Caley Thomas 2.0

You're welcome. Perhaps hitting up birding guides based out of RGV area may allow you for some relatively pricier but more maleable forms of access into the King Ranch - Norias Division area, FWIW...

Re: Brown Jay private ranch info: https://rgvrarebirdalert.blogspot.com/ Re: Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Ranch Info, the name of the ranch is King Ranch, which is absurdly large and broken up into different regions (Norias being the area in question), and my best guess for access into that one is still only limited to the annual birding festival down there. The 2023 schedule isn't yet up, but this link contains a brief description of last year's access through that festival: https://www.rgvbf.org/ https://www.rgvbf.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-brochure-9-12-22.pdf

By the way, if you're lucky, they may still have a rather cheap option to see Brown Jays while you're down there on a private ranch (I'm going to do this Monday), and, if going in the fall to the RGV area, there's a different absurdly large private ranch where you can pay to visit and see and even photo Ferruginous Pygmy-Owls, though that option may be restricted to participants in the actual festival. One of the best resources on this website to hit up for information may in fact be @Liam regarding Texas plans IMO though. @Liam, my ebird reviewer Derek Muschalek said he met you this past weekend down in Port Aransas and was blown away at your birding abilities - no small compliment coming from that guy to be sure!

I imagine the RGV would hold more promise for lifers given its proximity to Mexico and unique climate. I've never been to any of the big festivals so can't speak to them. If you're not a festival person these days, I would recommend going on the tail end of the festival so that you might indirectly benefit from the efforts of many good birders concentrated in the area you're traveling to just before you get there. Just some opening thoughts.

It seems like the color of the eye is brown (which would suggest Glossy from what I’ve read), but I’m not sure we can be certain that we’re seeing it clearly with direct sun. Full disclosure, I have not yet seen this bird myself, and passed on a non-breeding Glossy chase due to the inherent difficulty in discerning between Glossy and White-faced in non-breeding/immature birds.

This also feels like an Eastern Wood-Pewee to me, but also not certain. Wait for others…

This feels like an Eastern Wood-Pewee to me, but I’m not certain either. Let’s wait for others…

You can womansplain to me any time you want! 🙂

Yes, I am aware, but wanted to just partially quote the source, due to only some of the information contained therein making sense / being relavent to me...in any event, I appreciate you and everything that you do @aveschapinas 🙂

There are such domestic birds called domestic doves. For example look at these two places that sell domestic doves for collections: https://www.doveline.com/ ---Neat, thanks @Birds are cool!

To my knowledge, and in the context of what Peromyscus posted directly above this, there is no such thing as a domestic dove. So, to be clear, we are suggesting a Rock Pigeon (feral pigeon), as the truly wild counterparts of Rock Pigeons only typically occur in Western Europe through Central Asia according to Merlin.

It's either a Rock Pigeon or a leucistic/albino dove, but the odds are good it's the former, statistically speaking. Anybody care to venture a more firm ID here? I'm hesitant because we don't get to see the full bird at any point in the video link...

Yes.

Yellow Warbler.

Yes.

After an inordinate amount of thought, review, and re-review of these pictures, I too am now on board for my best guess being a rather drab female COYE, but personally wouldn't call from these pictures regardless. Good stuff from the brain trust on here - enjoyed the journey!

Noting the rather stark demarcation between the white of the throat and the dark of the top of head and back, I would think Tree Swallow here.

I think I do see hints of a spectacle when zooming in so leaning Swainson’s, but agree with not calling species due to picture quality.

Yes.

That is a pretty awesome picture! Personally, I think no on Virginia's because I don't think the yellow/green in the wing is an artifact of light, and I'm not aware of any Virginia's having that coloration in their wings. As for why not fully identifiable, I just don't think we have a clean enough shot of the eye ring to tell if it's complete or not, so I'm currently stuck between OCWA/NAWA, not sure which.

Nashville would be my best guess here, but wouldn't call it from these pictures alone.

I think they meant Northern Rough-winged Swallow there, FWIW, which, if so, is a very reasonable guess based off of the picture.

So, what may be the same bird (or not) showed up in Galveston, TX yesterday late afternoon, and after it was re-found this morning by others, I decided to drive 3.5 hrs in the opposite direction than I did on Thursday to try for it. Luckily, and despite semi-flooding conditions, I was able to see it after 3 hours of searching. A few pics for the story.

On the bright side, and with my rose-tinted glasses back on, at least I added about 20 to my year list and met a lot of cool birders. That, and sweated out about 10 pounds probably, lol (free sauna, woohoo!)

I went for the Mangrove, got up at 3:30am, drove four hours, birded 12 hours, didn't see it (nor did anyone else), then drove back home 4 hours and got back at about 11pm. It was fun, but a bit disappointing for sure.