Just got back from about 10 days in The Rio Grande Valley visiting relatives
and birding.
We saw approximately 197 species, having "dipped" on any parrots. Drove
1400 miles and never left the valley. We caught the final day of the birding
festival in Harlingen, which is a very well run activity. The only
disappointment I heard from people is that the numbers of birds is down.
this is undoubtably due to the drought in This part of the world. They have
had 1/2 their normal rainfall for the second year in a row - only 12 inches and
a lot of the normal ponds and wetlands are completely dry.
Laguna Atascosa has almost no free-standing fresh water.
WE have been down to the valley on numerous occasions and what we found
remarkable this year:
Unprecedented numbers of White- tailed hawks, including some inland as far
as Santa Rosa, where we have never seen them before. We are not talking
about little specks in the sky above -no sirree. We are talking four on the
ground about 100 feet from the road in a plowed field squabling with the
Caracaras, sitting on power poles - more in one trip than I have seen in my
whole life.

Huge flocks of hundreds on Sand Hill cranes

a pair of Hook Billed kites sitting close together in a tree at Benson State
Park. I have never seen the female so well. She has a patch of bronze
colored feathers on the back of her neck and is actually a very attractive bird.
( The pictures in too many books make these birds look ugly)

and TWO- on two separate occasions - bobcats!
a huge adult ran across the road right in front of our car near the Salt lakes
on Brushline Road, and then the next day, at the edge of a nearby Parks and
wildlife access, a young Bobkitten trying to sleep in the top of a spindly tree.
We had heard coyotes howling just a few minutes earlier and wonder if Mom
parked her young one up there for safety. It was about the size of a housecat
and cute as all get-out.
Also want to recommend two Birder friendly bed and breakfasts we stayed in
The Inn at ChaChalaca Bend (near Los Fresnos) and yes they had you know
what , Expensive but very birdy as they are right on a resaca.
and the Alamo Inn (In Alamo) was very comfortable with a small kitchenette
where we could fix our own mini-breakfast then the propriator fixed up a huge
box lunch the night before so we could get out early. Good location and you
can get maps and local information about where the birds are
anyone who wants more details can email us

Clarice Clark
Puyallup, WA. 98371
mailto:jbroadus at seanet.com