The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, August 27th, 2009:
--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---
Lake Buchanan continues to be a hotspot this fall. The lake is likely at record-low water levels and there are some large areas of exposed mudflats, particularly around Cedar Point Recreation Area (off RR 3014 just east of RR 2241 intersection south of Tow), also accessible from the Burnet County side at Canyon of the Eagles park ($4 per person). Good finds this past week on the lake include a juvenile BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis) on August 21st, and early PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus) on August 23rd, and 3 LAUGHING GULLS (Leucophaeus atricilla) on August 23rd.
A WHITE-TAILED KITE (Elanus leucurus) has been present in far western Bastrop County along FM 969 about a mile or so east of the Travis County line. The bird was last reported on August 26th.
A juvenile PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus) was studied at Union Grove WMA on Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir on August 25th.
A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Seiurus noveboracensis) put in an appearance on August 25th at Nicholas Dawson Park in south Austin (Gibson Street at South 1st Street).
Early NORTHERN PINTAILS (Anas acuta) include 2 at Hornsby Bend on August 22nd, 2 at Granger Lake on August 22nd, and 6 on Lake Buchanan (near Canyon of the Eagles) on August 23rd.
Granger Lake held a juv. REDDISH EGRET (Egretta rufescens) and 3 RING-BILLED GULLS (Larus delawarensis) on August 22nd.
Six RING-BILLED GULLS (Larus delawarensis) and 2 LEAST TERNS (Sternula antillarum) were at Union Grove WMA on Stillhouse Hollow Lake on August 22nd.
A female CERULEAN WARBLER (Dendroica cerulea), quite rare for the Austin area in the fall, was studied at (Big) Webberville Park on August 21st. A female AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) was also present.
--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (Vireo flavifrons) was at Commons Ford Park in far west Austin on August 15th while two were present there on August 23rd.
Two MOTTLED DUCKS (Anas fulvigula) have been present on-and-off on the ponds at Hornsby Bend since the spring. The most recent sighting was from August 22nd.
--- RARE SIGHTINGS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
Lake Buchanan is likely at record-low water levels and there are some large areas of exposed mudflats, particularly around Cedar Point Recreation Area (off RR 3014 just east of RR 2241 intersection south of Tow). Good finds on the lake include a juvenile BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis) on August 18th, a MARBLED GODWIT (Limosa haemastica) on August 16th, and a first-year LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla) on August 16th.
Seven MARBLED GODWITS (Limosa haemastica) were heard and seen flying over the Utley area (western Bastrop County) on August 19th.
An early CINAMMON TEAL (Anas cyanoptera) was photographed on August 19th on the ponds at Hornsby Bend and seen again on August 21st.
A juvenile PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus) was photographed on August 14th at Granger Lake, at San Gabriel WMA where the river runs into the lake.
Early SANDERLINGS (Calidris alba) include 1 off of Cedar Point Recreation Area (off RR 3014 just east of RR 2241 intersection south of Tow) at Lake Buchanan on August 12th and 2 more on private property near Utley in western Bastrop County on August 13th.
Three SWALLOW-TAILED KITES (Elanoides forficatus) were found on August 12th off private property near Utley in western Bastrop County. One
bird was still present in the area on August 13th.
A rather early MERLIN (Falco columbarius) was studied near Slough Pond off Shallow Ford Road in Temple on August 12th.
A bit early was an AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) at (Big) Webberville Park in far eastern Travis County on August 9th.
--------------
Reports for the Austin area RBA cover a 60-mile radius centered in downtown Austin. This circle extends north to Belton Lake (Bell County), south to Leesville (Gonzales County), east to Somerville WMA (Lee/Burleson County), and west to Blumenthal (Gillespie County).
Bird sightings mentioned here have been filtered & scrutinized by the compiler and are believed to be genuine. When documentation or photographs were provided, that is mentioned along with the other information about the bird(s) being seen.
The most recent update can always be found at:
http://www.travisaudubon.org/rba.html
Visit Travis Audubon online at:
http://www.travisaudubon.org
--------------
For questions or updates about birds mentioned here or to report rare or unusual bird sightings in the Austin area, please send an e-mail to
ecarpe@gmail.com.
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at: http://moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds
--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---
Lake Buchanan continues to be a hotspot this fall. The lake is likely at record-low water levels and there are some large areas of exposed mudflats, particularly around Cedar Point Recreation Area (off RR 3014 just east of RR 2241 intersection south of Tow), also accessible from the Burnet County side at Canyon of the Eagles park ($4 per person). Good finds this past week on the lake include a juvenile BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis) on August 21st, and early PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus) on August 23rd, and 3 LAUGHING GULLS (Leucophaeus atricilla) on August 23rd.
A WHITE-TAILED KITE (Elanus leucurus) has been present in far western Bastrop County along FM 969 about a mile or so east of the Travis County line. The bird was last reported on August 26th.
A juvenile PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus) was studied at Union Grove WMA on Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir on August 25th.
A NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH (Seiurus noveboracensis) put in an appearance on August 25th at Nicholas Dawson Park in south Austin (Gibson Street at South 1st Street).
Early NORTHERN PINTAILS (Anas acuta) include 2 at Hornsby Bend on August 22nd, 2 at Granger Lake on August 22nd, and 6 on Lake Buchanan (near Canyon of the Eagles) on August 23rd.
Granger Lake held a juv. REDDISH EGRET (Egretta rufescens) and 3 RING-BILLED GULLS (Larus delawarensis) on August 22nd.
Six RING-BILLED GULLS (Larus delawarensis) and 2 LEAST TERNS (Sternula antillarum) were at Union Grove WMA on Stillhouse Hollow Lake on August 22nd.
A female CERULEAN WARBLER (Dendroica cerulea), quite rare for the Austin area in the fall, was studied at (Big) Webberville Park on August 21st. A female AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) was also present.
--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
A YELLOW-THROATED VIREO (Vireo flavifrons) was at Commons Ford Park in far west Austin on August 15th while two were present there on August 23rd.
Two MOTTLED DUCKS (Anas fulvigula) have been present on-and-off on the ponds at Hornsby Bend since the spring. The most recent sighting was from August 22nd.
--- RARE SIGHTINGS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---
Lake Buchanan is likely at record-low water levels and there are some large areas of exposed mudflats, particularly around Cedar Point Recreation Area (off RR 3014 just east of RR 2241 intersection south of Tow). Good finds on the lake include a juvenile BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis) on August 18th, a MARBLED GODWIT (Limosa haemastica) on August 16th, and a first-year LAUGHING GULL (Leucophaeus atricilla) on August 16th.
Seven MARBLED GODWITS (Limosa haemastica) were heard and seen flying over the Utley area (western Bastrop County) on August 19th.
An early CINAMMON TEAL (Anas cyanoptera) was photographed on August 19th on the ponds at Hornsby Bend and seen again on August 21st.
A juvenile PIPING PLOVER (Charadrius melodus) was photographed on August 14th at Granger Lake, at San Gabriel WMA where the river runs into the lake.
Early SANDERLINGS (Calidris alba) include 1 off of Cedar Point Recreation Area (off RR 3014 just east of RR 2241 intersection south of Tow) at Lake Buchanan on August 12th and 2 more on private property near Utley in western Bastrop County on August 13th.
Three SWALLOW-TAILED KITES (Elanoides forficatus) were found on August 12th off private property near Utley in western Bastrop County. One
bird was still present in the area on August 13th.
A rather early MERLIN (Falco columbarius) was studied near Slough Pond off Shallow Ford Road in Temple on August 12th.
A bit early was an AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) at (Big) Webberville Park in far eastern Travis County on August 9th.
--------------
Reports for the Austin area RBA cover a 60-mile radius centered in downtown Austin. This circle extends north to Belton Lake (Bell County), south to Leesville (Gonzales County), east to Somerville WMA (Lee/Burleson County), and west to Blumenthal (Gillespie County).
Bird sightings mentioned here have been filtered & scrutinized by the compiler and are believed to be genuine. When documentation or photographs were provided, that is mentioned along with the other information about the bird(s) being seen.
The most recent update can always be found at:
http://www.travisaudubon.org/rba.html
Visit Travis Audubon online at:
http://www.travisaudubon.org
--------------
For questions or updates about birds mentioned here or to report rare or unusual bird sightings in the Austin area, please send an e-mail to
ecarpe@gmail.com.
--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society
TEXBIRDS help file and Texas birding links at: http://moonmountaingroup.com/texbirds
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