 This photo of a rainbow was taken at the Rancho Hidalgo equestrian center immediately after the storm had passed. We also learned today that we had a hitch-hiker onboard. A packet of rubber gloves had been partially eaten by a mouse. I will have to catch the little bastard before it nibbles through some electrical wiring! October 21, 2009: Spent an incredible morning walking on the west side of the 5,000 acre Rancho Hidalgo property. Highlights were excellent views of a Sage Thrasher and a late Yellow Warbler. For more information about Rancho Hidalgo click Here Birds observed: Brewer's Blackbird 2, House Finch 25, Killdeer 10, Say's Phoebe 1, Black-throated Sparrow 27, Ring-necked Duck 1, Gadwall 4, Barn Swallow 3, White-crowned Sparrow 49, Orange-crowned Warbler 3, Lincoln's Sparrow 1, Brewer's Sparrow 20, Verdin 4, Black Phoebe 1, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1, Cactus Wren 3, Chihuahuan Raven 3, Crissal Thrasher 2, Northern Flicker 1, Bewick's Wren 2, Yellow Warbler 1, Loggerhead Shrike 1, Sage Thrasher 1, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1, Vesper Sparrow 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 1, Eastern "Lilian's" Meadowlark 6, Horned Lark 17, House Sparrow 23, Chipping Sparrow 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1, Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 3, Western Bluebird 14, Northern Harrier 1. Butterflies observed: Variegated Fritillary 2, Western Pygmy-Blue 2, Sleepy Orange 5, Tailed Orange 1, Common/White Checkered Skipper 3. October 22, 2009: Shela and I spent three hours this morning walking along the farm road on the east side of Rancho Hidalgo. Highlights were Sage Sparrows and Western Scrub-Jays. We also heard, but could not see Sandhill Cranes far to the east of us. Birds observed: Rock Wren 7, Savannah Sparrow, 1, Northern Harrier 1, Loggerhead Shrike 2, Horned Lark 17, Brewer's Blackbird 8, House Finch 1, Say's Phoebe 5, Chihuahuan Raven 1, American Kestrel 1, Western Scrub-Jay 2, Yellow-rumped Warbler 37, Orange-crowned Warbler 1,Brewer's Sparrow 3, Sage Sparrow 2, Lesser Goldfinch 2, Marsh Wren 1, White-crowned Sparrow 6, Dark-eyed "Oregon" Junco 1, Black-throated Sparrow 1, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 1, Mallard "Mexican race" 2, and Eastern "Lilian's" Meadowlark 6. Butterflies observed: Variegated Fritillary 1, Western Pygmy-Blue 1, Sleepy Orange 5, Orange Sulphur 2, Common/White Checkered Skipper 5, and Painted Lady 1. October 24, 2009: We left Rancho Hidalgo today and headed west to Rodeo, New Mexico. Today is Shela's birthday, don't tell her I said she just turned the big 40. October 27, 2009: Had a great morning at Patagonia Lake State Park, near Nogales, Arizona. Highlights were a male Arizona Woodpecker, considered accidental (five or fewer records) at the park. The biggest surprise though was a first winter female Chestnut-sided Warbler, a species not even listed on the park checklist. The bird was first spotted by Gary Graves; research scientist and curator at the Smithsonian Institution. He called out the bird and we both managed to get documentary photos. Another surprise was when I found a fleece jacket along the Sonoita Creek trail. No big deal until I realized that the jacket actually belonged to me! Somehow I had lost it more than five weeks ago, which was when Shela and I last walked along the creek. Apart from needing a much needed wash, it seems to have survived the elements of mother nature. I also obtained my first ever photos of a Virginia Rail and a Empress Leilia butterfly. Birds observed: Great-tailed Grackle 24, Red-winged Blackbird 27, Ruddy Duck 54, Great Egret 1, American Coot 35, Green-tailed Towhee 1, Ruby-crowned Kinglet 7, Ladder-backed Woodpecker 2, Marsh Wren 2, Virginia Rail 3, Lincoln's Sparrow 3, Song Sparrow 4, Yellow-rumped Warbler 57, Say's Phoebe 1, Gila Woodpecker 3, Chipping Sparrow 11, Killdeer 3, Spotted Sandpiper 1, Black Phoebe 2, American Pipit 1, Ring-necked Duck 1, Neotropic Cormorant 3, Pied-billed Grebe 4, Great-blue Heron 2, Bridled Titmouse 3, Northern Flicker 2, Bewick's Wren 2, White-breasted Nuthatch 1, House Wren 2, Black-chinned Sparrow 1, White-crowned Sparrow 11, Arizona Woodpecker 1, Chestnut-sided Warbler 1, Abert's Towhee 1, Common Bushtit 6, Orange-crowned Warbler 1, Common Raven 2, Lesser Goldfinch 3, Common Moorhen 2, House Finch 3, White-winged Dove 1, Verdin 1, Anna's Hummingbird 2, and House Sparrow 3. Butterflies observed: Empress Leilia 4, Queen 1, Tailed Orange 2, Texan Crescent 13, Cabbage White 2, Southern Dogface 1, Common Buckeye 1, Dainty Sulphur 1, and Painted Lady 2. October 31, 2009: Halloweenie Day and the water pump on our RV decided to piss like crazy near Fort Stockton. We somehow made it to a RV park in Ozona, by which time it was too late to get it into the repair shop. Seeing as how today is Saturday, we will have to wait until Monday before we can get it repaired. November 2, 2009: Several hundred dollars later, our new water pump was installed and we were back on the road again. Continued east until we got to Junction, TX. 4-6 November, 2009: We stayed at the South Llano River State Park, near Junction, TX. Birding was poor due to the majority of the park being closed for roosting Wild Turkeys! Butterflies put on a great show with Ocola Skipper, Clouded Skipper, and Vesta Crescent being new species for me. 7 November, 2009: We stopped at the Attwater Prairie-Chicken N.W.R. and rode our bicycles around the auto loop. No sign of the endangered chickens, but I did manage to photo a Little Yellow butterfly. 9 November, 2009: Hurricane Ida, now reputed to be down-sized to a tropical storm was heading our way. After battling gusty winds driving through Louisiana, we decided to head inland to the Paul B. Johnson State Park, near Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This proved to be a good decision, despite the fact that we discovered several new leaks as torrential rains and wind put the motorhome to the test...again! Tropical storm Ida came ashore at nearby Dauphin Island, AL. This was the first recorded tropical storm to hit the the gulf coast west of Florida in the month of November!  15 November, 2009: We spent the day off the beaten track along the Gulf shore of Florida at Keaton Beach. Highlight of the day was photographing my first ever Long-tailed Skipper. Evening sunset with flying Brown Pelicans at the tranquil Keaton Beach. Back To Main Page |