Texas Day 8

Main Wetland at Estero

Today we went to another Texas State Park - this one was named Estero Llano Grande.

 Estero Llano Grande itself was pieced together in early 2000. An old piece of farm land is now the site of our visitors center and a series of shallow wetlands. An old dried up lake bed that was restored and is now thriving with wildlife is called Alligator Lake because of its inhabitants and its shape.

Black winged Stilt

Other parcels include a long term lease agreement with U.S. Fish and Wildlife of the Mercedes Tract, and an addition of Lakeview Trailer Park and a nature trail, now called the Tropical Area and Green Jay Nature Trail, from the city of Weslaco. Those land purchases and contributions along with World Birding Center, Inc. support, and the reclamation of wetland habitat with the help of Ducks Unlimited, allowed for a grand opening in June 2006 with almost 200 acres of park to explore.
Since the grand opening, Estero has grown once more.

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

In the spring of 2010 Estero Llano Grande acquired the Methodist Camp Thicket, now called Camp Thicket, a group retreat facility with prime Thornscrub habitat. Estero Llano Grande is bordered to the south by a section of the Arroyo Colorado watershed, known for many years as Llano Grande Lake, which only adds to the overall wetland appearance of the park. This now puts the park's size at 230 acres of some of the most diverse habitat in the Rio Grande Valley.

Estero Llano Grande SP WBC (LTC 054), Hidalgo, Texas, US
13-Apr-2017 8:15 AM - 11:30 AM

62 species

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck  20

Mottled Duck

Gadwall  4
Mottled Duck  4
Blue-winged Teal  25
Cinnamon Teal  1
Northern Shoveler  5
Green-winged Teal  4
Plain Chachalaca  10
Least Grebe  1
Neotropic Cormorant  2
American White Pelican  2
Great Blue Heron  3
Great Egret  2
Snowy Egret  10
Little Blue Heron  2
Tricolored Heron  1
Green Heron  3
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  3

Juv. Yellow crowned Night heron

White-faced Ibis  2
Roseate Spoonbill  4
Turkey Vulture  5
Osprey  1
Harris's Hawk  2
Swainson's Hawk  1
Sora  3
Black-necked Stilt  40
American Avocet  50
Killdeer  4
Stilt Sandpiper  50
Baird's Sandpiper  1
Least Sandpiper  40
Long-billed Dowitcher  30
Spotted Sandpiper  4
Greater Yellowlegs  2
Lesser Yellowlegs  2
Inca Dove  1
White-tipped Dove  3

American Avocet

White-winged Dove  15
Mourning Dove  10
Common Pauraque  1
Chimney Swift  25
Ruby-throated Hummingbird  2
Buff-bellied Hummingbird  5
Belted Kingfisher  1
Golden-fronted Woodpecker  6
Brown-crested Flycatcher  1
Great Kiskadee  2
Tropical Kingbird  4
Couch's Kingbird  2
Eastern Kingbird  1
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher  4
White-eyed Vireo  2
Purple Martin  15
Cave Swallow  12
Curve-billed Thrasher  2
Northern Mockingbird  6
Common Yellowthroat  1
Northern Cardinal  2

Curve billed Thrasher

Red-winged Blackbird  25
Great-tailed Grackle  25
Lesser Goldfinch  3
House Sparrow  2

Carolina Wren

Common Paraque

Clay coloured Thrush

Green winged Teal

Ruby cheeked Hummingbird