One of my favorite birding festivals is set for Nov. 7-11, in Harlingen, Texas, about as far south as you can go in our fair state and stay out of Mexico.

I speak of the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, a delightful event in an area where 325 bird species have been spotted, including five of my favorite Valley specialties – green jay, Altamira oriole, great kiskadee, plain chachalaca and white-tailed duck.

This will be the 25th annual festival, so they must be doing something right.

Harlin...