South Texas in Style - January 2026
Dates: January 13 - 23, 2026
Leader: Brad McKinney
E-bird
Total Species: 153 birds
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Overall Summary
Despite the cold temperatures that dominated much of the country this January, our South Texas in Style tour enjoyed great weather throughout, with mostly cool mornings and sunny days.
Our first morning began at McAllen’s Quinta Mazatlán WBC (World Birding Center), an amazing urban sanctuary where we had great looks at many of the Rio Grande Valley specialties, including Plain Chachalaca, White-tipped Dove, Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Long-billed Thrasher, Clay-colored Thrush, Olive Sparrow, and Altamira Oriole.
After scope views of a stunning male Summer Tanager at the bird feeding station, we toured the beautiful 10,000-square-foot Spanish Revival-style mansion built in 1935 by Chilton Matthews, an eccentric writer, poet, and engineer. Following a delicious lunch at one of McAllen’s many fine restaurants, we headed out to Edinburg Scenic Wetlands WBC in search of a rare Crimson-collared Grosbeak that had been present there since November 2025. As luck would have it, just as we were leaving the refuge, a staff member let us know that he had just spotted the bird in a nearby anacua tree. Soon we all had quick but great looks at this beautiful northeast Mexico endemic before it flew off into the dense canopy. We finished our day watching over 300 Green Parakeets circling around a north McAllen roost, their lime-green plumage shimmering in the late afternoon light. What a great start to the tour!
As we were loading into the van the next morning, we were thrilled to hear the twittering calls of a Tropical Kingbird perched on the hotel grounds, allowing great scope views of this Rio Grande specialty. What a fantastic way to kick off the day!
During our morning at Bentsen State Park WBC, we had great looks at Least Grebe, Gray Hawk, Green Kingfisher, and many others. Just as we were leaving the park, we had another cliffhanger when a rare overwintering Purple Gallinule appeared along a canal bank. The following morning at Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, we had incredible looks at a Ringed Kingfisher at Pintail Lakes, along with many wetland species and Rio Grande Valley specialties.
The next morning, we were back at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands to try for better looks at the Crimson-collared Grosbeak. Our persistence paid off, as we were treated to extended, up-close studies of this incredible bird while it fed on anacua berries. What amazing views!
On our travel day to the coast at Port Isabel, we visited Estero Llano Grande State Park, where we had great looks at Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Common Pauraque, Wilson’s Snipe, Anhinga, Bronzed Cowbird, and many others. After some great Mexican food at Nana’s Taqueria in Weslaco, we zig-zagged our way toward the coast, adding Burrowing Owl, a rare Limpkin, White-tailed Hawk, and a pair of Aplomado Falcons. We capped off the day by visiting the famous parrot roost at Oliveira Park in Brownsville, where we were awestruck by close-up views of hundreds of parrots, including Red-crowned, Red-lored, Yellow-headed, and White-fronted Amazons. What an incredible experience!
Our first morning along the coast found us on an amazing boat trip along the productive waters of the Laguna Madre, where Captain Henry guided us on a trip into South Bay and nearby Bird Island, a great spot for Mangrove Yellow Warbler. In South Bay, we witnessed an abundance of waterbirds feeding in the shallow waters and tidal flats, including hundreds of Redheads, numerous Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets, American Oystercatchers, Long-billed Curlews, Black Skimmers, Roseate Spoonbills, and many others. When we moved to the deeper waters of the channel, we even saw a Green Sea Turtle surface off the bow and, minutes later, a pod of five Bottlenose Dolphins! At Bird Island, we bagged our target, the range-restricted Mangrove Yellow Warbler, at the top of a stand of black mangroves. And what great looks we had of a beautiful adult male! In the late afternoon, we enjoyed a tranquil sunset cruise that docked at a wonderful dockside restaurant along the bay.
The next morning found us at South Padre Island’s Isla Blanca Park, where we enjoyed the salty air, sandy beaches, and ocean waves while scanning the shoreline for terns and shorebirds. Except for a few Sanderlings running along the shore, there wasn’t much bird activity, so we headed over to the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. There we observed a nice variety of coastal species, as the extremely low tides produced a multitude of shorebirds, including Dunlin; Black-bellied, Semipalmated, and Piping Plovers; and Marbled Godwits. We saw several unexpected species on the final day of our coastal leg, including four Wood Storks on a State Highway 100 resaca (oxbow lake) and a Tropical Parula at Resaca de la Palma State Park.
On our travel day to McAllen, we headed out to the Palo Alto Battlefield in Brownsville after first stopping at the productive wetlands of Bahía Grande (Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge), where we observed a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds. While walking along the Palo Alto Battlefield path, a National Historical Park interpreter engaged us in the history of the Mexican-American War. From the battlefield trail, we observed several raptors, including White-tailed Kite, Northern Harrier, Harris’s Hawk, and American Kestrel. As we left the battlefield, we watched a Crested Caracara flying gracefully over the coastal prairie, a fitting end to our final morning bird walk.
What a fantastic nine days of birding in the Lower Rio Grande Valley! I want to thank each of you for joining us on VENT’s South Texas in Style tour. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing great birds, delicious meals, and such wonderful nature experiences with each of you.
Day-by-Day Summary
January 13 - Arrival in McAllen, Texas. Evening welcome dinner and tour orientation.
January 14 - Birding at Quinta Mazatlán WBC for Rio Grande Valley specialties including Green Jay, Altamira Oriole, and Plain Chachalaca. Afternoon visit to Edinburg Scenic Wetlands WBC, where we enjoyed brief but exciting looks at a rare Crimson-collared Grosbeak. Evening Green Parakeet roost in McAllen.
January 15 - Morning birding at Bentsen State Park WBC with highlights including Tropical Kingbird, Least Grebe, Gray Hawk, Green Kingfisher, and a rare overwintering Purple Gallinule.
January 16 - Exploration of Santa Ana NWR with excellent views of Ringed Kingfisher and numerous wetland birds and Rio Grande Valley specialties.
January 17 - Return to Edinburg Scenic Wetlands for outstanding close-up views of Crimson-collared Grosbeak. Afternoon travel toward Port Isabel.
January 18 - Birding at Estero Llano Grande State Park with sightings of Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Common Pauraque, and Wilson’s Snipe. En route to the coast we added Burrowing Owl, Limpkin, White-tailed Hawk, and Aplomado Falcon. Evening spectacle at Oliveira Park featuring hundreds of parrots and amazons.
January 19 - Boat trip through South Bay and Bird Island aboard the Laguna Madre. Highlights included Mangrove Yellow Warbler, Roseate Spoonbill, American Oystercatcher, Green Sea Turtle, and Bottlenose Dolphins. Sunset cruise and dockside dinner in the evening.
January 20 - Morning at Isla Blanca Park and the South Padre Island Birding and Nature Center. Shorebird highlights included Piping Plover, Marbled Godwit, Dunlin, and Black Skimmer.
January 21 - Final coastal birding with sightings of Wood Stork and Tropical Parula at Resaca de la Palma State Park.
January 22 - Morning visit to Bahía Grande wetlands and Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park. Raptors included White-tailed Kite, Harris’s Hawk, Northern Harrier, American Kestrel, and Crested Caracara. Return to McAllen for farewell dinner.
January 23 - Departures from McAllen and conclusion of the South Texas in Style tour.