The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, January 3rd, 2008:
--- EXCEPTIONAL SIGHTINGS---
An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Larus fuscus) was present (and photographed) on Meadow Lake in Round Rock late the afternoon of January 2nd. There are only a handful of records in the Austin area for this species, and none in the last couple of years. Meadow Lake is off of Settlement Drive, a quarter mile so north of its intersection with Old Settlers Drive. The small lake does not usually hold any gulls though there were hundreds there when the Lesser Black-backed was seen.
During the Austin CBC on December 15th, a TROPICAL PARULA (Parula pitiayumi) was carefully studied near the Austin Rowing Club on the north side of Lake Lady Bird (map) [formerly called Town Lake] in Austin. It has been seen consistently thru December 30th again frequenting the live oaks at this spot. The Austin Rowing Club is along the hike-and-bike trail a few hundred feet east of the Congress Avenue Bridge.
A female BLACK SCOTER (Melanitta nigra) has been present at Lake Pflugerville (map). First found (and photographed) on November 17th, it was still being seen as of December 30th. Lake Pflugerville is at the intersection of Jesse Bohls and Weiss Lanes on the east side of Pflugerville.
--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---
A RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) was near Bastrop & Buescher State Park on January 2nd.
A ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) first found near Spring Branch (Blanco County) on December 27th was still being seen as of January 1st.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia) was near La Grange on December 30th.
A CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (Dendroica pensylvanica) was reported from the Comal County Christmas Bird Count on December 30th.
Two ZONE-TAILED HAWKS (Buteo albonotatus) were over Lake Austin near City Park on December 29th.
A PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum) was in Tahitian Village in Bastrop on December 29th.
A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) was in far northwest Austin on December 27th.
--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
A BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus platycercus) first seen at a private residence near Bee Caves and 360 in southwest Austin on August 27th was still being seen as of January 2nd. It reappeared on November 21st after not having been seen since November 2nd.
An ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (Calypte anna) was photographed visiting a feeder on private property in Spring Branch (Blanco County) on December 19th, and was still present as of January 1st.
As many as three COMMON GOLDENEYES (Bucephala clangula) have been seen at Hornsby Bend recently. They were first noted on December 1st and were seen as recently as December 25th.
Six SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHERS (Tyrannus forficatus) were along Old Settler's Blvd. in Round Rock as recently as January 1st.
A few CAVE SWALLOWS (Petrochelidon fulva) are lingering in our area with several reports at different locations, with recent reports of a single bird on the Bell County CBC as well as multiple birds in multiple locations on the Austin CBC, both counts being held on December 15th. Fifteen or more were present near Peaceable Kingdom (Bell County) on December 23rd.
Recent RINGED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle torquatus) reports include one bird along the Colorado River at Hornsby Bend during the Austin CBC on December 15th.
Recent wintering WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus) sightings include one at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on January 1st.
--- RARE SIGHTINGS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
Single BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRDS (Selasphorus platycercus) were noted at two private residences around Austin this past week: one near Shoal Creek on December 23rd, and the other on the west side of Austin between Commons Ford and Emma Long Parks on December 24th.
A NASHVILLE WARBLER (Vermivora ruficapilla) was studied at Hornsby Bend on December 23rd.
A visit to the Granger area was productive on December 23rd with the following highlights: a PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) over Sore Finger WMA, a BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia) along CR 354, and a SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) along CR 345.
Two COMMON GOLDENEYES (Bucephala clangula) were discovered on Slough Pond in Temple on December 15th, with at least one bird still present as of December 19th.
A ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) was reported from Palmetto State Park on December 18th.
A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) was at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on December 16th.
Two COUCH'S KINGBIRDS (Tyrannus couchii) are present at Roy Guerrero River Park just down river from Longhorn Dam on the east side of Austin. First located on December 4th, they have been seen again on December 13th and December 15th.
Highlights from the Bell County CBC held on December 15th include 14 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis) and 16 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (Anser albifrons).
A single BANK SWALLOW (Riparia riparia) and a few NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) were reported during the Austin CBC on December 15th east of the Austin airport.
Another COMMON GOLDENEYE (Bucephala clangula) was present on a golf course near McKinney Falls State Park on December 15th.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (Spizella pallida) was carefully studied on private property near Elroy on December 15th.
Six SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHERS (Tyrannus forficatus) were along McKinney Falls Parkway in southwest Austin on December 14th
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
--- EXCEPTIONAL SIGHTINGS---
An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL (Larus fuscus) was present (and photographed) on Meadow Lake in Round Rock late the afternoon of January 2nd. There are only a handful of records in the Austin area for this species, and none in the last couple of years. Meadow Lake is off of Settlement Drive, a quarter mile so north of its intersection with Old Settlers Drive. The small lake does not usually hold any gulls though there were hundreds there when the Lesser Black-backed was seen.
During the Austin CBC on December 15th, a TROPICAL PARULA (Parula pitiayumi) was carefully studied near the Austin Rowing Club on the north side of Lake Lady Bird (map) [formerly called Town Lake] in Austin. It has been seen consistently thru December 30th again frequenting the live oaks at this spot. The Austin Rowing Club is along the hike-and-bike trail a few hundred feet east of the Congress Avenue Bridge.
A female BLACK SCOTER (Melanitta nigra) has been present at Lake Pflugerville (map). First found (and photographed) on November 17th, it was still being seen as of December 30th. Lake Pflugerville is at the intersection of Jesse Bohls and Weiss Lanes on the east side of Pflugerville.
--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---
A RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) was near Bastrop & Buescher State Park on January 2nd.
A ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) first found near Spring Branch (Blanco County) on December 27th was still being seen as of January 1st.
A BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER (Mniotilta varia) was near La Grange on December 30th.
A CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (Dendroica pensylvanica) was reported from the Comal County Christmas Bird Count on December 30th.
Two ZONE-TAILED HAWKS (Buteo albonotatus) were over Lake Austin near City Park on December 29th.
A PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum) was in Tahitian Village in Bastrop on December 29th.
A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) was in far northwest Austin on December 27th.
--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
A BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus platycercus) first seen at a private residence near Bee Caves and 360 in southwest Austin on August 27th was still being seen as of January 2nd. It reappeared on November 21st after not having been seen since November 2nd.
An ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (Calypte anna) was photographed visiting a feeder on private property in Spring Branch (Blanco County) on December 19th, and was still present as of January 1st.
As many as three COMMON GOLDENEYES (Bucephala clangula) have been seen at Hornsby Bend recently. They were first noted on December 1st and were seen as recently as December 25th.
Six SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHERS (Tyrannus forficatus) were along Old Settler's Blvd. in Round Rock as recently as January 1st.
A few CAVE SWALLOWS (Petrochelidon fulva) are lingering in our area with several reports at different locations, with recent reports of a single bird on the Bell County CBC as well as multiple birds in multiple locations on the Austin CBC, both counts being held on December 15th. Fifteen or more were present near Peaceable Kingdom (Bell County) on December 23rd.
Recent RINGED KINGFISHER (Megaceryle torquatus) reports include one bird along the Colorado River at Hornsby Bend during the Austin CBC on December 15th.
Recent wintering WHITE-EYED VIREO (Vireo griseus) sightings include one at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on January 1st.
--- RARE SIGHTINGS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
Single BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRDS (Selasphorus platycercus) were noted at two private residences around Austin this past week: one near Shoal Creek on December 23rd, and the other on the west side of Austin between Commons Ford and Emma Long Parks on December 24th.
A NASHVILLE WARBLER (Vermivora ruficapilla) was studied at Hornsby Bend on December 23rd.
A visit to the Granger area was productive on December 23rd with the following highlights: a PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) over Sore Finger WMA, a BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia) along CR 354, and a SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) along CR 345.
Two COMMON GOLDENEYES (Bucephala clangula) were discovered on Slough Pond in Temple on December 15th, with at least one bird still present as of December 19th.
A ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) was reported from Palmetto State Park on December 18th.
A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) was at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on December 16th.
Two COUCH'S KINGBIRDS (Tyrannus couchii) are present at Roy Guerrero River Park just down river from Longhorn Dam on the east side of Austin. First located on December 4th, they have been seen again on December 13th and December 15th.
Highlights from the Bell County CBC held on December 15th include 14 BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Dendrocygna autumnalis) and 16 GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE (Anser albifrons).
A single BANK SWALLOW (Riparia riparia) and a few NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) were reported during the Austin CBC on December 15th east of the Austin airport.
Another COMMON GOLDENEYE (Bucephala clangula) was present on a golf course near McKinney Falls State Park on December 15th.
A CLAY-COLORED SPARROW (Spizella pallida) was carefully studied on private property near Elroy on December 15th.
Six SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHERS (Tyrannus forficatus) were along McKinney Falls Parkway in southwest Austin on December 14th
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
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