BIRDING ABROAD TEXAS IN WINTER - WHOOPING CRANES & THE LOWER RIO GRANDE 6-17 NOVEMBER 2017

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1 BIRDING ABROAD TEXAS IN WINTER - WHOOPING CRANES & THE LOWER RIO GRANDE 6-17 NOVEMBER 2017 TOUR OVERVIEW: Texas has some of the most rich and diverse wildlife areas in North America and is often considered to be the continent s premier birding destination. On this tour we cover three of the major habitat groups in the southern part of the state: the central Gulf Coast; the Lower Rio Grande Valley and the Pineywoods near Houston. The coastal marshes of the central Gulf Coast are the main wintering grounds of the Whooping Crane, the rarest crane in the World, and their survival is one of North America s greatest conservation triumphs. These majestic birds are joined by a plethora of wildfowl, herons, waders, gulls, terns and much more. Further south-west, the Lower Rio Grande Valley provides the natural border to Mexico and a combination of unique environments which are home to a dazzling variety of birds, many of which are found only in this part of the USA. Specialities include Plain Chachalaca, Least Grebe, Grey Hawk, Aplomado Falcon, White-tipped Dove, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Green Jay, Clay-coloured Thrush, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow and Altamira Oriole. North of Houston, the so called Pineywoods reach their western limits, and are home to many special woodland birds including several species of woodpecker including Red-cockaded Woodpecker, North America s rarest. Commencing and concluding in Houston, we will also visit the NASA Space Centre, home of the iconic Mission Control building, something not to be missed. Whooping Crane - the star of the show with only 450 remaining in the wild. Photograph courtesy of Tommy Moore, Rockport Birding Adventures

2 TOUR DESCRIPTION: A 12 day tour to this southern state, which boasts a richer winter diversity amongst its birds than most states can in summer! Included is a half day boat cruise into the coastal marshes alongside the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to see Whooping Cranes and much more. In the Lower Rio Grande, we visit several famous reserves including Santa Ana NWR, Laguna Atascosa NWR and Estero Llano Grand State Park. Our circuit takes us back towards Houston where we round off with a visit to the NASA Space Centre and the Pineywoods. If you have not visited Texas, come with us and see why it ranks so highly as a superb winter birding destination. PHOTOGRAPHIC OPPORTUNITIES: Excellent each reserve has many magnificent trails and there are well constructed boardwalks across various coastal and freshwater marshes. There is even a tree canopy walkway in the Rio Grande. Our boat cruise into the Aransas Marshes will enable you to get close up to the cranes and other shorebirds. Fancy your own photograph of a Common Yellowthroat? BIRD LIST: A wealth of North American wintering and migrant species enrich the tour: Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling-ducks, Snow and Ross s Geese, Mottled Duck, Bluewinged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Plain Chachalaca, Northern Bobwhite, Least Grebe, American White and Brown Pelicans, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, American Bittern, Least Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron, Tricoloured Heron, Reddish Egret, Green Heron, Yellow-crowned Night- Heron, White-faced Ibis, White Ibis, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Vulture, Bald Eagle, Northern Harrier, Cooper s Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, White-tailed hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Whitetailed Kite, Crested Caracara, American Kestrel, Aplomado Falcon, Clapper Rail, King Rail, Virginia Rail, Sora, Sandhill Crane, Whooping Crane, American Oystercatcher, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, Willet, American Avocet, Long-billed Curlew, sandpipers (Western, Least and Stilt), Long and Short-billed Dowitchers, Laughing Gull, terns (Gull-billed, Caspian, Forster s and Royal), Black Skimmer, White-winged and Inca Doves, Greater Roadrunner,

3 Eastern Screech-owl, Barred Owl, Common Pauraque, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, kingfishers (Belted, Green and Ringed), woodpeckers (Golden-fronted, Red-bellied, Ladderbacked, Downy, Red-cockaded, Pileated), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Eastern Phoebe, Great Kiskadee, Tropical and Couch s Kingbirds, Loggerhead Shrike, White-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos, Blue and Green Jays, Cave Swallow, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted and Black-crested Titmouse, Verdin, Brown-headed Nuthatch, wrens (Carolina, Bewick s, House, Sedge and Marsh), Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Eastern Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, Clay-coloured Thrush, Long-billed Thrasher, American Pipit, Sprague s Pipit, Cedar Waxwing, warblers (Orangecrowned, Yellow-rumped, Pine, Nashville, Wilson s, Tropical Parula, Common Yellowthroat), sparrows (Olive, Cassin s, White-throated, Chipping, Vesper, Lark, Savannah, Seaside, Lincoln s, Swamp, Nelson s Sharp-tailed), Pyrrhuloxia, Altamira Oriole. MAMMALS & OTHER FAUNA & FLORA: Texas is home to a large number of mammal species, but their largely nocturnal habits means we are unlikely to encounter many, and sadly most often as road kills. The rare Ocelot cat occurs at Laguna Atascosa but we would be fortunate indeed to have a sighting during our visit there. Bobcats are seen more regularly by bird watchers touring the state. Swamp Rabbit is a distinct possibility at some coastal sites and Coyote are not uncommon and we may get a glimpse the state mammal, the Nine-banded Armadillo. Other animals such as American Alligator are more easily seen. Several species of butterfly will be on the wing and those with an interest in botany will enjoy a rich mix of plant life. Vermillion Flycatcher dazzling in the sunshine

4 EASE AND PACE: We take this tour at a sensible pace, with no very early morning starts. Walks are generally short and of an hour or so duration. The terrain is flat and easy going. The Whooping Crane boat cruise into the Aransas Marshes takes place where the coastal waters are sheltered and calm. Many reserves have visitor centres providing excellent facilities including washrooms and cafes. On a couple of days, we have a longer drive of a maximum three hours duration, broken with comfort rests and pauses for impromptu birding. ACCOMMODATION & FOOD: Our modern hotels are members of well known global chains, all being of 3 to 4 star standard and each providing twin-bed en-suite rooms. These have been chosen after careful consideration. First-hand experience has shown there is a wide variation in both hotel quality and price in the USA, lower price equating to poorer quality. By paying a little more, we believe that our hotels will meet your expectations and enhance your comfort and enjoyment. Breakfasts are continental style though something hot is always provided. Hotel evening menus tend to be limited, so we will choose on the day whether to visit a nearby restaurant which will offer a wider selection of food for differing budgets. Lunch will be a picnic lunch or cafe snack. WEATHER: Southern Texas experiences pleasant and stable mid-winter weather. Sunny days are the norm, with daytime temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees at the time of our visit. Mornings and evenings are slightly cooler, when a light jacket might be required. PRICE: The cost of the trip is 1900 person. This includes all travel in Texas, services of an expert guide, bed and breakfast accommodation in quality hotels with twin-bed en-suite rooms, packed or cafe lunches beginning on 7th and ending on 16th November, entry to all nature reserves, the Whooping Crane boat cruise and entry to the NASA Space Centre. Not included are the flights (expect to pay around for a return direct flight from the UK to Houston), evening meals and your drinks. Budget around 25 for an evening meal. USA ENTRY REQUIREMENT: Those joining the tour will be required to apply for the US ESTA, completed easily on-line, including payment of about 14. GROUP SIZE: The tour will be considered viable with a minimum of 5 group members plus your Birding Abroad leader. The maximum group size is 12 with 2 leaders. Killdeer one of several waders commonly seen

5 Day 1 Monday 6 November HOUSTON ITINERARY The tour commences at Bush International Airport in Houston in the afternoon, the exact time subject to flight schedules used. After collecting our hire vehicles we will drive to Rosenberg which is south-west of Houston for our overnight stay. In the relatively short period of daylight remaining, we will note large overhead flocks of pre-roosting Icterids, including Common and Great-tailed Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds and Brown-headed Cowbirds streaming across the sky to roosts. We will take our evening meal and then retire ready for the next day s birding. Night Rosenburg. Day 2 Tuesday 7 November BRAZOS BEND STATE PARK TO ROCKPORT After breakfast we take a short drive to the Brazos Bend State Park, one of the foremost inland reserves in Texas and a superb introduction to the tour. Roadside we will note numerous American Kestrels, and both Black and Turkey Vultures will already be soaring overhead. During a leisurely stroll around the reserve, we will seek out species such as the serpentine Anhinga, White Ibis, Pied-billed Grebe, American Bittern, Northern Harrier, Redshouldered Hawk, Say s Phoebe, Swamp and Lincoln s Sparrows, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal, Carolina and House Wren, Carolina Chickadee and Hermit Thrush. Small groups of warblers will primarily comprise Yellow-rumped, but can also include Orangecrowned, Wilson s and Common Yellowthroats. After a picnic lunch in the park, where grassy areas attract many American Pipits, we will head south-west through the coastal plain, stopping enroute to check for flocks of wintering white geese, predominantly Snow Geese but with a proportion of Ross s Geese included. Good numbers of Sandhill Cranes are also found. Our destination for two nights is Rockport on the Gulf Coast, which we will reach by late afternoon. Nights 2 and 3 Rockport. Wilson s Warbler one of a variety of warblers to be seen

6 Days 3 & 4 Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 November TEXAS COAST, ARANSAS & ROCKPORT The Rockport and Fulton areas on the Gulf of Mexico have long been considered amongst North America s premier birding destinations. A mixture of grasslands, oak woodlands, bay waters, mudflats and freshwater wetlands provides a great place for our next two days of birding. The undoubted highlight will be the half day boat cruise from Fulton out into the waterways and channels alongside the Aransas NWR where we will encounter family parties of Whooping Crane. The boat s skipper makes every effort to get close to these amazing birds and other species, as well as providing a very knowledgeable commentary. We drift slowly passed oyster beds, sandy islands and open water, home to Caspian, Royal and Forster s Terns, stunning Roseate Spoonbills and White Ibis, with numerous duck and wader species providing a marvellous spectacle. The marsh vegetation has Seaside Sparrows and we will check the many grackles for the less common Boat-tailed. American White and Brown Pelicans come close to snatch morsels from local fishing boats. During our stay we will visit a number of well known sites on the Live Oak and Lamar Peninsulas, including Goose Island State Park and Rockport Demo Bird Garden which provides a variety of habitats for us to explore. The salt marshes hold Clapper Rails, Sedge Wren and with luck Nelson s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, whilst short walks through the oak woodlands yield Ladder-backed Woodpecker and both White-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos. By mid-day on day 4 it will be time to move on, driving south along Mustang Island, one of many narrow barrier islands connected to the mainland by free ferry and spectacular road

7 causeways affording terrific views across the Gulf Coast. We will break the journey with a few stops, including one at the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Centre in Port Aransas, where a delightful boardwalk affords good views of several skulking rails including Sora and Virginia Rail and Least Bittern. A short pause along the narrow strip of land forming the barrier islands is likely to produce several wintering sparrow species which favour the Bluestem prairie grassland and sand dune habitat there. We then cross the impressive JFK Causeway back to the mainland at Corpus Christie and travel on to Kingsville for the night. Day 5 Friday 10 November SOUTH OF KINGSVILLE TO HARLINGEN, LOWER RIO GRANDE Today we visit a number of sites enroute to the Rio Grande Valley. The day begins with a stroll in the Dick Kleberg Park in Kingsville, with its lake, marshland, open grassland and Mesquite chaparral. We will begin to encounter some of the species associated with the south of the state, such as Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Great Kiskadee and Green Jay. Checking through the flocks of American Pipits could reveal an elusive Sprague s Pipit. Open fields in Kleberg County host large numbers of Sandhill Cranes often accompanied by Greater White-fronted Geese (known locally as Specklebellies ), whilst more brushy habitat is excellent for raptors including Harris s and White-tailed Hawks and the impressive Crested Caracara. Even our roadside service station stops will produce birds, one being a regular haunt of groups of Brewer s Blackbirds, Black-crested Titmouse and Lesser Goldfinch. Whilst driving south we are never far from the coast, so we will scan the bays to see huge numbers of Redheads, Buffleheads and Lesser Scaup and scan the sand spits and tidal creeks for a multitude of waders, whilst areas of Cattails are often home to Marsh Wrens. Each autumn Mountain Plovers are found in this part of the state and depending upon their proximity to our route, we will also stop off to check for them. We will reach our hotel for a three night stay by late afternoon. Nights 5, 6 and 7 Harlingen. Sandhill Crane frequent in Texas during the winter

8 Days 6 and 7 Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 November LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY Over the next two days we radiate from our base to visit some of the famous reserves in the Lower Rio Grande corridor, each with excellent visitor facilities. These include Santa Ana NWR, Estero Llano Grande State Park and Frontera Audubon Thicket, where we aim to catch up with the avian specialities of the region. These include the weird looking Plain Chachalacas, the dainty Least Grebe, Mottled Duck, White-tipped Dove, Altamira Oriole, Long-billed Thrasher, Olive Sparrow, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Buff-bellied Hummingbirds at feeders, Clay-coloured Thrush and both Couch s and Tropical Kingbirds. Common Pauraque merge cryptically amongst the leaf litter at traditional spots allowing close views and Eastern Screech-owl peer from their nest holes. A strong array of wintering warblers will be flitting amongst the tangles, whilst lovely Vermillion Flycatchers perch prominently. Green Jay a speciality of the Lower Rio Grande Day 8 Monday 13 November SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, LAGUNA ATASCOSA NWR TO CORPUS CHRISTIE This morning we venture to South Padre Island and Laguna Atascosa NWR. The former is a barrier island rich in birdlife where the boardwalk near the World Birding Centre is a great place for waders including Piping Plovers and crakes including Clapper Rail. The open fields at Laguna Atascosa host Aplomado Falcons and other sought after species such as Greater Roadrunner. The reserve centre is surrounded by bird-filled walks with several hides and feeding stations, great for close up photography. We will not want to drag ourselves away, but by mid-afternoon, we set off north for a three hour drive to Corpus Christie. Overnight Corpus Christie.

9 Greater Roadrunner can be expected in the Lower Rio Grande Day 9 Tuesday 14 November CORPUS CHRISTIE TO EAGLE LAKE TO HOUSTON After a long day yesterday, we will enjoy a leisurely start today. Our destination is Eagle Lake, west of Houston, our journey being punctuated by stops at various small reserves which will continue the theme of excellent birding. Loggerhead Shrike, Great Horned Owl, Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper s Hawk, Northern Harrier, Inca Dove, Bewick s Wren, Blue-grey Gnatcatcher, Lark Sparrow, Bobwhite, Cave Swallow, Horned Lark, Eastern Phoebe, Merlin, Belted Kingfisher, Orange-crowned Warbler, House Finch, Eastern Meadowlark, Dark-eyed Junco and Le Conte s Sparrow all complimenting what by this stage of the tour will be a significant list of birds. The timing of our visit is intended to coincide with the arrival of the first migrating Snow Geese (with a proportion of Ross s Geese mixed in) and our afternoon is spent checking out the stubble and harvested rice fields near Eagle Lake, an area attractive to wintering geese. Night Rosenburg. Day 10 Wednesday 15 November NASA SPACE CENTRE TO THE WOODLANDS Morning birding will again centre around Eagle Lake, before we drive for one hour or so to the NASA Johnson Space Centre. Here a four hour tour takes in the historic Mission Control room, eliciting memories of the amazing work of ground staff in charge of the Apollo Space programme and moon landings, through to the Space Shuttle era and more recently to the International Space Centre. Not to be missed, even by hardened birders we suggest! By mid-afternoon we drive to the woodlands north of Houston and check in to our hotel. Night North Houston.

10 NASA Space Centre - visit the Mission Control room used in the Apollo moon landings Day 11 Thursday 16 November WG JONES STATE FOREST TOUR CONCLUDES This morning we will visit the W G Jones State Forest, a patch at the western extreme of the Pineywoods which stretch across the states of the southern USA. Here we will check out a colony of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, North America s rarest, as well as having a nice stroll in the dry pine woods. Several other woodpecker species occur such as the impressively large Pileated and the strikingly patterned Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, plus Redbreasted Nuthatches and the resident diminutive Brown-headed Nuthatches. Eastern Bluebirds, Blue Jays, Chipping Sparrows, Eastern Towhee and Pine Warblers frequent the woodland rides, and even the rare Henslow s Sparrow is possible here. By tea time we must make the short drive to Houston International Airport, where our tour concludes. Your Birding Abroad leaders will be taking an overnight flight back to the UK arriving in the morning of Friday 17 November. COPYRIGHT: Birding Abroad Limited See birdingabroad.com for details of further birding tours with Birding Abroad