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Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Quinta Mazatlan

High 80s and humid today, a great day to get out and walk a bit, so we went over to get a good look at the grounds of Quinta Mazatlan in the heart of McAllen, Texas. Quinta Mazatlan is a huge house and grounds which predate the city of McAllen which now surrounds the estate. It is an example of what you can build if money is not a limiting factor. At some level it is repulsive, to me at least, because I realize it was built and maintained on the backs of people who were barely eking out a living, but still it is a magnificent edifice and grounds.

We were there because Erik Bruhnke is the resident naturist. Erik is a Minnesota lad, a professional bird hustler, who deals in guided birding trips, consultation, whatever you need regarding birds that he can make a buck at. He's good. I really cannot afford to pay for his skills, but I can afford to buy him a beer and lunch now and then. Today he took us for an impromptu birding tour of the Quinta Maztlan estate. We saw a number of birds and learned a lot about most of them. I didn't take many pictures, but I have a soft spot for Skippers and who can not love an owl? in this case a Mexican Screech Owl, napping the hot day away, pretty much filling a hole in a dead palm tree.




Be well, -G

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