October 30, 2009

The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, October 30th, 2009:

--- Exceptional Sightings---

A juvenile RED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fulicarius) was discovered on Pond 2 at Hornsby Bend on October 17th. This great find has been photographed and viewed by many through at October 22nd. There are precious few area records and this is the first for Travis County since 1980.

--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---

An AMERICAN REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) was a nice find on October 27th along the West Bouldin Creek greenbelt in south Austin.

A SAGE THRASHER (Oreoscoptes montanus) was studied on October 23rd along the rocks on the Dam at Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir (Bell County), roughly 100 yards north of the spillway.

--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---

RINGED KINGFISHERS (Megaceryle torquatus) have been present at a few spots around Austin. Individual birds have been present along the river at Hornsby Bend and also along the river at Commons Ford Park (in west Austin off Commons Ford Rd which runs off of Cuernavaca about 1/2 mile from its intersection with Bee Caves/2244) on-and-off for the past few weeks. Another one was seen along the river at Reimer's Ranch Park (off of Hamilton Pool road).

A male CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD (Stellula calliope) was discovered (and photographed) on September 16th on the northwest side of the Garden Center building at Zilker Botanical Gardens in Austin (see http://www.zilkergarden.org/about/index.html) and has been seen sporadically there since then (last report on October 14th). It can be looked for attending to the lone hummingbird feeder and also perched up high in the nearby oaks.

--- RARE SIGHTINGS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---

A COMMON MOORHEN (Gallinula chloropus) has been lingering at the pond in the Triangle delevopment area near the northwest corner of 45th and Guadalupe Streets in Austin. It has been seen at least through October 19th.

A WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta carolinensis) was at the Little River crossing along Sunshine Road, between Holland and Rogers in Bell County on October 18th. As many as three birds had been seen in the same general area on October 3rd.

An immature BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus occidentalis) was seen again on October 17th on the northern portions of Lake Buchanan.

A PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) was seen migrating over Sequin on October 16th.

A migrating FERRUGINOUS HAWK (Buteo regalis) was studied on October 16th as it flew over Nolanville (Bell County).

--
Eric Carpenter
Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society