The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, February 1st, 2007:
-- Rarities found this past week ---
A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Dendroica virens) was along the hike and bike trail on Town Lake (between Barton Creek and Lamar Street) in Austin on January 31st.
A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) was along County Road 466 in southeastern Williamson County on January 31st.
An impressive 126 CACKLING GEESE (Branta hutchinsii) were along FM 112 west of the town of Noack (Williamson County) on January 29th.
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-BREASTED 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.
A HARRIS'S HAWK (Parabuteo unicinctus) was in Austin (near Stassney and Blue Bird Lane) on January 25th.
Several NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) were noted on Crystal Lake near Bastrop on January 25th. A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) was also located near the lake.
Twelve RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (Euphagus carolinus) were near Hills Prairie south of Bastrop on January 25th.
--- Continuing birds from previous weeks ---
On the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo, a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus) has been present since January 6th (last reported January 28th).
A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) first noted in far northwest Austin on January 21st was still present as of January 27th.
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 a up to 300 ROSS'S GEESE (Chen rossii) noted as on January 9th, with smaller numbers counted there as recently as January 27th.
Fifteen MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS (Sialia currucoides) along State Highway 201 between the Killeen/Fort Hood Regional Airport and Highway 195 first seen on January 15th were still in the area as of January 21st.
LONG-BILLED THRASHERS (Toxostoma longirostre) are being heard and seen regularly on the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo.
Lingering and perhaps wintering LITTLE BLUE HERONS (Egretta caerulea) and SNOWY EGRETS (Egretta thula) remain in our area with the following recent reports: 1 Snowy at Meadow Lake, Round Rock on January 18th; and 1 Snowy and 1 Little Blue at Hornsby Bend as late as December 20th.
Wintering BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors) include up to 2 at Hornsby Bend (last report January 20th).
--- Rare sightings from previous weeks ---
Two CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS (Spizella pallida) visited private property near Utley in western Bastrop County on January 24th.
Over 100 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (Euphagus carolinus) are present along FM 1209 west of Bastrop, with sightings from January 22nd and January 24th.
Also on FM 1209 was a LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes) on January 22nd.
On January 21st, a PACIFIC LOON (Gavia pacifica) was seen on Canyon Lake, in the bay on the east side of the Canyon Park road. Also in the area were at least a dozen GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila).
Six BURROWING OWLS (Athene cunicularia) were seen at various spots in the Granger area during a Travis Audubon field trip on January 21st.
Along County Road 280 (Williamson County) northwest of Leander, a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (Spizella pallida) was carefully studied amongst a large group of other sparrows on January 18th.
Two WHITE-EYED VIREOS (Vireo griseus) were at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on January 18th.
A CAVE SWALLOW (Petrochelidon fulva) was over Meadow Lake in Round Rock on January 18th.
An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus cinerascens) was in Mountain City (Hays County) on January 14th. Another Ash-throated was in southwest Copperas Cove on January 12th.
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
-- Rarities found this past week ---
A BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Dendroica virens) was along the hike and bike trail on Town Lake (between Barton Creek and Lamar Street) in Austin on January 31st.
A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) was along County Road 466 in southeastern Williamson County on January 31st.
An impressive 126 CACKLING GEESE (Branta hutchinsii) were along FM 112 west of the town of Noack (Williamson County) on January 29th.
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-BREASTED 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.
A HARRIS'S HAWK (Parabuteo unicinctus) was in Austin (near Stassney and Blue Bird Lane) on January 25th.
Several NEOTROPIC CORMORANTS (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) were noted on Crystal Lake near Bastrop on January 25th. A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) was also located near the lake.
Twelve RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (Euphagus carolinus) were near Hills Prairie south of Bastrop on January 25th.
--- Continuing birds from previous weeks ---
On the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo, a BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus) has been present since January 6th (last reported January 28th).
A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) first noted in far northwest Austin on January 21st was still present as of January 27th.
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 a up to 300 ROSS'S GEESE (Chen rossii) noted as on January 9th, with smaller numbers counted there as recently as January 27th.
Fifteen MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS (Sialia currucoides) along State Highway 201 between the Killeen/Fort Hood Regional Airport and Highway 195 first seen on January 15th were still in the area as of January 21st.
LONG-BILLED THRASHERS (Toxostoma longirostre) are being heard and seen regularly on the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo.
Lingering and perhaps wintering LITTLE BLUE HERONS (Egretta caerulea) and SNOWY EGRETS (Egretta thula) remain in our area with the following recent reports: 1 Snowy at Meadow Lake, Round Rock on January 18th; and 1 Snowy and 1 Little Blue at Hornsby Bend as late as December 20th.
Wintering BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors) include up to 2 at Hornsby Bend (last report January 20th).
--- Rare sightings from previous weeks ---
Two CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS (Spizella pallida) visited private property near Utley in western Bastrop County on January 24th.
Over 100 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (Euphagus carolinus) are present along FM 1209 west of Bastrop, with sightings from January 22nd and January 24th.
Also on FM 1209 was a LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes) on January 22nd.
On January 21st, a PACIFIC LOON (Gavia pacifica) was seen on Canyon Lake, in the bay on the east side of the Canyon Park road. Also in the area were at least a dozen GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila).
Six BURROWING OWLS (Athene cunicularia) were seen at various spots in the Granger area during a Travis Audubon field trip on January 21st.
Along County Road 280 (Williamson County) northwest of Leander, a CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (Spizella pallida) was carefully studied amongst a large group of other sparrows on January 18th.
Two WHITE-EYED VIREOS (Vireo griseus) were at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on January 18th.
A CAVE SWALLOW (Petrochelidon fulva) was over Meadow Lake in Round Rock on January 18th.
An ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus cinerascens) was in Mountain City (Hays County) on January 14th. Another Ash-throated was in southwest Copperas Cove on January 12th.
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
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