Marsh Madness!!

Busy week at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands! Lot of visitors, both human and non-human, have stopped by in the past couple of days. As far as humans go, bird watchers and photographers from all over the country have descended upon the valley to attend the 14th anual Rio Grande Valley Bird Festival (http://www.rgvbirdfest.com) that is taking place this weekend in Harlingen. The staff and I always enjoy talking to festival goers. Visitors get to hear about recent bird sightings and we (mostly our Senior Secretary Loni and I) get to ask people from parts beyond the valley about birds we never get down here (like Gray Jays and Magpies and such). Many juvenile humans (5th graders) have been dropping by as well. The 5th Grade Wetlands Program is in full swing. Every week a couple hundred 5th graders spend their mornings out here as they learn about wetlands. This week is no exception.

Monarchs and migratory birds have been gracing our garden and wetlands for a while now, but things seems to have picked up this week. Monarchs have been passing through our gardens since late September, but more seem to be alighting on our blooming Crucitas (Eupatorium odoratum) since last week. We also got a pretty uncommon butterfly in our garden on Saturday. A Horace's Duskywing was spotted on Saturday during our annual Monarch Migration Celebration. New park record? YES.

Of course, migratory birds are everywhere! Nashville Warblers are being seen feeding on Goldenrod seeds. Orange-crowned Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, Lincoln's Sparrows, and waterfowl such as Northern Shovelers and Ruddy Ducks are being seen regularly. However, the White Pelicans seem to be late. Ebird reports of our site from previous years shows that our wintering White Pelicans show up as early as mid-October. Guess we'll have to wait for them a little longer this year.

That's all for now. Next update: "Pelicans arrive!"

-Javier de Leon, Interpretive Naturalist