Our RGVBF trip today was to Bentson Rio Grande Valley State Park, or “Bentson” as it’s known in the local birding vernacular. Overall it was a nice day of birding considering we went with a group of 38 +4 leaders. We missed the primary targets of the trip, Ringed Kingfisher and Tropical Parula, both of which will be lifers for Kay if/when we find them. Still nice looks at an Eastern Screech Owl of the McCall race, a pale gray race that is geographically separated from the rest of the Eastern Screech owls and is being considered as a possible future split, as well as 8 species of raptors (none of which were Hook-billed kite, made for a nice day.
The group split into two “small” groups of 21 each for most of the stops and our leaders were quite good. “Doc” Bernie, a pediatric and adolescent psychiatrist was especially sharp. We liked our time on the hawk watch platform and beating the bushes for warblers and sparrows.
After this trip we dashed back to Estero Llano Grande State Park to try for the Groove-billed ani that has been sticking around there long after most of these have migrated south, but no luck. I did get Kay a nice look at a pair of Fulvous whistling-duck and we watched a White-tailed kite dive-bomb a perched Osprey as it tried to eat a fish. Finishing out the day it was great to see a flock of 12 Roseate Spoonbills fly in to as sandbar on the river joining a Little Blue & Triolored Heron, Great Egret and an American White Pelican.
Tomorrow we try for Aplomado Falcon.