Started the day with a visit to Estero Llano Grand State Park in Weslaco, not far from where I'm staying. The forecast was looking bad and that generally proved to be the case. This did not stop ~30 godless birders from walking around the wetlands. Again and again, parking lots prove to be exceedingly fruitful. This morning I added Plain Chacalaca, Clay-Collared Thrush, Olive Sparrow, and Long-Billed Thrasher to the growing lifers-in-the-parking-lot list.

My dearest chacalaca

Another frivolous list, species that are the smallest of their family, gained a member as well. A couple of Least Grebes worked their way through the cane, the male giving his bijou calls proudly. 

I shared a nice walk with a lady from Georgia who led me from the visitor's center to the known Pauraque location. No dice on this occasion but we had a lovely chat. Stayed around the area to record some Sora/Gallinule/Grebe/etc din.

 

The rain was really picking up so I ended the morning a bit early. "Gig's up" a grinning floppy-hatted fella said to me in the treasured parking lot. 

I went to a most pitiful supermarket in search of lunch ingredients and then headed back to the church. In the late afternoon the rain let up so I tried my luck with the Edinburg Scenic Wetlands. I guess I lost my bugspray earlier so I got eaten alive out there, but had a nice prolonged sit under a metal veranda soundtracked by a sudden deluge and the persistent Easter Sunday service from a nearby park (and obligatory chacalaca chatter).

Mottled Duck fledglings in different stages of development were also a cool sight. Funnily these must be my first lifer that I've seen with young.

 

Had dinner at China Cafe, a personally recommended buffet in McAllen. Things were going well until a fist fight broke out between two cooks in the back. I only heard the clanging of pots in the distance, but luckily a nearby diner was on the scene and gave us a little reenactment. I'd like to think they were disputing who had to handle Hot Cheetos/Dogs sushi duty that night. 

LIFELIST:365