May 5th – Arrival to McAllen, Texas.  Transfer to the Alamo Inn

May 6th, 7th and 8th – 3 full days of bird photography at Laguna Seca Ranch.  Green Jays, Long-billed Thrashers, Golden-fronted Woodpeckers, Black-crested Titmouse and other South Texas specialty species are in good plumage at this time of year.  The Painted Buntings, Groove-billed Anis and other summer residents will be back, and we may get some nice migrants this time of year.  Ken will set up beautiful perches for the birds to land on.  Laguna Seca has the best raptor blind in South Texas often with dozens of Caracaras and it is also visited by Harris’s and White-tailed Hawks.  Hotel: Alamo Inn  

May 9th – We will spend the morning at the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands looking for Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Least Grebe and other species.  We will head to Estero Llano Grande State Park, which is a great spot to photograph Pauraque.  The wetland can be very good for migrating shorebirds and Buff-bellied Hummingbird is often around the hummingbird feeders.  In the late afternoon we will visit a park which is the roosting ground of hundreds of endangered Red-crowned Parrots   Hotel: Alamo Inn.

May 10th – We will visit another valley location or perhaps repeat one of the previous days’ stops depending on current conditions and birds.  You can schedule your return flight home for anytime after noon.