February 16–23: Texas Trip!

In February, I attended Kim Eckert’s “Minnesota Birding Week” trip to Texas. My drive to the Duluth Airport was about 20 miles, and my roundtrip flights were Duluth–Minneapolis 288 miles and Minneapolis–San Antonio 2784 miles. The rental car mileage there was 1417 miles. So this trip involved a total of 4,509 miles. I saw 199 species, ending up with a total of 282 species for the year.

Kim Eckert’s trip report included this official list:

BIRD LIST (201 species + 2 leader-onlys + 4 “non-countable” exotics + 3 probables)

(boldfaced species = “non-Minnesota” species (i.e., absent, accidental, or casual in MN)
  1. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (maybe 5,000 or more at Progreso Lakes?!)
  2. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
    Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

  3. Snow Goose (plus probable Ross’s over Hwy 106) (I didn’t count Ross’s because the neck didn’t seem proportionally short) (photo from 2009, Montezuma NWR)
  4. Snow Goose
    (Not countable Muscovy Duck)
    Muscovy Duck (domesticated)

  5. Gadwall
  6. Gadwall
    Gadwall

  7. American Wigeon (photo from 2011)
  8. American Wigeon

  9. Mallard (photo from 2012)
  10. Mallard

  11. Mottled Duck (photo from 2013, in Florida)
  12. Mottled Duck

  13. Blue-winged Teal (photo from 2013, in Florida)
  14. Blue-winged Teal

  15. Cinnamon Teal
  16. Cinnamon Teal

  17. Northern Shoveler
  18. Northern Shoveler
    Northern Shoveler

  19. Northern Pintail (photo from 2013 in Florida)
  20. Northern Pintail

  21. Green-winged Teal
  22. Green-winged Teal
    Green-winged Teal
    Green-winged Teal

  23. Canvasback (photo from 2009, Ithaca)
  24. Canvasback

  25. Redhead
  26. Redhead

  27. Ring-necked Duck (photo from 2012)
  28. Ring-necked Duck

  29. Greater Scaup (from the Skimmer and at Atascosa Lake) (photo from 2012, Florida)
  30. Greater Scaup

  31. Lesser Scaup (from 2011, Florida)
  32. Lesser Scaup

  33. Bufflehead (photo from 2009, Montezuma NWR)
  34. Bufflehead

  35. Red-breasted Merganser (photo from 2010, Wisconsin)
  36. Red-breasted Merganser

  37. Ruddy Duck
  38. Ruddy Duck

  39. Plain Chachalaca (fewer than usual)
  40. Plain Chachalacas
    Plain Chachalaca

  41. Northern Bobwhite (more than usual at 4 locations)
  42. Common Loon (from 2009, Florida)
  43. Common Loon

  44. Least Grebe (fewer than usual)
  45. Pied-billed Grebe (from 2013, Florida)
  46. Pied-billed Grebe eating a crayfish

  47. Eared Grebe
  48. Northern Gannet (juvenile out from Isla Blanca Park) (photo taken in 2013, Florida)
  49. Northern Gannet

  50. Neotropic Cormorant
  51. Neotropic Cormorant

  52. Double-crested Cormorant (from 2013, Florida)
  53. Double-crested Cormorant

  54. Anhinga (only at Estero Llano Grande?) (from 2013, Florida)
  55. Anhinga

  56. American White Pelican
  57. American White Pelican

  58. Brown Pelican (from 2013, Florida)
  59. Brown Pelican

  60. American Bittern (South Padre’s boardwalk)
  61. American Bittern
    American Bittern

  62. Great Blue Heron
  63. Great Blue Heron
    Great Blue Heron

  64. Great Egret (from 2010)
  65. Great Egret

  66. Snowy Egret (from 2011, Florida)
  67. Snowy Egret

  68. Little Blue Heron (from 2013, Florida)
  69. Little Blue Heron

  70. Tricolored Heron (from 2013, Florida)
  71. Tricolored Heron

  72. Reddish Egret (from 2012, Florida)
  73. Reddish Egret

  74. Cattle Egret (only seen once?)
  75. Cattle Egret

  76. Black-crowned Night-Heron
  77. Black-crowned Night-Heron

  78. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Bahia Grande and Estero Llano Grande)
  79. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

  80. White Ibis (photo from 2011, Florida)
  81. White Ibises in flight

  82. White-faced Ibis
  83. Roseate Spoonbill
  84. Roseate Spoonbill, Great Egret, and Snowy Egret

  85. Black Vulture (photo from 2013, Florida)
  86. Black Vulture

  87. Turkey Vulture (photo from 2013, Florida)
  88. Turkey Vulture

  89. Osprey (photo from 2013, Florida)
  90. Osprey

  91. White-tailed Kite
  92. White-tailed Kite
    White-tailed Kite

  93. Northern Harrier (photo from 2013, Florida)
  94. Northern Harrier

  95. Sharp-shinned Hawk (photo from 2013, Duluth)
  96. Sharp-shinned Hawk attacking Common Raven

  97. Cooper’s Hawk (photo from 2013, Pheasant Branch)
  98. Cooper's Hawk

  99. Harris’s Hawk
  100. Harris's Hawk
    Harris's Hawk

  101. Red-shouldered Hawk (photo from 2012, Florida)
  102. Red-shouldered Hawk

  103. Gray Hawk (briefly at Azalduas; better views at Salineño)
  104. White-tailed Hawk
  105. White-tailed Hawk
    White-tailed Hawk
    White-tailed Hawk
    White-tailed Hawk

  106. Zone-tailed Hawk (roosting at Frontera)
  107. Zone-tailed Hawk

  108. Red-tailed Hawk
  109. Red-tailed Hawk with prey, an American Coot

  110. Crested Caracara
  111. Crested Caracara
    Crested Caracara

  112. American Kestrel (photo from 2007)
  113. American Kestrel

  114. Merlin (from 2012, Hawk Ridge)
  115. Doesn't the Merlin have a lovely face?

  116. Aplomado Falcon (again along Old Port Isabel Rd)
  117. Aplomado Falcon

  118. Peregrine Falcon (photo from 2006)
  119. Peregrine Falcon

  120. Prairie Falcon (a surprise at Peñitas!)
  121. Prairie Falcon
    Prairie Falcon

  122. Clapper Rail (visible again at Indian Point)
  123. Clapper Rail
    Clapper Rail

  124. Sora (photo from 2010)
  125. Sora

  126. Common Gallinule (photo from 2013, Florida)
  127. Common Gallinule

  128. American Coot
  129. American Coot
    American Coot's lobed toes

  130. Sandhill Crane
  131. Sandhill Crane

  132. Whooping Crane (about 30 from the Skimmer and again in the Lamar Peninsula)
  133. Whooping Crane

  134. Black-bellied Plover
  135. Black-bellied Plover

  136. Snowy Plover (Sunset Lake Park) (photo taken in 2005 in Santa Barbara)
  137. Snowy Plover

  138. Semipalmated Plover (photo taken in 2012, in NH)
  139. Semipalmated Plover

  140. Piping Plover (only at South Padre)
  141. Killdeer (photo taken in 2011 in Florida)
  142. Killdeer

  143. American Oystercatcher (photo taken in 2011 in Texas)
  144. American Oystercatcher

  145. Black-necked Stilt
  146. Black-necked Stilt

  147. American Avocet (photo from 2012, California)
  148. American Avocet

  149. Spotted Sandpiper (photo from 2012, California)
  150. Spotted Sandpiper

  151. Solitary Sandpiper
  152. Greater Yellowlegs (photo from 2012, NH)
  153. Greater Yellowlegs

  154. Willet (photo from 2013, Florida)
  155. Willet

  156. Lesser Yellowlegs
  157. Long-billed Curlew
  158. Marbled Godwit (photo from 2012, California)
  159. Marbled Godwits and Willet

  160. Ruddy Turnstone (photo from 2013, Florida)
  161. Ruddy Turnstone

  162. Sanderling (photo from 2013, Florida)
  163. Sanderling

  164. Western Sandpiper
  165. Least Sandpiper (photo from 2012, NH)
  166. Least Sandpiper

  167. Dunlin (from 2012, NH)
  168. Dunlin

  169. Long-billed Dowitcher (plus probable Short-billeds at Sunset Lake) (photo taken in 2012, in California)
  170. Long-billed Dowitcher

  171. Black-legged Kittiwake (on the pier at Port Aransas)
  172. Bonaparte’s Gull (photo taken in 2010 in Duluth)
  173. Bonaparte's Gull

  174. Laughing Gull
  175. Laughing Gull
    Laughing Gull

  176. Ring-billed Gull (photo from 2013, Duluth)
  177. Ring-billed Gull

  178. Herring Gull (photo from 2013, Duluth)
  179. Herring Gull

  180. Gull-billed Tern (best along Hwy 106)
  181. Caspian Tern
  182. Common Tern (again at Mustang Island)
  183. Forster’s Tern (Photo from 2011, Florida)
  184. Forster's Tern

  185. Royal Tern (photo from 2013, Florida)
  186. Royal Tern

  187. Sandwich Tern (seen by Donn at Port Aransas) (photo from 2013, Florida)
  188. Sandwich Tern

  189. Black Skimmer (photo from 2010, Florida)
  190. Black Skimmer

  191. jaeger, sp. (probably a Pomarine seen distantly by a few at South Padre)
  192. Rock Pigeon (photo from 2013, Duluth)
  193. Rock Pigeon

  194. Red-billed Pigeon (again on the island at Salineño)
  195. Eurasian Collared-Dove (photo from 2003)
  196. Eurasian Collared-Dove

  197. White-winged Dove
  198. White-winged Dove

  199. Mourning Dove
  200. Mourning Dove

  201. Inca Dove
  202. Inca Dove

  203. Common Ground-Dove (fewer than usual) (photo from 2011, Florida)
  204. Common Ground-Dove

  205. White-tipped Dove
  206. White-tipped Dove
    White-tipped Dove

  207. Monk Parakeet (now apparently “countable”)
  208. Monk Parakeet

  209. Green Parakeet (especially at 10th & Dove in McAllen)
  210. Green Parakeet

  211. Red-crowned Parrot (plus White-fronteds, Red-loreds, Yellow-headeds, and Lilac-crowneds)
  212. Red-crowned Parrot

  213. Greater Roadrunner (Falcon State Park)
  214. Greater Roadrunner
    Greater Roadrunner
    Greater Roadrunner

  215. Flammulated Owl (amazing stake-out at South Padre)
  216. Flammulated Owl

  217. Eastern Screech-Owl (at least 3 roosting mccallii individuals)
  218. Eastern Screech-Owl
    Eastern Screech-Owl

  219. Burrowing Owl (thanks to a tip from Pat DeWenter)
  220. Burrowing Owl

  221. Common Pauraque (Estero Llano Grande)
  222. Common Pauraque
    Common Pauraque

  223. Buff-bellied Hummingbird (fewer than usual)
  224. Buff-bellied Hummingbird

  225. Black-chinned Hummingbird (female at Quinta Mazatlan)
  226. Ringed Kingfisher (Anzalduas, Salineño, and Laredo)
  227. Ringed Kingfisher

  228. Belted Kingfisher (photo from 2011)
  229. Belted Kingfisher

  230. Green Kingfisher (Estero Llano Grande, Frontera, and Salineño)
  231. Green Kingfisher
    Green Kingfisher

  232. Golden-fronted Woodpecker
  233. Golden-fronted Woodpecker

  234. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
  235. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

  236. Ladder-backed Woodpecker
  237. Ladder-backed Woodpecker

  238. Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet (Santa Ana and Anzalduas)
  239. Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet

  240. Black Phoebe (photo from 2012, California)
  241. Black Phoebe

  242. Eastern Phoebe (photo from 2013, Florida)
  243. Eastern Phoebe

  244. Vermilion Flycatcher
  245. Vermilion Flycatcher

  246. Ash-throated Flycatcher (species #200 at the gnatcatcher spot)
  247. Ash-throated Flycatcher

  248. Great Kiskadee
  249. Great Kiskadee
    Great Kiskadee

  250. Tropical Kingbird (by the Harlingen library)
  251. Couch’s Kingbird (best at Sarita)
  252. Loggerhead Shrike
  253. Loggerhead Shrike

  254. White-eyed Vireo (incl one building a nest)
  255. White-eyed Vireo building a nest
    White-eyed Vireo building a nest

  256. Blue-headed Vireo (photo from 2012, Wisconsin)
  257. Blue-headed Vireo

  258. Green Jay (seen 6 days in a row!)
  259. Green Jay
    Green Jay

  260. Chihuahuan Raven (several between Zapata and Laredo)
  261. Purple Martin (photo from 2008)
  262. Purple Martin

  263. Tree Swallow (photo from 2013, Florida)
  264. Tree Swallows

  265. Northern Rough-winged Swallow (photo from 2011, Wisconsin)
  266. Northern Rough-winged Swallow

  267. Cliff Swallow (building nests in Laredo) (photo from 2007, Wisconsin)
  268. Cliff Swallow

  269. (Cave Swallow / leader-only at Estero Llano Grande)
  270. Barn Swallow (From 2009, Ithaca)
  271. Barn Swallow

  272. Carolina Chickadee (quite unexpected by the Big Tree!)
  273. Carolina Chickadee
    Carolina Chickadee

  274. Black-crested Titmouse
  275. Black-crested Titmouse

  276. Verdin (more than usual, for a change) (photo from 2011)
  277. Verdin

  278. House Wren (from 2012, California)
  279. House Wren

  280. Marsh Wren (photo from 2011, Florida)
  281. Marsh Wren

  282. Carolina Wren (photo from 2010, Georgia)
  283. Carolina Wren

  284. Bewick’s Wren
  285. Cactus Wren (photo from 2011, AZ)
  286. Cactus Wren

  287. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (photo from 2010, GA)
  288. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

  289. Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (again along the “gnatcatcher road”)
  290. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  291. Ruby-crowned Kinglet

  292. Hermit Thrush (photo from 2012, Wisconsin)
  293. Hermit Thrush

  294. Clay-colored Thrush (at least 14 individuals seen!)
  295. Clay-colored Thrush
    Clay-colored Thrush
    Clay-colored Thrush

  296. Gray Catbird (photo from 2013, Florida)
  297. Gray Catbird

  298. Northern Mockingbird
  299. Northern Mockingbird
    Northern Mockingbird

  300. Long-billed Thrasher
  301. Long-billed Thrasher
    Long-billed Thrasher

  302. Curve-billed Thrasher
  303. Curve-billed Thrasher

  304. European Starling (photo from 2013, Florida)
  305. European Starling

  306. Cedar Waxwing (photo from 2012, MN)
  307. Cedar Waxwing in mountain ash

  308. Black-and-white Warbler (fewer than usual) (photo from 2011, WI)
  309. Black-and-white Warbler

  310. Orange-crowned Warbler (ditto)
  311. Common Yellowthroat (photo from 2012, NH)
  312. Common Yellowthroat

  313. Northern Parula (seen by Laura at Anzalduas) (Photo from 2011, WI)
  314. Northern Parula

  315. Pine Warbler (singing at Anzalduas) (photo from 2013, Florida)
  316. Pine Warbler

  317. Yellow-rumped Warbler (photo from 2011)
  318. Yellow-rumped Warbler

  319. Yellow-throated Warbler (Progreso Lakes) (photo from 2013, Florida)
  320. Yellow-throated Warbler

  321. Black-throated Gray Warbler (Anzalduas)
  322. Wilson’s Warbler (from 2011, Wisconsin)
  323. Wilson's Warbler

  324. White-collared Seedeater (including a singing male in Laredo!; also mostly heard in San Ygnacio)
  325. White-collared Seedeater
    White-collared Seedeater

  326. Olive Sparrow
  327. Olive Sparrow

  328. Cassin’s Sparrow (eventually posed for all on a fence wire)
  329. Cassin's Sparrow

  330. Chipping Sparrow (photo from 2011, home)
  331. Chipping Sparrow

  332. Black-throated Sparrow (fewer than normal) (photo from 2011, AZ)
  333. Black-throated Sparrow

  334. Savannah Sparrow (photo from 2013, Florida)
  335. Savannah Sparrow

  336. Seaside Sparrow (eventually very cooperative at Old Port Bay Club Rd)
  337. Seaside Sparrow
    Seaside Sparrow

  338. Lincoln’s Sparrow (photo from 2011, home)
  339. Lincoln's Sparrow

  340. (Swamp Sparrow / leader-only, heard-only) (from 2009)
  341. Swamp Sparrow

  342. Summer Tanager (female at Quinta Mazatlan) (photo from 2010, GA)
  343. Summer Tanager

  344. Western Tanager (ditto)
  345. Crimson-collared Grosbeak (no waiting at Sabal Palm Grove)
  346. Crimson-collared Grosbeak

  347. Northern Cardinal (photo from 2013)
  348. Northern Cardinal

  349. Pyrrhuloxia
  350. Pyrrhuloxia
    Pyrrhuloxia

  351. Red-winged Blackbird (photo from 2010, Ithaca)
  352. Red-winged Blackbird - detail

  353. Eastern Meadowlark
  354. Eastern Meadowlark

  355. Western Meadowlark
  356. Yellow-headed Blackbird (Progreso Lakes) (photo from 2011, AZ)
  357. Yellow-headed Blackbird with Red-winged Blackbirds

  358. Brewer’s Blackbird (as usual at the Sarita rest stop) (from 2005, Santa Barbara)
  359. Brewer's Blackbird

  360. Boat-tailed Grackle (along Hwy 35 N of Fulton) (photo taken in 2013, Florida)
  361. Boat-tailed Grackle

  362. Great-tailed Grackle
  363. Great-tailed Grackle
    Great-tailed Grackle

  364. Bronzed Cowbird
  365. Brown-headed Cowbird (photo from 2010)
  366. Brown-headed Cowbird

  367. Altamira Oriole (fewer than usual)
  368. Altamira Oriole
    Altamira Oriole

  369. Audubon’s Oriole (only at Zapata, but two days, one heard only)
  370. Audubon's Oriole (well, parts of him, anyway)

  371. House Finch (photo from 2010)
  372. House Finch

  373. Lesser Goldfinch
  374. Lesser Goldfinch

  375. American Goldfinch (photo from 2013, MN)
  376. A Fringillid Kind of Day

  377. House Sparrow (photo taken in 2012, NYC)
  378. Central Park House Sparrow

    American Alligator

    Red Ants!
    Red ants

    The Yellow Rose of Texas
    Yellow Rose of Texas

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