Texas Hill Country, Whooping Cranes, and LRGV Birding
Clear your schedule and hop on board, this specialty-ticking trip is designed to put you in the right places to see both wintering and freshly arrived spring migrant birds, and as such can only run at the ideal time once per year. You will start off in Central Texas to see the endangered Golden-cheeked Warbler and Black-capped Vireo, then head to the coast to see the Whooping Cranes before they head north for spring, and finally you end up in the Lower Rio Grande Valley to see all the excellent southern specialties.
More details about this trip:
This trip will cover a multitude of areas and habitats, from scrubby Texas Hill Country, to Gulf Coast marshes and coastline, and finally end in the Rio Grande Plains Brush Country.
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In the Hill Country you will have a chance to see other birds like Black-throated Sparrow, Cassin's Sparrow, Bell's Vireo, Blue Grosbeak, Painted Bunting, and Yellow-breasted Chat.
At the coast you will take a boat ride to see the Whooping Cranes, and will see things like Common Loon, Seaside Sparrow, Roseate Spoonbill, and Black Skimmer. You will also explore some of the local woodlots to find any early migrants like Hooded Warbler, Northern Parula, and Scarlet Tanager.
Pricing: $2,690 US Dollars, or £2,120 GBP for 8 Days and 7 Nights
Group Size: Price is based on a group size of 7 or 8 participants.
Upcoming Dates:
March 25 to April 1, 2025
Finally you will head down to the Lower Rio Grande Valley for several days. Here you will visit several World Birding Centers and see things like Green Jay, Great Kiskadee, Ringed Kingfisher, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Aplomado Falcon, Olive Sparrow, Gray Hawk, Altamira Oriole, Red-crowned Parrot, Green Parakeet, Plain Chachalaca, Clay-colored Thrush, and more.
Birds
Golden-cheeked Warbler, Black-capped Vireo, Whooping Crane, Bell's Vireo, Black-throated Sparrow, Scarlet Tanager, Painted Bunting, Blackburnian Warbler, Worm-eating Warbler, Ovenbird, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Skimmer, Black Tern, Least Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Piping Plover, Wilson's Plover, Least Bittern, Clapper Rail, Chuck-will's-widow, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Green Jay, Great Kiskadee, Ringed Kingfisher, Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Aplomado Falcon, Zone-tailed Hawk, Olive Sparrow, Gray Hawk, Altamira Oriole, Red-crowned Parrot, Green Parakeet, Plain Chachalaca, Clay-colored Thrush, Tropical Kingbird, Couch's Kingbird, Cinnamon Teal, Least Grebe, Lesser Nighthawk, Black-crested Titmouse, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Common Pauraque, Burrowing Owl, Greater Roadrunner, Peregrine Falcon, Cassin's Sparrow, Botteri's Sparrow, Chihuahuan Raven, Crested Caracara, Cave Swallow, White-tailed Hawk, Green Kingfisher, Black Phoebe, Bronzed Cowbird.
Mammals
Bottlenose Dolphin, Common Raccoon, Nutrea, American Alligator, Texans, Nine-Banded Armadillo, White-tailed Deer, Bobcat, Striped Skunk, Gray Fox, Virginia Opossum, Coyote, Eastern Cottontail, Black-tailed Jackrabbit, Javelina
Habitats and
Special Sites
Texas Hill Country scrub and woodland, Gulf Prairies and marshes, Gulf beaches and boat trip, Rio Grande Plains Brush Country and scattered woodlots, coastal beaches and mudflats, Rio Grande River.
Other Attractions
Experience a vast array of Texas localities, and the food that goes with them! Gulf Shrimp and homestyle Mexican food to name a few. See the Rio Grande and look over into Mexico, along with visiting several local historical sites that have good birding.
Client Reports
Great looks at the birds, the Whooping Cranes were an impressive sight to see.
