Saturday, March 31, 2018

Blue Bunting Code 4, rare







Well, . . . this is it!!! Another rare bird from Mexico, that sporadically comes up across the border, and into the Lower Rio Grand Valley of Texas. Thankfully, this one has been seen at Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen for almost 30 days. It was coming into the feeders at the station, once all the Red-Wing Blackbirds would leave.

 The blue bunting (Cyanocompsa parellina) is a species of passerine bird found in Central America. Like most buntings, the blue bunting is sexually dimorphic. The male has a dark blue body, with brighter blue highlights on the supercilium, forecrown, malar region, rump and lesser wing coverts. The female is an unstreaked warm brown, slightly paler below.

8am, waiting at the station w others





Take a watch at my sweet video of this bird and experience.  Loving my Canon SX60 camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzoJ7Jx6gGo


In 2018, this was the 3rd time I've seen a Blue Bunting.  My first time(lifer) was back on April 4,1988 at Bentsen SP when I visited during spring break that year. I was 11.  So I don't really remember it, but I'm sure it was a big deal, and probably the brown female bird.  Then, lucky in 2016, another male Blue Bunting was reported at Frontera park in Weslaco, Tx.  Luckly, while waiting on a trail for 20 minutes, we saw leaves moving on the ground, and we looked, then BAMM . . . see below.

2016 bird at Frontera

Notice the full dark color
Gambill Life bird history:
 my father Buddy--1/13/1985 Bentsen SP, LRGV Texas; then again 12/28/84 in Acapulco, Mexico
 my grandparents Red&Louise--first saw one 1/3/85 at Bensten SP, again in 1986, 87', 88'

Spring Break 2K18


Well, it's that time of year. A long, cold, dark winter in Ohio, can only lead to one thing!! A trip to the Lower Rio Grand Valley in south Texas. This year we decided to do a double trip, so after LRGV, I flew to LasVegas for a try at life birds in Vegas that usually appear in March. This post will be about both places, birds seen, and fun had!!

HRL airport
 Guess what? No life birds this trip! Second year in a row. But I did get good pictures of rare birds, and got to experience them again, and with friends.

 Lifers missed:
  • Mountain Plover, code 2, dipped again, third year in a row. No reports this winter in the valley like before. See ya next year?? 4th try
  • Tamaulipas Crow, code 4, This was the winter. 4-6 birds reported all winter at the Brownsville Dump. But we did not try, none reported since 2/25. And guess what, after we left, reported back at the dump. So, see ya next winter crows?


Out of the 137 species that I saw/heard, 23 where Code 2 or higher. That's 16.7%!! So one out of 6 birds were a birding highlight reel. Here's some good ones . . .

Day 1:
Butterfly Museum--Grey Hawk, Audubon's Oriole, White-tipped Dove
South Padre Island--Harris Hawk, Tri-Color, Little Blue, Reddish Egrets, Willets


Build that WALL





Plain Chachalaca




Boardwalk at SPI

Convention center Shorebirds

Mr. 748 birds in 1998 Big Year














Day 2:
Quinta Mazatlan--Blue Bunting(code4), Louisiana WaterThrush
Estero Llano Grande SP--Long-billed Thrasher, Ruby-crown Kinglet, Common Pauraque, White-faced Ibis, White-tailed Kite, Green Kingfisher
Hildago--Monk Parakeet
McAllen--Green Parakeets





Common Pauraque
Green Kingfisher

Green Parakeets

Monk Parakeets

LRGV Birding
White-tailed Kite












Day 3: 
Salineo river front--Red-billed Pigeons, White-collared Seedeater(code3), Cassins Sparrow
David Win trailer--Olive Sparrow

Salineo Dump road--Lark Bunting, Lark Sparrow
Edinburg Park--Lesser Goldfinch



Birding the Rio Grande

White-collared Seedeater 3rd time ever for me














 
Male, WC Seedeater

Eating lunch in the Valley





 Day 4:
Bentsen SP--Eastern Screech Owl, Neotropic Cormorant
Progresso Fields--Yellow-headed Blackbird
HRL airport--Whimbrel


YHBB

Code 4:Casual
Species not recorded annually in the ABA Checklist Area, but with six or more total records—including three or more in the past 30 years—reflecting some pattern of occurrence.

Code 3: Rare
Species that occur in very low numbers, but annually, in the ABA Checklist Area. This includes visitors and rare breeding residents.

Total seen/heard:  137
Code 2s:                  21    
Code 3s:                    1  White-collared Seedeater
Code 4:                      1  Blue Bunting

Code 2: species have a restricted North American range, are more widespread, but occur in lower densities, or are quite secretive making their detection often difficult. We readily acknowledge that some Code-2 species are harder to find than some species that have higher codes.


Now Sunday night, flight off to Las Vegas, NV!! 2nd leg of the tour

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