Fallout!!

On Thursday ,April 27th, down in Texas we traveled to Delta Lake near Monte Alto, TX.

Right away we spotted a Great Kistadee perched on the railing. Beyond the railing was some water that some Black-necked Stilts were enjoying the day. Also some Blue-winged Teals were searching for food.

Going deeper into the park we found a lot of swallows but could not see any Bank Swallows. (The only swallow we need, as a lifer.) Arriving in the back of the park we saw some birds up in the trees and got out to investigate. We found a Magnolia Warbler and Black-throated Green Warbler. We also saw a few flycatchers that turned out to be Western Wood-Pewees.

Great Kistadee in nest

We were about to leave when we caught sight of a Great Kistadees nest. The pair was watching the nest and came in and feed chicks or checked on the eggs, couldn't tell if there were chicks in there or not.

After leaving there we headed for Edinburg World Bird Center. There we saw Long-billed Thrasher, Least 

Grebe (LIFER), Fulvous Whistling-Ducks (LIFER), and a White-eyed Vireo (LIFER) fledgling!

Long-billed Thrasher

It was there that the naturalist on site told us about the FALLOUT that was happening at South Padre Island. Before leaving a couple told us about the fallout also and said the trees were so orange with all the orioles, and they needed oranges!

Are you serious! Wow!

Hooded Warbler

We rushed right over there! Picked a few bags of oranges along the way! It was raining when we arrived, so we put on our ponchos. LOL the ponchos are huge!

Chestnut-sided Wabler

We got there around 4pm and cut up a bag of oranges and set them out for the birds.

Ovenbird

Right away we spotted Gray Catbird, Painted Buntings, and Baltimore Orioles. The orioles were everywhere! We walked over to the trees and saw tons of warblers; they were crawling on the tree branches! The poor little wet things looked so tired.

Prothonotary Warbler

Here is a list of Warblers

Nashville Mangolia  LIFER

Hooded LIFER

Swainson’s LIFER

Canada LIFER

Kentucky LIFER

Golden-winged LIFER

Cerlean LIFER

Overbird LIFER

American Redstart

Black-and-white

Blackpoll

Blackburnian

Chestnut-sided 

Northern Parula 

Palm 

Yellow Warbler

Prothonotary 

Tennessee

Yellow 

Northern Waterthrush 

Common Yellowthroat

Painted Bunting

Gray-cheeked Thrush

 Thrushes

Gray-cheeked 

Veery 

Wood

Hermit All Lifers! 

Swainson’s

Wood Thrush

Orioles

Baltimore 

Orchard

Baltimore Orioles

Water Birds

Tri-colored Heron

Green Heron 

Least Bittern 

American Bittern 

Black-crowned Night-Heron 

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 

Long-billed Dowitcher, 

Roseatte Spoonbill 

Double-crested Cormorant 

Least Sandpiper 

American Golden-Plover 

Black-bellied Plover 

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 

Black-necked Stilt 

Least Bittern

Fulvous Whistling-Duck 

Greater Yellowlegs 

Pectoral Sandpiper 

Semipalmated Sandpiper 

Semipalmated Plover 

Tri-colored Heron 

Upland Sandpiper 

Western Sandpiper 

Glossy Ibis 

White Ibis 

Willet 

Great Blue Heron

American Bittern

American Golden-Plover

Flycatchers

Least Sandpiper

Acadian Flycatcher LIFER

Eastern Wood-Pewee 

Brown-crested Flycatcher 

Willow Flycatcher LIFER

Acadian Flycatcher

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Other Birds

Philadelphia Vireo 

Blue Grosbeak 

Bobolink 

Gray Catbird

Brown-headed Cowbird 

Great-tailed Grackle 

Indigo Bunting 

Lark Sparrow 

Fox Sparrow 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak 

Savannah Sparrow 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird 

Scarlet Tanager  LIFER

Summer Tanager 

Western Tanager 

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 

Yellow-billed Cuckoo 

Dickcissel

Willow Flycatcher

The birds were so tired you had to watch were you were walking, because they didn't want to move! We came back on Friday to the Island and there was a little less birds but mostly all still there, waiting for the wind to blow in the right direction

The fallout was an amazing experience; I think it was one of the best birding times we have encountered!

On Friday we went back to South Padre Island picked up a few more lifers listed above and in the morning we went to Salineno, TX down at the Rio Grande River. First of all I was freaked out by being so close to Mexico! But it turned out alright we didn't see anything illegal going on down there.

We were looking for Muscovy Ducks, Red-billed Pigeon, and Audubon's Oriole. Well we didn't see any of them... But we did see 21 species down there. Altimira Oriole, Great Kistadee, Mexican Mallard, Ringed Kingfisher, Green Kingfisher, Green Jay and Golden-fronted Woodpecker just to name a few.

On Thursday night we attended Night Walk at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. That lasted 2 hours and got us 3 more LIFERS~ Elf Owl, Common Paraque, and Bank Swallow.

Next blog coming up will be on Saturday(April 27th).