In this Part 3 of Rio Grande Valley Texas birding, Sparky visits San Benito Wetlands, National Butterfly Center, Frontera Audubon, and Hugh Ramsey Park. He tries to fit this all in while still manning his Friends of Sax-Zim Bog table for the Rio Grande Valley Festival in Harlingen.

An unexpected McCall’s Eastern Screech-Owl is a “back-pocket” bird….One that is now only a subspecies but may be a full species (and a Lifer) someday. Other highlights include Clay-colored Thrush, bathing(?) Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Anhinga in slow motion, Vermilion Flycatcher, Gray Hawk, Olive Sparrow, Green Jays, Plain Chachalacas and Altamira Oriole.

A surprising trio of Groove-billed Anis makes Sparky happy since he hasn’t seen this species in decades!

The butterflying was fantastic too, as Sparky gets many Lifers including Blomfild’s Beauty, Gray Cracker, Soldier and Florida White, but also enjoys stellar view of stunners like Red-bordered Pixie and more Mexican Bluewings than ever before.