Dates: April 8-12, 2026

Leader: Barry Zimmer

E-bird

Total Species: 129 birds

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Overall Summary

Our Texas Hill Country extension began with an afternoon drive from Laredo to Concan. En route, we tallied several interesting species including a rare White-tailed Hawk (a tour first), six Harris’s Hawks, an impressive twelve Crested Caracaras, abundant Scissor-tailed Flycatchers (79 individuals for the day!), Western Kingbird, Chihuahuan Ravens, a colony of Cave Swallows and thirty or so Yellow-headed Blackbirds among others. Following an early dinner at Neal’s Café, we headed to the nearby Frio Bat Cave to witness the evening exodus of millions of Mexican Free-tailed Bats. While we waited for the bats to emerge, we had scope views of a singing Canyon Wren and watched hundreds of Cave Swallows spiraling into the cave to roost. The bats started coming out later than usual, so we had somewhat of an abbreviated flight, but still watched probably a million or more stream out in a seemingly endless line. When it was too dark to see the bats anymore, we switched back to birds and had a Common Poorwill on the road near our van. This was certainly a wonderful start to the extension!

The next day, we traveled north to Leakey and then east to a private ranch near the tiny town of Vanderpool. We made a few stops along the way. At the very first stop, we quickly spied a stunning male Golden-cheeked Warbler. It moved through the tree tops at eye level to us from as close as fifteen feet away at one point allowing epic views! While we were enjoying the warbler, I noticed another bird moving low through the shrubbery right in front of us---a male Black-capped Vireo! Both Hill Country specialty birds in minutes at our first stop! The vireo made several passes through the thicket below us, allowing excellent looks of this typically shy, skulky species.

White-eyed and Hutton’s vireos, Black-crested Titmouse, Bewick’s Wren, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Hermit Thrush and Black-and-white and Orange-crowned warblers were also tallied. Our second stop produced three more Golden-cheeked Warblers, in addition to Ash-throated Flycatcher, Rufous-crowned Sparrow and Summer Tanager. The remainder of the morning, spent on a private ranch, was equally productive, with highlights including stunning Vermilion Flycatchers, four more Black-capped Vireos (all seen), Yellow-throated Vireo, Yellow-throated Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat, Olive, Lark and Lincoln’s sparrows, Canyon Towhee and several more Golden-cheeked Warblers (for the day, we would tally an impressive nine individuals).

We arrived back at Neal’s in the mid afternoon and had enough time for a nice break. We did our checklist session outside my cabin before dinner, and for the first several folks who arrived, a Zone-tailed Hawk soared overhead. Following dinner, we went owling on the lodge grounds. In record time, we had scope filled views of Eastern Screech-Owl right around our cabins. We topped off the evening with in-hand inspection of the tiny, but loud, Blanchard’s Cricket Frog at a nearby pond. It was an amazing day!

On our third day, we headed south towards Uvalde. We dodged rain showers along the way, but still managed fantastic studies of a skylarking Cassin’s Sparrow, and had lengthy views of a wet Grasshopper Sparrow on a fence, as well. We headed to the Uvalde Fish Hatchery as our first stop, and there added a number of good birds. A small pond near the parking area yielded seven species of shorebirds, including five Pectoral Sandpipers, a couple of Solitary Sandpipers, a late Wilson’s Snipe and side-by-side views of Greater and Lesser yellowlegs, in addition to a dozen or more stunning Black-bellied Whistling Ducks. Two pairs of Least Grebes from close range were a surprise, and we also tallied Inca Dove, Great Kiskadee, Black Phoebe and Curve-billed Thrasher. At muddy Cook’s Slough, we added Neotropic Cormorant, Bell’s Vireo and three uncommon Audubon’s Orioles at the very northern edge of their range. We finished off the day at Park Chalk Bluff.

There we had an impressive mixed flock of birds in the large oak grove that contained two nice rarities---a male Tropical Parula and an out-of-range Clay-colored Thrush (another tour first!). We also saw Golden-fronted Woodpecker, more Yellow-throated Vireos, Long-billed Thrasher, several Yellow-throated Warblers, Wilson’s Warbler, Hooded Oriole and at least ten Summer Tanagers. Desert along the entry road produced Cactus Wren and a dapper Black-throated Sparrow. Back on the outskirts of Uvalde, we found a pair of Couch’s Kingbirds---another South Texas specialty at the northern edge of its range.

On our final day, we started out birding around Neal’s. Along the cypress-lined banks of the Frio River, we had quick fly-by views of a Green Kingfisher and found another male Tropical Parula. The best bird, however, was a Western Flycatcher (possibly a Hill Country first & yet another tour fist) that gave us several quick views before disappearing. A beautiful Blue Grosbeak appeared, a Spotted Towhee gave nice views and Cliff and Cave swallows put on a show gathering mud for nest building. After lunch, it was time to head towards San Antonio, but we made a stop along the way in the town of Sabinal. There we finished off our trip with great looks at a Blue-headed Vireo---our sixth vireo species for the trip!

In all, we tallied 129 species of birds on this Hill Country extension, with unsurpassed views of the two Hill Country specialty birds, the Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler. We had three tour firsts with the White-tailed Hawk, Western Flycatcher and Clay-colored Thrush. Of course, as awesome as the birds were, it was hard to top the amazing bat flight! This short trip is the perfect compliment to our Spring in South Texas tour. In combination, the two tours totaled a mind-blowing 250 species of birds this year!

Day-by-Day Summary

April 8 – Drive from Laredo to Concan via Hwy 83 with roadside birding; Frio bat Cave after dinner (36 species). Rare White-tailed Hawk on drive to Hill Country. also many crested caracaras, Harr's Hawks and Scissor-tailed flycatchers. Nice bat flight in the evening.

April 9 –Ranch Road 337 east of Leakey, Brushy Creek Ranch, CR 187 to Utopia, Utopia Park, Ranch Road 1050, Neal’s Lodge; evening owling (51 species; 67 total). Superb views of both Hill Country specialties, the Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked warbler. Eastern screech-Owl from twenty feet on owling trip.

April 10 – CR 2690, Uvalde Fish Hatchery, Cook’s Slough, Uvalde memorial Park, Highway 55, Park Chalk Bluff, CR 2690 (97 species; 120 total). Rare Tropical Parula and Clay-colored Thrush at Park Chalk Bluff.

April 11 –Neal’s Lodge areas, CR 2690; drive to San Antonio with stop at Sabinal feedlot & Sabinal Park (70 species; 129 total). Found a Western flycatcher at Neals Lodge, perhaps unprecedented in the Hill Country.

April 12 – Departures for home (129 total) (250 in combination with Spring in South Texas tour)

Wildlife Seen: 

MAMMALS:

Eastern Fox Squirrel (Sciurus niger)

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)---three along CR 2690

Mexican (Brazilian)

Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis)----nice flight from the Frio Bat Cave; always spectacular!

Northern Raccoon (Procyon lotor)---one near the bat cave

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra)----exotics in game enclosures

Wildebeest (Antilope gnu)---three in game enclosure near Chalk Bluff; exotics

Total species – 8 (including introduced species)

REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS:

Texas Spotted Whiptail Mediterranean Gecko

Blanchard’s Cricket Frog---in hand inspection Bullfrog---heard only

Red-eared Slider

Spiny Soft-shelled Turtle

Diamond-backed Water Snake---Cook’s Slough

Total species – 7

BUTTERFLIES:

Pipevine Swallowtail

Giant Swallowtail

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Lyside Sulphur

Clouded Sulphur

Monarch Queen

Red Admiral

Total species – 8

Gallery