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FROM THE EDITOR Good Birding!
PUBLISHER David Rupkalvis EDITOR Karen Gleason WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Dr. Maureen Frank Karen Gleason Mike Gleason Mack Pusley Bill Rattay Ruth Scholl ADVERTISING Xochitl Arteaga Keelan Hathaway Ana Ramirez PRODUCTION
Miguel Campos Roland Cardenas EDITORIAL karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com 830-775-1551, Ext. 247 ADVERTISING xochitl.arteaga@delrionewsherald.com 830-775-1551, Ext. 250 STORY IDEAS karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com
2205 North Bedell Avenue • Del Rio, TX 78840 delrionewsherald.com Del Rio Grande is published by the Del Rio News-Herald. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without written permission of the publisher. Editorial content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher of this magazine. Editorial and advertising does not constitute advice but is considered informative.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love nature. I’ve always felt more comfortable in the out-of-doors, and I was lucky, because that spark was fanned by my parents, who took us into the forests of Pennsylvania on vacations, where we stayed in cabins in the woods, hiked and swam in small, clear lakes. My grandfather, my mother’s father, nurtured my love of the outdoors further by letting me help him in his neat yard and by giving me my first nature identification books, two of the old Golden series of field guides; one on trees and the other on birds. I didn’t become a “serious” bird watcher, a birder, until I was in my late 20s. I was setting out for a trip to Mexico’s Yucatan state, to visit the tourist destinations of the Mayan Riviera – Chichen Itza, Cozumel and Tulum. Just before my trip, I was having dinner with friends in Castroville. There were hummingbird feeders hung up along the edge of the patio where we were eating, and when I noticed a male Blackchinned Hummingbird flying up to feed and pointed it out to my dining companions, one of them said, ‘Why don’t you start writing all these birds down?’” I tucked that piece of advice away and went on my trip. On a bright April afternoon about a week later, I was on a guided tour of the awe-inspiring Maya city of Chichen Itza. As the tour group walked across one of the open plazas near the great pyramid, I heard a strange, owl-like hooting coming from one of the trees. I drifted over to the tree to investigate and in one of its lower branches, I saw a Blue-crowned Motmot. I had read about this bird, a fairly common resident of the tropical lowlands, but I had only seen it in photos and nature films. Here, in front of me, in living color was this almost unbelievably gorgeous creature, with its metallic blue crown, striking black mask and plumage in orange, green and blue. The motmot also has a pair of long tail feathers with two “rackets” at the end, making it look even more exotic. I forgot all about the Mayan pyramids and spent the rest of my trip birdwatching. When I got back to the United States, I never stopped. Michael G. and I went on a number of trips to the Lower Rio Grande Valley specifically to go bird watching, but at the time he went along just to keep me company. It wasn’t until he saw a Green Jay up close in the Bentsen-Rio National Wildlife Refuge that he began birdwatching seriously in his own right. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I enjoyed putting it together! Good birding, Karen Gleason
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UMC proporciona servicios médicos integrates que incluyen; Medicina Familiar; Pedratría, Podiatría, Obstetricia Dental, Ginecología, Planificacíon Familiar, Salud de la mujer, Laboratorio, Farmacia, Radiología y Salud de Comportamiento. Llame para su cita o para obtener más informacíon en cualquier de las cuatro clinicas en Del Rio para servirle. Clinicas de noche y Sábados disponibles. Cada Clinica brinda: El Programa Healthy Texas Woman, Pruebas de Embarazos Gratuitas y Planificación Familiar (M-F 8am - 5pm)
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119 East Academy St • Del Rio, TX • (830) 422-3305 Please call (830) 774-5534 press 1 for after-hours service. Dial 911 for an emergency. Para servicios despues de horas habiles llamar al (830) 774-5534 presionar 1. Para emergencies llamar al 911.
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CONTENTS
CALENDAR Keep busy this month at these local events.
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FEATHER FESTIVAL Birders flock in for ‘Birding the Border.’
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AMAZING DEL RIO BIRDS Ten birds to see in the Queen City.
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BIRDY PICKS Pick up bird-related items in local shops.
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BUILDING HABITAT
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RARE BIRD You never know what
Attract a variety of birds With simple yard changes.
might fly in for a visit.
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ONCE UPON A TIME A whimsical trip from a region dealer.
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GRANDE LIFE Connie Hoke is ready to assist visiting birders.
SWEET STUFF Easy-to-make nectar for hummingbirds.
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SUET SNACK Attract a variety of birds using this simple recipe.
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LAST LOOK Local artist, photographer helped this issue take off.
ON THE COVER: A male Painted Bunting, an incredibly colorful bird that can be found in the dry fields and hedgerows in and around Del Rio, sings his spring song from a high perch in the Spur 406 Campground in the Amistad National Recreation Area. • Photo by Karen Gleason 6
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APRIL CALENDAR
SOLID GOLD
Jewelry and Watch Repair
Keep busy this month at these fun local events 4 CAJUN FEST • 6 P.M. – 10 P.M. WHITEHEAD MEMORIAL MUSEUM • 1308 S. Main St. “Laissez les bon temps rouler” with a Cajun-inspired feast including all-you-can-eat crawfish, shrimp, catfish and jambalaya at this annual fundraiser for the museum. Food will be served from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Enjoy the Zydeco sounds of the Dr. Zog Band from Austin. Tickets are $25 in advance and will not be sold at the door.
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18 EARTH DAY FESTIVAL • 10 A.M. – 2 P.M. ROMANELLI PARK • At the San Felipe Creek Join city of Del Rio staff and a variety of sponsors for an educational and fun-filled day along the beautiful San
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scheduled to perform include the Code 88s, Executioner, Madaline, The Palatines, Somekind of Nightmare, Sanity Slip, Just Fine, Uptown Creepers, F.A.T.M.D., Lemmings, Espíritu free entry. The event is open to all ages.
24-25 GEORGE PAUL MEMORIAL BULLRIDING • 8 P.M. VAL VERDE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS This is the oldest, most continuous stand-alone bull riding in the world and honors Hall of Famer and Del Rio native George Paul whose record of riding 79 bulls a row in 1968 remains unbroken to this day.
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Nashville Warbler
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Peregrine Falcon
FEATHER FESTIVAL Birding the Border event wings into Del Rio Story by KAREN GLEASON; photos by KAREN GLEASON and MIKE GLEASON
F
or the past few years, Texas AgriLife Extension, through its Val Verde County agents, has offered a “Birding the Border” experience to a small group of birdwatchers from across the state and the nation. This year, “Birding the Border” becomes a full-fledged (pun intended) festival extending over several days in mid-April and offering guided birdwatching tours to sites throughout the area, some of them private ranches that have never been birded. The event will also feature a trade show at the Del
Green Heron
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Rio Civic Center and several “Birding with Extension” informational programs. Nature tourism in Texas is a thriving industry, and “Birding the Border” offers local landowners the chance to see the benefits of allowing birdwatchers on their properties. The birding festival grew from an idea Emily Grant, Val Verde County extension agent, had while she was the county agent in neighboring Kinney County. Grant said she thought “how neat it would be” if she could set up a birding bus tour starting in Austin and
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
A group of birdwatchers from across Texas, who visited Del Rio during the 2019 “Birding the Border” experience, check out Cliff Swallow nests on a cliff face along the Rio Grande during an excursion to the Rio Grande riparian corridor below Amistad Dam.
making its way south through the Hill Country to Brackettville. “We changed to doing ‘Birding the Border,’ which was more of a specific trip format, where about 16 people got to come, and we did everything in Brackettville,” she said. When Grant moved to Del Rio and took over as Val Verde County agent, she brought the “Birding the Border” concept with her. A Kinney County birder, Bryan Calk, who works for a national nature tour company, suggested the idea of growing the event into a festival. The festival, said Dr. Maureen Frank, Texas AgriLife Extension wildlife specialist, gives birdwatchers the opportunity to “hunt” birds on properties that have never been birded and gives
landowners a taste of what it would be like to open their lands to ecotourists. “It’s an educational thing for both sides,” Frank said. “Part of the education for birders is not just, ‘Here’s access to the land,’ it’s education in that teaching them that livestock today has a role in open lands. This land historically had large herbivores. There were grazers here, so wellmanaged grazing is actually beneficial to this ecosystem, and this is a way these ranchers make a living and keep this as open space. We have so many bird species that are declining because they’re losing habitat. So we educate people about the valuable role well-managed agriculture plays in bird habitat,” she added.
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“Birding the Border” begins April 15. “On April 15, participants will check and register, and the trade show is that afternoon. The trade show is free and open to the public,” Frank said. The Birding the Border Festival headquarters will be the Red Oak Ballroom in the Del Rio Civic Center, 1915 Veterans Blvd. Registration and check-in for festival participants is from noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, at the Del Rio Civic Center. “Festival participants will get a goodie bag, a water bottle and other items, and after they check in, they are welcome to check out the trade show,” Emily Grant said. Trade show vendors are invited to set up between 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., and the trade show will be open from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on April 15. Vans will depart from the civic center at 6 p.m. April 15 for the event’s welcome social, “Let’s Taco-bout Extension” at the Val Verde Winery. “We hope all of our participants will join us at the Val Verde Winery, the oldest bonded winery in Texas, for this amazing welcome social. Take this opportunity to meet the Birding the Border guides and birding buddies and meet other birders from across the state. There will also be a taco bar,” Frank said. Birding begins Thursday, April 16, with vans leaving the civic center for a variety of birding locales in Val Verde and Kinney counties. There will be excursions to Kickapoo Caverns State Park in Kinney County, Baker’s Crossing, Zuberbueler Ranch, Dobbs Run Ranch, the “Duck Pond” just south of Del Rio and the McKenna Ranch and other sites. “One of the very special aspects of this festival is that we will be offering birding outings on six private ranches.
Clockwise from top: Long-billed Thrasher, White-throated Swift, Bell’s Vireo and Blue Grosbeak.
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Clockwise from top: Bewick’s Wren, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Great Blue Heron and Neotropic Cormorant
Most of these ranches are not typically accessible to the public, which have private or restricted access,” Grant said. Thursday’s first excursions are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. From 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., there will be shorter outings into the local area, including the Spur 454 and Governor’s Landing areas of the Amistad National Recreation Area. At 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., festival participants are invited to bird the Joplin property along the San Felipe Creek, the San Felipe Springs Golf Course, the Tardy Dam on the
San Felipe Creek and to participate in a “Big Sit” in Moore Park along the creek. For an extra fee, birders may take advantage of a very special opportunity to bird and “bat” in Kickapoo Caverns State Park at night. Vans will leave the civic center at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 16, for Kickapoo Caverns and an evening of dinner and birding. “Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at the bats leaving Kickapoo Caverns for their night flight, as well as an opportunity to search for several species of owls that call the state park home. The benefit dinner
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Osprey
Common Yellowthroat
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Black-crested Titmouse
Willow Flycatcher
will go to support Kickapoo Caverns’ continued investment in birding blinds and management strategies as well as support youth Birding with Extension programs,” Frank said. The evening costs $125 per person, and there is a limit of 14 people. Birders who don’t sign up for the “Birds, Bats and Owls” excursion can join in the “Birds and Beer” event at Mesquite Creek Outfitters in historic downtown Del Rio for a round of “birding lotería,” based on the popular Mexican game. During this event, birders can choose food from Mesquite Creek’s own menu or partake of the offerings of a food truck, which will be parked on Main Street, just outside the establishment. There are “target birds” for each of the birding locations where excursions will be offered, Frank and Grant said. Each day after the morning’s major trip, there will be a “Birding with Extension” conference. “This will be a series of educational talks during the afternoon on Thursday and Friday. These will be 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.,” Grant said. Following the educational presentations, there will be a series of shorter, free trips into the local area to look for birds of interest, such as “Seedeater Seeking” along the San Felipe Creek and its drainages. Birding excursions will be offered again on Friday, April 17. On Friday evening, at 7 p.m., there will be a “Birding with Extension” dinner, featuring keynote speaker Iliana Peña, director of conservation programs for the Texas Wildlife Association. Peña holds a bachelor’s degree in wildlife and fisheries science from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in range and wildlife management from Texas A&I University in Kingsville. “As director of conservation programs for the Texas Wildlife Association, she focuses on landowner outreach, stewardship
Members of a 2019 Texas Ornithological Society tour spot an interesting bird along the Dora Alcalá Hike and Bike Trail below the Tardy Dam along the San Felipe Creek.
workshops and bridging the gap between public policy issues and conservationists on the ground. She previously worked with Audubon Texas for 14 years, serving as center director of the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center, director of education and interim executive director,” Frank said. “Most recently she served as director of conservation, where she oversaw bird conservation efforts in Texas, including coastal, grassland, urban and policy. Additionally, she has spent the last seven years overseeing coastal and grassland bird projects, including management and restoration of critical habitat for various species of birds,” she added. Peña will speak about birding and agriculture. “She will be looking at a holistic look at ecosystem
management,” Frank said. Birding will continue Saturday, with field trips offered from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. “These will be some of our longer trips, which will take all day. We have an excursion to the Devils River State Natural Area and a kayak birding trip on the Pecos, behind the scenes at the Duck Pond,” Grant said. On Saturday morning, birdwatchers also will get the chance to visit the Bynum Ranch, to look for the large flock of Wild Turkeys on the property. For the complete list of excursions, Google “Birding the Border,” and visit www.wildlife.tamu.edu to sign up for trips. •
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TEN AMAZING DEL RIO BIRDS Story and photos by KAREN GLEASON
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Great Kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus You will almost certainly hear Great Kiskadees before you see them, their raucous kis-ka-dee!, kis-ka-dee! ringing out along the length of the San Felipe Creek corridor. These medium-sized flycatchers look as bold as their personalities: rakish black masks cover their eyes, and their chests and abdomens are a bright, lemon yellow, with cinnamon-brown tails and backs. Great Kiskadees are gregarious and travel in small flocks up and down the creek corridor. It might be hard to believe, but Great Kiskadees are relative newcomers to the San Felipe Creek area, with the first individuals observed here in the mid-1970s. Since then, this tropical and neotropical species, which is common in most of South and Central America, has found a welcoming home along the San Felipe Creek and has expanded its range even farther north. It is now a common visitor in backyards – especially those with bird baths and swimming pools – on Del Rio’s more arid north side. Look for Great Kiskadees anywhere there is a reliable, year-round water source.
Ringed Kingfisher Megaceryle torquata
If you think it’s a little off-putting to encounter a kingfisher the size of a crow, you’d be correct. The Ringed Kingfisher, largest kingfisher in the Americas, will take your breath away when you see it along the San Felipe Creek. Its sheer size makes this bird unmistakable, but if you have any doubts, its loud, rattling “machine gun” call should put them to rest. Like other kingfishers, the Ringed’s beak is massive compared to its head, and its plumage is deep slate blue on the back with cinnamon-colored underparts. The female of the species also has a slate blue chest. The Ringed Kingfisher typically hunts from branches 20 to 30 feet and higher above the creek and will take larger fish than its Green or Belted cousins. The Ringed Kingfisher was considered rare north of Mexico until the 1960s when it began using the Rio Grande riparian corridor to move north and west. Look for this impressive bird early in the mornings between the U.S. Highway 90 Bridge downstream to the Tardy Dam.
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Gray Hawk Buteo plagiatus This neat, medium-sized raptor is a tropical bird whose range barely reaches across the U.S.-Mexico border into Texas and New Mexico. The Gray Hawk was only described in Del Rio less than a decade ago. Several years later, a breeding pair was observed, and the following year, at least one fledged juvenile. Up to three of these birds have been seen together at several sites near the San Felipe Creek, from the Rincon Del Diablo at Magnolia and Barron streets to Del Rio Rotary Park and the utility poles along the railroad tracks across from The Bank & Trust Ram Field. Though these birds spend much of their time perched, they can sometimes be seen soaring in the blue skies far above the creek.
Morelet’s Seedeater Sporophila morelleti This small finch, formerly known as the Whitecollared Seedeater, is common in Central America, from Panama north throughout eastern Mexico. Historical records show it was once common in the Rio Grande Valley, but populations there crashed in the mid-20th Century, and in the past 40 years, this species has been recorded north of the Rio Grande in only a few sites in Texas, including San Ygnacio and Zapata – until 2010. In that year, the seedeater was found and photographed in the Rincon Del Diablo area of Del Rio. Since then, it has also been recorded along Vega Verde Road by the Rio Grande and the Calaveras Creek drainage. Males of this species are patterned black, white and tan, while the females are a rich golden tan with white wing bars. Look for seedeaters foraging in small flocks in stands of tall grass gone to seed and listen for their clear, soft whistles.
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Green Jay Cyanocorax yncas If the vibrant blue, green and yellow plumage of the Green Jay makes you think “tropical bird,” you’d be correct, as this jay ranges though South and Central America. For decades, this beautiful, bold bird has ventured north across the Rio Grande into Texas, making it a specialty of the Rio Grande Valley. Within the past 10 years, Green Jays, which had been occasionally spotted in south Del Rio, established a firm foothold here, with several flocks to be found along the San Felipe Creek and a confirmed nesting. Green Jays travel in small family flocks and can be heard chattering and calling to each other as they forage, looking for insects, fruits, seeds and berries. These birds are gifted mimics and will often imitate the calls of other birds, including the calls of predators, like hawks.
Couch’s Kingbird Tyrannus couchii The San Felipe Creek region of Del Rio is the yearround home of the Couch’s Kingbird. The Couch’s, named for American soldier and naturalist Lt. Darius N. Couch, is brash and bright. This kingbird’s back is a subdued olive-gray, but its underparts are a brilliant lemon yellow. Couch’s Kingbirds can be seen on high perches all along the creek and throughout south Del Rio, though they are most frequently found near a reliable water source. The birds use these perches as hunting platforms, sometimes sallying out to snag a passing dragonfly or flying beetle. Like many other neotropical species in this region, the Couch’s Kingbird reaches the northern end of its range in central Texas. It is nearly identical to the Tropical Kingbird, which is found farther south in the Rio Grande Valley, but their calls are markedly different. Not as common as their cousins, the Great Kiskadees, the Couch’s Kingbirds are nonetheless a vibrant part of the avian life along the creek.
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Green Kingfisher Chloroceryle americana If you’re walking along the San Felipe Creek early in the morning and see a tiny blur rocketing by, flying just above the surface of the water, you’ve had an encounter with the Green Kingfisher. This bird is the smallest kingfisher in North America and usually hunts from branches or cane hanging just a few feet over the water. The Green Kingfisher’s back feathers are a green so dark they can appear black in certain light, speckled with white. The underside of the female is a light cream, while the male sports a natty cinnamon chest and a cream-colored belly. Like other Del Rio species, the Green Kingfisher is common in South and Central America and reaches the northern end of its range just north of the TexasMexico border. Look for this little dynamo nearly anywhere along the creek.
Painted Bunting Passerina ciris Though the Painted Bunting isn’t rare in Del Rio, the male of this species is one of the most breathtaking birds you can encounter here. One famous ornithologist said this bird looked like God had dropped it into a box of colorful paints, and indeed, it seems like every color of the rainbow can be found on the male: rich red, bright yellow, brilliant blue and vibrant green. The female Painted Bunting is a complete opposite of the male, clad in a subdued palette of green. Look for Painted Buntings in fields where they can find their favorite foods: grass and flower seeds, especially if there is a reliable source of water nearby. These birds are more readily seen in weedy and brushy areas on the drier north side of Del Rio, but in particularly dry years, they make their way to forage closer to the San Felipe Creek.
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Olive Sparrow Arremonops rufivirgatus Though secretive and drab, this large sparrow is nevertheless one of the prizes of birding along the Rio Grande, and it is fairly common in nearly any brushy area in south Del Rio. Olive Sparrows have olivegreen and gray bodies, with brown stripes on their heads. Their only bright color is a patch of lemoncolored feathers where their wings meet their bodies, but this is rarely seen unless the bird is preening. Olive Sparrows spend most of their time scratching in the fallen leaves and litter in dense brush, like the carrizo brakes along the San Felipe Creek. They are less shy in the spring, when males sometimes commandeer an open perch and sing their distinctive song, an insect-like series of “chips” that rises and accelerates at the end.
Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus Though small, the male Vermilion Flycatcher is hard to miss. The plumage on his head, throat, chest and belly is a brilliant scarlet to vermilion, set off against the dark brown of his back and wings. The female Vermilion’s plumage is more subdued: a drab brown on the back and wings, with a creamcolored chest and only a wash of color on her abdomen, anything from a pale yellow to salmon pink. Like the other members of their family, these small flycatchers spend much of their time perched, occasionally flying out to snap a small insect out of the air. Look for Vermilion Flycatchers along any reliable water source in our area, including stock tanks and backyard swimming pools.
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Birdy
These beautiful mugs can hold 18 ounces of bird-friendly, shade-grown coffee and feature bird art by Dean Crouser; $18.50 each at Russell True Value.
Easy to take into the field for quick identifications of Texas birds, $7.95 each at the Amistad National Recreation Area Visitor Center.
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Picks
This table top clock features a friendly Eastern Bluebird painted by Dean Crouser; $31 at Russell True Value.
Two definitive bird guides to make identifications a snap: The seventh edition of the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, $29.99; and the Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America, $24.99, both available at the Amistad National Recreation Area Visitor Center.
Get familiar with 180 of your home state’s birds with “Basic Texas Birds,” a field guide by one of the state’s most experienced birders, Mark W. Lockwood; $22.85 at the Amistad National Recreation Area Visitor Center.
Mark your place with these bookmarks, featuring Texas birds drawn by Michigan artist Carl Freeman; three for $1 at the Amistad National Recreation Area Visitor Center.
This charming hummingbird singleserve tea and cup set is perfect for pouring a cuppa at the end of a long day of birdwatching; $35.99 at Russell True Value.
Binoculars are a must-have for birdwatchers at every level of expertise. A top-of-the-line pair of binoculars can easily cost $2,000 to $3,000, but we found three at Russell True Value that are perfect – and perfectly affordable – for beginners and intermediate birders. Simmons Venture 8x42mm binoculars are a great option for the beginner. They are sturdy and lightweight, with optics that allow optimum viewing in “challenging light situations like dense brush or under a heavy canopy.” $54.99
Leupold Bx-1 Yosemite 8x30mm are small but mighty, and are a great option as a child’s or young person’s first set of binoculars. $124.00
Bushnell PowerView 10x42mm are reasonably priced and offer “high magnification, full-size viewing ideal for long-range observation,” according to the company. $79.99
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American Robins take advantage of a backyard birdbath. Offering a source of fresh water is a sure way to attract birds to your yard.
BEYOND THE FEEDER
Building Backyard Bird Habitat Story by DR. MAUREEN FRANK; Photos by KAREN and MIKE GLEASON and BILL RATTAY
M
any people enjoy providing food for birds, and the Del Rio area is home to some very beautiful species that are fun to watch. But just like humans, birds need more than food to survive! All animals need habitat to live, and habitat consists of food, water, shelter and space. Consider trying the following tips to enhance habitat for birds in your own backyard. You can find more information and resources by following @agrilife.birding on social media!
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Food If you want to feed birds, make sure the food is safe and nutritious. Keep your feeders safe by keeping seed dry and clean. Dispose of wet seed immediately; it can grow harmful bacteria. Clean feeders often with hot, soapy water and let them dry completely before refilling. Nutritious seeds include sunflower, safflower, milo, peanuts, and thistle. Millet and oats are common “filler� seeds in some mixes, but most birds do not eat those.
A male Northern Cardinal cracks a pecan shell to get at the nutritious, tasty meat inside. At right, a male Hooded Oriole gets ready to sip sugar water from a hummingbird feeder.
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An Inca Dove waits to peck at millet seeds dropped on the ground beneath a backyard bird feeding station. At left, a Cactus Wren visits a plate feeder hanging in a tree in north Del Rio.
Water In dry climates like Del Rio, water can be the most important backyard resource for birds. Like food, only provide water for birds if you can do it safely. Bird baths should be shallow and offer a variety of perches. Replace the water at least once a week and give the basin a through scrubbing at least once a month. Running water is especially attractive to wildlife, so adding a drip feature will draw in even more birds. Shelter Many birds build nests in the branches of trees, but others are “cavity nesters,� meaning they use holes in trees as shelter for their young. Most homeowners are not interested in keeping dead trees in their backyards for birds to use, so birdhouses are a good alternative. Only
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White-winged Doves are common visitors to bird feeders throughout the city. At right, House Sparrows and House Finches gather at a hanging feeder offering mixed seeds.
buy birdhouses that are targeted for particular species; otherwise, house sparrows and other invasive species will take over. You can even build your own birdhouse for a fun family project! Find specifications and plans at https://nestwatch.org. Space The fourth component of habitat is a little hard to understand. For birds to have enough space, they need sufficient food, water, and shelter, and these resources need to be connected in a way that allows birds to meet their needs all throughout the year. Making your backyard birdfriendly increases the amount of space they can use to live. Find more recommendations for helping birds at www.birds.cornell.edu/home/ seven-simple-actions-to-help-birds. •
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Caitlynn S. Cumbie, Homemaker: Andree $34.99 Black T Shirt, G&E $39.99 Crushed Raspberry Kimono, KanCan $46.99 Distressed Jean, $32.00 Multi Paper Fan Earrings
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PHOTOS BY:
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Dianne Treviño Once Upon A Time - Owner
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Amanda Tyk, Science Teacher: Mello $34.99 Red T Shirt, Andree $92.99 Embroidered Stripe Dress, $1200.00 Vintage Turquoise Squash Blossom. Rita Cordova Verstuyft, Uvalde County Tax Assessor Collector
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Kendall Maxey, Retail Assistant Manager: Double Zero $20.99 Crop Top, Andree $32.99 Velvet Floral Pants, Boutique $59.00 Gun Metal Shoes
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Camille S. Jefcoat, Musician: Andree $44.99, Fuschia Lace Cap Sleeve, Boutique $59.99 Silver Ingrid
Amanda Tyk, Science Teacher: Mello $34.99 Red T Shirt, Andree $92.99 Embroidered Stripe Dress, $1200.00 Vintage Turquoise Squash Blossom Necklace
Rita Cordova Verstuyft, Uvalde County Tax Assessor Collector: XOXO $44.99 Big Time Small Town, Judy Blue $49.99, Blowfish $44.99 Mamba Grey, $85 Silver Earrings, $250 Silver Bracelet
Clarrissa L Rodriguez, Coordinator of Education: $285 Necklace St. Benedict, Lady Guadalupe Cuff in Gold, St. Benedict Ring $125.00 GRANDE / APRIL 2020
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Rita Cordova Verstuyft, Uvalde County Tax Assessor Collector: Entro $34.99 Black Button Tee, Judy Blue $49.99 Camo Patch Jean, Boutique $60.99 Camo Heel Boot, Gypsy $450 Camo Hyde Fringe
Caitlynn S. Cumbie, Homemaker: Crazy Train $36.99 Blacktop Leopard Kimono, KanCan $46.99 Distressed, Blowfish Adults $38.99 Children $31.99 Kitty Leopard, Fashion Fan $8.50 Leopard Earrings, Fashion Fan $12.50 Bead Beige/Smoke
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Amanda Tyk, Science Teacher: $30.99 Bandana Leopard, Andree $76.99 Camo Embroidered Maxi, Judy Blue $59.99 Flare Jean, Boutique $69.99 Bogota Black Boot, Zenzi $21.99 Red Earrings, Gypsy $255 Wanda Turquoise Hide
Clarrissa L Rodriguez, Coordinator of Education: Andree $65.00 Distressed Denim Jacket, $135.00 OJO on Blue Earrings
Dianne Trevino, Owner Once Upon A Time: Andree $50.99 Black embroidered front, Judy Blue $49.99 White Distressed $110.00, Ojo Red Earrings $120.00
Tasha Quintana, Girl Who Loves The Lord: HyFVE $32.99 Dusty Mauve, Remixman $42.99 Black Baloon Pant, Boutique $60.99 Black Marseille, Fashion Fan $7.99, Fashion Fan $14.99
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WE ARE LOOKING FOR MEN AND WOMEN TO MODEL IN FUTURE ISSUES OF THE MAGAZINE. If you are interested, send photos and contact information to David Rupkalvis at the following email: david.rupkalvis@delrionewsherald.com or call 830-775-1551. For story and photo ideas, email Karen Gleason at the following: karen.gleason@delrionewsherald.com 34
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A GRANDE LIFE
Connie Hoke Story and photo by KAREN GLEASON
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ransplanted Del Rioan Connie Hoke will join the “Birding the Border” Festival as a birding buddy on excursions to local ranches. “Basically, before the festival, I scout the areas where we’ll be birding so I can tell the guide about the properties that we’ll be seeing. Then during the tour, I’ll help corral everybody and help the guide with whatever he or she needs,” Hoke said. Hoke was born in Laredo and lived there until she graduated from high school. “I moved to the Houston area and have done most of my birding there, so I’m used to quite a bit different birds than what we have here, coastal birds, migratory birds,” she said. Hoke and her husband Jon moved to Del Rio in 2015 after she retired. Hoke worked as a programmer and IT professional. “I worked for a large insurance company and a retirement company, and I did programming. I was a manager and corralled a bunch of people into doing their jobs. Towards the end of my career, I also did project management,” Hoke said. She worked for the same company for 25 years and before that, did some consulting work. “But most of my career was with that one company in the Houston area,” Hoke said. The Hokes chose Del Rio as their new home because they own property in Terrell County. “We came through Del Rio for 25 years, going back and forth from our property in Terrell County, and we were looking for a place to retire. Houston is a nice place to work, but a little bit expensive to retire in, especially when you get down to insurances and that sort of thing,” she said. “When we were getting ready to retire, we were in Del Rio, and our thought was we were close to our property. I also have a sister that had just moved here, so we thought we would look here, and we found a place and really liked it. I think it was the first house we looked at,” she said. Hoke has been a “serious” birder since the early aughts. “My dad was a very big nature person. He wasn’t necessarily a birder per se, but he kind of introduced us
to birds. My brother is a biologist, and he’s a very big birder, and I’d go out with him. Then my dad passed away in 2006, and in 2007, my brother and cousin and I did the week-long Birding Classic (an annual Texas birding competition) as kind of a tribute, in memory of my dad, and since then I’ve been more serious about it,” Hoke said. “Before then, I had three sons, and they were all in sports, so there was a lot of stuff going on all the time. After that all kind of settled down, I also had more time to go birding,” she said. Hoke’s “spark bird,” the bird that ignited her love of birding, was the Cedar Waxwing. “We were living in Laredo, and these are a migrating bird. My dad was the one who saw them and pointed them out, and it was just such a different, unique bird. That’s the first time I really remember seeing a bird and thinking, ‘That’s a really neat bird,’ so that was really my beginning birding experience,” she said. Hoke said she has tried to bird more since moving to Del Rio. For the “Birding the Border” Festival, Hoke will accompany birders who sign up for the McKenna Ranch and Zuberbueler Ranch tours. “We will go out and spend the morning in the field birding, and I will help the guide, who knows all of the birds. I know most of them, but I’m not as good with calls,” she said. What does she love about birding? “Seeing the beauty of God’s creations, the nature, the quiet, just the birds themselves are so different. You just go from something bright and colorful as a Vermilion Flycatcher to a little bird that doesn’t have much color at all. They each have their own unique properties,” she said. “Del Rio is a beautiful place to bird. There are so many varieties of birds here. For instance, you don’t get seedeaters in Texas very often, but you get them here. You get Green Jays, and there’s Great Kiskadees everywhere. I had a cousin who came to town from the Dallas area last week, and his wife is a birder. She’d never seen a Great Kiskadee, and we had one in our backyard, so she was just thrilled,” Hoke said. •
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Rare Bird Anything’s possible here on the border
Story by KAREN GLEASON; photos by KAREN GLEASON and MIKE GLEASON
A Tropical Parula sings from a tamarisk copse in the Rincon Del Diablo along the San Felipe Creek. These small songbirds are more often seen in the Devils River State Natural Area.
O
ne of the reasons Val Verde County is such a great place to bird is that it sits at a crossroads between east and west and between north and
south. A number of bird species reach the northern end of their ranges in this area – the Green Jay, the Olive Sparrow, the Morelet’s Seedeater and the Ringed Kingfisher, to name a few. Over the years, a number of other species have been seen here far outside their “normal” ranges, although, as someone once accurately pointed out, birds really don’t pay much attention to range maps. I never go into the field expecting to see a rarity. Over the years, though, as I’ve become more and more familiar with the birds of the area, it’s easier to realize when
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A Clay-colored Thrush and two companions spent several months along the San Felipe Creek in the spring and early summer of 2019.
you’re looking at something you’ve never seen before. Such was the case with the White-collared Seedeater, which since 2018 has been called Morelet’s Seedeater. In his 1974 masterwork, “The Bird Life of Texas,” Harry C. Oberholser noted that (then-called) White-collared Seedeaters could be found in the Rio Grande Valley in Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr and Webb counties. He reported that the seedeater, “formerly common,” had been recorded on the Texas side of the Rio Grande “upriver to Laredo.” Oberholser blamed the decline of the once-common bird on the heavy use of DDT-based pesticides sprayed from airplanes on cotton grown in the Rio Grande Valley. “Much spray drifts into fieldside vegetation,” he wrote. “Anything a seedeater eats or drinks carries a load of poison. Decline of the species in Texas – and the United
This photo proved the presence of Morelet’s Seedeaters, then called White-collared Seedeaters, in Del Rio in February 2010. This neotropical finch has expanded its range along the Rio Grande into several areas of Texas in the mid and late 20th Century. Morelet’s Seedeaters have since been seen and documented in several areas in and around Del Rio.
States – dates from the onset of extremely widespread and heavy cotton spraying . . .” The use of DDT ended in the U.S. by the mid-1970s, thanks in no small part to the concern raised over the impacts of the pesticide on bird populations across the hemisphere. While many of those bird populations rebounded, seedeater populations along the Texas-Mexico border were slower to recover. In the 1980s, White-collared Seedeaters were established in small populations in the Texas towns of San Ygnacio and Zapata near Laredo, and by the 1990s, birdwatchers
had documented the species in the massive carrizo brakes along the Rio Grande outside Eagle Pass. From there, it was only a matter of time before they showed up here, but when they did, it was still a thrill. On a cold, drizzly morning in February 2010, I photographed a female seedeater in the Rincon Del Diablo area of the San Felipe Creek. Since then, both males and females have been observed along the Calaveras Creek drainage near La Loma de la Cruz, along Vega Verde Road by the Rio Grande and in a brushy area between the McDonald’s and Sonic restaurants in east Del Rio. The little seedeater has become a constant on the annual
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A Gray Hawk perches in the Rincon Del Diablo. • A Hammond’s Flycatcher, a bird of the northwestern U.S., made a weeks-long visit to Lt. Thomas Romanelli Memorial Park in the winter of 2016.
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Christmas Bird Count, and it seems the seedeater is here to stay. • Seedeaters have come to stay in Del Rio, as have other birds considered uncommon and rare, including the Gray Hawk, a tropical raptor that seems to have established a slim talon-hold in the county, and the Green Jay, a tropical corvid with an established and documented breeding population here. But other birds are seen once or twice, then not again. Or they stay for a few days or weeks, then leave. Some birds are common in other places, but are considered rare if seen here. Such was the case of the Plumbeous Vireo, a common summer resident of the Davis and Guadalupe mountains of far west Texas, but an uncommon to rare migrant to the western Edwards Plateau, according to Mark W. Lockwood and Brush Freeman in “The Texas Ornithological Society Handbook of Texas Birds.” Likewise, a Rufous-backed Robin, which visited the Rincon Del Diablo area of the San Felipe Creek from Dec. 22 to 26 in 2015, is a common species on the Pacific coast of Mexico, but a “very rare to casual winter visitor to the Trans-Pecos and the South Texas Brush Country.” Another rarity was the Clay-colored Thrush, which was spotted by San Antonio birders Martin Reid and Sheridan Coffey along the San Felipe in early 2019. The initial thrush was later found to have at least two companions, and the trio of birds stayed in the area for several weeks. Other rare birds that have been spotted in the area of the San Felipe Creek include the Audubon’s Oriole, Acorn Woodpecker and Lewis’s Woodpecker. •
An Audubon’s Oriole, which has been observed and documented in south Del Rio, along the creek and in backyards near the creek, forages for insects along a tree branch in this photo taken in 2012.
This Baird’s Sparrow was observed and photographed by Audubon Count Compiler Mike Gleason in the Seminole Canyon State Park in the winter of 2017.
A Plumbeous Vireo, a western relative of the vireo species common along the creek, perches in the Rincon Del Diablo in this photo taken in 2013. This vireo is an uncommon migrant in Val Verde County.
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Sweet
STUFF Recipe courtesy of the AUDUBON SOCIETY; Photo by BILL RATTAY
H
anging out hummingbird feeders is one of the cherished rites of spring for many backyard birders in Del Rio and throughout the country. Hummingbirds will readily come to feeders and will stay in areas where feeders are filled regularly. These feisty little fliers will provide hours of entertainment in exchange for a little sugar water. An even better alternative, or something to consider in addition to a regular feeder, is to create a backyard filled with plants hummingbirds will visit. Attract hummingbirds naturally by planting nectar-bearing native plants in your yard or community. Del Rio’s most common hummingbird is the Black-chinned Hummingbird, but other species, such as the Ruby-throated and Rufous have been recorded here as well. •
Ingredients • 1/4 cup refined white sugar (Note: Please do use refined white sugar. Honey can promote dangerous fungal growth. Organic, natural, and raw sugars contain levels of iron that could be harmful. Plain white table sugar is sucrose, which, when mixed with water, very closely mimics the chemical composition of natural nectar.) • 1 cup boiling water • Bowl • Spoon (Note: There’s no need for red dye here. Red coloring is not necessary, and the chemicals could prove to be harmful to the birds.)
Method 1. Mix sugar and boiling water until sugar is dissolved. 2. Cool and fill feeder. 3. Hang up your feeder outside and wait for the hummingbirds to come.
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EASY SUET RECIPE
Recipe courtesy of the SPRUCE; Photo by MACK PUSLEY
Ingredients • • • •
1 cup rendered suet or vegetable shortening 1 cup chunky peanut butter 3 cups ground cornmeal 1/2 cup white or wheat flour
Method Melt the suet or shortening and peanut butter together until they are smoothly blended and liquid. Add the cornmeal and flour, mixing well. These ingredients will make the suet more crumbly and easier for birds to eat, as well as less messy in the yard. Allow the mixture to cool slightly to thicken, then pour it into molds or containers to use. Refrigerate or freeze suet until it is firm and you are ready to use it. Extra suet may be kept frozen for several months until needed.
What You Can Add While a simple bird suet recipe is useful, adding different ingredients to the mixture before it cools can make it more attractive to birds. Popular ingredients to customize a suet recipe include: • Chopped, unsalted nuts, especially peanuts (do not use coated or flavored nuts) • Dried fruit bits or whole, unsweetened raisins or cranberries • Birdseed • Kitchen scraps (use only very limited quantities) • Insects, such as dried mealworms, flies, or crickets These are the easiest items to add to simple suet to make it even more tempting for your birds. Experiment with adding other ingredients to discover what your birds find most appetizing, and you’ll soon have plenty of suet-eaters at your bird-friendly buffet.
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Last Look RUTH SCHOLL Transplanted Del Rioan Ruth Scholl is an artist, born and raised in Minnesota, whose paintings of Great Kiskadees served as mascots for this issue of the magazine and can be found throughout its pages. Scholl and her husband moved to Del Rio in February 2019 when her husband was stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base to go through pilot training. Scholl said she has been an artist all of her life. She said she was home-schooled, and her mother encouraged Scholl’s passion for art. Scholl said she has been inspired by children’s book illustrators and most enjoys creating twodimensional art – painting and drawing – and currently works mainly in watercolor and gouache. During our interview, Scholl told me, “I think it’s so important to make the world around you beautiful.” The hallmark of Scholl’s paintings are the homey, nostalgic and everyday scenes depicted in bright, whimsical colors. To see more of Scholl’s work, visit her web site ww.ruthscholl.com, her Facebook page, @Ruth Scholl Illustration and @ ruthscholl on Instagram.
BILL RATTAY Nearly everyone knows Del Rioan Bill Rattay as a veteran Del Rio Police Department officer. He is now serving as the department’s administrative captain and began working for the DRPD in 1982. He also worked briefly for the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office. Fewer people, however, know that Rattay is also a gifted photographer whose specialty is taking photos of people and animals. Rattay took up photography about 10 years ago because, as he put it, “I just like taking pictures, capturing moments in time.” Rattay attended an online photo school, the New York Institute of Photography, and was also mentored by Ron Castle, the foremost professional photographer in the area. Rattay said he most enjoys taking photos of animals, including his cadre of cats, dogs and wildlife, of which there is no shortage outside his home north of Del Rio. “My wife Tamara and I are softies, and it seems like whatever bird or animal comes onto our property we end up feeding,” he said.
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Dr. Boulos Toursarkissian Vascular Surgeon
V
Dr. Ian Alexander Otolaryngoologist (Ear, Nose & Throat)
Dr. Luis Duarte Neurosurgeon
VVRMC Visiting Clinics
al Verde Regional Medical Center brings healthcare providers from a variety of clinics to serve your needs. We offer vascular services, neurology healthcare and ear, nose and throat care right here at home. There’s no need to travel long distances to get the services you and your family need.
VASCULAR CLINIC
Dr. Boulos Toursarkissian from Peripheral Vascular Assoc. First and Third Fridays of the month VVRMC, 801 Bedell Avenue
210-237-4444
EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT CLINIC
Dr. Ian Alexander and Meagan Koch NP from the National Sinus Institute Second and Fourth Wednesdays and every Thursday VVRMC Specialty Clinic, 1200 Bedell Avenue
210-202-0250
NEUROLOGY AND PAIN MANAGEMENT CLINIC
Dr. Luis Duarte and Kara Hilmes, NP from the Shannon Clinic Check our calendar at vvrmc.org for clinic dates
325-481-2193
living our mission, focused on our vision and empowered by our legacy 48
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For a complete calendar of clinic dates, go to our website:
vvrmc.org