“Roadrunner Country” – Keith Offord

For a first wildlife-watching trip to the USA it would be difficult to beat the southern states in spring and no better a starting point than Texas.

This massive state straddles both the east and west with a finger of land pointing down into Mexico. Moist woodlands in the east gradually give way to more arid stony desert in the west, bordered by the magnificent Rio Grande.

In addition to a fabulous array of resident bird species including such specialities as Greater Roadrunner and Green Jay, springtime sees the massed arrival of travellers from the south including multitudes of warblers, hummingbirds, flycatchers and raptors to name a few. There are alligators, coyotes and rattlesnakes as well.

This talk takes a close look at some of the most exciting wildlife of the southern states, following the Gulf coast right down to Mexico, up to the Big Bend National Park then into the beautiful Edwards Plateau.

The attached photograph, of a Yellow-throated Warbler, was taken by Keith.