Migration
Birdability Captain, Gary Herritz, holding a Black Skimmer.
*** Bird held with all applicable state and federal permits in place.***
When I found out my apartment was starting the "Income must be greater than 3x rent" policy, I had a decision to make. I could look for another apartment or I could get creative. I live on SSDI due to numerous disabilities and rent is now nearly impossible to afford or management companies have made it impossible by enacting this exact policy. If you're reading this, I bet you know someone in my position. I chose the latter, and I chose to bird. I stepped well outside of my comfort zone and decided to use my vehicle as a place to sleep. First stop? Texas. After getting to see the ABA's first Cattle Tyrant (first north of Panama for that matter) it was on to the land of rarities- the Rio Grande Valley.
Cattle Tyrant
I started on South Padre Island and then it was on to Brownsville where birds like the 3rd ABA Gray-collared Becard, Fan-tailed Warbler, and Roadside Hawk had been hanging out. While looking for these I saw so many "common" birds that were new to me but still so beautiful. Green Jays immediately come to mind. Crested Caracara? You bet. It took a week or so but I managed to find all the "cool" birds as well. The Lower Rio Grande Valley had been great to me, but it wasn't over yet.
Flocks of Green Parakeets
My next move was to the McAllen/Mission area. I watched in awe as flocks of Green Parakeets came to roost. But a much more common bird stole the show: the Great-tailed Grackle. Thousands came to roost and covered every highline in sight. A truly incredible experience.
Two great friends in Mississippi gave me some spots that I HAD to check out while I was in the area. One told me "There's a reason these spots exist. They're that good". Before leaving I had told them I wanted to find something cool in the RGV, something they (rightfully) laughed at due to the number of guides and birders that live, work, and visit the area. But a person can dream, right?
Falcon State Park
Growing up and into my early 30s, I loved to fish. I had a list of lakes I've always wanted to visit and Falcon Reservoir was way up on that list. Upon arrival I couldn't believe what I saw- Falcon was only around 12% of full pool due to prolonged drought and other factors. You could not see water from the boat landing in the park. Numerous docks had been built as the water dropped until eventually the landing was closed.
I got to see my lifer Greater Roadrunner at the park. This was another "basic" bird that I was super excited to find. They did not disappoint. I fell asleep each night listening to the calls of Common Pauraque. There were two birds I really wanted to find before leaving the area: Morelet's Seedeater and Least Grebe. Salineño Wildlife Preserve was the only spot where both could be located.
The following morning I drove to the small town only minutes from the park. I stopped in to see the hosts at the feeders. This feeder set…wow! There are chairs set up on a literal red carpet near the feeders. I made the comment that it looks like a stage at a theater. One of the hosts said, "That's exactly what I was going for, I'm a theater major". It was here that I saw my first Hooded Oriole. Afterward, I walked to the banks of the Rio Grande to search for the seedeaters and grebes. I was able to find a female Morelet's buried deep in the reeds. She was acting more like a rail than a perching bird. Still no Grebe. I decided to give it one more try on January 29th, knowing once I left the area I would be out of the grebe's range.
Finally
I arrived at sunrise on what was going to be my last day at Salineño. As I walked the trail I noticed a Gray Hawk perched right in front of me and couldn't believe it hadn't flown. It gave me a wonderful opportunity to photograph and video. I gave the bird as much room as the trail allowed, and went on my way. I scanned the river and tried to turn each Pied-billed Grebe into a Least with no success. But then I saw a little bird swim out of the vegetation and right back in. I quickly set up my spotting scope and there it was: small, yellow eye, and narrow pointed bill. Five of its friends came out as well. I thought my day was over and went to say goodbye to the hosts. It was still early so I decided to look for a seedeater I could photograph. But two people with dogs were just starting to walk on the trail. I love animals but little birds and dogs aren't the greatest combination. So I decided to stand at the landing and scan for Red-billed Pigeons.
Gray Hawk
After only being at the landing a few minutes, a DPS helicopter flew over quite low. I must admit I was slightly annoyed knowing the birds weren't a fan. Little did I know that within moments a dream was going to come true: finding a bird in the RGV.
A Shadow Appears
Still able to hear the helicopter, another shadow appeared. I looked over my shoulder and a bird was flapping quickly and circling. It was a raptor. It was a…a…I didn't know. My initial thought on shape and structure was a Hook-billed Kite. Rare for the area but definitely a possibility. I started taking photographs as it circled directly overhead. I'm pretty comfortable with my camera so I switched to video still thinking it was probably a Hook-billed Kite. See, one of my friends dipped on Hook-billed while they were down there. The more pictures and video I had, the more I'd be able to send to them as a little jab. What I didn't know at that moment was I had been documenting something much more rare. As the bird disappeared upriver, I took a look at the shots. This bird didn't have a hooked bill. This bird's legs were LONG. Now I was confused and looking for answers. I had no cell service so I checked with the hosts. I heard a range of ideas from Common Black Hawk to a funky Hook-billed…but I knew those birds and I still did not know this one. They kindly let me on their wifi. First text response from a very trusted individual "What is that thing?" I went through my contacts with people who have quickly identified birds in the past for me, no one had any idea. They asked to put the shots on the ABA's "What's this Bird?" Facebook site. Within moments a text came back: "It's about to get really busy". I had just found the second-ever record of a Crane Hawk in the United States.
Crane Hawk in full resplendent sight!
Getting the Word Out
The hosts asked me if it was OK to let their friends and contacts know. My immediate response was "Everyone, let everyone know". The thing about Salineño is that it's open to the public and they only accept donations. Unlike some other spots in the area, everyone could see this bird. The first to arrive was a local guide who quickly asked me some questions and went to try to relocate the bird. That reminded me that (so far) I had been the only one to see the hawk. I quickly submitted an eBird list to notify reviewers and others that a "mega rarity" was in the area. That phrase has meaning in the birding world but just like everything in Texas, it was bigger there. About an hour later the guide relocated the bird just upriver…perched in a tree on the island where the Least Grebes had been swimming earlier.
Relief
Now that the bird had been relocated, I had time to think about what had happened. A Code 5 raptor in the Rio Grande Valley in a spot open to the public. A bird that has not been seen in the United States since the Winter of 1987-88. A bird that had been found through a series of events that started with me being disabled. The best part of the story for me? It's that I'm just getting started.
Gary Herritz (he/him) is a Birdability Captain. He has volunteered in Mississippi as a Survey Coordinator and Beach Nesting Bird Steward with Audubon Delta. He is an award-winning bird photographer and has two children. Gary is a recipient of an organ transplant and he is Immune Compromised. He also experiences PTSD, anxiety, and depression. Gary’s dispatches from the road will be a regular feature on Birdability’s Blog.
All photos are courtesy of Gary Herritz
