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Texas Holiday Highlights 2023

by lsharvell

RARE birds, awesome butterflies and other critters!

153 photos and 2 videos · 9 views
SIX FOR SIX in Texas! Viewed & photographed: Cattle Tyrant, Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Brown Jay, Roadside Hawk, Gray-collared Becard, Mottled Owl and photo barrage of Rio Grande Valley birds and butterflies--that's an album wrap!
Cattle Tyrant hanging out on light string listening to music at the Oyster Bar! Cell phone video Corpus Christi, Texas
CATTLE TYRANT, Corpus Christi, TX
CATTLE TYRANT, Corpus Christi, TX
CATTLE TYRANT, Corpus Christi, TX
ROADSIDE HAWK, Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
ROADSIDE HAWK, Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
ROADSIDE HAWK, nabbed insects right in front of boardwalk, Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
ROADSIDE HAWK, flying to perch to eat insect, Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
GRAY-COLLARED BECARD, Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
Border wall at dusk as we prepare for Mottled Owl trek, Santa Margarita Ranch, limited guided access, Texas
Night time on border wall. 7pm start time Mottled Owl excursion, Santa Margarita Ranch, limited guided access, Texas
MOTTLED OWL, Great views, not so great photo--owl is looking left, lots of branches! [Tiger Heron also vocalized this evening at same location] Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Birders return by Border wall from SUCCESSFUL Mottled Owl - heard and viewed, blurry photo coming! Also Bare-throated Tiger Heron vocalized. Santa Margarita Ranch, limited guided access, Texas
BARE-THROATED TIGER HERON! Vocalized in grasses on US side and then flew and perched on Mexican side of Rio Grande, Santa Margarita Ranch, limited guided access, TX
BARE-THROATED TIGER HERON! Our 2nd encounter! Heard on 12-23-23, viewed on 12-27-23 when it vocalized on US side and then flew and perched on fav spot on Mexican side of Rio Grande, Santa Margarita Ranch, limited guided access, TX
BROWN JAY!!! Can't believe we actually viewed a handful! Quite the characters! Santa Margarita Ranch, limited guided access, TX
Great Southern White, Charlie's Pasture, TX
Common Buckeye, Charlie's Pasture, TX
Ceraunus Blue, Charlie's Pasture, TX
Ceraunus Blue, Charlie's Pasture, TX
Pipevine Swallowtail, Charlie's Pasture, TX
Gulf Fritillary, Charlie's Pasture, TX
Green-winged Teal, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
Splish Splash, American White Pelican, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
American White Pelican, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
Royal Tern, Mustang Island, TX
White-tailed Hawk, roadside, TX
Loggerhead Shrike, Charlie's Pasture, TX
Tricolored Heron, Charlie's Pasture, TX
American White Pelican, landing gear ready, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
White Ibis, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
Roseate Spoonbill, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
Roseate Spoonbill, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
Blue-winged Teal, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
Northern Shoveler, Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, TX
Harris's Hawk, roadside, TX
Wilson's Warbler, Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
Sickle-winged Skipper, Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
Carpenter Bee (?), Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
Red-bordered Pixie! Resaca de la Palma SP, TX
Sharp-shinned Hawk, Santa Ana NWR, TX
Long-billed Thrasher, Santa Ana NWR, TX
Merlin, Santa Ana NWR, TX
American Snout, hundreds everywhere! Santa Ana NWR, TX
Queen, Santa Ana NWR, TX
Giant Swallowtail, Santa Ana NWR, TX
Great Kiskadee, Santa Ana NWR, TX
Texas Spiny Lizard, Bentsen SP, TX
Blue Spiny Lizard, Bentsen SP, TX
Inca Dove, Bentsen SP, TX
Northern Cardinal, common but striking! Bentsen SP, TX
Empress Leilia, Bentsen SP, TX
Theona Checkerspot, Bentsen SP, TX
Theona Checkerspot, Bentsen SP, TX
Phaon Crescent, Bentsen SP, TX
Cloudless Sulphur, Bentsen SP, TX
Large Orange Sulphur, Bentsen SP, TX
Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Red-shouldered Hawk, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
White-eyed Vireo, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Softshell Turtle, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
White-tipped Dove, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Green Jay, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
White Peacock, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Cassius Blue, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Lavianna White Skipper, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Clouded Skipper, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Eufala Skipper, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Common Mellana (?), Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Vesta Crescent, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
GUAVA SKIPPER! Merry Christmas from TX! Trying to photograph a bird and this beauty was nectaring up high! Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Leaf-cutter ants, carrying cut leaves! Frontera Audubon, TX
Winter living amongst the palms! Black and Turkey Vulture, Frontera Audubon, TX
Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Frontera Audubon, TX
Least Grebe, Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, TX
Tropical Checkered Skipper (?), Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, TX
Common Pauraque, Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, TX
Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, TX
Curve-billed Thrasher, Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, TX
Green Kingfisher, Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, TX
Altamira Oriole, Hugh Ramsey Nature Park, TX
Wild Texas Bluebonnet, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
"Baby" Tarantula sp., Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Dainty Sulphur, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Up on "the Bluffs" viewing Rio Grande River, right half US, left half Mexico, Border wall far right, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Scott up on the Bluffs, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Caspian Tern, from the Bluffs, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Gray Hawk perching on border wall lighting, as we entered riparian corridor on Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
One of the Brown Jay we were fortunate to view in the riparian corridor, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Rose-throated Becard, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Dusky-capped Flycatcher, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Young birding phenom, Ryan R. (SMR required Guide) while leading to Rio Grande River, caught and held up this Indigo Snake! Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Neck stretch - Bare-throated Tiger Heron, vocalized on US side then flew to Mexican side to perch (Scott's better photos posted earlier) Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX.
Group-required guided-by Ryan R & Justin L AFTER epic views of Bare-throated Tiger Heron, standing on an "island" on US side of Rio Grande where BTTH vocalized & then flew across to perch, Santa Margarita Ranch-limited guided access, TX
Tropical Kingbird, Santa Margarita Ranch (limited guided access), TX
Roseate Spoonbill & Great Blue Heron, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Clay-colored Thrush, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
Reakirt's Blue, Estero Llano Grande SP, TX
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