*This young White-tailed Hawk had me reaching for Sibley*

FOR A CHANGE I CRUISED SOME OF THE COUNTRY ROADS NORTHEAST OF HARLINGEN THIS MORNING. The vast fields were mostly water-logged so progress was tricky at times. No rarities but a very instructive young White-tailed Hawk brightened up my day (check the grey cere and finely barred tail and it was obviously a big buteo while still sitting on a fence post!) and I finally dropped in to the car rental lot at Valley Airport (I have never flown there!) to see the incredible spectacle of hundreds of Bronzed Cowbirds sheltering in the shade of the cars, even perched on tyres under the wheel arches. The huge agricultural fields of Willacy County held some nice birds including flocks of noisy Sandhill Cranes, scattered Loggerhead Shrikes and American Kestrels as well as parties of Horned Larks and Lark Sparrows. The sunrise today in Harlingen was pretty spectacular too!

RGV OPEN COUNTRY BIRDING