Mention the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival to an American birdwatcher and they’ll give you a knowing smile. It’s the festival where twitchers go to catch up with old friends, swap tales and compare photos. It’s more a fiesta, than a festival, they’ll tell you, and why the second week in November is always circled on their calendars.
There’s a massive trade fair, of course. As well as presentations and lectures and a hoe down or two. But there are plenty of birds too. In 2019, 278 different species were sighted, from Swamp Sparrows to Morelet's Seedeaters.
Be warned: It’s not unknown for attendees to organise impromptu bird watching trips, south of the border, after a few tequilas around the campfire with birdwatching buds. This is definitely a birding festival for the more adventurous at heart.
More information: rgvbf.org