Rio Grande Valley Birding Trip 2011

The Wimberley Birding Society sponsored two trips to the Rio Grande Valley in the spring of 2011. The first group went March 22 - 24 and the second group went March 29 - 31. It was hot and buggy for the first group, but lucky for those of us in the second group, it was very pleasant the second week. The leader for both groups was Benton Basham, one of the nation's top listers and a distinguished birder.

Gil and I went down on the 29th, arriving in time to check in and get ready for the happy hour. The planned part of the trip was 1 1/2 days. Because of the lack of birds at one of the planned destinations, the second group spent the second morning also at Estero Llano Grande State Park.

Gil and I stayed two more nights in order to enjoy more of what the valley had to offer.

The second afternoon, after most of the group left for home, we visited Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.

The next morning we set out for South Padre Island to visit the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center and the Sabal Palm Audubon Center. Then the next morning we headed for home, going rather slowly to poke around and take flower pictures.

We stayed at Alamo Inn, owned by Keith Hackland, a birder. Because we booked late, we stayed in one of the apartments as opposed to the main building. Both locations have their advantages and both have wifi.