I'm excited. I've planned a trip to two

[Maestro]

of the best birding spots according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/birding123/where/central). I will be visiting Laguna Atascosa and the South Padre Convention Center Wildlife Walk area in June. I plan on bringing back some great pics and some new birds to add to my list of bird observations. I am not going at the best time of year but that could not helped. Either way I am excited and I'm sure I will see something I have never seen before.

[Vern]

That's great, Maestro! Will probably be a fun trip. We go when we can.

[betsy]

I'm sure I will see something I have never seen before.

Count on it, Maestro! Look for a pamphlet-sized annotated checklist of birds of the valley in the Laguna Atascosa HQ/gift shop -- it will tell you which birds you can expect to see in summer and in the lower/middle/upper parts of the valley.

[Maestro]

I have family down there but never gave the birding much thought until I got this bird photography bug, now I am all over it. I can't wait.

[Connie Sandlin]

Caution: please check with Laguna Atascosa NWR before you visit that location or anywhere else in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. When I was there previously, during the last few days of April (a couple of years ago or so), I learned that some roads/loops/trams may be closed for maintenance. Also, the visitor center at Laguna Atascosa was going to be closed for May-October - it's the least visited time of year due to the heat. I would check on any place you might plan to visit after the month of April (or even late in the month of April or afterward). I've gotten rude shocks :( at other locations, finding lack of access due to staff cuts and/or maintenance in progress.

The boardwalk at South Padre Convention Center shouldn't be a problem.

A word to the wise....

[Maestro]

Thanks Connie. I will check. It is primarily a family trip so if I get shut out of some places, there is always the beach. :)