Notes from the Lower Rio Grande Valley (1938)

Notes from the Lower Rio Grande Valley.--Thewriter passed the period, November 7, 1936, to April 28, 1937, in the Brownsville region.Extracts from his notes, with regard to forms the status of which, in the light of previously published material, seems to have changed, are given below.A few other items of apparent interest are also presented.LooN, Gavia immer (race?).--Dr.$. A. Hockaday, of Point Isabel, showed me a photograph of a mounted bird which he had shot at that place in the autumn of 1931.The specimen was destroyed in the hurricane which later visited that region.EASTERN BROWN PELICAN, Pelecanus occidentalis occidentalis.--Thisspecies is decidedly not common now on that part of the Laguna Madre lying within Cameron County.WATER TVRKE¾, Anhin•a anhin•a.--A group of from twenty to thirty birds, from which specimens were obtained by D. J. Bullock, was present near the southwestern border of Cameron County throughout the period covered by our observations.AMEriCAN E•RE% Ca•merodius albus egretta.--Thisspecies, once reported rare and local, may be considered as fairly common at this time.SNowY E•RE% Egretta thula thula.--Outnumberingany other species of this order now to be found in the region, Eg•etta thula should figure as abundant.ROSEATE SrooNRmL, Ajaia ajaja.--Localobservers informed us that large numbers visited the "resacas" about the city in late summer.We saw but one, January 13, feeding with a mixed company of herons, egrets and ducks.When the birds flew the spoonbill joined a flock of Black Ducks and continued with it until it passed from view.BLACK BRA•er, Branta nigricans.--Abird of this species, not heretofore recorded from the region, was seen on the coastal plains, in company with three Lesser Snow Geese (Chen hyperborea hyperborea), November 18, 1936.One of the latter had a crippled leg and another was in immature plumage and scarcely larger than the brant.Except in the case of this oddly assorted group, seen within twenty-five yards of the highway, snow geese were difficult of approach.This quartet seemed loath to fly in the cold and rain and faced us directly where we stopped our car.The extensive black area on the breast and belly of the brant was advantageously observed.WurrE-ERO•X•rED GOOSE, Anser albifrons albifrons.--Nolonger a common winter resident.It was confidently looked for because of reports of its former abundance at this season but we saw it only twice.A flock of thirty, February 24, and a flock of six, March 16, were seen on the coastal prairies.RED-LE•E• BLACK DVCK, Anas rubriper rubr/pes.--Noton all occasions were we able to get a satisfactory view of occasional flocks of Black Ducks; but a flock of about twenty, preening and resting on a ditch bank, January 13, was seen to have bright-red tarsi.WurrE-TAILr•) KErr, Elanus leucuru• majusculus.--Uncommon.The first one was seen January 31, after which a few were present up to the time of our departure.Our notes show that it was observed on eleven occasions and in four separate localities.On February 13, two were seen together.A•ERICAN ROV•U-LE•E• HAWK, Buteo lagopus s. johannis.--Dr.J. A. Hockaday, of Point Isabel, gave me a photograph of a mounted bird of this sepcies which he had shot in that locality in the autumn of 1931.