This was our first birding trip aimed at spotting a specific bird—the Bat Falcon, which had been sighted at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge since mid-December. It was also our first flight since the pandemic began, and we had a late departure on a Thursday. We didn’t realize how difficult it would be to get an Uber in Harlingen, Texas, at midnight.
Santa Ana NWR
On Friday morning, we headed straight to Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. Although we knew our chances of seeing the Bat Falcon were slim—usually seen at dawn and dusk—we decided to give it a try. We quickly spotted some of our target birds for Texas, which included the Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Altamira Oriole, Inca Dove, White-faced Ibis, as well as Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers. In just an hour and a half, we managed to compile an impressive list of 35 species.
Estero Llano Grande
On the path in, we spotted a Long-billed Thrasher and a Plain Chachalaca. Soon, we met up with a guide and a group that was headed to see the nesting White-tailed Kites. Along the Resaca, we encountered many other great birds, including Long-billed Curlews in the farm fields, Black-necked Stilts, and American Avocets. There’s a lovely rookery with numerous Yellow-crowned and Black-crowned Night Herons. Another guide took us through the wooded area, where we observed a McCall’s Eastern Screech Owl. He also pointed out a Common Pauraque, which is nearly impossible to find without assistance. While in the blind, we added several more birds to our list, including the Black-crested Titmouse, White-tipped Dove, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Curve-billed Thrasher.
After checking in at the Fairfield Hotel in Weslaco, we headed back to Santa Ana. Approximately 15 birders scouted the area from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, but unfortunately, we had no success in finding the Bat Falcon. We did, however, spot an American Kestrel and a Merlin, which provided some interest. On Saturday morning, we woke up at 5:00 AM to ensure we arrived at the stake-out before dawn. This time, there were 25 birders searching the area, but we still did not see the Bat Falcon. Later, we hiked several miles to the known daytime location of the Bat Falcon at Cattail Lake. Several birders joined us on this trek and witnessed a Peregrine Falcon flushing the many ducks in the lake. At this location, we were able to see our target birds, including Cinnamon Teal, Least Grebe, Harris’s Hawk, and Gray Hawk.
Bentsen-Rio Grande
As we drove west toward Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, the heat was rising, so we decided to stop for a cold drink and some Laredo tacos. Border security is prevalent along this part of the Rio Grande. During our tram ride, we encountered Border Patrol agents with detainees, which was sad to witness but not unexpected. At the park’s welcome center, our first sightings included a Wild Turkey and a Buff-bellied Hummingbird. We spotted Olive and Lincoln’s sparrows at feeder #4, enjoying peanut butter scraps scattered on the ground. Although a Rosy Becard had been reported by other visitors, it didn’t make an appearance for us. Further down, we visited the Green Jay blind, where we saw many Altamira Orioles, Great Kiskadees, and Green Jays, along with an immature Audubon’s Oriole. You really need a full day to explore Bentsen-Rio, but we had a few more stops to make before sunset.
Valley Nature Center
We received a hot tip about a Golden Crowned Warbler being spotted at the Valley Nature Center, which would be a lifer for both of us. I ran into Chrissy and Alec, who quickly helped us locate the bird, as well as a Clay-colored Thrush. It was the easiest lifer I’ve ever gotten, taking only about five minutes. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures of this skulky warbler.
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands
This World Birding Center is a 40-acre oasis of wetlands featuring several viewing ponds and short trails. Upon arrival, we noticed Plain Chachalacas scurrying around and perched in the trees near the entrance. The North Pond was home to over 200 Cattle Egrets, American White Pelicans, a Belted Kingfisher, and a variety of ducks. Across the street, the South Pond has a small boardwalk where we observed Black-necked Stilts, an Eastern Phoebe, and several Mottled Ducks.
Santa Ana NWR
We were eager to see the Bat Falcon, so we joined the usual birdwatchers at the power pole stakeout just before sunset. A few minutes later, a local woman stopped her car and informed us that she had just spotted our Falcon down the road. Her directions were a bit confusing, so while some members of the group walked toward her indicated location, others decided to search by car. Unfortunately, the Falcon was found about a mile away on another pole, and when we raced over, we discovered that it had flown away just a couple of minutes prior. Although we were disappointed, we weren’t ready to give up. We headed to our hotel to make plans for the next day.
On Sunday morning, we arrived at Santa Ana before sunrise to meet our group. Sharon waited by the entrance pole with the main group while Mike took the car to the location where the Bat Falcon had been sighted the night before. After just a few minutes, Sharon called with the fantastic news that the Bat Falcon had arrived at the park entrance. We all jumped in our cars and rushed over in time to see our target bird from Texas enjoying breakfast—specifically, a bat. Great photos were captured while he fed on a pole. The group stayed back to ensure everyone had a good view. However, the Bat Falcon was flushed by a pesky Prairie Merlin and flew to a nearby tree, where we still had an amazing view. This was definitely the hardest bird to find that we have ever chased, but the reward was worth all the effort.
The University of Texas -RGV
On our drive southeast to Brownsville, we passed several farm fields near Los Indios and spotted a small flock of Snow Geese. Very close to the road, a Northern Harrier was soaring low, looking for its next prey. UT-RGV is another fantastic birding hotspot located right on the Mexican border. This beautiful campus features a resaca that runs through it, with a land bridge dividing part of the area. The Social Flycatcher has been spotted here, and it would be a life bird for us in the U.S. Almost immediately, a pair of Green Kingfishers flew in, followed shortly by a Tropical Kingbird, which we verified by its call. Other birds we observed included Least Grebe, Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Wilson’s Warbler, and both Red-shouldered and Zone-tailed Hawks. Although we did not find the Social Flycatcher, we later heard that it had been seen there in the afternoon.
Laguna Atascosa
Before visiting Laguna Atascosa, we took a short ride down Old Port Isabel Road, where we spotted Roseate Spoonbills, shorebirds, and Great Egrets in the salt marsh. We also saw many Long-billed Curlews marching through the cow pastures, accompanied by a Caracara keeping watch. Just off Highway 100 in Laguna Atascosa, there is a viewing area for the Aplomado Falcon nesting site. For good reason, they keep you at a distance from this site, so a spotting scope is necessary. While I was a little disappointed that the wildlife drive is no longer in use, there are still plenty of excellent birding trails for hikers and bikers to enjoy. Notable birds we encountered included Harris’s Hawk, Osprey, Loggerhead Shrike, and Eastern Meadowlark.
Weslaco
Weslaco, centrally located in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, is an ideal place to stay when exploring the various birding areas in this part of Texas. The town is also a great spot for spotting parrots and parakeets. On our last night, we set out to find them and were fortunate enough to come across a flock of over 150 Red-Crowned Parrots near the intersection of Indiana Avenue and 10th Street. This seems to be a regular occurrence at sunset, and the homeowners in the neighborhood appear to enjoy it as well.
Hugh Ramsey Nature Park
Our final stop on the way to the airport was the gardens and trails of Hugh Ramsey, a Texas tradition for us whenever we arrive in or depart from Harlingen. In just a few minutes, we spotted Altamira Orioles, Common Ground Doves, and Purple Martins. To our surprise, we also saw a new bird for our list, the Javelina, hanging around the feeder.
Update: The last time the Bat Falcon was seen in Texas was on March 7, 2022, the day we left.
Trip Birds: 109 Year Birds: 51 Life Birds: 2
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