Day One Rio Grande Valley--Thursday, May 17

Today we went to the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge. What a day. After spending a few hours in the freakin' parking lot (JAY!), we finally got into the park. We saw so many super cool things. The best were Green Jay and Greater Kiskadee! I, of course, had no good shots of either, but I'm sure Jay and Judy did. Here's an abbreviated list:

Chacalaca
julia butterfly
gulf frittillary
zebra longwing
White-winged Dove
Buff-bellied Hummer
Hooded Oriole
cane toad
ribbon snake
Altimira Oriole

In the evening, we ventured to Bentsen State Park. This was the BEST of the best. Joshua Rose (aka JR) took us on a night hike. Well no one found it necessary to tell me to wear freakin' pants? After the hike, I had to go in for a blood transfusion. Regardless, we saw the coolest stuff. For me, the best were the javelinas and the Ferruginous Pygmy-owl. We saw a family of 14 javelinas! At the end of the night, we saw the hugest tarantula. Even though the tarantula had a "hitch it its giddy-up", it was so cool. We also saw a pauraque, mediterranean geckos, and Mexican free-tailed bat.
Tropical-checkered skipper

Spanish moss

Cane Toad

Grassland Whiptail Lizard

The cactus that attacked Jay