Birds and Nature

Though I have seen the aggregation of Green Parakeets a couple of more times in McAllen, TX, the numbers have been reduced from the close to 500 I found last week. This was a video clip I hadn't had time to process but is different from the one below. This shows all of the parakeets flying together in a long loose line that stretched far across the sky. It provides some perspective on how large the number of birds were in this group. SeEtta

This is a very brief (only 13 seconds) but cool video clip that shows several hundred Green Parakeets flying together. They make a number of synchronized turns, including one 180 degree turn that I follow so be prepared Good audio of their mass raucous calling. SeEtta

It was so amazing to see so many Green Parakeets gathered on these utility lines I wanted to show their amazing numbers. These two pics show the numbers to the left and to the right of the same utility poll--I counted around 457 but many were clustered so close I likely missed some). Remember you get a closer view by double-clicking on a pic. (note: I will have more video clips, including them flying off in mass, later today) SeEtta

This brief video clip shows the large aggregation of Green Parakeets though several more groups flew in after I took this. But it does give a good idea of what so many raucous Green Parakeets look like spread across several layers of utility line and sound like (they drown out my voice and even most of the traffic sounds). Quite a spectacle and even a few locals noticed (I let them know these were Green Parakeets) and seemed to enjoy it. SeEtta

These Green Parakeets really put on a show. Lots of fussing and feuding. And lots of allopreening , the mutual grooming that takes place in several species of birds. SeEtta

I love wild birds, rare or not-rare, I love them all (well, most all). Though I have seen wild parrots and parakeets a number of times during my trips to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas (we have a Rio Grande Valley in Colorado too) I still get a kick out of seeing them. I realized today that my motel is only a few miles from where the Green Parakeets of McAllen are known to stage. And I found a bonanza of them. More above. SeEtta

While birding in the Roselawn Cemetery I found this Pine Warbler, I believe a male, foraging in the same area as the Greater Pewee. SeEtta

Just one more pic that helps show off the yellow-orange mandible on it's bi-colored and very large bill on the Greater Pewee. (It's crest, white chin and dark upper bill visible on pics in prior post while plain gray plumage shown on pics in both posts). When I viewed this bird it showed a greenish tinge to some of it's lower parts which hadn't been reported or noted by other 2 birders who viewed it with me. I did find that Birds of North America online states that for birds in Definitive Basic plumage, "Fresh plumage more deeply colored than spring plumage aspect described below, with upperparts more olive, lower parts more strongly suffused with yellowish buff or greenish yellow ." Since this plumage is acquired after pre-Basic molt that occurs in July through September, it's plumage shouldn't be too worn yet. SeEtta

I photographed this Greater Pewee in Roselawn Cemetery in McAllen,Tx. It was located by a gentleman from Idaho. These photos can be enlarged for close-up views by double clicking on them. I thought the bird had a greenish wash on it's underparts but that didn't come through in the photos--has anyone else seen that? SeEtta This cemetery was exceptionally birdy including a female Summer Tanager that only allowed quick looks and no pics.

I have been enjoying not only Rio Grande Valley specialities but some migrating warblers these past 4 days. Today I birded Quinta Mazatlan, one of the "World Birding Centers" in the Rio Grande Valley. I was quite frustrated and almost left because there was so much noisy maintenance work being done to the grounds, partially because they had a big earth-day celebration there over the week-end. I am glad I hung in because I found this Worm-eating Warbler that is migrating through. Though this pic is not great it was the best I could get as this bird was sticking to thicket areas that were dark and had lots of vegetation in the way. In fact, the blurriness on this pic is from some vegetation between me and the bird. It does show the blackish eye stripe and some of one of the crown stripes that are distinctive with this species. Other viewable field marks, as described in Birds of North America online are as follows: "Remaining upperparts largely olive green; lacks w...