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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jos Stratford" data-source="post: 3354434" data-attributes="member: 12449">23 December. Big Bend National Park.The Chisos Mountains dominate the heart of Big Bend National Park, an isolated massif with high slopes cloaked in pine and peaks rising to almost 2400 metres. Many restricted range species in these here hills, I was quite looking forward to a day of hiking. The fun however started in the parking lot at the Chisos Basin trailhead - hikers preparing for their climbs, folks trundling into the visitor centre, cars spilling out their inhabitants to gawk at the scenery around ...and right in their midst, a couple of Greater Roadrunners prancing around, a Say's Phoebe hawking from a sign post smack bang in the middle of all the people and quite a few Canyon Towhees hopping about on the little lawns and poking around under cars, the latter a new species for me. I had not expected to spend half the morning exploring a car park and its environs, but truly the birding was excellent. Coffee in one hand and camera in the other, I basked under the already warm sun and enjoyed the spectacle - all the above birds non-stop, plus a bunch of Cactus Wrens in planted vegetation around small cabins, a flock of Black-crested Titmice in bushes and, along a small track to more cabins, a mixed flock of sparrows that included two Black-chinned Sparrows (another new species for me), five Rufous-crowned Sparrows, three White-throated Sparrows and a Dark-eyed Junco. A quick skirt through the nearby campsite added four Black-throated Sparrows, another couple of Greater Roadrunners and Curve-billed Thrasher.I was however still missing one key bird - Mexican Jay. So, finally taking to the trails, I hiked upwards, a couple of Mule Deers on the ascent, Bewick's Wren too. Rather hot now, so reaching a relatively flat area a couple of kilometres up, I was quite happy to take a pause to seek out a woodpecker tap tap tapping from pines nearby. Turned out to be not one bird in the grove, but at least four ...two Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, one Yellow-bellied Sapsucker and, best of the lot, one smart Red-naped Sapsucker. Then, retracing my way back to the path, a 'craa craaa' from pines just up the slope, then flashes of subtle blues and soft greys ...a family party of five, Mexican Jays! So it was, I had found my main target of the day, and very nice they were too. Found another party of five during the descent, plus one Texas Antelope Squirrel here too.Now middle afternoon, the temperature an amazing 28 C, I returned back to the Rio Grande, stopping in at the hot springs. Lots of Cave Swallow nests on the arid rocky overhangs, but no actual birds present. A short hike did however add a couple of Pyrrhuloxias, a flock of three Lesser Goldfinches, one Vermilion Flycatcher and, proving themselves most common, yet more Greater Roadrunners.Nice sunset over the Chisos Mountains. Less than grand was the night drive, adding only a few Desert Cottontails!</blockquote>

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