Birding Bentsen Rio Grande Valley State Park (South Texas)

Bentson Rio Grande Valley State Park is one of the premier locations to go birding in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. With plenty of rare birds to search for in the park, we made the trip to this impressive birding destination in hopes of finding two specific species: the Rose-throated Becard and the Hook-billed Kite.
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Panasonic LUMIX FZ80 4K Digital Camera
Used for most bird videos) - check credits as we do source some photos/videos elsewhere which is noted in the description
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Cayer FP2450 Fluid Head Tripod, 75 inches Aluminium Tripod
Derek's lighter tripod
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Andoer Video Tripod Aluminum Alloy 67 Inch
Derek's heavier tripod
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Nikon D5300
Derek's vlogging and macro camera
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Rode VideoMicPro Compact Directional On-Camera Microphone
Derek's external microphone for Nikon D5300
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Rio Grande Valley Map CC BY-SA 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Image at 2:07 2:11, 2:13, 2:20, 6:06, 8:53 by Alan Schmierer
Photos at 8:41-8:53 by Ryan Rodriguez.
Photo at 5:21 by Mike's Birds
Photo at 5:26 by Melissa McMasters
Hook-billed Kite in cover photo by Ryan Rodriguez (Used with permission, edited)
Rose-throated Becard in ocver image by Alan Schmierer (CC by 2.0, edited)
Green Kingfisher in cover image by Andy Reago and Chrissy McClarren (CC by 2.0, edited)
CC by 2.0 license: creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Thanks to Terry Sohl for allowing us to use his range maps
www.sdakotabirds.com/index.ht...
All other photos and videos by Derek and Ryan Sallmann
#Birding #BirdWatching #BadgerlandBirding

[@timjozwiak2293]

I live in Wisconsin and i am disabled. I love your posts. I get to go on your adventures with you guys! Keep up the great work!

[@barbaracole709]

I love the green kingfisher! It’s gorgeous. Looks like I have been missing out by not visiting South Texas!

[@ronaldnuiver5632]

Great to see your video of Bentsen State Park I ve been there in 1995 when i visited the States from The Netherlands. We saw the Hook-billed Kite there and we had a meeting with a Mountain Lion. (They closed the park for two days afterwards) The Red-breasted Becard have we seen in St Ana’s State Park. We where also lucky to see Elf Owl, Bleu Bunting and the Gray-crowned Yellowthroat.

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Wow! You got some nice rarities! Haven’t encountered a Mountain Lion yet but sounds like an adventure haha

[@ronaldnuiver5632]

Hope you make a visit once to Madera Canyon in Arizona. It was really good. Elegant Trogan, Mexica Owl, and lot’s of Hummingbirds

[@zachmatchinski1764]

FYI, if you guys are ever in southwestern Florida before the end of August, I'll be taking volunteers out every Friday-Sunday this summer to monitor historically the largest nesting colony of Black Skimmers in the state of Florida.

[@Just_shush_now]

I did something similar in the UK but for little terns- I was no really help except from shooing tourists but it turned out to be the most successful year for little terms in that area in the last ten years… so hopefully my luck helped. Managed to end the volunteering with two beauty’s flying past- weren’t my first little terns but they were so close that it was an amazing sighting.

[@zachmatchinski1764]

@@Just_shush_now The Black Skimmers will be the majority of what nests there, but there will also probably be a good number of Least Terns, and probably a few pairs of Wilson's Plovers as well. Hurricane Ian came through the area last year and knocked back all of the vegetation that was starting to take over the beach, so we are preparing for what could be one of the best breeding seasons southwest Florida has ever seen, so it should be pretty fun.

[@Just_shush_now]

@@zachmatchinski1764 welp, wish you luck- Black skimmers are an awesome bird.

[@g57462]

Great video and great story, thank you 😊 good job 👏 👍

[@JaynieTEW]

Nice! We're headed here in two weeks. Going to spend 2 weeks in the Rio Grande Valley and the High Island area. Can't wait! Should be a lifer-bonanza!

[@MaidenBklyn]

I’m putting this place on my list of future birding destinations! Thank you!

[@ABirdersParadise]

Oh, wow! That looks like an awesome birding trip. My list of places to visit keeps getting longer.

[@darylbernard2616]

Bentsen is magical!

[@jackpanozzo6004]

I love how adaptable wild turkeys are lol

[@c2rail]

You guys didn't go to Santa Anna Wildlife Refuge? South of the city of Alamo...major birding center in the Valley! Surprised you missed it!

[@BadgerlandBirding]

There wasn’t anything different being seen around there at the time

[@PhilRushworth]

Great video! That location is going onto my list of places to visit!

[@thecornells7430]

Quality video guys. Watching in the UK. 👍

[@MrTmiket0007]

Awesome video like always, keep up with the awesome content 👌👍

[@wisconsinbackyardbirding]

Another great video, I would love to see the birds from S. Texas.

[@stefangoldensteinwildlife9929]

Hey guys. Another great episode 👌👌.Greets from germany

[@carolshannon6449]

Putting Bentson on my list!

[@pauraque]

A Black Phoebe being called a quality bird warms my heart

[@Chris_Wolfgram]

OMG ! I freaking love Green Kingfisher ! I actually got one a couple months ago at the Southern most tip of Texas... Unfortunately, a dark shadow killed my photos 😢 That's okay, I'll get them next time, either at Rio Bentsen or Santa Ana 👍 So anxious to go back 🙂

[@birdman5223]

Bucket list location for myself☺️

[@RichardPerigo]

We love your channel guys! It is what we watch at dinnertime. LOL We would like to plan a trip to the Rio Grande Valley for some serious birding. Being from Tennessee, I wondered what time of the year do you think would be the best to encounter the most new species for us? Thanks, keep up the good work

[@BadgerlandBirding]

Thanks so much, Richard! Some of the unique Rio Grande Valley birds are there year round, so you’ll see them regardless of what time you’re there. We went in the winter, when some other rarities have a chance at showing up such as Tropical Parula. Spring would be spectacular. There are also bird festivals you could hit down there too. I would look on eBird and target what species you want to see the most and go from there.

[@RichardPerigo]

Awesome! Thanks

[@snowyowl5556]

S TX looks epic

[@Just_shush_now]

Have you considered long form birding content? Would be awesome to see a longer video- loved the length of the Ivory billed and tier list videos.

[@gainde1137]

What cameras you use to photographe birds? Bridge?

[@nathanwebb4836]

Congratulations finding your target bird species.

[@greggillson388]

Two cameras around your neck and another on a tripod?!!! I’ve always been in quandary as to whether to bring my dlsr, video camera or scope. You’re supposed to bring them all??😮

[@pauraque]

Three cameras, two bins, one scope, and a partridge and a pear tree

[@StevenRash]

Did you get to see the elf owl?

[@lynelleweber6447]

When did you travel there?

[@annettefreeman8671]

What month were you there?

[@BadgerlandBirding]

End of January, early February

[@garymeredith2441]

When did you guys tape the show and when were you there , because right now I don't feel it's a very safe place to go at all where the cartels are running things in South Texas .

[@BadgerlandBirding]

We were there at the end of January/beginning of February and felt very safe the whole time.