Life Bird 423, a Groove-billed Ani

 One of the birds I have been attempting to see here in Texas is the Groove-billed Ani. I have been going to Estero Llano Grande State Park several times a week for a month in an effort to see one. It has been reported there several times a week for months but my timing has never been in sync with its appearance. Sometimes I missed it by just minutes but today the timing was right. On my way out of the park, another birder told me he has just seen the Ani and where to look. I hustled to the spot and sure enough there was one sitting in the open so I snapped a couple pics before it disappeared back into the brush!

It is slightly smaller than a crow but prefers to stay in low brushy areas. If you are not paying much attention, you might mistake it for a Great-tailed Grackle which is about the same color and size and is very abundant in this area! This bird usually heads down to Mexico for the winter making this a rare sighting for winter in Texas. My goal is to reach 425 Life Birds before leaving Texas. I might have to head back to the gulf to achieve that as that is where the most birds I have not seen reside!