Wrapping up the Lower Valley birding

Posted on January 19, 2014 by Richard

We had guys from a RV repair service out of Tennessee, who winter in the Valley, come by to size up the work on our sagging belly pan. I had devised a plan to fix it but it was a two-person job so when Casey showed up alone, I pitched in and we got it buttoned up fine in less than an hour. Mary and I leave for Falcon Lake State Park in a couple of days so it’s nice to have it done.

Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to pick off some birds I have missed. Let me share with you some of the diverse birds that make this place so special.

Perhaps my favorite is the Vermillion Flycatcher. They are my kind of bird – active in their flycatching and brilliant in coloration. Unlike their Least, Willow and Ash cousins who are impossible to identify without calls, these hotshots just put on a show.

Just as brilliant are the Great Egrets.

We see six doves here: White-tipped, White-winged, Inca, Mourning, Eurasion-collard, and Common Ground. These three young Commons were hanging out yesterday morning – begging for a caption.

One of the ineresting fishing birds here is the Anhinga, aptly known as "Snake Bird."

I’ll put up a few more shots in a day or so – the 4G system is completely overloaded here. We’re moving to the boonies next week so we will see how that works out.

A month from now, we’ll be in California. Time to start easing westward.

Posted in repairs, rig maintenance, Southwest trip 4, Texas birding, Texas birds, Texas state parks | 1 Comment

“They Only Go After the Old and Slow”

Posted on January 17, 2014 by Richard

Several year ago, we were camping at Brazos Bend State Park, south of Houston, where there were lots of birds but also lots of big alligators. It was later in the year and the guys would bellow their mating calls and they all hung out on the banks, and even the trails. I recall whipping around a corner on my bike and skidding to a stop (with the dog attached) as a big ‘gator blocked my way. I decided that the long way home was the smart route.

I thought that they were sort of cool but Mary really disliked them, and the park. She was talking to a ranger one day about them when he said, "Ma’am, they only go after the old and the slow!" Moi?

It was like "Take a number, gator, some not-so-spry food is on the way." We’ll never go back there.

So, that’s been a running (excuse the pun) joke with us ever since. And I thought about it the other day when I encountered this sign at Alligator Lake at Estero Llano Grande State Park.

It is mid-January and I figured everything was dormant until our group came to an opening and across the water was this big guy/gal enjoying the sunshine. Our guide explained that they hardly move this time of year but come Spring when the gators get active, the Yellow-crowned Night Herons and others that roost there vacate to other gator-free ponds in the park to nest.

The night-heron was my ninth life bird of the trip so far. I have missed a couple that Mary saw but we have a few days left here.
World Life List

1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (LTC 054) US-TX 15 Jan 2014

2 Sora Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (LTC 054) US-TX 15 Jan 2014

3 Tropical Kingbird Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (LTC 054) US-TX 15 Jan 2014

4 Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. SP WBC (Mission) US-TX 12 Jan 2014

5 Least Grebe Edinburg Scenic Wetlands WBC (LTC 061) US-TX 10 Jan 2014

6 Black Phoebe Bentsen-Rio Grande Val. SP WBC (Mission) (LTC 069) US-TX 08 Jan 2014

7 Green Parakeet Americana RV Park US-TX 07 Jan 2014

8 White-tailed Hawk 26.4828x-98.3865 – Jan 6, 2014, 12:48 PM US-TX 06 Jan 2014

9 Horned Lark 26.4828x-98.3865 – Jan 6, 2014, 12:48 PM

I have 109 birds in the County so far and am aiming for 115. It’s no wonder birders flock to the Valley.

Posted in Southwest trip 4, Texas birding | Tagged | Comments Off on “They Only Go After the Old and Slow”

More Rio Grande Valley Birds

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Richard

The Green Parakeets were cool the first day or so but their noisy frenetic flying, throughout the day, is getting a bit old. However, like with many flocks of swirling birds, I wonder how they signal turns and swoops and dives. These guys chatter a lot but I don’t think it’s "Break right and dive toward that guy and dog" that they are calling out.

We’ve been going to some of the many birding sites and done a few bird walks. We have to manage the dog so often, I’ll ask Mary to take the walk while I go separately with Penny. I have used our bike setup a couple of times which gives her a workout. Yesterday, I came up on a perched hawk, stopped for a look but the squeaking front brake flushed it.

As we headed out the other morning, this coyote just stared whileI took long distance shots – then he just ambled off.

We see a lot of egrets – I had a wonderful Great Egret shot which I accidentally deleted from the camera. This Snowy Egret was also cooperative:

Monday, we birded for a while at a County Park not far away. Two British birders, who I had met the day before, showed us this Eastern Screech Owl in a tree right in the middle of the park. Talk about protective coloration!

This Green Kingfisher was in poor light but dove and got a fish just after I took this shot.

Driving along, it is common to see American Kestrel perched on wires. Perhaps these are the same ones we see in Vermont in summer.

And every so often, you get a reminder that this not New England birding:

Posted in Southwest trip 4, Texas birding, Texas birds | 1 Comment

Birding in Telcel Land

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Richard

We are close to Mexico, in fact today I biked with Penny in mid-70’s weather (sorry, that’s a bit mean for our NE friends) down the Bentsen State Park trails, and hiked a mile to the Rio Grande. Aside from hot and dry and old flood debris, it was pretty plain – except for the birds.

However, as you get close to the border, the Mexican telephone system Telcel, grabs your signal and suddenly you are getting warnings about roaming charges. It’s a little maddening, especially in the midlle of a call. I just turn my phone off until I get a few miles north.

We are ensconced in a small RV park which is a first for us. It is an interesting mix of old geezers looking for the best buffet, and birders, looking for all the specialties of the Valley. Mary and I awake to the calls of Golden-fronted Woodpeckers and Great Kiskadees and periodically through the day, to the noise of fast-flying Green Parakeets.

At the risk of boring our non-birding friends, here are a few shots from the last two days. The first is a Northern Mockingbird, the state bird of Texas:

A local specialty is the rather rare Clay-colored Thrush, which acts like an American Robin but looks like its name:

Yesterday, I went for an early bird walk in rather chilly foggy temperatures. The ranger brought us to this well-hidden Eastern Screech Owl which we likely would have just walked by:

Greater Kiskadees, with their color and noise, are everywhere. These were drying their wings, as cormorants do, this morning:

I remember the first Crested Caracaras we saw the first time we came to Texas. We could not identify this regal bird which sat on fence posts along the highway. Now, they are sort of ho-hum. Here are a couple perched in a tree this morning:

And lastly, the Green Parakeets, who came from escapees originally but have adapted to the "wild" like House Sparrows and European Starlings. Here, they paused for a bit before launching on their next frenetic flight:

This afternoon, we headed out to a "farm-to-market" busineess to get some fruit – a large bag of Pink Grapefruit and one of Navel Oranges. We won’t be getting scurvy on this trip. Bon voyage.

Posted in Southwest trip 4, Texas birding, Texas birds | 1 Comment

A New Birding Plate

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Richard

I have a fledgling collection of photos of birders’ license plates to which I add from time to time. I found this Montana one in the RV park we are at – the Boston Red Sox holder is a bonus.

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Southern Birding – Why We Travel

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Richard

I think it was the dozen Eastern Bluebirds I saw as we drove in to Harrison Bay State Park in Tennessee, or else the flock of Pine Warblers at Clarko State Park in Missisippi, but about the turn of the year, it was obvious that "We are not in Kansas anymore." In the first four days of the year, I picked up 65 species, mostly birding as I walked the dog after the day’s travel.

One of the birds I see at every stop is the Eastern Phoebe – this is a Mississippi bird:

As a pilot, I was trained to keep a continuous scan pattern going, and I try to apply it driving. Check the road, the mirrors, the speed, and the fields and air for birds. I know the dangers of texting or talking on a phone – it is obvious when I see speed changes or lane weaving. Birding can be just as distracting if you are the driver so I stick to stuff in front of us. On a stretch on I-10 through Louisiana, I got Cattle Egrets, a Great White Egret that flew up in front of us, several Red-tailed Hawks, some Black-crowned Night Herons, and some Great-tailed Grackles at the rest stops.

We are in Goliad State Park in Texas and leave Monday for a two-week stay in Mission, where we will join some birder friends and immerse ourselves into the special place of the Valley. We have been without wifi for a week and our working off the iPads with crappy 4G coverage – but here, if I can upload them, are some bird shots from the last few days.

While birding with Penny on a trail at Village Creek State Park in Texas, I heard an unfamilier call and then this Eastern Towhee popped up:

Here at Goliad, there are many Ladder-backed Woodpeckers. The size of a Downy, they move a lot and are hard to photograph. This one is on the move:

Early Sunday morning, I saw this Red-shouldered Hawk before it saw me, and I got a great look – until the dog spooked it. I was able to get a long-range shot although it was watching us like a ….. hawk:

There are hundreds ot Turkey Vultures circling all day – right out of a Hitchcock film. In the morning, the trees are draped with them. Here are some getting ready for bedtime:

One of my favorite southern birds is the Great Kiskadee. They are noisy, colorful, and rather plentiful along the Rio Grande, and after a while, easy to take for granted. I hadn’t seen one in two years and didn’t expect them up in Goliad – so it was quite a pleasant surprise to hear their call and then see a pair. This one waited patiently for a long-range photo op.

The park ranger warned us this afternoon that it was going down to freezing tonight and that we might want to let our water hoses drip. There is a cold snap (for South Texas) coming but we are moving southward in the morning and should be ok. I stored my winter stuff in the truck today – Mary, who is wiser, is keeping hers close by for another few days.

Posted in Birds, Goliad State Park, Harrison Bay State Park, Louisiana State Parks, Southwest trip 4, Texas birding, Texas state parks | 1 Comment

Bumper Tag

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Richard

Dear Mayor of the City of Laurel, Mississippi: "I’m sorry about the scrape marks and gouge my Airstream left on 32nd Avenue but you really need to make those gutter ditches a little shallower."

Yes, we had a little "issue" turning into the driveway of our friens, Jason and Kevin, when we stopped for brunch the other day. It was a narrow street and a deep rain gutter before the driveway and sure enough, I heard and felt the rear end scrape on the pavement as we made the turn. Our back bumper got adjusted a bit and now looks like this:

We had a wonderful meal, with no skimping on calories, and enjoyed seeing our dear friends. Then, it was off for Louisiana. I didn’t dare back up and do more damage, so they offered to allow us to drive over the lawn, saying that it was pretty firm. Jason got some 2x8s to fill in the ditch where we would cross and aside from one tire spin (I should have used 4WD) the exit was easy. We did leave them a tire track to remember us by. And we have a souvenir as well, a nice splattering of southern clay, thrown up by the truck tires on to the Airstream.

We are now in Texas, heading to Mission in the morning. It was nice to get off I-10 and through Houston. Temperature was 73 yesterday although the stiff wind made the wind chill about 55. Cooler today but nothing like our VT friends are enduring.

Posted in Airstream, dents scratches, repairs, Southwest trip 4 | Comments Off on Bumper Tag

A Look Back and Birding Goals for 2014

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Richard

Last year, I decided to do an informal County Big Year in my home county since we were not heading out for the winter. It was successful in spite of operations, injections, and general immobility for over two months. I ended up with 154 species, tied for second place with a birder friend, and probably missed a dozen during the spring and fall migrations. I was very pleased with the results.

I ended up with 179 species for the year, most of the rest being in Massachusetts.

I only added six life birds with the best being a Northern Shrike – a nemisis bird which, after I got it, seemed to pop up everywhere, including our back yard.

The best bird of the year for me, like many other birders this year, was the Snowy Owl I found in December.

2014 Goals

Since we are enroute to Texas and Arizona, New Mexico, and southern California, I am raising my sights. Here’s what I am aiming for:

  • 250 species for the year

  • 50 new life birds (come on, you Western birds!)

  • Five counties with at least 100 species (Starr & Aransas in Texas, Essex in Massachusetts, Washington & Caledonia in Vermont)

  • Explore 25 under-birded areas in the Northeast

So, I’m off to a good start with 27 species on the first dauy of 2014. I don’t get crazy about the numbers, they are just fun targets. Today, my best birding moment was the 15 minutes I watched Cedar Waxwings and American Robins work over a choke-cherry tree with Yellow-rumps diving into the fray from time to time. It was an avian fast food frenzy.

We are off to Louisiana in the morning, hoping to see a pair of Great-horned Owls who in the past, have raised families there. What are your birding goals for the New Year?

Posted in Big Year, Birding goals, County Big Year, Southwest trip 4, Washington County | 1 Comment

Last Bird Outing of 2013

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Richard

It was frosty in Tennessee this morning as Penny and I toured the nearly-vacant grounds of the Harrison Bay State Park. She could race off leash over massive parking lots and playing fields. It’s fun to imagine the thousands that visit it on a summer day.

Eight or ten Eastern Bluebirds greeted us, starting the day off well. Kinglets, warblers, woodpeckers, and several noisy Carolina Wrens were out and about.

We buttoned up the rig and were off to deal with the traffic of Chattanooga, then Birmingham, then Tuscaloosa, before hitting the Mississippi line and heading down to Clarko State Park. The trip was fairly easy and without incidents. I must say that Alabama drivers are a lot like Mass. drivers: to signal a lane change is a sign of weakness. And yahoos in the South who text or talk on cells drive just erratically as their northern kind.

I had time for one last birding outing with Penny this year so once I got the Airstream settled, off we went. We have been here before and found the birding good. Today was no exception – no sooner had I headed out when we flushed an owl just 50 yards from our site. It flew right in front of me and I tried to make it a Short-eared but the habitat was wrong and then it perched and it was obviously a Barred Owl – still a neat bird. The bird was obscured by branches which drove the auto-focus crazy but I got a shot for the record:

Barred Owl in MS

We had a nice mix of birds but the final ones were the best: very active Pileated Woodpeckers beating the heck out of pines. They are so much fun to watch and these were so busy that they seemed to ignore us. The flash of their red is spectacular. Here is a poor shot through the trees:

Pileated Woodpecker at work

So we end 2013 – a year that I missed several months of birding due to injuries to my neck and my knee. It will be fun to use eBird to analyze my results for the year and set some goals for 2014. With new states of AZ, NM, and CA up ahead, it should be a good year. I hope it will be for you.

Posted in County Big Year, Harrison Bay State Park, Southwest trip 4 | 1 Comment

A Riveting Day

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Richard

It’s never a good thing when a trucker passes you, tooting his truck’s horn, and pointing back toward your rig. The only time this has happened to us was on I-10 outside Baton Rouge and we made an emergency pullover to find our heavy electrical cord had got loose, had draged along chafing the plug connectors to nubbins. Well, we had a similar event today outside Knoxville.

I had thought that the trailer was acting a little squirrelly but once warned, I grabbed an exit, looking for a place to stop and look, and ended up in the parking lot of Tennessee RV Sales. As we stopped, I told Mary that I was almost afraid to go back and look.

The rear part of the belly pan had broken loose and was dragging on the road. Heavy rains had soaked the insulation and the weight had caused the collapse. I didn’t even think of trying to get the service guys to fix it – on the day before New Year’s Eve – plus, I’m a Vermonter – we fix things ourselves (sometimes not a smart idea.)

It was 38 degrees with a wind but Mary and I tackled it. She stuffed the insulation into garbage bags while I hunted for tools and stuff in the truck cap. Fortuntely, I had bought new drill bits and brought the riveting stuff and after a half hour of grunting, dropping rivets with numb fingers, I had four good rivets through the frame and we were on our way. I’ll look at the pan when I get to warmer climes but I think we are OK.

Yesterday’s trip was mostly in rain, very heavy at times. The truck traffic, even on a Sunday, was nasty as they threw up geysers of spray. We stopped overnight in the parking lot of a small Walmart in Marion, VA. It had this Sonic burger joint across the street so we had the faint noise of folks ordering from the takeout spots – always reminds us of that wonderful Peter, Paul, & Mary routine – called Paultalk.

Today’s leg, aside from the mishap, was easy. We finally got off I-81 and tonight, are in Harrison Bay State Park outside Chattanooga. We have stayed here before and it’s a little decrepit but there’s water, power, and hot showers. We de-winterized the trailer and are ready to rock and roll. I took Penny on a walk just before dark and saw a bunch of birds – including some real active Golden-crowned Kinglet and my first- of-year Carolina Chickadees. Off to Mississippi in the morning.

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