Now that I'm back from the Harlingen (Texas) Birding Festival, I'm posting the results of the trip. Progress is good toward getting all of the Class 2 and 3 birds. I tried for the Green-breasted Mango in Corpus Christi, but I was two days too late. I was in good company, though - Paul Sykes, Jim Huntingdon, and a bunch of other super birders enjoyed Joel and Vicki Simons' hospitality waiting for it to show up.I can't say enough good things about the Simons and their willingness to share their home (even though they weren't home themselves much of the time) with us.

In Harlingen, the festival was as well done as usual and, thanks to the tours to El Canelo and King Ranches, I got superb views of the Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl. The other tours were interesting and fun, in spite of the cold and rain. Kenn Kaufman's sparrow talk and Gulls workshop and Mike Austin's Shorebirds workshop were great. No other life birds for me, but I learned a lot and had a good time. I took an afternoon to go to Brownsville and put the Green Parakeet in the bank for future acceptance on the ABA list.

I stayed a day extra after the festival to spend more time at Bentson-Rio Grande State Park and was glad I did. Although the weather never did let up much, I found the two Clay-colored Robins that had been hanging around the day use and tent camping areas and also came across a Hook-billed Kite about 200 yards out the dump road later that afternoon.

All told (or should that be tolled?), three life birds plus the parakeet. A good trip.