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This Rufous-capped Warbler, a rare vagrant, was one of the big highlights of the tour. (Photo by guide Chris Benesh)

On this year's Big Bend tour, one couldn't have asked for better weather, better birds, or better company! We had a fabulous time combing the scenic vistas of west Texas for its avian riches... some dependable and others rare or unexpected, like Tropical Parula and Rufous-capped Warbler and the funky hybrid tanager we found.

Our adventure began at Big Bend National Park, which supports more than 1200 species of plants, 75 species of mammals, and 450 species of birds. In fact, the park boasts more types of birds, bats, and cacti than any other national park in the United States! It is also one of only 16 parks on the planet officially recognized by the International Dark-Sky Association as having exceptional nighttime skies. So by night we marveled at the stars above, and by day, we thoroughly explored the geologically complex Chihuahuan Desert landscape to uncover the avian surprises it had in store.

Our hike on the Window Trail yielded excellent looks at Black-chinned Sparrow, Mexican Jay, and Scott's Oriole. A visit to Rio Grande Village the following day got us two big targets: Gray Hawk and Common Black-Hawk, the latter a real treat because we observed it nesting. Afterwards, we located a nesting Great Horned Owl and a Gray Hawk at Cottonwood Campground, as well as Brown Thrashers, Lesser Nighthawks, and the minute Lucy's Warbler. A tiny Elf Owl wrapped up that day quite nicely. Of course, there was also the Boot Spring hike -- physically demanding but so worth it! We had no trouble with the Colima Warbler (we saw several individuals and detected about twenty altogether, wow), not to mention an abundance of other colorful songsters: Painted Redstart, Hepatic Tanager, Black-headed Grosbeak, Blue-throated Hummingbird, and a strange, orange hybrid tanager which may be a Western x Hepatic. On our way down, we saw a Townsend's Solitaire, Dusky and Cordilleran flycatchers, and a soaring Zone-tailed Hawk, then were relieved to put our legs up after the steep descent.

After Big Bend, we drove north to the Davis Mountains, stopping at the Christmas Mountains Oasis on the way for glimpses of a not-so-cooperative Lucifer Hummingbird, superbly showy Lazuli Buntings, and Black-necked Gartersnake (can't leave the cool reptiles out). Thank you, Carolyn, for your warm hospitality and for showing us the birds on your beautiful property. Once in the mountains, Colin's sharp eyes spotted for us a huge trip highlight -- a singing male Montezuma Quail. Hip, hip, hurray! At night we listened to a Common Poorwill as the International Space Station cruised overhead, and the following day we drove east into the Hill Country, with a stop en route at Balmorhea Lake. This lake was very birdy with Western and Clark's grebes, Franklin's Gull, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Phalarope, Snowy Plover, White-faced Ibis, and plenty of stilts and avocets. A worthwhile stop indeed.

After we arrived in Utopia, we paid a visit to Lost Maples State Natural Area, which is famous for its breeding populations of the endangered Black-capped Vireo and Golden-cheeked Warbler. Fortunately, we saw both birds on the same day, along with a Yellow-throated Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrows. The Tropical Parula we got later in the day was quite the bonus bird! The next morning we picked up Dickcissel, Grasshopper Sparrow, Bullock's Oriole, and Cassin's Sparrow at a lucky roadside stop on our way to Park Chalk Bluff in Uvalde. There, our highlights were definitely the rare Rufous-capped Warbler, followed by Yellow-throated Vireo and a snoozing Eastern Screech-Owl at our picnic lunch spot. Our final destination was the Frio Bat cave where a cooperative Canyon Wren and Painted Bunting glowed in the sunset followed by millions of free-tailed bats emerging in an unforgettable exodus. The nearby North American Porcupine spotted by Colin was a pleasant surprise. We finished off the evening and the tour with a musical laser light show and Chuck-will's-widow chase... not a bad way to wrap up an eventful trip!

Thank you all for making my "swan song" Field Guides tour so memorable, joyous, and fun. Chris and I enjoyed everyone's enthusiasm, good humor, and passion for birds to the fullest, and we hope you have many more birding adventures and good times ahead. Warmest wishes, --Lena

KEYS FOR THIS LIST
One of the following keys may be shown in brackets for individual species as appropriate: * = heard only, I = introduced, E = endemic, N = nesting, a = austral migrant, b = boreal migrant

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

BUTTERFLIES:

Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)

Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicaudata)

California Sister (Adelpha californica)

Cabbage White (Pieris rapae)

REPTILES:

Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum)

Texas Earless Lizard (Cophosaurus texanus)

Texas Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus)

Baird's Rat Snake (Pantherophis bairdi)

Black-necked Gartersnake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis)

Green Anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon)

Totals for the tour: 200 bird taxa and 18 mammal taxa