Our day began and ended with nightbirds. After breakfast we headed back to Estro Llano after a tip-off about roosting Pauraque. We did the ‘tropical area’ outside the gate first, looking for warblers and checking out a couple of possible nest sites for owls – nothing doing. Once inside we headed for Alligator Lake where, after a bit of searching, Neil found first one and then another roosting bird. The Yellow-breasted Chat bathing at the water drip was a bonus. Another abortive visit to another turf farm for a dip on Buff-breasted Sandpiper – rapidly becoming my bogey bird for America – was followed by a brief visit to Anzalduas Park, another of those public parks along the Rio which is beyond the wall. Here a lone Frankin’s Gull was a welcome addition to the list. The rest of the afternoon was spent at Bentsen State Park which, although rather quiet, produced a ‘grip back’ of displaying Turkey and better views of Buff-bellied Hummingbird. We headed back to our hotel for a bit of R&R and supper before venturing out again for the Elf Owl stake-out at the entrance to Bentsen SP. Amazingly it’s the same hole in an electricity pole (the one with the transformer attached) where we saw Elf Owl in 2018. We arrived in good time – the mosquitos weren’t too bad – before the bird popped up at the appointed time of ten past eight. It bobbed back down again, putting in one more final appearance before flying off into the night sky. Two great night birds book-ending our day.

Last bird of the day – the adorable Elf Owl at the entrance to Bentsen SP – photo courtesy of Jane