Saw-Whet Owl Backyard Bird!

Once upon a time (yeah you betchya this is going to be a good story if it starts with that), Ben decided to not wake me up when a Barred Owl was calling outside our window so that I could hear it for our old apartment yard list.  Yes, that's right, I had Mississippi Kite and Black Vulture for our apartment yard list, but I didn't have a single owl.  Needless to say, when Ben heard a Saw-Whet two nights ago, he was sure to wake me up.

Not much to say other than after finally dragging myself out of bed at 5am it was satisfactory to have my second owl for our new home (Great Horned was my first).

Now I've had Saw-Whet, Great Horned, and Screech as yard birds at various houses... yet for some reason Barred Owl still escapes any yard list I've ever had...

It's about time

OK so a while back *coughoverayearcough* I said that there were some exciting changes coming to my blog soon.  And I was sort of right.  At least, I was right (I hope) about the exciting changes... not the soon.  After posting that update, I decided to finally finish my Master's... and let's just say that took a lot of time and energy.  Then with a new job underway I decided to focus on work.  Now, life is a little more settled.  So, I'm back.  But not alone!  I'd like to welcome my best birding buddy, best friend, and fiance, Ben Griffith to my blog.  

Ben and his pelican friend

From now on, you won't just be hearing from me, but Ben as well!  No, this isn't simply my way of giving Ben an avenue to share his insane birding thoughts with someone other than me.  Although, it certainly doesn't hurt...


Ben is a long time birder and is honestly much more knowledgeable than me about birds... as I once said, when it comes to birds, he is the brains, I'm the personality and insanity.

Now engaged in real life and the blogger world...

Last day in the Valley

Yesterday was the last day in the valley so we spent the morning in Bentsen trying to get photos of the black-vented oriole and we were sucessful! Then we picked up Gray Flycatcher but struck out on Hook-billed Kite.

From there we traveled down to Brownsville and searched Sabal Palm but really didn't have much. A stop at the brownsville landfill provided our long searched for Raven and Aplomado Falcon.

We ended the bird-day by getting good looks at Cassin's Sparrow, Ferruginous Hawk, and Aplomado Falcon.

Then we drove up to Houston, which is where we are this fine morning. 60 degrees today... And it'll only be downhill from here :-( goodbye shorts weather... Hello long pants and soon hello sweatshirts and mittens.

Now its off to search for Brown-headed nuthatch and certain woodpecker that seems to have alluded me to this point...

500! And more

Got my 500th this morning. We are back in the Mission-McAllen area and ready to tear it up!

Now off to explore quinta mazatlan...

Countable muscovey!!!

Successful day and dinner

Today I made it to 498 adding Audubon's + Hooded orioles, zone-tailed Hawk, and Scaled Quail.

We also had an excellent showing of 4 genuine Muscovey along the rio grande flying over at sunrise.

Dinner last night was potatoes and pulled pork sandwiches. Tonight is "mac n cheese" and hot dogs.

Yet nothing has compared to the pinguinos...

And for breakfast tomorrow horchata and oatmeal... Yaaay!!!

LK

Mexico border

The left is mexico, right is the US. This morning we are watching birds fly back and forth across the river.