Subject: [Tweeters] Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Date: Jun 14 08:25:49 2006
From: Guttman,Burton - GuttmanB at evergreen.edu


Ilene Samowitz asked, "I am considering going to the Rio Grande Valley Birding in Harlingen, Texas this November and was wondering if anyone else has experience with either the festival or the area that time of year that they
could share." I went last year, with my (adult) daughter. Had quite a good time. I'd been in the Valley several times before, but it took birding with some people who really know the area to finally add Hook-billed Kite and Northern Beardless Tyrannulet to my list. For my money, it's only valuable for the field trips, and you should take as many as you can. Happy to advise you, or anyone else, about them, if you don't know the region. Other aspects of the "festival" were trivial, except that we were lucky to have Tim Gallagher, of Ivory-bill fame, for one evening lecture. Oh, and I bought my daughter some really good binocs; they have a good trade show with reps from all the major companies. One delightful aspect of being in the Valley at that time was butterflying; so many birders are becoming interested in butterflies, which are everywhere, in glorious profusion and variety. There's a great new guide to butterflies in Kenn Kaufmann's Focus series.

One of my reasons for going there was the lure of a post-festival trip into northeastern Mexico, at quite a low price for a week of birding. That was a really great adventure, and if they offer it again I'd recommend it.

Burt Guttman
The Evergreen State College
Olympia, WA 98505 guttmanb at evergreen.edu
Home: 7334 Holmes Island Road S. E., Olympia, 98503