The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, February 15th, 2007:
-- Rarities found this past week ---
Two BURROWING OWLS (Athene cunicularia) were seen in the Granger area
on February 11th - one along County Road 124 and the other along FM
971. On February 10th, one was along County Road 346.
Over fifty CACKLING GEESE (Branta hutchinsii) were along Country Road
435 (Williamson County, east of Thrall) on February 11th.
An ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga) was along the river at Hornsby Bend on
February 10th.
A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) was in far western Milam County on
February 10th, along County Road 424 (Alligator Road).
Five GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were on Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir
on February 10th.
--- Continuing birds from previous weeks ---
A couple of GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were at Meadow Lake in Round
Rock on February 3rd, with both still present as of February 11th.
A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) first noted in far northwest
Austin on January 21st was still present as of February 11th.
An impressive 126 CACKLING GEESE (Branta hutchinsii) were first found
along FM 112 west of the town of Noack (Williamson County) on January
29th, and lesser numbers still present as of February 10th. Two Canada
Geese (Branta canadensis) are also in the area.
Three NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) were at Platt
Pond at Hornsby Bend on February 4th, and one was nearby along the
river on February 10th.
On the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo, a BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus) has been present since January
6th (last reported February 7th).
A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Dendroica virens) first seen on
January 31st along the hike and bike trail on Town Lake (between
Barton Creek and Lamar Street) in Austin was still present on February
3rd.
A HARRIS'S HAWK (Parabuteo unicinctus) was in Austin (near Stassney
and Blue Bird Lane) on January 25th. It was seen again on February 2nd
at South 3rd Street and West St. Elmo. It may be a resident in the
area as there are a couple other reports over the past few months in
this same general area.
A large concentration of several thousand geese are apparently
wintering a couple miles east of the community of Oenaville (Bell
County, east of Temple). Mostly SNOW GEESE (Chen caerulescens), there
are also smaller numbers of other geese mixed in, with counts of 500+
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (Anser albifrons), 9 CACKLING GEESE
(Branta hutchinsii) and up to 300 ROSS'S GEESE (Chen rossii) noted as
on January 9th, with smaller numbers counted there as recently as
January 27th.
LONG-BILLED THRASHERS (Toxostoma longirostre) are being heard and seen
regularly on the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo.
Wintering LITTLE BLUE HERONS (Egretta caerulea) and SNOWY EGRETS
(Egretta thula) remain in our area with the following recent reports:
one Snowy at Meadow Lake in Round Rock as recently as February 3rd;
and another Snowy at Hornsby Bend, as recently as February 4th.
Wintering BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors) include up to 3 at Hornsby
Bend (last report February 10th).
Recent RINGED KINGFISHER (Ceryle torquatus) sightings in our area
include one at Hornsby Bend as of February 12th.
--- Rare sightings from previous weeks ---
Two WHITE-EYED VIREOS (Vireo griseus) were at the Schaezler's Warbler
Woods property near Cibolo on February 7th.
A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (Dendroica dominica) has apparently been
wintering in western Burnet County, frequenting a backyard feeder.
This bird was last reported on February 5th.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (Spizella pallida) was along Old Sayersville
Road (Bastrop County) on February 3rd.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia) was at the Old Barton
Ranch (Bastrop County) on February 2nd.
In northeast Travis County, a PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) was
along Wells Road on February 1st.
In the Green Meadows subdivision south of Bastrop, a WHITE-TAILED KITE
(Elanus leucurus) was present on January 28th.
Two MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS (Sialia currucoides) were along Ivy Mountain
Road in West Fort Hood on January 27th.
A census of birds around Canyon Lake on January 27th yielded the
following interesting sightings: 1 ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga), 3
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors), 5 GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila), 1
ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus), 8 WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris
mauri), 1 BLACK PHOEBE (Sayornis nigricans), and 3 WHITE-EYED VIREOS
(Vireo griseus).
On January 27th, a White-breated Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) was in
the pecan bottom where the Little River crosses Sunshine Road
northeast of Holland (Bell County).
A SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria) was in far northwest Austin on
January 27th. Three GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were noted on
Stillhouse Hollow Lake on January 27th, while two were noted on the
lake on January 25th.
One WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus) was at the Schaezler's Warbler
Woods property near Cibolo on January 27th.
A PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) was along County Road 455 in
southeastern Williamson County on January 26th.
Forty-nine BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS (Dendrocygna autumnalis) were
along the Llano River near Kingsland on January 26th.
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
-- Rarities found this past week ---
Two BURROWING OWLS (Athene cunicularia) were seen in the Granger area
on February 11th - one along County Road 124 and the other along FM
971. On February 10th, one was along County Road 346.
Over fifty CACKLING GEESE (Branta hutchinsii) were along Country Road
435 (Williamson County, east of Thrall) on February 11th.
An ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga) was along the river at Hornsby Bend on
February 10th.
A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) was in far western Milam County on
February 10th, along County Road 424 (Alligator Road).
Five GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were on Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir
on February 10th.
--- Continuing birds from previous weeks ---
A couple of GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were at Meadow Lake in Round
Rock on February 3rd, with both still present as of February 11th.
A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) first noted in far northwest
Austin on January 21st was still present as of February 11th.
An impressive 126 CACKLING GEESE (Branta hutchinsii) were first found
along FM 112 west of the town of Noack (Williamson County) on January
29th, and lesser numbers still present as of February 10th. Two Canada
Geese (Branta canadensis) are also in the area.
Three NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) were at Platt
Pond at Hornsby Bend on February 4th, and one was nearby along the
river on February 10th.
On the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo, a BLACK-HEADED
GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus) has been present since January
6th (last reported February 7th).
A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Dendroica virens) first seen on
January 31st along the hike and bike trail on Town Lake (between
Barton Creek and Lamar Street) in Austin was still present on February
3rd.
A HARRIS'S HAWK (Parabuteo unicinctus) was in Austin (near Stassney
and Blue Bird Lane) on January 25th. It was seen again on February 2nd
at South 3rd Street and West St. Elmo. It may be a resident in the
area as there are a couple other reports over the past few months in
this same general area.
A large concentration of several thousand geese are apparently
wintering a couple miles east of the community of Oenaville (Bell
County, east of Temple). Mostly SNOW GEESE (Chen caerulescens), there
are also smaller numbers of other geese mixed in, with counts of 500+
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (Anser albifrons), 9 CACKLING GEESE
(Branta hutchinsii) and up to 300 ROSS'S GEESE (Chen rossii) noted as
on January 9th, with smaller numbers counted there as recently as
January 27th.
LONG-BILLED THRASHERS (Toxostoma longirostre) are being heard and seen
regularly on the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo.
Wintering LITTLE BLUE HERONS (Egretta caerulea) and SNOWY EGRETS
(Egretta thula) remain in our area with the following recent reports:
one Snowy at Meadow Lake in Round Rock as recently as February 3rd;
and another Snowy at Hornsby Bend, as recently as February 4th.
Wintering BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors) include up to 3 at Hornsby
Bend (last report February 10th).
Recent RINGED KINGFISHER (Ceryle torquatus) sightings in our area
include one at Hornsby Bend as of February 12th.
--- Rare sightings from previous weeks ---
Two WHITE-EYED VIREOS (Vireo griseus) were at the Schaezler's Warbler
Woods property near Cibolo on February 7th.
A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER (Dendroica dominica) has apparently been
wintering in western Burnet County, frequenting a backyard feeder.
This bird was last reported on February 5th.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (Spizella pallida) was along Old Sayersville
Road (Bastrop County) on February 3rd.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia) was at the Old Barton
Ranch (Bastrop County) on February 2nd.
In northeast Travis County, a PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) was
along Wells Road on February 1st.
In the Green Meadows subdivision south of Bastrop, a WHITE-TAILED KITE
(Elanus leucurus) was present on January 28th.
Two MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS (Sialia currucoides) were along Ivy Mountain
Road in West Fort Hood on January 27th.
A census of birds around Canyon Lake on January 27th yielded the
following interesting sightings: 1 ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga), 3
BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors), 5 GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila), 1
ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus), 8 WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris
mauri), 1 BLACK PHOEBE (Sayornis nigricans), and 3 WHITE-EYED VIREOS
(Vireo griseus).
On January 27th, a White-breated Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) was in
the pecan bottom where the Little River crosses Sunshine Road
northeast of Holland (Bell County).
A SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria) was in far northwest Austin on
January 27th. Three GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were noted on
Stillhouse Hollow Lake on January 27th, while two were noted on the
lake on January 25th.
One WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus) was at the Schaezler's Warbler
Woods property near Cibolo on January 27th.
A PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) was along County Road 455 in
southeastern Williamson County on January 26th.
Forty-nine BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS (Dendrocygna autumnalis) were
along the Llano River near Kingsland on January 26th.
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
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