Day 14, moving to Mcallen,TX, from Rockport, TX.

I usually ask Ruth what she felt was the best  thing that she saw or that happened during the day. This day I asked , but the reply was something like, "Hmmm, not really very much, as it was vast miles of farmland for the first part and miles of commercial for the last part." Few birds in the former and no birds in the latter. The farmland is waiting for the land to dry out after all the rain they had here the past two weeks.

It is interesting that the area from Harlingen to where we are now (west of Harlingen on I-2 at Mcallen) is completely developed the entire 30 or more miles. Quite a change from 20 years ago or so. But the birds are here, as when I came into the park three warbler "type" birds flew by me so fast I could only identify one  in flight. There was a constant 30 mph wind today, (and also a headwind I might add), so they were zooming along. One was a Couch's Kingbird, that we will see this week I am sure. We will be here a week.
Our birding acumen is  beginning to sort out the doves as there are 5 species that are here including the Mourning Dove, White White Winged, Inca, Ground and Erasian Collared Doves.  We are working on it.

The drive 'down' was quite smooth but the headwind gave us the lowest mileage of the trip. Where we usually get near 10 mpg, pulling the trailer, in normal conditions, this portion was 6.9 mpg. Quite a difference. Gasoline here is $2.06 and Propane is $25.00 per #30. (MI is about $30.00)

We did see some Bank Swallows as a new species on this trip. That was the only addition to the 27 species seen today. "On the road" the totals are less, usually.

So we are settled and will start out tomorrow exploring the many areas here in SW TX that are renowned for bird life. The migration is getting "ramped up" so we hope to be in the middle of it.

Remember we are just a few miles from the Rio Grande and the Mexican border.

Here are a few pictures from the day and a few "bonus" ones. Emphasis on "Few".  Stay tuned!

Моїм друзям в Україну надішліть мені коментар. Я буду перевести!

Our campsite in the Mobile Park in Mcallen
It s not empty, as there are 600 sites in all, we are in the "short term" section.
Most ofthe "Snow birds have started back (Little do they know it s still snowing "up north".

This is added to extend a "Joyful" Palm Sunday to those who
it may be a time of reflection. Lots of plams.

A new specias of butterfly found in Texas.

Can you see the Blackand White Warbler? IT is very quick.

A beautiful Rest area that even had colored tile works of art in the
 bathrooms and interior. This is a GTCBT site to find birds.

The blossoms on a Prickly Pear Cactus.