EWBC Kingfisher Report

New Additions at the Wetlands

2008-06-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

Nesting season is upon us and the air is filled with parents busily flying back and forth from nest to feed hungry little mouths. Hungry mouths to feed include baby Northern Mockingbirds, Curve-billed Thrashers, Mourning Doves, Inca Doves, Least Terns, Killdeer, Green Herons and a few more species. It can get tricky trying to get pictures of baby birds without disturbing the nests, but luckily some our visitors have BIG camera lenses. This hedge of Green Herons was photographed on Saturday, June 14^th.

- Javier de Leon, Naturalist
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands

"Edinburg Kingfishers" Place 2nd in GTBC 2008

2008-05-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

It was that time of the year again. After many months of preparation, for team members and chaperones alike, the "Edinburg Kingfishers" were ready to set out to compete against kids from all over the state in the Roughwing division of the 2008 Great Texas Birding Classic. The team, comprised of five members of the Scenic Wetlands' Kid's Birding Club, were ready to quickly locate and identify (with no adult assistance) as many birds as possible during the eight hours allotted for their age division. All the members of the Kingfishers were Classic veterans and they knew what it would take to try and win the contest.

The group started just after 8 am at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands grounds. The first bird spotted was one of our resident Green Herons. After some initial discussion among the group about how this bird couldn't be a Least Bittern, the group agreed on the ID of the Green Heron and moved on to the ducks, terns, cormorants and grebes usually seen throughout the park. Some birds were dead giveaways like Roseate Spoonbills and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. Other birds such as Black-chinned and Ruby-throat Hummingbirds took a little more study and patience (quote 21: "why don't they turn around already!?").

After a couple of hours the group headed over to Estero Llano Grande State Park. Birding began as soon as we got out of the van with good looks at Golden-fronted Woodpeckers and White-winged Doves. Other birds picked up here were Black-bellied and Fulvous Whistling Ducks, Mottled Ducks, and many more. Alas! no alligators at Alligator Lake that day, but we some of the group did get to see some pretty big gator tracks!

Time was wearing on and our stomachs let us know it. After a quick stop for lunch, we continued on the South Padre Island for some afternoon birding. Our list didn't look as long as we had hoped but a Warbler bonanza shot up our numbers considerably. Although challenging, the group identified most of the warblers in the trees around the convention center (including Blackburnian and Chestnust-sided Warblers) before a much need Warbler break. A nice walk down the boardwalk and the group finished out their day with a nice group of Black Skimmers.

By the end of they day, the group was beginning to feel the strain of a long day of birding (maybe it was just the adults that felt tired). During dinner the group reviewed the list for the day. Seventy-six species. Not bad! Their list was surpassed by another group from the Houston area, but the Edinburg Kinfishers, parents and chaperones are looking forward to another year of birds and birding.

- Javier de Leon, Naturalist
Edinburg Scenic Wetlands

Pelicans drop by for a visit. Wood Duck stays for the winter.

2008-02-08T08:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a quite a while since the last blog entry. EWBC has seen many visitors, events, and birds since November. The 5th Grade Wetlands Program is still in full swing, and our Winter Texans are still pouring in to our center to get great looks at a variety of birds (average of 55 species seen every day). Our American White Pelicans did finally make an appearance at EWBC in mid-December, but did not stay for long. A large group came in to the North and South ponds throughout January, but did not stay for any longer than three or four days. Perhaps there are more places for these pelicans to looks for fish this year than in years past.

There are two birds that have stayed longer than expected. A beautiful drake Wood Duck that is listed as a "rare" winter visitor has been seen regularly since the last week in December. I really shouldn't say "regularly." This duck has made it a habit to appear for two or three days in a row, then not appear at all for another three days. Just when we think this duck has moved on from our site, it reappears for thirty minutes in the North Pond not to be seen again for another day or so. This duck has eluded many a birder! Frustrating as this little guy may be, we are VERY glad to have him stick around for so long.

The other bird who has decided to stay for a while on our grounds is a striking adult Audubon's Oriole. An Audubon's Oriole was first seen just east of the visitor's center in late December. This bird was seen over two days, but was not seen after that. Another sighting of an Audubon's Oriole did not occur until mid-January. This second bird has been seen almost every day for almost a month now. I won't venture to say that both sightings are of the same bird, but it may be a possibility.

But alas! winter is slowly coming to an end as evidenced by the appearance of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds coming to the hummingbird feeders around the center. We shall see what new birds are seen during this years spring migration.

Till then!

Javier

Marsh Madness!!

2007-11-07T14:10:00.001-08:00

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

Meet the new Naturalist

2007-10-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I am Javier de Leon, the new naturalist at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center. Although I have just been hired to work at EWBC, I have been volunteering at this center's special events for the past two or three years. I always had fun working with the staff, and seeing and hearing all the wildlife in the park made every trip out here a real treat. Now that I work here at EWBC I am able to teach visitors wonderful things about the birds, butterflies and dragonflies as we observe them in the park's wetlands or in our beautiful gardens.

My interest in plants and animals began while growing up in Harlingen, Texas. Family trips to Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge sparked my curiosity about how plants and animals could survive without going to the store to buy food (I was VERY young when I started asking myself these questions). During a subsequent trip to the same park a year or so later I had a short conversation with a real "park ranger". This conversation, which consisted mostly of me asking too many questions, resulted in the beginning of my interest in wildlife. Much of my childhood was spent outside collecting bugs and looking at all the different birds that would visit my parents birdbath.

Twenty years later, my favorite thing to do is still going outside to look at the wonderful creatures that are all around us . It's a little odd being the person that answers all the questions that kids ask, but I hope to spark their interest and awareness of the outdoors in them as well.

- Javier

Hip, Hip Horray for the Edinburg Eagle Eyes!

2007-05-05T14:51:00.000-07:00

On April 21, 2007, members of the EWBC's Kid's Birding Club competed this years Texas Great Birding Classics' Roughwing Competition. Our team, "The Edinburg Eagle Eyes" had a wonderful time participating in this great event. We explored five fabulous birding sites, including the crystal covered shores of La Sal del Rey and the beautiful South Padre Island. At the end of the competition, our members Rebecca and Terry Sova, Katherine and Lauren Brough, and David Tovar successfully spotted and identified 67 bird species. Great job kids!

As team leader for the Edinburg Eagle Eyes, I want to send a heart-felt thank you to the City of Edinburg, Estero Llano Grande, and the Valley Nature Center for their generous support. Thank you guys!

For those of you interested in participating in next year's Roughwing Competition, please join us for our next Kid's Birding Club Meeting. Call EWBC at (956)381-9922 for future dates and time.

~Assalia Belmares

Assalia Belmares

Interpretive Naturalist

Edinburg World Birding Center

"Noche Tropical" - Members Appreciation Dinner

2007-03-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

The Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center hosted their first annual Member Appreciation Dinner March 15, 2007.

The evenings event was themed, "Noche Tropical" and was organized by EWBC staff in appreciation for their members valuable support and dedication.

The night was filled with delicious tropical foods, tasty fruit beverages, and live entertainment.

These are the photos of the EWBC staff and their valued members as they enjoyed a great tropical evening together.

Oh!mazing Ocelots

2007-02-27T12:09:00.000-08:00

The Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center will host their monthly program: “Friday Night with a Naturalist” (FNWN) this Friday March 2, 2007. FNWN is a free, fun and educational family program held on the first Friday of each month. Seating starts at 5:30 p.m. and presentations begin at 6 p.m.

For this month’s topic, “Oh!mazing Ocelots”, EWBC has invited Stacy Sanchez, a park ranger from the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, to give an exciting presentation on the rare and beautiful “painted leopard” better known as the Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis).

“Today there is less than 100 ocelots left in the United States. The majority of them can be found in South Texas. Our goal here with the Fish and Wildlife Service is to protect and provide habitat for the breeding population of ocelots”, informs Sanchez.

This event is open to the public. Children are encourage to attend. Stacy will be bringing a collection of pelts and photos of this elusive creature and other South Texas wild cats for both viewing and discussion.

EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria (in the Edinburg Municipal Park) in Edinburg, Texas. For more information on this or other programs, call (956) 381-9922 or visit http://www.worldbirdingcenter.org/

2007-02-20T14:35:00.000-08:00

Attention junior birders! Bring out your field guides and wipe off your binocular lenses because the 2007 Great Birding Classics Roughwing Youth Competition is on its way!

Designed and organized by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, this birding tournament was created to help teach youth about birds, bird habitat, and conservation.

Every year, the Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC) sponsors a team of five young birders to join the Edinburg Eagle Eyes. Participants range from 13 years old or younger and is open to both new and experienced birders.

Member of the Edinburg Eagle Eyes will compete with other local Roughwing teams as each group will tract and record as many bird species they can. The team that identifies the most birds (by either sight or sound) wins the competition! Rewards and recognition are offered at the end of the competition.

Tournament Day will be held on April 21, 2007 from
8:00a.m. –9:00p.m.

If you would like more information on this tournament, please feel free to call the EWBC at (956)381-9922 . Or if you are interested in learning about birds please join the EWBC Kid’s Birding Club held every other Saturday from 3:30p.m. to 5:30p.m.

Kid's Birding Club -"Bird Buffet"

2007-01-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

On January 13th the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center held their first KBC meeting of the year titled, "Bird Buffet"! This weeks meeting was filled with fun & laughter as kids of all ages prepared to "treat a bird to lunch" for their very first time.

To prepare for the occasion, members set up feeding stations throughout the park and prepared tasty foods for our feathered guest. In no time, KBC members whipped up delicious entrees like a peanut butter & cornmeal mix and decorated trees with fruit hoops and peanut garlands.

Participants were thrilled to get their hands dirty and to learn what kinds of birds their feeders would attract.

"Bird Buffet" is part of a three part series. Each session is designed to give young birders a better understanding of a bird's diet and give them insight on what goes on inside the bodies of these unique creatures.

On January 27th, all kids are invited to participate in our next meeting, "Bird Digestion 1". Here members will learn the journey food takes once it enters the body of a bird. We will end the last session of this three part series on February 3rd with "Bird Digestion II". Here kids will discover what goes on once food goes beyond the stomach.

"The Beauty of Morning Glories" by Dr. John A. McDonald

2007-01-16T09:46:00.000-08:00

Wake up your garden with morning glories on Friday, February 2, 2007 at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center. Join guest speaker, Dr. John A. McDonald as he will feature “The Beauty of Morning Glories” at 6:00 p.m.

Dr. McDonald received his B.S. and M.S. degree in biology from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where he studied the biosystematics of morning glories like the genus Ipomoea (Convolvulaceae) of Oaxaca, Mexico.
In 1982, he received his Ph. D. in botany from the University of Texas at Austin.

Today, Dr. McDonald is working as a professor at the University of Texas Pan American. His subjects of interest are plant systematics, biogeography, ethnobotany, and conservation.

As part of EWBC’s Friday Night with a Naturalist Series, Dr. McDonald will discuss how to identifying some of our South Texas and Mexican morning glory species and describe the best way we can add these colorful funnel shaped blossoms to our gardens. He will also touch on some of his past botanical expeditions to Cambodia, Indonesia, and Mexico where he has uncovered rare plant species and served as a consultant for conservation programs.

“Friday Night with a Naturalist” is a free, fun and educational family program held on the first Friday of each month. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and presentations begin at 6 p.m.
EWBC is located at 714 S. Raul Longoria (in the Edinburg Municipal Park) in Edinburg, Texas. For more information on this or other programs, call (956) 381-9922 or visit www.edinburgwbc.org

What's In Your Water?

2006-12-30T12:47:00.000-08:00

On Friday, January 5th Ernesto Reyes, Supervisory Fish & Wildlife Biologist for the Alamo Ecological Service, presented "What's in Your Water?" as part of EWBC's Friday Night with a Naturalist Series.

The focus of this months topic is water quality and the impact consumers have on this resource that can affect the quality of life for humans and wildlife alike.

Reyes describes how only 1% of the worlds water is drinkable making it one of our most valuable natural resources found on earth. Ocean or sea water makes up the largest portion of water (97%) but like frozen water, it is unsuitable for drinking.

He states, "Since we are limited to the amount of water available, maintaining the health of rivers and lakes is essential. In fact we have already seen the damage contaminated river water can do to the wildlife; mutations among amphibians occur, fish kills become frequent, and low birth rates being to develop."

Listed below are a few simple steps Reyes suggests we can take to preserve this precious resource and to protect ourselves from the long term effects of contaminated water:

1.) Reduce the amount of cleaners, detergents, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals used in our household.
2.) Dispose of chemicals and medication appropriately by reading all directions on labels before disposale.
3.) Educate yourself and others on the effects of harmful chemicals and learn more about runoffs.

Many-banded Daggerwing at EWBC

2006-10-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

On October 5th, I took a short stroll around our 3.5 acre garden and to my surprise spotted a single Many-banded Daggerwing (Marpesia chiron) feeding on the recent bloosms of a Brush Holly. If it weren't for the sweet aroma coming from the shrubs tiny flowers I may have never noticed the fluttering beauty.

As it sat quietly in the midst of 50 or so Queens and hundreds of buzzing bees, I took a digital snapshot of this tropical butterfly. Although the photo is not of the greatest quality it is definitly good enough to post. I recall Butterfly expert, Gil Quintanilla stating that this particular butterfly had not been spotted at EWBC since 2004, which was an even greater surprise to me.

So if you're ever around the Edinburg area feel free to come check us out. You just might spot our third Many-banded Daggerwing and who knows what else.

One of the Environmental Educators

2006-06-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Hi. My name is Crystal Salinas. I am one of the Environmental Educatos here at the Edinburg World Birding Center. I graduated from Vassar College with a degree in Biology. I am currently working towards my M.S. in Biology from the University of Texas - Pan American. My research focuses on bats of the RGV, more specifically, Hidalgo County.

In addition to work and school, I volunteer whenever I can. I am a member of the Texas Master Naturalists (a volunteer organization), currently working towards my certification. I volunteer at NABA Butterfly Park as well as with a researcher from UTPA.

EWBC recently participated in the Great Texas Birding Classic and hosted a Big Sit. The picture above is of some of the participants. From left to right: Javier (Volunteer), (Crystal, me), Matt (Volunteer), Sarah (Environmental Coordinator), Marisa (EWBC Manager).

Meet the New Naturalist

2006-06-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!
My name is Assalia Belmares, the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands and World Birding Center’s new Interpretive Naturalist.

To tell you a little bit about myself, I am a Valley native and graduate from the University of Texas Pan American. In 2005, I received my Bachelors in Business Administration and currently pursuing a second degree in Biology.

Despite my business background, I've been drawn to the great outdoors and watching wildlife since I was a young girl. Till this day, I enjoy climbing the sap-stained limbs of the honey mesquite tree to get a better view of the Valley’s spectacular flora and fauna. Strangely enough, as time passes it has been challenging to find a sturdy branch to hold my weight!

Before my employment with the Edinburg World Birding Center (EWBC), I worked as a park ranger for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Texas. Here I participated in various projects and programs including the Friends of Santa Ana Canoe Trips, the Federal Duck Stamp Program, and Volunteer Program. I have to admit, I had the most fun working with our Winter Texan volunteers.
Today, as I continue to explore and learn more about the natural biological wealth of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, I am surprised to see how much of it can easily go unnoticed. Fortunately, during my journey I have also had the opportunity to meet curious minds from many sectors of this world; some experts, some novice, but all with the same excitement to find or rediscover the natural beauty of this area.

In the few months of my employment with EWBC, I have seen how the Edinburg World Birding Center has taken an active role in providing the LRGV community and tourist with a new form of recreation— birding. This facility has also worked hard to promote conservation methods for biodiversity through “hands on” environmental education programs and lectures such as, The Wonders of Wetlands Program and Friday Night with a Naturalist series. I am proud to take part of the World Birding Center’s objectives and excited to serve my local community.