With ov er 40 specialties, South Texas represents the northernmost stronghold of an essentially tropical bird community. Species like Least Grebe, Hook-billed Kite, Plain Chachalaca, Red-billed Pigeon, White-tipped Dove, Common Paura que, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed Kingfisher, Great Kiskadee, Couch’s K ingbird, Green Jay, Clay-colored Thrush, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparro w, and Altamira Oriole are, within the U.S., essentially confined to South Texas. This winter’s tour to the Lower Río Grande Valley is designed to sur vey this amazing array of colorful birdlife. Beginning at the 26th parallel , we explore such famous locations as the Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, Bentse n State Park, South Padre Island, and the McAllen parrot roosts, savoring t he subtropical avian riches endemic to the mottes of Tamaulipan plant assoc iations still remaining in the delta. Also present, at least sporadically, are such rarities as Short-tailed Hawk, Tropical Parula, and Crimson-collar ed Grosbeak. New species for United States have almost become an annual phe nomenon. Moving west, we’ll visit the Chapeño area and the small village of Salineño. This is a transition zone leading into the Chihuahuan Desert and we expect to find Chihuahuan Raven, Cactus Wren, and Pyrrhuloxia—species e mblematic of the arid Southwest. Elusive, but also resident along this stre tch of the river, are wild Muscovy Duck, White-collared Seedeater, and the melodic Audubon’s Oriole. Finally, for those unable to resist the majesty o f an imperial white 5-foot-tall bird with a 7-foot wingspread, once almost lost to humanity, the extension will conclude with two nights on the Centra l Coast of Texas. Here we will embark upon a half-day boating excursion to get up close and personal with wintering Whooping Crane families, an adult pair and their colt from the previous spring. The captain of our boat makes regular, cautious but close viewings of this endangered species and is a W hooper expert in his own right. Our land-based birding time will be devoted to exploring nearby hotspots like Goose Island State Park or Aransas Natio nal Wildlife Refuge. King Rail, Nelson’s Sparrow and Le Conte’s Sparrow are among the many Gulf Coast specialties. For sheer spectacle and diversity o f birdlife, South Texas has no equal in the United States.
Leader: John Yerger
Cost of South Texas: Lower Rio Grande Valley (Nov. 3-10, 2018) includes guide service, transportation, lodging, meals, and entranc es beginning and ending in McAllen, Texas—$2395.
Cost of&n bsp; South Texas: Lower Rio Grande Valley with Whooping Crane extension ( Nov. 3-12, 2018) includes guide service, transport ation, lodging, meals, and entrances beginning in McAllen, Texas and ending in Corpus Christi—$3095.
TO REGISTER: Print out a PDF Registration Form, call us at (520) 558-2351 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need Ja vaScript enabled to view it..
Photo: Common Pauraque
Photo by: Ri
ck Taylor
Leader: John Yer
ger
Cost of South Texas: Lower Rio Grand
e Valley (Nov. 3-10, 2018) includes guide service, transportation, lodg
ing, meals, and entrances beginning and ending in McAllen, Texas—
Cost of South Texas: Lower Rio Grande Valley with Whooping C rane extension (Nov. 3-12, 2018) includes g uide service, transportation, lodging, meals, and entrances beginning in Mc Allen, Texas and ending in Corpus Christi—$3095.
TO REGISTER:
Photo: Common P
auraque
Photo by: Rick Taylor
DTSTAMP:20260812T052726
DTSTART;TZID=America/Phoenix;VALUE=DATE:20181103
DTEND;TZID=America/Phoenix;VALUE=DATE:20181111
SEQUENCE:0
TRANSP:OPAQUE
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR