Birding in Edinburg (Texas, that is)

This morning we crossed our fingers and tried to start the car and it started! I did a happy dance in the parking lot.

We hopped in the car and drove over to Edinburg (no 'h') to go birding at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands there.





















We stopped for lunch on the way at Alameda Restaurant (Mexican food, of course) in Elsa. After lunch we noticed that the 'check engine' light was back on. Rats! (or words to that effect). The engine seems to be running well - no 'missing' - so we're not sure what the problem is. Some sensor issue, I guess. This evening after getting groceries on the way home, I started the car and the 'check engine' light didn't come on. Skip says I performed a miracle. I'm just happy the light is off (for now). But I digress...

At Edinburg, we paid our $1 each (senior's rate) and walked along the trails beside each of the two 'lakes'. There were lots of cormorants, great and snowy egrets, great and little blue herons, black-crowned night herons, coots, green-winged teal,













and blue-winged teal,





















a couple of least grebes (and their cute fluffy butts),














great kiskadees, a long-billed thrasher,


















ruddy ducks (first time I've ever seen one) in winter plumage













and some Muskovy ducks,

which apparently don't count because they're a domestic duck.














In the garden beside the birding/education centre we spotted the resident groove-billed ani. I thought it was a grackle at first until I noticed his big bill.

That was another first for me.















I got a good shot of a Sabal Palm, the Rio Grande Valley's only native palm. They are only found in this area in Texas as well as in Mexico.

They're called palmas redondas in Spanish (round palms) because of the shape of the fronds.










This park is supposedly a good place to spot green kingfishers but we didn't see any today.