After a private trip to South Texas in February targeting a number of rare birds (check out the photo gallery from that trip), we decided to put an itinerary together for a trip to that incredibly bird-rich part of the county. Click here to see the trip details, which will be from March 1-9, 2021. That part of Texas is home to some of the most storied birding spots in the United States: Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge, Aransas Wildlife Refuge, Bentsen-Rio Grande State Park, Estero Llano Grande, Sabal Palm Sanctuary, and more. The birds are storied, too. We will start with wintering Whooping Cranes, then move on to the Valley specialties, birds like Green Jay, Pauraque, Altamira and Audubon’s Orioles, Plain Chachalaca, and many more. We’ll look for the less common birds as well, like Morelet’s Seedeater, Groove-billed Ani, Hook-billed Kite, and any rarities that are wintering in the area. Join us!

Altamira Oriole is found in the borderlands of South Texas. Photo by Nathan Goldberg.