What's Blue and AWESOME?

Street view of the 15 acre Frontera Audubon in Weslaco, Texas

Can barely bring myself to believe it is only day two of my impromptu Texas trip, yet I've already managed to see two lifer species. With those thoughts I set my iPhone GPS this morning and drove to Frontera Audubon. This one itty bitty 15 acre site full of brambles and thickets, holds three rare species I am anxious to see: Blue Bunting, Tropical Parula, Crimson-collared Grosbeak and Groove-billed Ani.

Frontera's Visitor Center Patio

Once on the site, I hit the Visitor Center, and paid my $5 entry fee. The Visitor Center is a pretty little patio'd former house (or so I believe). The greeter, a nice lady took the time to give me a map and point out where I needed to go to find the Blue Bunting. I sallied forth and was lost within 5 minutes. Yes. I am pathetic. I returned to the lady and she set me straight, so I was off once again - this time on the correct route.

I was immediately in love with the place. The trails were naturally soft, foot friendly, the stretches to navigational signs were short, and best of all, a lovely canopy formed from the thickets made the trails shadowy - cool - in short, totally 'Claire friendly'. Before long I arrived at the spot where the Blue Bunting had most recently been seen.

The thicket was pretty ordinary and notable only by the nearly invisible shallow, human-made pond in its center. In front of the area sat four grim looking birders. I dared not speak, but sat on a bench next to them, and like them, stared grimly at the thicket - to no notable avail.

Eventually I spoke, asking about the target Bunting, and was told it had shown earlier in the day, and hadn't been seen since. Uh.. huh. Rats. I rose, and decided to further investigate. Off down the trail I went.

There was no lack of bird-life in the woods. A noisy flock of the parrots which only the evening before had been lifers for me, flew by overhead. There were also several rest areas with jumbles of feeders filled with titmouses, numerous Northern Cardinals, little Buff-breasted Hummingbirds and noisy Chachalacas.

Crested Titmouse 

Buff-breasted Hummingbird

 There were even a few surprises, like this Ovenbird I enjoyed watching skulking through the underbrush.

Ovenbird - difficult to photograph through thick foliage,
that hopped around, and drew quite a viewing audience

 I never stopped searching for the Bunting, and kept returning to the first spot, where disappointment reigned. Birders are normally a friendly bunch, and this time there was no exception. Cooperatively we all kept each other posted on what birds we saw and what tales of the wayward Bunting other birders had passed onto us. I swapped cell phone numbers with an older guy from Atlanta Georgia, and we pledged to give each other a ring if the Bunting showed up.

A chuffy little Olive Sparrow, moving about like a mouse in the underbrush

Then it happened. First I got a call from the Georgia birder, that he'd spotted the Bunting on the trail and asking me to therefore make my approach slowly. I did so, but the bunting had already vamoosed. I sat down at the bench and again, held vigil at the thicket by the pond - but not for long. The Blue Bunting flew into the understory of the thicket and landing on a shrub, and proceeded to pose. LIFER!

The little Bunting was a lovely deep cobalt blue with black feathers around his eyes and bill

He had quite an excited audience watching his every move

One last view of that cheeky right profile and little blue boy was off again!

 HURRAH, another lifer, and this time I had the satisfaction of photos of my treasure! When the bunting took off, we congratulated ourselves and I chalked up, without the benefit of owning chalk, mind you, lifer birdy number 3 for this trip. Maybe it wasn't a frivolous idea to come down to Texas on such short notice after all.

I walked around a bit more in hopes of perhaps spotting the three other birds I wanted to see at this site, but when they were a no show, I headed for the exit. On the way I met a birder who asked about the Bunting and I filled him in on its probable locations. He filled me in on where he'd just viewed another rarity, a White-throated Thrush. The bird was quite near the same refuge where I saw the Northern Jacana yesterday. Hum... suspect I know where I will head off to in the morning!

The miracle of the
Christmas Blue Bunting

[Update: I collect Hallmark's 'Beauty of Birds' mini-ornaments. Last year's 2015 mini-Christmas ornament was a Blue Bunting. I thought that was a weird choice. I thought Hallmark must think no one will know 'Indigo' means blue, and that only birders would know how rare Blue Buntings are in the U.S. Flash forward to today, and suddenly my cute & tiny Blue Bunting ornament holds meaning as a treasured bird on my life list. Hummm.... how did Hallmark know?]

Texas Birdie Round-up

View of Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, Hidalgo Co., Texas

Ah, Spring! When thoughts of straying north of the 'only-really-there-because-humans-insist-it-is' International Border, enters the noggins of our tiny feathered friends. It was for the pleasure of seeing flying treasures, that with zero planning, I purchased tickets to sally down to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.

I was barely off the jet when I headed to the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. There I swore, cursed and grumbled nastily as I hiked into the refuge with hopes of seeing one or two juvenile Northern Jacanas. We hates the hiking... soon I was deep in the refuge, staring at reeds and sedges in a hopeful manner. Then a nice pair of Canadians, one lugging a spotting scope, arrived. On their faces, a look of complete boredom. We chatted, when one of the gentlemen, raised his arm and pointed and calmly stated: "There's one."

Sure enough, far off in shallow reeds I could see a long legged rail-ish sort of  bird darting about.

Youngster Northern Jacana

LIFER! The juvie Northern Jacana with it's over-sized toes, pecked among the shallow water and put on a show. I was kindly invited to get a better look at the bird through the spotting scope. I might have tried for an iPhone shot through the scope but the eyepiece of the scope was so high I could barely see through it in the first place. Hurrah! My trip was off to a successful start, and thanks again dear Canooks.

The Northern Jacana is one of the species I assumed I wouldn't see in my lifetime, they are that rare north of the border. On the left is a photo (again, not mine) of an adult Northern Jacana. Note the wicked yellow spurs on the wing joints. The birds use the spurs in combat with each other, and give the species a Jurassic look.

There used to be about 40 of these birds in a refuge in Texas, but that population died out. Now it is a treat for a bird or two to wander over the border and grace the wetlands of Texas. Well worth coming down to the Big Star State for a peek.

Now, I did not come down to Texas specifically to see the next species I went after. The Red-crowned Parrots are always around the Valley, but as I never managed to see them before, so might as well make a go at them now. So with a little internet research, toward's day's end, I drove to an ordinary enough little suburban street in McAllen, Texas. I roamed up and down Dallas Street with eyes and ears focused. The Red-crowns are increasingly rare in its native Mexico, but happily, they thriving in South Texas. I think of the Texas population as a savings account species, meaning if their numbers go missing in Mexico from illegal pet trade snaring, there is a population in Texas so the species has a buffer against extinction.

As twilight approached, After 45 minutes I was convinced I wasn't going to find the parrots. After all, normally the noisy birds are found by spreading 'spotters' with communication devises around so when one finds the parrots, everyone can race to the spot. Here I was, all by my lonesome, trying to do the work of twenty birders on foot.

Suspicious squawks rang out.

I headed towards the sound, and faced a couple of suburban homes with tall trees canopied over their roofs - and there they were - LIFERS!

Red-crowned Parrots Photo by Brian Plath

I could not believe my luck. I've attended two birding festivals in the Valley, and both times failed at finding the species. So I was happy to be able to enjoy them as they leapt and fluttered from branch to branch, settling in for their long evening roost.

BAM! 

Suddenly like a cannon shot, parrots SCREAMED, shooting out of the trees, hysterical flocks, frantically flying off . Nearly as startled as the birds, I watched as they disappeared, wondering, 'what the...? Most likely a predator scared them, but what?Owl? Raccoon? Cat? I'll never know. I waited around but the birds never returned, so I headed back to my motel. The score for this impromptu trip was two lifer species, and that's not too shabby a start.

Succulent Valentines

'Hens and Chickens' decorate these wooden hearts

Um... probably not what you're thinking, the succulent Valentines that is. Am in Monterey visiting with friend Barbara. She wanted to take a run to one of her many favorite plant nurseries, Succulent Gardens. The nursery has been around five years but it was my first visit. The nursery is famous for its classes teaching how to plant succulents on wall hangings. This is an impressive wall hanging that actually is a wall.

Pink Floyd got nothin' on this wall
of hundreds of mini-succulents

 First thing I zoned in on were the many Valentine themed goods for sale.

One can purchase these letters and fill them in with nursery seedlings.

Yes - fairly pricey!

You feeling the love yet? The Succulent Nursery is a HUGE greenhouse. I like to try and get in a certain amount of daily walking, and this was the perfect place to achieve my day's goal.




Walked up one aisle on its left, then down the same aisle on the right

Then it was over to the next aisle and repeat.

I got quite the walking work out. The entire time I thought of my mother, who adored succulents and would have had a ball at this giant warehouse of plantlets. 

Barbara had long since bought the few things she had come for, and she texted me 'Come on, let's go!' Happily, I had my phone turned off, and wasn't going to leave unless unless the whole place went up in flames - was having that much fun toodle-ing around.  

Then I spotted what I've been looking for for about two years now - cute and adorable planting pots! Used to be lots of stores had cutesy pots and planters, but there seems to be a dearth of them the past couple of years. I even searched nurseries in the Bay Area which back in 'the day' used to have loads of adorable pots. 

Chicken Pots, no pie

Was sooo tempted by this colorful sea turtle pot

Settled on a cute terra cotta baby quail pot and a colorful rooster pot

There were also large terra cotta pots in the shape of terriers, bunnies, chickens and such, but decided to leave those for another time. Now I finally have nice pots for my 'string of hearts' plant.

Got in my 2K plus steps at the nursery and a bit of shopping and I was finally very-nearly-almost ready to leave. Barbara had to sit in the car and wait while I got my fill of succulents at this awesome plant nursery.

lots of blossoms

Brother Sun, Sister Moon