Field Trip Description: Lower Rio Grande Valley overnight, 3 day trip. Please note that a Registration Fee is required for each Trip participant.
Sites of interest – Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, Port Isabel, South Padre Island Birding Center; Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary, Old Fort Brown (parrots and parakeets); Estero Llano Grande State Park.
Registration required 10 days in advance (by November 1, 2026). Minimum for the trip is 6 participants. The trip limit (max) is 8 participants.
NOTE THAT CURRENTLY FIELD TRIPS ARE OPEN TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES.
NOTIFY OUR FIELD TRIP LEADER, GENE BLACKLOCK, THAT YOU PLAN TO GO ON THIS FIELD TRIP. TEXT GENE AT 361-558-1829 AND PROVIDE YOUR NAME(S) AND CELL PHONE NUMBER(S). Then mail in your registration fee to Gene as outlined below.
This overnight Field Trip will require each participant to
Pay for transportation, meals, expenses, and overnight accommodations
Pay a Field Trip Registration Fee of $327.00 per participant to Field Trip Leader, Gene Blacklock. (Please note that Registration Fees pay for the expenses of the Trip Leader.)
Send Registration Fee payment to Gene Blacklock. (Checks should be paid to Gene Blacklock, 107 County Road 391, Mathis, Texas 78368-3208). Gene must receive your registration payment by November 01, 2026). If the trip does not make, participants will receive a full refund.
Meet at designated locations (see Timeline below) for each part of the Field Trip.
Headquarters: Super 8, Harlingen (956 412 4050, Location: 1115 S Expressway 83, Harlingen, TX 78550).
Please note that you may make reservations at a different hotel/motel in the area, but the Field Trip group will need to meet at Laguna Atascosa National Refuge on Wednesday morning, November 11th at 7:00 AM AND at the Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary in Brownsville on Thursday morning, November 12th at 7:00 AM (see details ion the various locations where the Field Trip Group willl meet in Timeline below) .
Comment: This trip is an introduction to the birds and habitats of the Lower Rio Grande Valley - special attention will be paid to those species that are peculiar to the Valley & to those that are less expected in U.S. South Texas. Birds of special interest: Masked Duck, Plain Chachalaca, Least and Western Grebes, White-tailed and Hooked-billed Kites, Northern Jacana, Ringed and Green Kingfishers, Green Parakeet, Red-crowned Parrot, Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet, Chihuahuan Raven, Rose-breasted Becard, Clay-colored Thrush, Gray-crowned Yellowthroat, Tropical Parula, Mangrove Warbler, Brownsville Yellowthroat., Black-throated Gray Warbler, Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Blue Bunting, Altamira and Hooded Orioles.
Stress level: moderate, some walking.
Timeline:
Tuesday (Nov. 10), 1:00 PM – Field Trip Group meets at Estero Llano Grande State Park [3301 S. International Blvd. (FM 1015), Weslaco, TX 78596]. Entrance Fee is $5.00 per vehicle. After birding the Park, eat lunch and continue on to Old Fort Brown in Brownsville [1325 E. Washington Street, Brownsville, TX 78520] (looking for parakeets and parrots). Note that there is no admission fee at Fort Brown. Overnight stay at lodging in area.
Wednesday (Nov. 11), 7:00 AM – Field Trip Group meets at the headquarters of Laguna Atascosa National Refuge (22817 Ocelot Road, Los Fresnos,TX78566). Entrance Fee is $2.50 per person. This refuge has 5 bird feeding stations. After a lunch break, the Field Trip Group meets at the Port Isabel & South Padre Island Birding, Nature Center and Alligator Sanctuary (6801 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 7859). Admission Fee is $15.00 for adults. Overnight stay at lodging in area.
Thursday (Nov. 12), 7:00 AM – Check out of overnight lodging. Field Trip Group meets at the Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary (8435 Sabal Palm Grove Rd. Brownsville, Texas 78521) at 7:00 AM. Eat lunch and then return home.
MATERIALS TO HAVE AVAILABLE: Scope, binoculars, comfortable hiking shoes, hat, sunscreen, insect repellent (especially for chiggers & mosquitoes). Always be on the look out for fire ants. Also recommended: water & snacks.
OPTIONAL: a Bird Field Guide or Bird ID apps.