Zone-tailed Hawks being seen again at Frontera Audubon Center

I hadn't been back to Frontera Audubon Center since it looked like the Zone-tailed Hawks would not be perching or roosting in same locations that could be shared with the many other birders who were interested in seeing them. I returned yesterday afternoon and was told that both the juvenile and adult Zone-tailed Hawks had been seen in the past week or so near the pond viewed from Audubon Frontera where I had photographed them previously. I found this juvenile Zone-tail perched in a tree on the other side of the pond from Frontera at 3:40 pm. Thanks to staff member on duty Chris Warren who was willing to stay past the 4 pm closing to accommodate viewing of the hawk by others who were there to look for it, a group of 9-10 birders (including several from England) were able to view, photograph and videotape this bird also.

Note: I believe there are likely two juvenile Zone-tailed Hawks frequenting Frontera Audubon as the photos I have taken do seem to show juveniles with significantly different appearing tail feathers. I do hope that birders will be cautious when viewing these birds so the juvenile does not stop using this area for perching and likely for roosting as it did for a period. Viewing and photographing should take place not in the open area but behind vegetation (that's where I got these photos) to reduce disturbance. SeEtta

Green Parakeets video: close to 500 birds stretch across the sky

Though I have seen the aggregation of Green Parakeets a couple of more times in McAllen, TX, the numbers have been reduced from the close to 500 I found last week. This was a video clip I hadn't had time to process but is different from the one below. This shows all of the parakeets flying together in a long loose line that stretched far across the sky. It provides some perspective on how large the number of birds were in this group. SeEtta

Rare Royal Tern flying Rio Grande River off Anzalduas

While I was at Anzalduas County Park today other birders pointed out this Royal Tern flying over the Rio Grande River. It was originally found before today but it flew by twice while I was there this afternoon. I was told that this species while common along the coast is quite rare inland. After flying around for awhile late this afternoon it landed and rested there for at least a half hour.

I checked the light organish color of it's bill and it is accurate for what I saw in the field. It is also about the same color as some of the excellent photos of this bird I found on the internet. The bottom pic shows field marks including the heavy bill, white forehead and crown; and narrow black band around back of head. SeEtta

Anzalduas Zone-tailed Hawk in flight

This is one of the pics I got during the second time I watched the Zone-tailed Hawk flew in at low altitude over Anzalduas County Park today. One of the wide white tail bands shows nicely in this pic. SeEtta

Zone-tailed Hawk flying close over Anzalduas Co. Park

Today while birding in an area of Anzalduas County Park with a lot of trees am adult Zone-tailed Hawk essentially strafed (like an airplane) the area coming down to just above the tree tops (less than 75 feet). I had a good look at it and saw 2 white bars on it's tail. I did not have my camera with me I didn't get a photo. I looked for another birder who had been looking for a Zone-tailed Hawk and we spent another hour or so looking for one. Finally this one was spotted by a third birder as it flew in across the Rio Grande River to just above the park and I got a few quick flight shots. This second observation today was almost as brief as the first as the hawk turned a few flight feathers and zipped right out of there. The pic in the post above is the best. SeEtta

Now Black Phoebe confirmed nesting-(in January??)

I returned to Anzalduas County Park today and watched this Black Phoebe repeatedly gather and carry nesting material to a suitable nest site. The bird would often spend 1 to several minutes in the nesting area which, as is often the case in my experience, is hidden from view. From what I found on the Texas Breeding Bird Survey online and local experts is very early for this area. SeEtta

Black Phoebe carrying nesting material @ Anzalduas Co.Park

While birding at Anzalduas County Park yesterday I observed that there were two Black Phoebes and that they perched and foraged in close proximity, a good indication they are a pair. I was only able to photograph one of them and both pics here are of the same phoebe. Later I observed on of them very closely as it flew into a tree about 15 feet above my head and it had nesting material in it's bill. Though this seems really early to me (as Colorado birds don't start until at least April) it would appear that nesting season is beginning for these Black Phoebes. SeEtta

Pine Warbler & Yellow-bellied Sapsucker @ Anzalduas

I am still recovering from the current nasty flu virus so I went to Anzalduas County Park this afternoon to do some light birding (mostly by car, limited forays on foot). Though a post on Texbirds noted a Zone-tailed Hawk was seen there this morning, I did not one--but I ain't going to complain as I have more than my share this trip. I did find the adult male Pine Warbler shown above (strange, it looks like it's legs are grayish and feet yellowish while adults of this species have black/dark legs???).

Also found a female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, an immature (limited red on head, facial markings not well developed, still has --Basic II plumage). SeEtta Post note 1-25-13: I have been advised that Pine Warblers are known to have yellowish feet in winter with a description of this in the Peterson field guide series book "Warblers."

Green Parakeets: video clip of several hundred in flight

This is a very brief (only 13 seconds) but cool video clip that shows several hundred Green Parakeets flying together. They make a number of synchronized turns, including one 180 degree turn that I follow so be prepared Good audio of their mass raucous calling. SeEtta

Green Parakeets--views of the more than 400 birds

It was so amazing to see so many Green Parakeets gathered on these utility lines I wanted to show their amazing numbers. These two pics show the numbers to the left and to the right of the same utility poll--I counted around 457 but many were clustered so close I likely missed some). Remember you get a closer view by double-clicking on a pic. (note: I will have more video clips, including them flying off in mass, later today) SeEtta

Green Parakeets: video clip of gathering at dusk

This brief video clip shows the large aggregation of Green Parakeets though several more groups flew in after I took this. But it does give a good idea of what so many raucous Green Parakeets look like spread across several layers of utility line and sound like (they drown out my voice and even most of the traffic sounds). Quite a spectacle and even a few locals noticed (I let them know these were Green Parakeets) and seemed to enjoy it. SeEtta

Green Parakeets: fussing and allopreening

These Green Parakeets really put on a show. Lots of fussing and feuding. And lots of allopreening, the mutual grooming that takes place in several species of birds. SeEtta

Green Parakeets, a Rio Grande Valley specialty

I love wild birds, rare or not-rare, I love them all (well, most all). Though I have seen wild parrots and parakeets a number of times during my trips to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (we have a Rio Grande Valley in Colorado too) I still get a kick out of seeing them. I realized today that my motel is only a few miles from where the Green Parakeets of McAllen are known to stage. And I found a bonanza of them. More above. SeEtta

Western Tanager, should be far down in Mexico

This female Western Tanager was one of the many interesting birds at and near the Warbler Rest Stop at the So. Padre Island Convention Center. This species winters from central Mexico down into Central America so this bird is a few hundred miles north of where it should be. This species comes through the Colorado city I live in during both spring and fall migration, and they nest just nearby. I was surprised how this bird was not shy, feeding and perching out in the open only 50 or so feet from birders. Very different from the Western Tanagers that skulk and hide during their migration in Colorado. SeEtta

Flammulated Owl: it's eye open a bit

As enjoyable as it is to see the Flammulated Owl with it's eye open some, I was happy it didn't stay open as it needs to sleep in the daytime so it can go hunting come dark. SeEtta

Flammulated Owl: better views

I went back to So Padre Island when the weather was at least better (warmer for me and some sun for photos) in hopes of better views. Thanks to Scarlet Colley, who has spent many hours hosting the birders who come to see it and making sure it does not get disturbed, the little owl is still being seen daily. The Flammulated Owl has been roosting in different locations every day in the Warbler Rest Stop habitat at the So. Padre Island Convention Center. The owl was much more visible today though it still had branches in front of it's face most of the time--but that is necessary for the owl to reduce it's visibility to predators so you just need to consider it a challenge to get the best photos possible.

I liked the close-up in the bottom pic as it shows the owl's bill nicely, with the nostrils (located in the cere) clearly seen. More pics above. SeEtta

This Zone-tailed Hawk is a juvenile

When I looked more closely with my spotting scope at this Zone-tailed Hawk at El Zacatel, I could see it was in juvenal plumage. The bottom pic shows the tail up close so the dark irregular bands on the dorsal (upper) surface are visible. And on the far left of the tail feathers is one tail feather showing the ventral (lower) surface that whitish with dark black bands (only 2 visible). Note the 2 wingtips that are showing below the tail feathers, another feature of this species is their wings being very long. Also note the jaggedness of the tail feathers--I also saw this on the juvenile I followed as it perched and roosted at Frontera Audubon. I suspect this is the same juvenile bird because this location is less than 10 miles from Frontera, well within range for foraging for such raptors, and the ragged tail feathers would be consistent.

The bottom pic (head is turned away from camera so viewing back of head) shows white on it's head, lots of white showing because the wind blew the feathers on it's head and nape apart. Researching this I found that Birds of North America online states that this species in juvenile plumage has "...white bases of feathers of at least part of head and upper body more or less exposed...." This bird clearly has a lot of head feathering that has a whitish base. Interestingly Raptors of Western North America says, "Head is black or has a variable amount of white mottling on the nape and hindneck." (p. 309)-I am not sure why there is this difference in these sources but this bird clearly has white bases to it's head feathers. SeEtta

Zone-tailed Hawk, perched in new location

Two days ago I drove by El Zacatel where a series of resacas provide excellent habitat for a good diversity of waterbirds, waterfowl and other species especially when there has been enough rain to fill them. Though some are dry now due to the drought there is still enough water to draw a lot of birds. Shortly after I arrived I spotted a hawk perched in a deciduous tree that looked very familiar--when I checked it with my binoculars I saw it was a Zone-tailed Hawk. Interestingly this location is about 10 miles from Frontera Audubon Center where I found and followed 2 Zone-tailed Hawks. Though not a known location where they are found as was Anzalduas County Park but it is only a few miles from the Rio Grande River and Mexico.

Clearly shown in both pics, the head and body are blackish. The bottom pic shows the white lores, black bill, and bright yellow cere as well as some of the umderside of the remiges that are gray with dark barring (the latter not well visualized). The top pic shows the white forehead and yellow legs. More in next post. Note: I did not post this until today as I wanted to check at sunset to see if this location might be a roosting site as I would not identify the location if it was since I do not want to risk disturbance after the experience I had with the juvenile Zone-tailed Hawk apparently abandoning the roost site. I did not want to be at this location the last two evenings as it had been misting/light raining and I didn't want to drive back on wet roads in the dark. I checked tonight and did not see the hawk there at nightfall. SeEtta

Juvenile Zone-tailed Hawk @ El Zacatel, TX

Short video clip of the juvenile Zone-tailed Hawk I spotted perched in a deciduous tree in the El Zacatel,TX area. The hawk demonstrates a high level of attentiveness to other birds/etc around it as it turns repeatedly to look around providing nice views of it's plumage and characteristics. Video can be enlarged to fit screen for close-up viewing by clicking on box in far bottom right above. More in posts above. SeEtta

Windows are a danger to birds: short video clip

(while this is a comic video clip, there is a serious problem with window strikes by birds so if real birds are hitting your windows go to ABC Bird Tape webpage to learn what you can do). SeEtta

Flammulated Owl, the view today

These pics show the view, albeit enlarged, that we had of the Flammulated Owl at the Warbler Rest Stop habitat next to the So. Padre Island Convention Center. It's eyes, usually closed that made it harder to discern, were only visible when the tree limbs and leaves moved away in the wind, and then quite briefly. I was unable to get a photo showing it's eyes. Though I could see it's toes, talons and some of it's feathers, most of the views were of a dark shape usually referred to as a blob. SeEtta

Flammulated Owk, bits and pieces

A rare Flammulated Owl was found by Larry and Vicki Kirby and Jim and Brenda Martin several days ago next to the Convention Center on So Padre Island. After not being seen a couple of days then seen yesterday afternoon then again this morning. I drove out there, arriving a little after 10:30 this morning and found a place to park my car only a few hundred yards away (there was this big market thing at Convention Center and hundreds of cars so some had to park a quarter mile away along the road outside the entrance). The wind was murderous, hard to stand in one area I had to walk through. Fortunately the owl had perched in a grove of trees in the Warbler Rest Stop habitat that was mostly sheltered from the winds so it was just cold and breezy (and gusty occasionally) while we watched. The owl was essentially embedded in a tree towards the back side away from the path so viewing consisted of seeing bits and pieces of the owl at one time and from one location.

So these pics show 2 views of pieces of the owl. The top pic gives a view of the owl's talons. What I found interesting in this photo and in my binocular views was that the owl usually had it's claws hung loosely over the branch on which it was perched while I only occasionally saw one or more claws gripping the branch. That surprised me as I would have thought it would be clinging tightly to the branch due to the strong winds that sometimes shook the branch the owl was perched upon.

I posted the bottom pic here as I think it shows the owl's small tail best. According to Owls.com it's tail is just 2 1/4 inches long. Since the owl is only about 6 inches in length, it's tail is 1/3 it's length. More pics above. SeEtta

Ringed Kingfisher, also at Anzalduas County Park

I also photographed this male Ringed Kingfisher at Anzalduas County Park today. Fortunately the sun had come out for awhile so some of the bird's feathers are highlighted, at least those parts not in the shade. There was also a Green Kingfisher that came fairly close but it cloudy at the time so I didn't even try to get a photo (these long telephotos need a lot of light). SeEtta

Another Zone-tailed Hawk: adult I spotted at Anzalduas

Since the rainy weather was ending at the west side of the Lower Rio Grande Valley this afternoon, I drove out to Anzalduas County Park. Since there had been a lot of rain the birds in the park were still in their cover so I scanned the trees on the other side of the Rio Grande River with my spotting scope. I soon spotted this Zone-tailed Hawk perched in a tree along the shore. It was pretty distant, about 600 feet across but I got good views in my spotting scope. I saw it's bright yellow cere, black head and body. When it turned to face in my direction I could see at least two white tail bands, one quite wide and one at end of tail. It is clearly an adult.
I expected the hawk as well as other birds of prey and vultures had soaked wings so I figured it would remain on the perch for awhile, especially since it continued to be cloudy and cool so it would take longer for the feathers to dry. So I called one birder who had previously emailed me asking me to call if I saw the Frontera Zone-tailed Hawk; unfortunately he was already driving home to San Antonio. I also posted the sighting on the Texbirds Facebook site in any of the many birders who were trying to see one of the Frontera hawks might check facebook and be close enough to come over. No one came but I did let a birding couple who drove by know and helped them see it. The hawk stayed on that perch from about 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. I wasn't sure if it's location was on land in Mexico or the U.S. so I walked over to some Border Patrol officers and they explained that that piece of land was in the U.S.

I included this not so good photo at the bottom because it shows an additional white tail band though I suspect it is still insufficient for identifying it's sex. SeEtta

Green Kingfisher: close views at Edinburg Wetlands

I really enjoy the Edinburg Wetlands and World Birding Center--it has fantastic native habitat and enjoyable birding. Sadly many birders miss out because they follow reports of rare birds and this lovely area doesn't get as many rarities as some other areas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. So they miss out on the intimate opportunities I had yesterday to view and photograph this Green Kingfisher up close.

Green (and other) Kingfishers usually avoid perching close to people and flush when people try to get close. This bird came in to the small 'Dragonfly Pond' at Edinburg Wetlands to fish. It perched as close as about 25 feet from me and stayed at various perches around me for more than 15 minutes providing wonderful views. Naturally it was overcast with drizzly clouds during that time so with my very long telephoto lens outfit (that needs a lot of light) I wasn't able to get the great photos this closeness could have provided to show off the wonderful colors of this male bird. I did try using flash on the bottom pic. As can be seen in changed the coloration (it's color appeared blue-green as in the top pic due to lighting conditions) and shows the flash reflection in it's eye--I am a fan of natural light and don't like flash photos for just these reasons (as well as it can disturb birds, though this one didn't seem to be effected). SeEtta

Adult Zone-tailed on roost early tonight

I got done with some things a little early so stopped at Frontera Audubon early tonight and found the adult Zone-tailed apparently already on it's roost. It was cloudy but since it was earlier there was more light for pics--good thing as I had to photograph the hawk from a more distant location (as on other occasions I could have gotten closer but did not want to risk disturbing it).

This is another location from where I found the adult Zone-tailed Hawk roosting last night so apparently it is not going to be possible to provide a roost location, especially one that is not going to disturb the roosting hawk, for the many other birders who are interested in seeing this rare hawk. I will discontinuing posting about sightings of this hawk on Texbirds sites. SeEtta

Common Pauraque, in the sun

Common Pauraques, in the same family of birds as the more well known Whip-poor-wills, are one of the specialty birds found in the United States only in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Since they are nocturnal, they are found roosting during the day and staff at Estero Llano Grande usually know where several are located. This is the first time I have been able to photograph them with some sunlight on them, providing much better photos than in their usual shady haunts. Though very cryptic plumaged I think they have beautiful patterns on their feathers. (Note: as with most of my photos I am using my very long telephoto lens combo. I was standing about 25 feet away. It is important to not disturb these roosting birds) SeEtta

Found the adult Zone-tailed Hawk on roost

After days of cloudy and frequently mist-rainy skies, the sun was out when I got to Frontera Audubon this morning so all the vultures and (presumably, as I saw no raptors perched in the trees) the Zone-tailed Hawk were up flying and searching for food. So I decided to return around 6 pm to see if I could find either the adult or juvenile on their evening roost.

When I returned I first spotted a Gray Hawk perched in a tree near Frontera Audubon Center, the first I have seen around there in the past 2 weeks. Then, just before 6:15 p.m. I spotted this adult Zone-tailed Hawk perched. I took photos and just watched the hawk for about 15 minutes until it was too dark to see it. It was very attentive as some vultures flew in nearby and turned it's head to watch them. I could still make out is silhouette when I left in full darkness. SeEtta

Zone-tailed Hawk, perched in the rain

I didn't get over to Frontera Audubon in Weslaco yesterday (Jan 3) because I was participating in the Bentsen Christmas Bird Count on the west side of the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Today it was raining but I thought I would give it a try since I expected that most hawks would be perching. Boy oh boy, almost all the vultures were perching and often hunched over so it made scanning them for the Zone-tailed Hawk more challenging. After looking unsuccessfully for about a half hour I left and drove over to Estero Llano Grande which is only about 5-10 minutes away. I returned to Frontera after I left Estero to do another check for one of the Zone-tailed Hawks. It only took a few minutes for me to spot it in a deciduous tree, one with lots of leaves so it was very difficult to see it's field marks and to photograph it without approaching closer and I did not want to flush it especially on such an awful day for hawks, vultures, etc. So I did not see it's tail. I saw the limited amount of white around it's face that I saw with the adult and I did not see the white on it's breast (tho I did not see this when I first saw the juvenile) or nape that I saw on the juvenile. So I think this is the adult Zone-tailed, though with the caveat of only a 'likely' adult. The photo can be enlarged by clicking on it to see the facial features but the quality degrades. (note: I had checked the tree I found it in during my first checked; and after finding I left and returned 45 min later and it was gone again.) SeEtta

Spotted the juvenile Zone-tailed Hawk perched again today

A Zone-tailed a day keeps the doldrums away--that's how it's worked so far even on a cold rainy day like today. I did drive over to Frontera Audubon Center and spotted the juvenile Zone-tailed Hawk perched at mid-morning (like many vultures were doing due to the weather that does not provide the lift for low energy flight). It was located way behind some branches on a deciduous tree, one that this time still has some leaves on it that help obscure the hawk. I was concerned that in order to get better photos I risked disturbing the hawk and flushing it so made due with these.

Previously I had seen this hawk in deciduous trees without leaves and that makes getting good photos a lot more likely. It has used a number of trees both deciduous and palm so always a question where I might find it. The hawks head is totally obscured in this bottom pic but it shows the juvenile tail patterning nicely. SeEtta

A second Zone-tailed Hawk, an adult--for sure

I found this Zone-tailed Hawk this afternoon perched in a tree on Frontera Audubon Center's property. As soon as I spotted it I knew it was a Zone-tailed Hawk-it had the jizz.

When I got my binoculars on it I could see it has a blackish head and body, a black bill with bright yellow cere, yellow feet, and white lores (white forehead was not visible in the field or in my photos). Also as characteristic of Zone-tails, this perched bird shows it's long wings extend past the tail (easily seen in bottom pic).

Though I erroneously identified the juvenile Zone-tailed seen in the afternoon on Dec. 26 as an adult, this one is definitely an adult: it has white bands on the ventral (underside) of it's tail. So there are two Zone-tailed Hawks at Frontera Audubon, this adult and the juvenile that I posted about earlier (note: photos can be enlarged for even closer viewing by double clicking on them) SeEtta