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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hamhed" data-source="post: 3159395" data-attributes="member: 70825">Tuesday 23rdBentsen State Park (<a href="http://www.theworldbirdingcenter.com/Bentsen.html" target="_blank">http://www.theworldbirdingcenter.com/Bentsen.html</a>) was on today’s agenda, seeking the Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet.  The park was, at one time, known for its small population of Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls but they are no longer breeding in the park.  This is due to several factors we were told by Roy Rodriguez, one of the park naturalists, sort of a triple whammy.  Various deep freezes, flooding in 2010 and invasive guinea grass which prevents native species from sprouting have all taken their toll on Bentsen in recent years.  For those who are familiar with the park, the habitat has changed dramatically.  The population of Tyrannulets was also affected.  Roy told us we would have a better chance at Anzalduas County Park (<a href="http://www.missiontexas.net/attractions/anzalduas-county-park" target="_blank">http://www.missiontexas.net/attractions/anzalduas-county-park</a>), already on our list of places to visit.  But we were already at the park and so we walked the trails advised by our LRGV guide book, the Acacia Loop and Green Jay trail.  A Red-naped Sapsucker was reported in the willows near the boat ramp.  We visited the ramp twice not finding the bird.  Nor did we get the Tyrannulet.  The birding action was steady, however.  Great Kiskadees were common as were Ladder-backed and Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, with large numbers of Plain Chacalacas at the feeders, acting little different than barnyard chickens.  A few mixed flocks, usually led by several Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, held White-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos, Yellow-rumped and Orange-crowned Warblers, Black-crested Titmouse and a single Black-and-white Warbler.   One of only two Curve-billed Thrashers seen on this trip was located while on the Acacia trail.  Our first and only one of two Verdins was spotted in a thick tangle.  A sizable flock of eastern Bluebirds and American Goldfinches were foraging over the open lawn near the boat ramp and a few raptors were seen, Gray Hawk, Red-tailed, American Kestrel and both Turkey and Black Vultures.Reports of a Tropical Parula had us headed in early afternoon in terribly congested traffic to Quinta Mazatlan (<a href="http://www.quintamazatlan.com/" target="_blank">http://www.quintamazatlan.com/</a>), a historic, 15 acre property in McAllen.  There are many feeders and water features on this densely landscaped urban oasis.  We saw Clay-colored Thrushes in the shadows, not nearly as common as our previous spring trip, possibly many move south for the winter?  The feeders attracted numbers of Kiskadees and Green Jays with Inca and White-winged Doves scuttling about under the legs of the tall Chacalacas.  Sitting with another couple of birders from Florida, a Northern Parula was spied coming to the water feature and we all got excited as we looked in vain for the Tropical’s field marks.  I managed to get poor but diagnostic pictures even after we had given up on striking “birding gold”.  Interestingly enough, the birding couple was also staying at the Alamo Inn and were using Michael Marsden (sp?) as a local guide.  We spoke with him briefly and he had a few bits of helpful information, such as the fact that the Mountain Plovers we sought on our first day in the Valley were no longer coming to that location.  Nothing like scanning an unproductive, flat, dirt field to begin a trip, I say.  Birding can only get better from then on!We stayed at Quinta Mazatlan until they closed the doors at 5pm.  I forgot to mention that we had stopped a short distance down the road from Bentsen at the NABA Butterfly Park, which looked pretty uninteresting from the parking lot.  It has an impressive bird and butterfly list but we could see very few flowering plants and were a bit short on daylight hours to stay.The after dark hours were spent shopping at the local HEB, making our evening meal at our apartment and cleaning our bins for tomorrow’s birdwalk at Estero Llano Grande (<a href="http://www.theworldbirdingcenter.com/estero.html" target="_blank">http://www.theworldbirdingcenter.com/estero.html</a>).</blockquote>

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