Falcon State Park

Rain, rain, and more rain.  Falcon State Park is a desert environment on the Mexican border and wet weather is usually the last problem you expect to deal with here.  After a cool but sunny Sunday it either drizzled or rained for five straight days.  Edie finished a huge task organizing family photos while I plowed through computer files.  The last three days were more typical and I did the majority of bird photography then.

The park is on the south end of a sixty mile long reservoir produced by damming the Rio Grande River.  The surrounding area is thorny brushland dominated by mesquite, huisache, Mexican olive, and various cactus.  The birdlife is great in winter and the majority of campers here appear to be birders as everyone walks around with binoculars or cameras.  The second group of human inhabitants is the fishermen who fish the reservoir.  The last group seen are the border patrol who are either speeding down back roads and the campground itself or sitting quietly watching.  Helicopters can be heard at night patrolling the border.

Since many campers feed the birds it is usually easy to see and photograph Pyrrhuloxia, Northern Mockingbirds, Curve-billed Thrasher, Golden-fronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Common Ground Dove, Greater Roadrunner and many others.

Roadrunners often sit in the sun exposing black back feathers to warm themselves in the morning.

Northern Mockingbirds are one of the more conspicuous inhabitants.

Pyrrhuloxias are a Cardinal like bird which are as common as sparrows at the park feeders.

Vermillion Flycatchers were found near the reservoir.

Altimira Orioles are one of three possible orioles in the park.

Curve-billed Thrasher

Groove-billed Anis are one of the rarer finds.