. I thought he MUST have meant that he fell in Canada but NO! We had the one day where we had a bit of snow on the ground. Well, he didn't think anything about it and went out his camper and slipped on the ice going down his steps. He said he was never going to live it down. He had only been in the park for one month and everyone knew who he was! Anyway, it sure messed up their vacation because they were going to head to Utah to check out some of the National Parks. It was fun talking to the both of them. Oh, and they were staying in an Encore Park in Harlingen.
Snowy Egret
Someone has a huge nest in this tree
When it isn't windy, these ponds will be full of ducks, etc.
White Ibis
A funny look at some Northern Shovelers
Black-Crowned Night Heron
We were on our way to Alligator Pond when we came across a mass of Black-crowned Night Herons. I did get a couple of pictures of them before but never have we seen sooooo many of them. You could see their white breasts and the white area on the top of their crowns all over the place in this area. It was awesome.
Great Egret
White Ibis
Night Herons are everywhere you look!
Black-Crested Night Heron
Anhinga in the middle
The last few times we were here it wasn't so windy and we would see the Anhingas with their large wings unfolded drying them. But none of them were anxious to do that today.
Anhinga
Pauraque - very hard to spot as they blend so well with their surroundings. They sleep during the day.
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Another Paraque facing the other direction
Did you find them? This was the first time we saw a sign announcing where they were. The first time we saw them, I just looked down and thought something didn't look right and figured out that it was a bird among the leaves. I don't know why they aren't eaten by coyotes or something because people were chattering above them in some areas and they just kept sleeping!
Can you see the Alligator?
Here is another one!
Texas Mountain Laurel
We were heading back from Alligator Pond and saw more turtles sunning themselves.
The bird list had gotten a bit longer when we returned,
Gadwalls
Chachalaca
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