RGV
GEMS BENTSEN VALLEY STATE PARK | LA SAL DEL REY | TONY REISINGER
COLORS FOR A THRUSH
July 2019
COLOR FOR A THRUSH
Special to The Monitor January 26, 2019
The Clay-colored thrush is not a brightly colored bird. That isn’t to say it’s unattractive, just subtle; a closer look reveals varying shades of brown, brownish or maroon eyes and faint white streaks on its throat. While visually unobtrusive, the thrush’s song reverberates throughout woodlands — a melodic series of whistles symbolic of dawn and dusk. Its pleasing song is fairly new to the lower Rio Grande Valley, heard increasingly often over the past 30 years. Their population increasing, the thrush seems here to stay — but what are they doing and where else might they go? Those are the questions being asked by Timothy Brush, a biology professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. “In the early 1990s, sightings of clay-colored thrush (then called clay-colored robin) were unusual; they were only seen in the Valley and in low numbers,” Brush said. “The birding hotline would mention specific places they had been seen. Now, I even hear them in my yard.” Bird communities change over time, Brush went on to explain, affected by the local environment and wildlife community. One conspicuous change in the Valley is urbanization, and both biologists and birdwatchers have noticed the thrush can be found in neighborhoods or parks with lots of trees (especially native ones).
Clay-colored Thrush juveniles have spotted breasts and orange tips on their wings. (John Brush | Special to The Monitor)
Quinta Mazatlán, a historic adobe home with lush gardens and native woodlands, is a prime example of clay-colored thrush habitat in the heart of McAllen. After opening in 2006, it became a wellknown site for visiting birdwatchers to see the thrush. “We began to notice lots of Clay-colored thrushes there and were able to band many,” Brush said. It turned out there are especially large numbers in late summer and fall, when flocks of juvenile thrushes descend on the park to forage on fruits and berries. In the winter, however, their numbers decline — thrushes moving about, destination unknown. “That’s why we started our color-banding project,” said Brush’s wife, Catherine.
The adult Clay-colored Thrush has a maroon or reddish-brown As a trained sub-permittee of local master bander Mark Conway, she is permitted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to catch, band and release the wild birds. “We place four light-weight bands on the thrush’s legs,” Catherine said. “One is aluminum and the other three are colored plastic.” The aluminum band has a unique number — mandated by the USGS — that allows individual birds to be identified if they are recaptured. The banding process doesn’t harm the birds; quick measurements are taken and the bird is released. The plastic bands come in six colors — blue, red, green, yellow, orange and black. These colors make it easier for the Brushs and other observers to track individual birds. Each thrush that is caught gets a unique color combination. “The first thrush we banded got blue and red bands on its left leg; blue on top and red on bottom. Its right leg got the aluminum band and green band,” Catherine said. Now, the Brushs are looking for sightings of their banded birds. Biology students from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley have only seen two of the 76 thrushes banded so far. The Brushes hope that anyone who sees a color-banded thrush will share their sightings by emailing colorbandingRGV@gmail.com. “By reporting where, when, and what color combinations are on their legs, we can start to figure out where the thrushes are going,” Brush said. The Center for Urban Ecology at Quinta Mazatlan works to create healthy cities for people and wildlife. Come see for yourself on weekly Saturday birdwalks at 8:30 a.m., or visit www.quintamazatlan.com Plastic color bands are carefully placed on the bird’s legs. (John Brush | Special to The Monitor)
PLANNING A TRIP IN SEVEN STEPS
STEP ONE: DECIDE WHERE TO GO
STEP FOUR: FIND AFFORDABLE FLIGHTS
•ARE YOU MORE CRUNCHED FOR TIME OR MONEY? •ARE YOU TRAVELING ALONE OR WITH FRIENDS OR YOUR FAMILY? •IS YOUR WORK FLEXIBLE WITH WHEN YOU CAN LEAVE OR DO YOU HAVE A SET TIME FRAME WHEN YOU CAN TRAVEL (E.G., A TEACHER)? •DO YOU WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE CLOSE BY WHERE YOU CAN DRIVE, OR WOULD YOU HAVE TO FLY?
In fact, flying can be one of the most affordable parts of the trip if you know how to leverage the right tools. Two of the most effective tools to find affordable flights are: Travel credit cards Repositioning with error fares
STEP TWO: PICK A TIME TO TRAVEL
Finding a great place to stay that doesn’t break the bank sometimes seems impossible. However, finding a great deal on accommodations is simple IF you’re willing to break the mold. Along with hostels, travelers can also find great, affordable places to stay through home sharing sites like Airbnb or Couchsurfing. If you really prefer to stay in a hotel though, that’s okay! You can book awesome deals on hotels using travel credit cards since they often allow you to spend points on hotel rooms.
YOUR TIMING CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE OF HUNDREDS, POSSIBLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN AIRFARE. TIME MATTERS! WHICH IS WHY YOU SHOULD BE FLEXIBLE WITH YOUR TRAVELS.
If you want to find the best time to travel to a destination, consider these three things about the location: •Peak season. This is the time of year when most tourists will visit a location. This is often due to good weather and holidays surrounding it.Flights and accommodations tend to be the most expensive during this time. •Off-peak season. This is when the majority of tourists aren’t visiting a destination — typically due to weather .You’ll normally find very affordable flights and accommodations during this time, but on the flip side, there’s usually a reason for it being “off-peak.” •Shoulder season. This is the time between peak and off-peak — and a good time to take advantage of the benefits from both seasons
STEP THREE: TAKE TIME OFF WORK You’re losing time and money by not taking your vacation days. These are benefits ensured to you by your employer. Use them! And if you’re on vacation, you’re definitely going to want to use them
STEP FIVE: FIND A GREAT PLACE TO STAY
STEP SIX: CALL YOUR CREDIT CARD COMPANIES Credit card companies get nervous when they see you make purchases you don’t normally make — especially when those purchases are somewhere you don’t live.That’s why it’s important to give them a heads up before you go.
STEP SEVEN: BUDGET CONSICOUSLY FOR YOUR TRIP There are TWO ways you can prep your vacation budget. Save money for travel Mental accounting is a psychological technique wherein people treat money differently depending on how they got it and plan on spending it. A great example of this: Using a sub-savings account. Earn money for travel Create multiple income streams so you always have a consistent source of revenue.Start your own business and escape the 9-to-5 for good.Increase your income by thousands of dollars a year through side hustles like freelancing.
Bentsen Rio Grand As part of the World Birding Center, Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park is a worldclass destination for bird-watching. The Rio Grande Valley hosts one of the most spectacular convergences of birds on earth with more than 525 species documented in this unique place. Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park alone has an impressive list of 358 species recorded within the park’s boundaries. Birders have a chance to see migratory birds during their yearly migrations over the valley including flocks of thousands of hawks from the park’s Hawk Tower in the spring and fall. Some
birders travel to the Bentsen to see bird species they can’t find anyplace else in the country--from the Green Jay and the Buff-bellied Hummingbird to the Great Kiskadee and the Altamira Oriole.
The visitor center has a bilingual (English/Spanish) exhibit hall, park store, group hall and administrative offices--all surrounded by butterfly gardens and hummingbird feeders. Visitors can take our transportation shuttle, ride bikes or walk through the park. A two-story observation tower with a wheelchair-accessible ramp gives visitors a bird’s-eye view of the canopy as well as a peek into Mexico. Two enclosed bird blinds, a birding wall and several water features allow visitors to see birds up close and watch their behaviors. Ten bird feeding stations are stocked from November through March, and over seven miles of trails offer a variety of opportunities to encounter wildlife inside the park’
de Valley State Park Ranger Programs
Bird and nature walks are a great opportunity for visitors to meet the wildlife in the park. Other guided tours feature butterflies, dragonflies, and creatures of the night, as well as programs for teachers, students and young naturalists. During the summer months the park has “Beak the heat” birding programs that take place in an air-conditioned room. Regularly scheduled programs are free with park admission.
Equipment Rentals
The Texas State Park Store “Algunas Plumas” offers a variety of camping supplies, outdoor equipment, field guides, gifts and food items. The store also rents the following equipment for use at the park: Bicycles: regular, children’s and trikes - $5 to $12 per day Binoculars: $3 per day
GEAR UP
Hot Deal Magellan Outdoors Cumberland 10 Person Family Cabin Tent with Screen Porch and Lights $149.99 $179.99 Save 16%
YETI Hopper Two 30 Cooler $ 239.99
HOT DEAL Nikon ACULON A211 10 x 42 Porro Prism Binoculars $79.99 $99.99 Save 20%
HOT DEAL Coghlan’s Compass Thermometer $5.59 $6.99 Save 20%
The King’s Salt, La Sal Del Rey
By Cori Smelker | January 4, 2018 0 Comments There are few sounds more satisfying than the crunch of frost under your feet, so what do you do if you live in a warm weather climate with little chance to experience frost? Walk on the shores of a salt lake. If you’re looking for a day trip that is just a bit off the beaten path, look no further than the aptly named La Sal Del Rey. Located between Raymondville and Edinburg, this 530-acre salt lake is protected by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and is part of the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge. Included in this area is more than 5,000 acres of surrounding Tamaulipan thorn scrub and grasslands. As you approach the lake, you would be forgiven for thinking you were looking at a frozen landscape as the sun’s rays dance across the blanket of solid salt, which covers most of the ground surrounding the lake. The lake itself averages a depth of approximately 4 feet and conservative estimates say that the lake holds at least 4 million tons of salt. On most days, the buoyant water mirrors the magnificent South Texas sky, but sometimes the lake will turn pink because of a large growth of algae. No one knows for sure how the lake was formed, although one theory is that it is part of an extinct inland sea that has since dried up — except for this section. Salt has long been the mineral of kings, and highly sought after by people from all walks of life. Native American stones have been found in and around the lake, and as far back as 1792 the Spaniards marked the lake on their maps when they claimed the salt deposit for the Spanish king. Tracks left by heavily laden wagons headed for Mexico City can still be seen around the lake. During the Civil War, camels were used to carry the salt to Confederate troops. This salt lake has seen many at its shores, collecting the precious mineral for trade, to sell, to use as a preservative, and for tanning hides. The trails leading the lake will take you through some breathtaking, albeit rugged terrain. Don’t be surprised to cross paths with deer, and even the odd herd of feral pigs. White-tailed deer can possibly be seen darting away from you as you take the 1-mile trek from the trailhead to the lake; or possibly Nilgai, a species of antelope that was imported to the Valley from India before the 1920s as zoo animals, and then released in South Texas in the 1930s, where they have continued to breed and populate the region. Although the salt lake is the main feature of this section of the refuge, there is an interesting anomaly found here, too: a small area of freshwater that bubbles up from the ground and serves as a homestead for fish, frogs (the leopard frog in particular can be heard as you trek towards the lake), and snakes, including rattlesnakes and Texas indigo snakes.
La Sal Del Rey is open to those who want to explore the land on their own on foot or on bicycle, but there are some precautions to take. The refuge encourages visitors to go with a friend or in groups, to take along water, and to apply sunscreen regularly. In summer, the daytime temperatures can easily soar to 100 degrees or more; winter daytime temperatures tend to be more comfortable, staying in the 70s. It is best to go either in the early morning or at dusk, which is when wildlife tends to be more active (if that is what you’re going for). Directions: From McAllen, go North on Hwy 281 for approximately 20 miles. Exit 186 East for approximately four miles to the kiosk on the north side of the road. From Harlingen, go North on Hwy 77 for approximately 24 miles. Exit 186 West for approximately 22 miles to the kiosk. For more information, tune into AM 530 or call the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge at (956) 784-7500. Guided tours are occasionally offered as well.
People that make a difference:
Tony Reisinger Richard Moore introduces us to the local marine extension agent. He has been achieving above and beyond his job description for more than three decades. It would be difficult to overestimate the positive effect Tony Reisinger, the Cameron County Marine Extension Agent,has had during his tenure in the Rio Grande Valley.Tony Reisinger, Cameron County Marine Extension Agent said, “To be the Marine Extension Agent in Cameron County has meant a lot of learning for me. I am constantly learning new things about the natural resources of the Valley, and it has been so rewarding…I love my work, and I wouldn’t want to do anything else.” From assisting the shrimping industry, serving as weigh master at fishing tournaments, monitoring red tide, and helping to create the highly successful Master Naturalist program, Reisinger’s work has been outstanding for more than three decades. “We have helped the shrimp industry tremendously. Turtle Excluder Devices that have reduced the mortality of sea turtles. We introduced those by-catch reduction devices…we have reduced the by-catch of other species besides shrimp significantly. And we have also increased the efficiency of the fishing fleet, and that allowed them to remain profitable I think.” Reisinger has also served for decades as weighmaster at many fishing tournaments and helped them to become more efficient and flourish. “We have impacted fishing tournaments. We have made fishing tournaments grow and grow smoothly.” Added Reisinger. In recent years, Reisinger has been instrumental in helping to create the highly regarded Master Naturalist program, which has trained some 300 volunteers to provide education and outreach services for the benefit of the Valley’s natural resources. If you ask Tony how much longer he expects to serve the Valley as Marine Extension Agent, he has a ready answer. “Hopefully 35 more years.”
SOME SEE A BAD DAY. SOME SEE A GOOD ST O RY.
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