Rio Grande Valley hotspots
From WikiBird
South Texas Coast pelagic
Three pelagic trips are currently scheduled to leave South Padre Island in 2008. Eric Carpenter has trips scheduled on July 19 and September 6, and the Harlingen Birding Festival http://rgvbirdfest.com has a trip scheduled November 9.
Brownsville Area
Sabal Palm Grove
Sabal Palms, trails, resaca, and boardwalk southeast of Brownsville along the Rio Grande River.
City of Brownsville Landfill
Few reports from here so it may be good for some new discoveries. There was a report in '97 that officials were limiting birder's visits but as of fall of 2004 there was access.
- Hours are Mon thru Sat 7 to 3:45 PM.
- Tamaulipas Crow was last reported from here in 2004 although few reports have been made. Other rare birds that have been see here: Black-tailed Gull ('99) [1], Iceland Gull ('99) [2], Lesser Black-backed Gull ('99) [3], Glaucous Gull [4]. Aplomado Falcon ('97) [5]
Old Port Isabel Road
The road runs from Highway 100 (six miles east of Los Fresnos) to Highway 511 through grasslands. It is mostly dirt and can be rough and rutted. In a rainy situation do not attempt to access the Old Port Isabel Rd. from Hwy. 100. The road is in good condition up to the 2 1/2 mile mark, but not past that point.
- Rare birds: Botteri's Sparrow, Cassin's Sparrows [6], Aplomado Falcon [7].
Brownsville Airport
Tamaulipas Crow is no longer nesting at the Brownsville Airport itself but has been seen in local neighborhoods. Please obey access signage (e.g. area closed) at the airport.
Boca Chica Area
East of Brownsville out Highway 4 is a coastal plain with several side trips, Boca Chica Beach, the mouth of the Rio Grande, and the south jetty of the Brownsville Shipping Channel.
South Padre Island
Includes the convention center, Valley Land Fund lots, and the north jetty in Isla Blanca Park.
Los Ebanos Preserve
82 acre private bird watching preserve. Gardens, trails, a lake, and tropical landscaping, including many varieties of palms.
- $5 Admission
- Directions: 27715 Highway 100, San Benitos, TX, 78586, Phone 956-399-9097. From Expressway 77/83, take the South Padre Island exit and go east 100 yards to the entrance on the left.
- Hours: 6 days a week from 8AM to 5PM. Closed: Thursdays and major holidays.
Harlingen area
Laguna Atascosa NWR
Turf farm on FM 3067
- Southeast of La Feria just west of the intersection of FM 800 and FM 3067.
- Specialties: Sprague's Pipits, others.
Weslaco, Pharr, McAllen, Edinburg, Mission
Valley Nature Center
Frontera Audubon Center
Llano Grande Lake
- Wetlands south and east of Weslaco good for ducks, waders, and shorebirds.
- Directions: From I83 go south on FM1015 about 2.5 miles or from 281 go north on FM1015 just over 2 miles. Just south of the wetlands the levee road goes east from FM1015.
Estero Llano Grande
A World Birding Center site near Weslaco.
- Click Here to go to Website
- about 200 acres of wetlands restored from agricultural files
- seven different ponds with overlooks
- five miles of trails
- a great deck over Ibis Pond
- and a visitor center with the first ebird kiosk in the RGV!
Rare birds include Northern Jacana ('06), Ruddy Ground-Dove ('05).
Santa Ana NWR
2,088 acres of thorn forest and wetland habitat along the Rio Grande River. 12 miles of foot trails and access roads that are open to hiking in addition to the 7-mile tour road.
McAllen sewage ponds
- Good for shorebirds, waders, and ducks.
- Directions: From McAllen go south on 115 towards Hidalgo. Turn right (west) on Idela Drive
- Rare sightings: Glossy Ibis ('04) [8]
Allen Williams residence
- $10 Fee required.
- Directions: : 750 Sam Houston Ave., Pharr, TX. To reach the Williams' residence from McAllen, exit Expressway 83 at Jackson Rd. Follow Jackson Road south to its intersection with Jackson Avenue. Eastward Jackson Avenue becomes W. Sam Houston. Turn east onto Houston and continue to 750, which is on the north side of the street between the Senior Friends Fitness Center and the Skinner/Silva Funeral Home.
- Rare Sightings: Rose-throated Becard, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Blue Mockingbird, Slate-throated Redstart ('03) White-throated Robin ('08)[9].
McAllen Green Parakeets on 10th
In winter, Green Parakeets stage on 10th Street between Violet and Dove. They come in to the telephone wires in the evenings within an hour of sunset.
Anzalduas County Park
- Directions: From McAllen take US83 west to the Conway Ave. exit and turn left under the freeway. Go south about 2.7 miles and turn right on 494 South where there is a sign for Anzalduas County Park. Go over the railroad tracks and past the mission for 1 mile and turn right at the park sign.
- Small fee on weekends, otherwise free.
- Specialties: Gray Hawk, Clay-colored Robin, Tropical Parula, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Ringed Kingfisher, Sprague's Pipit. Also good for migrating warblers.
- Rare Sightings: Greater Pewee ('03) [10]
Bentsen State Park
World Birding Center Headquarters with 760 acres of primarily thorn forest habitat. 6 miles of trails, butterfly gardens, exhibit hall, park shuttle, bike rentals, photo blinds, and observation tower.
Chihuahua Woods Preserve
349 acres of Tamaulipan thornscrub habitat. Access during daylight hours. May be closed during dry conditions because of fire danger. Directions: From US 83 Expressway west of Mission take the Goodwin Road/FM 492 exit (look for the H.E.B. Food Store) and turn left (south) onto FM 492. Go 1 mile and turn right (west) at the blinking light onto Business 83. The road curves northwestward at 0.8 miles. Go straight onto the blacktop road parallel to the railroad track for about 0.1 miles. The preserve entrance is on the left, where the blacktop road crosses the railroad track.
Edinburg World Birding Center
40 acres of wetlands, butterfly gardens, and an interpretive center.
Lower Rio Grande Valley NWR
With headquarters at Santa Ana NWR there are more than 90,000 acres in 100+ LRGV tracts that extend along the Rio Grande from Falcon Dam to the Gulf of Mexico. Tracts which are open to the public include Boca Chica Beach, the La Sal del Rey, Monte Cristo, and Yturria Brush Tracts, the Teniente and East Lake Tracts, and the La Puerta and Salineño Tracts.
La Sal del Rey area
An important migration and wintering ground with Saline lakes and Tamaulipan thornscrub. It is about 1/2 hour drive north of McAllen, TX.
Upriver to Falcon Dam
Falcon Dam SP
Chapeno
Salineno
Santa Margarita Ranch
Santa Margarita Ranch
- Private ranch with desert chaparral, riparian woodland.
- Admission $2.
- Specialties: Muscovy Duck, Red-billed Pigeon.
Salineno
- Thorn forest, desert chaparral, riparian woodland.
- Specialties: Brown Jay, Muscovy Duck, Red-billed Pigeon, Hook-billed Kite, Clay-colored Robin, Hooded Oriole.
- Rare Sightings: Short-tailed Hawk ('97) [11]
Chapeno/El Rio RV Park
At El Rio RV Park the birds, including Brown Jays, are feed at 7:00 am and again at 11:00 am.
Falcon Dam
- The overlook below the dam is closed indefinitely for security reasons.
Falcon State Park
- Almost 600 acres located just above the dam. Thorn forest
- $2 fee
Zapata Library
- After major construction in 2005 White-collared Seedeaters have returned to the park.
- From US-83 take 9th Ave. west 2 blocks to the park and library.
San Ygnacio
- San Ygnacio Bird and Butterfly Sanctuary
- Specialties: White-collared Seedeater
- Rare Sightings: Roadside Hawk ('05) [12], [13], Blue Bunting ('05) [14].
Zapata County Rest Stop
- TxDOT Zapata County Rest Stop (3.3 miles north of San Ygnacio on US 83) [15].
- Very scenic overlook of the Rio Grande and into Mexico.
- Specialties: White-collared Seedeaters
- Rare Sightings: Varied Buntings, Groove-billed Anis
Laredo
Las Palmas Trail
- Specialties: White-collared Seedeaters, Muscovy Duck, Red-billed Pigeon.
- Rare Sightings: Zone-tailed Hawk, Roadside Hawk.
Upper valley
- Big Bend
