Associate Producer, Kim Schneider reports from the Lower Rio Grande Valley at Quinta Mazatlan where they’re saving habitat…one backyard at a time. And what an incredible backyard you’ll find at this Spanish Colonial estate, hand-built of adobe bricks back in the 1930s.
The 20-acre estate’s original owner, Jason Chilton Matthews, traveled the world in search of adventures and brought back stunning souvenirs—many on display in the home today, including artifacts from the time he fought alongside Lawrence of Arabia. When Matthews decided to settle down, he wanted to do so at what he called the “Crossroads of the Western Hemisphere” just north of the Mexican border in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley. Luckily for today’s visitors, Matthews’ vision included preservation of the original forest–characterized by thorny plants but with a tropical vibe. Trails wend through a nature-in-the-city oasis peppered with sculptures of native birds and big cats. But the real things are also here in full glory at this World Birding Center—like the gem-colored hummingbirds, the squawking Plain Chachalacas, the tropical Green Jays and dozens of other species found no further north in America.
Join Associate Producer, Kim Schneider as she visits with Colleen Hook, Manager at Quinta Mazatlan World Birding Center in McAllen, Texas.
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Photo Credit: Kim Schneider
Colleen Hook (R)
