Dates: April 24-May 1, 2026

Leader: Brad McKinney

E-bird

Total Species: 110 birds

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Overall Summary

The weather for our West Texas Migration tour in the Davis and Chinati Mountains couldn’t have been better, with mild temperatures throughout the week. There were so many special nature experiences during our tour that it is difficult to summarize into highlights. At our first stop at Rio Bosque Park in El Paso, we had incredible views of Gambel’s Quail duetting from open perches in the thornscrub and shortly thereafter were observing side-by-side comparisons of Western and Clark’s grebes at a nearby reservoir. Our first full day in the Davis Mountains was unforgettable with wonderful views of Acorn Woodpecker, Summer Tanager, Black-headed and Blue grosbeaks, and Scott’s Oriole at the Davis Mountain State Park feeders, with close passes of the first of several Zone-tailed Hawks. The afternoon was spent at Carolyn Ohl-Johnson’s yard in Alpine, Texas where colorful birds seemed to pop up everywhere, with migrant passerines like Western Warbling Vireo, a large flock of Pine Siskins, Black-and-white, Orange-crowned, and Yellow-rumped warblers, along with a pair of nesting Phainopepla, two stunning male Western Tanagers, and a very late Townsend’s Solitaire. We then headed back to Davis Mountains State Park before nightfall to see two Elf Owls leaving and entering a nesting cavity near the Interpretive Center. We saw more great birds the following day at the Davis Mountains Preserve, including Gray Flycatcher, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch (Interior West subspecies), and Hepatic Tanager. The beautiful “sky island” ecosystem of oak-juniper-pine woodlands, grasslands, and forests surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert were teeming with Ash-throated Flycatchers, Cassin’s Kingbirds, and Chipping and Lark sparrows. During both mornings near Fort Davis, we soaked up the sweet whistled songs of Chihuahuan Meadowlark, a regional specialty, during the dawn chorus. What an amazing two days in the Davis Mountains! Excellent birding continued at the world-renowned Cibolo Creek Ranch, both along the creek-lined cottonwoods and in the arid foothills of the Chinati Mountains. Here, we enjoyed incredible looks at Scaled Quail, Vermilion Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo, Black-throated Sparrow, Pyrrhuloxia, and Varied Bunting and many others. We also found two West Texas rarities at opposite end of the 30,000-acre ranch: the first was a Tropical Parula along a cottonwood grove at Fort Cienega that was first heard and later found amongst the numerous Yellow-rumped “Audubon’s” Warblers. The second rarity was a Prothonotary Warbler, which flew in to the edge of the main pond at Fort Cibolo just as we were assembling for our afternoon birding excursion. This beautiful warbler, which breeds in the eastern United States, delighted us all as it fed on insects along a rock wall and the pond edge. Wow! In addition to the amazing birdlife at the ranch, our group also enjoyed a nice variety of mammals, reptiles, and insects, including Texas Antelope-Squirrel, Desert Cottontail, White-tailed and Mule deer, Greater Earless Lizard, Coachwhip, and several beautiful dragonflies and butterflies.

The great food and luxurious ranch-style accommodations at Cibolo Creek Ranch truly complemented the outstanding nature experiences here. On our drive back to El Paso, two very cute Burrowing Owls at Ascarate Lake Park tied a ribbon on our fantastic tour. I want to thank each of our participants for making this week in West Texas a memorable one. I can’t wait for next year!

Day-by-Day Summary

April 25 - Birding highlights in the El Paso area included great looks at Gambel’s Quail, Bell’s Vireo, and Yellow-breasted at Rio Bosque Park and side-by-side comparisons of Clark’s and Western grebes at a nearby reservoir. We had a pair of Chihuahuan Ravens in Van Horn, Texas and a Zone-tailed Hawk and several Western Bluebirds at McDonald Observatory.

April 26 - At Davis Mountains State Park we had excellent looks at Zone-tailed Hawk, Elf Owl, Acorn Woodpecker, Summer Tanager, Black-headed and Blue grosbeaks, and Scott’s Oriole. At Carolyn Ohl-Johnson’s yard in Alpine, we observed a late Townsend’s Solitaire, a nesting pair of Phainopepla, and two Western Tanagers.

April 27 - In the morning at the Davis Mountains Preserve, we had great looks at Gray Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Cassin’s Kingbird, Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay, White-breasted Nuthatch (Interior West subspecies), Chihuahuan Meadowlark, and Hepatic Tanager. In the afternoon, we found two Long-billed Curlews, around 25 White-faced Ibis, and a large flock of Lark Bunting in a flooded field near Marfa, Texas.

April 28 - On our first day at Cibolo Creek Ranch we enjoyed great looks at Scaled Quail, Vermilion Flycatcher, Plumbeous Vireo, Black-throated Sparrow, Pyrrhuloxia, and Varied Bunting. In the afternoon we visited an Indian pictograph site and added Great Horned Owl, Brewer’s Blackbird, Blue Grosbeak, and Summer Tanager.

April 29 - This would be a day of two rare warblers. Our birding day began on the east side of the ranch at the historic Fort Cienega, where we found a Tropical Parula amongst the numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, while in the afternoon, a rare Prothonotary Warbler flew in to the pond at Cibolo Creek Ranch. What a day!

April 30 - We enjoyed a final morning birding at Cibolo Creek Ranch before driving back to El Paso, where we observed two very cute Burrowing Owls standing around a nesting pipe at Ascarate Lake Park.

Wildlife Seen: 

Texas Antelope-Squirrel

Desert Cottontail

Collared Peccary

Mule Deer

Pronghorn

Coachwhip (snake)

Greater Earless Lizard

and many butterflies

Gallery