A funny thing happened on the way to Laredo. There is a maneuver called the Hawk U-Turn. One is traveling at 65 mph (or in Texas, at least 75 or even 85 mph), spots a hawk on a telephone pole and makes U-turn to confirm an ID if necessary, not always easy on a limited access road or a road with marginal / no shoulders. I saw a large dark hawk perched on a pole along I35 which didn't look like a Red-tail. I checked my field guide There weren't many possibilities, but one was the Common Black Hawk which would be rare. Here is the unfortunate part: I let it go; no HUT. And while browsing Texbirds the next day there was this post from a guy:
Subject: Common Black-Hawk, Webb County
Date: Fri Dec 26 2014 20:00 pm
From: scott.rubio AT gmail.com
Observed two Common Black-Hawks at my cousin’s ranch today near Encinal,TX...They can be seen from the Martiñena road just outside of town. Driving east from I-35 just after the bridge they have been seen sitting on the telephone poles.
Right where I saw a large dark hawk. I am not counting it, and there is always the possibility it is an incorrect ID, but still.... I didn't check it out because I WAS on the interstate, because there are hundreds of hawks down here, and because there are times when I am sick of birds.
I found a Starbucks in Laredo, full of handsome, attractive Hispanics of all ages, a very different demographic than those living in the poorer neighborhoods closer to the river that DHC and I drove through when we were here last spring. Many vehicles have license plates from Mexican states. The whole border business intrigues me....
The weather was like a perfect Michigan summer day, 75 - 80 degrees with sunshine.
I went to see the movie Wild in a huge mall. I walked at least 1/4 mile just to get to the theater, through major crowds, all Hispanic-speaking. There were occasional shoeshine stations in the corridors, each seat occupied by Hispanic men getting boots and shoes shined. I was probably the only monolingual person there. All was festive and cheerful as people shopped the post-Christmas sales, many young couples and families with their kids.
I had read Wild (the book) by Cheryl Strayed, a nonfiction account of her 1000-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail. Both book and movie are good. Reese Witherspoon plays Cheryl and looks exactly like my SIL Stephanie in this movie...so much so, it was uncanny.
It was still balmy and sunny outside after the movie. Since my van was almost in an Olive Garden parking lot, I ate there, which was busy even at 4:30 in the afternoon. The food was so-so. Lately, the salad is the best thing on their menu.
I had intended to bird a bit in this area, trying to find White-collared Seedeaters which are tiny, secretive birds with thick bills. DHC and I sort of looked for them, driving and peering into 10-foot high, dense canebrakes last April until the Border Patrol came along and gently suggested we leave for the night and "come back in the morning when there will be more people...."
It was too late to poke around after I ate. The next morning was grey and cool and I just knew the birds were huddled out of sight, so I left without even making an effort.
How well I remember! The BP and looking for seedeaters. Fun to be reading this.
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