Having hosted a few American birders through birdingpal over
the last few years I had gained some insight into the top birding locales in
the US. The best place as recommended by people who have stayed at my house?
The Rio Grande and the Texas Coast!
Now I was here – The Rio Grande! Admittedly it was not spring
time when flocks of north bound migrants pass through making the valley a real
birding Mecca, but in the comfortable months of winter when the air is warm and
all of the resident species at home it is still an outstanding show. I must
admit I was pretty excited.
First I should clear up some misconceptions and explain the
obvious.
It seems I, and perhaps some of the first European settlers,
came to the Rio Grande valley expecting a valley; you know hills with a river
running between. But there are no hills. It is flat like much of Texas. It is,
in fact, a large flood plain and, luckily for the first settlers, a fertile flood
plain. So much so that the valley was called the magic valley as its growing
season was longer than territories further north.
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| Bored Border Patrol at Bentson |
The Rio Grande River is the border between the United States
and Mexico and there is much evidence that the US government feels the need to
protect that border very strongly as can be judges by the incredible number of
Border Patrol vehicles and personnel that can be seen when you get mildly close
to the river. Many of the Border Patrol folks are Hispanic and I couldn’t help
wondering about what internal conflicts they may have insisting that other Hispanics
keep on the southern side of the border.
For the tourist one knows that you are on the northern US
side of the border however you could easily make a case for believing that you
are in Mexico. Spanish signs abound and conversations in supermarket aisles and
loudly on mobile phones all loudly proclaim a ‘Mexican’ presence. Shamefully I
recognised this by speaking in a poor Speedy Gonzales accent while driving
around, tactfully not in earshot of any locals. Of course these ‘Mexicans’ have
probably been on this side of the Rio Grande for generations; long before it
was a border, before there was a republic of the United States.
We had decided to base ourselves, for our week’s exploration
of the valley, at a RV park named Americana. It was indeed an island of Americana
surrounded by a Hispanic Sea. Flags fluttered by the entrance; the stars and
stripes, the Canadian Maple Leaf and the red, white and blue banner of the Lone
star state. The park was full of the retired but not the retiring and many
waved and said hello, hi, how y’all doin’? on a daily basis. Many of the park’s
people were Winter Texans, sensibly avoiding colder climes north in favour of
heat and good fun and company close to the border.
The RV park is located just up the road from a Texas state
Park called Bentson which was good because we, well I, were here for the birds.
And, as I suggested before, for birds the Rio Grande is a magic valley.
My first exploration into the park was with Ed, my RV’s park
bird host. Bird host? Yes, they have a system where many parks have a resident
bird guide who organise birding activities and expeditions and get free board
for their labours. There are many in the various state Parks and other Wildlife
Refuges. It’s a great idea.
So, in Bentson State Park, our first stop was at their
feeders. Now it is difficult to imagine this happening in Oz at any government
run place but in the states they are brought up with feeding the birds; they
see nothing wrong with it and, importantly it brings the birds close. In
Australia we seem to be more idealistic; ‘keeping it natural’ with the exotic plants
and animals.
At any rate we saw many, many great birds and here are some
pictures to prove it!!
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| Plain Chachalaca |
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| Clay-coloured Thrush |
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| Green Jay |
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| Eastern Screech Owl |
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| Altamira Oriole |
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| Road Runner |
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| Road Runner |
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| Inca Dove |
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| Green Parakeet |
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| Green Parakeet |
See.
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