April 10, 2008

The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, April 10th, 2008:

--- Exceptional Sightings ---

A COMMON BLACK-HAWK (Buteogallus anthracinus) was studied just north of RM 1431 at Vista Rock on April 2nd. There are very few documented records of this species in the Austin area.

Two HOODED ORIOLES (Icterus cucullatus) were photographed at a private residence southeast of the intersection of HWY 183 and RM 620 on March 28th, providing one of only a handful of solid records for this species in the last several years.

--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---

A LAZULI BUNTING (Passerina amoena) was near Spring Branch in Blanco County on April 6th.

A MAGNOLIA WARBLER (Dendroica magnolia) was in south Austin on April 5th.

A SCOTT'S ORIOLE (Icterus parisorum) was found in West Lake Hills on April 3rd.

A ROSS'S GOOSE (Chen rossii) was studied near loop 360 and Bee Caves in west Austin on April 3rd.

--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---

A pair of SCOTT'S ORIOLES (Icterus parisorum) are present northwest of Dripping Springs, last reported on April 6th.

A PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum) was photographed at Commons Ford Park on the west side of Austin on March 9th and was still present as of March 22nd.

A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) has been present much of the winter at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo. It was last reported there on March 24th. In addition, both COMMON PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis) and LONG-BILLED THRASHER (Toxostoma longirostre) have been seen as recently as March 20th.

LEAST GREBES (Tachybaptus dominicus) continue at Hornsby Bend where at least a pair of birds has been present for several months. The latest sighting of these birds was on March 25th.

A pair of RINGED KINGFISHERS (Megaceryle torquatus) has been present along the river at Pedernales Falls State Park, with the last report as of March 9th. Another pair is present around Hornsby Bend, with the last report of those birds on March 9th.

--- Rare sightings from previous weeks ---

Two YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS (Dendroica dominica) were near Utley on March 31st and April 1st.

Two SCOTT'S ORIOLES (Icterus parisorum) were seen in Lago Vista on April 1st.

A SWALLOW-TAILED KITE (Elanoides forficatus) was near Utley on March 30th and it, or another, was seen again on April 3rd.

A BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus melanocephalus) was present (and photographed) near Spring Branch in Blanco County on March 29th and 30th.

Unusual for the spring, a TRICOLORED HERON (Egretta tricolor) was along the shore of Granger Lake on March 29th.

Interesting birds seen on Lake Buchanan on March 29th include 5 COMMON LOON (Gavia immer), 7 WESTERN GREBES (Aechmophorus occidentalis), and at least 30 BONAPARTE'S GULLS (Larus philadelphia).

In Williamson County, a SPRAGUE'S PIPIT (Anthus spragueii) along CR 192 and a CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR (Calcarius ornatus) along CR 360 on March 29th were nice finds.

A BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola) was near Utley on March 29th.

Three WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES (Sitta carolinensis) were along Sunshine Road near the Little River crossing between Holland and Rogers on March 29th.

An early WILSON'S WARBLER (Wilsonia pusilla) was at the Capitol Grounds in Austin on March 29th.

Two WOOD THRUSH (Hylocichla mustelina) was at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on March 27th.

A LAZULI BUNTING (Passerina amoena) was studied near Wimberley on March 23rd.

A ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) was near Hamilton Pool on March 23rd.

Another ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) flew over the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on March 22nd.

An early KENTUCKY WARBLER (Oporornis formosus) was near Utley on March 22nd.

A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) was along Town Lake near Barton Springs on March 21st.

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

March 27, 2008

The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, March 27th, 2008:

--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---

A LAZULI BUNTING (Passerina amoena) was studied near Wimberly on March 23rd.

A ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) was near Hamilton Pool on March 23rd.

Another ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) flew over the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo on March 22nd.

An early KENTUCKY WARBLER (Oporornis formosus) was near Utley on March 22nd.

A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) was along Town Lake near Barton Springs on March 21st.

--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---

A GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE (Pipilo chlorurus) photographed at Southeast Metro Park on January 20th was still being seen as of March 17th. The park is off HWY 71 just east of FM 973 and HWY 45. The bird has been found off the northwest portion of the parking lot where the trailhead for the Primitive Trail is located, which is north of the ball fields.

A PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum) was photographed at Commons Ford on the west side of Austin on March 9th and was still present as of March 22nd.

A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) has been present much of the winter at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo. It was last reported there on March 24th. In addition, both COMMON PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis) and LONG-BILLED THRASHER (Toxostoma longirostre) have been seen as recently as March 20th.

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 March 15th.

LEAST GREBES (Tachybaptus dominicus) continue at Hornsby Bend where at least a pair of birds has been present for several months. The latest sighting of these birds was on March 25th.

A pair of RINGED KINGFISHERS (Megaceryle torquatus) has been present along the river at Pedernales Falls State Park, with the last report as of March 9th. Another pair is present around Hornsby Bend, with the last report of those birds on March 9th.

--- RARE SIGHTINGS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---

A pair of COMMON GOLDENEYES (Bucephala clangula) were at Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on the east side of Austin on March 18th.

An early PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Protonotaria citrea) and a couple of YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS (Dendroica dominica) were noted near Utley in eastern Bastrop County on March 16th.

A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) was in northwest Austin on March 9th and again on March 16th.

The first report of WHIP-POOR-WILL (Caprimulgus vociferus) this spring was a rather early one near Utley on March 15th.

Four GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were on Meadow Lake in Round Rock on March 10th.

Early FRANKLIN'S GULLS (Larus pipixcan) include 3 on Lake Walter E. Long on March 9th and 3 at Granger Lake on March 10th.

A LEAST GREBE (Tachybaptus dominicus) was at Mills Pond near Wells Branch on March 8th and March 9th.

A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) was seen at Tejas Camp on Lake Georgetown on March 8th.

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

March 20, 2008

The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, March 20, 2008:


--- RARITIES FOUND THIS PAST WEEK---

A pair of COMMON GOLDENEYES (Bucephala clangula) were at Walnut Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant on the east side of Austin on March 18th.

An early PROTHONOTARY WARBLER (Protonotaria citrea) and a couple of YELLOW-THROATED WARBLERS (Dendroica dominica) were noted near Utley in eastern Bastrop County on March 16th.

A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) was in northwest Austin on March 9th and again on March 16th.

The first report of WHIP-POOR-WILL (Caprimulgus vociferus) this spring was a rather early one near Utley on March 15th.

--- CONTINUING BIRDS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---

A GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE (Pipilo chlorurus) photographed at Southeast Metro Park on January 20th was still being seen as of March 17th. The park is off HWY 71 just east of FM 973 and HWY 45. The bird has been found off the northwest portion of the parking lot where the trailhead for the Primitive Trail is located, which is north of the ball fields.

A PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum) was photographed at Commons Ford Park on the west side of Austin on March 9th and was still present as of March 16th.

A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) has been present much of the winter at the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo. It was last reported there on March 13th. In addition, both COMMON PAURAQUE (Nyctidromus albicollis) and LONG-BILLED THRASHER (Toxostoma longirostre) have been seen as recently as March 13th.

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 March 15th.

LEAST GREBES (Tachybaptus dominicus) continue at Hornsby Bend where at least a pair of birds has been present for several months. The latest sighting of these birds was on March 18th.

A pair of RINGED KINGFISHERS (Megaceryle torquatus) has been present along the river at Pedernales State Park, with the last report as of March 9th. Another pair is present around Hornsby Bend, with the last report of those birds on March 9th.

--- RARE SIGHTINGS FROM PREVIOUS WEEKS ---

Four GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) were on Meadow Lake in Round Rock on March 10th.

Early FRANKLIN'S GULLS (Larus pipixcan) include 3 on Lake Walter E. Long on March 9th and 3 at Granger Lake on March 10th.

A LEAST GREBE (Tachybaptus dominicus) was at Mills Pond near Wells Branch on March 8th and March 9th.

A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) was seen at Tejas Camp on Lake Georgetown on March 8th.

An ANHINGA (Anhinga anhinga) was over Commerce Park in Round Rock on March 2nd.

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

January 25th

The Austin-Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 9.00am, January 25th, 2007:

-- Rarities found this past week ---

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.

A GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) was in far northwest Austin 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.

--- 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 23rd).

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.

A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) first noted on County Road 491 on the southeastern edge of Williamson County on January 3rd was still present January 10th.

On January 3rd, RUSTY BLACKBIRDS (Euphagus carolinus) were found at separate locations northeast and also east of Elgin in Bastop County, as well as in southern Lee County. Two were present northeast of Elgin on January 10th.

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 recently as January 9th.

An immature REDDISH EGRET (Egretta rufescens) has been at Stillhouse Hollow Lake since October 28th (last reported January 7th).

A PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) has been present in the Granger area since early in the fall. The latest sighting of this bird was on January 6th on the south side of Country Road 354, a couple miles west of its intersection with County Road 352.

A VIRGINIA RAIL (Rallus limicola) first detected along the southern edge of Pond 1 West at Hornsby Bend on October 28th was still present as of January 6th. Up to two individuals have been seen or heard at this location.

A ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus) first seen at Palmetto State Park on December 27th was last reported on January 5th.

LONG-BILLED THRASHERS (Toxostoma longirostre) are being heard and seen regularly on the Schaezler's Warbler Woods property near Cibolo. COMMON PAURAQUES (Nyctidromus albicollis) can be seen at this
location, too, with the most recent sighting on January 6th.

Lingering and perhaps wintering LITTLE BLUE HERONS (Egretta caerulea) and SNOWY EGRETS (Egretta thula) remain in our area with the following recent reports: 25 Snowies and 15 Little Blues on Town Lake as
recently as January 8th; 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 ---

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.

A ROSS'S GOOSE (Chen rossii) dropped in on the big pond (Pond 2) at Hornsby Bend on January 10th.

A SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) was along County Road 103 (Brown Road) near McDade on January 10th.

A GRAY CATBIRD (Dumetella carolinensis) was near Tahitian Village in Bastrop on January 8th.

A LESSER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa flavipes) was in west Bastrop County along FM 969 on January 8th.

On January 7th, a SOLITARY SANDPIPER (Tringa solitaria) was seen in a neighborhood in far northwest Austin.

A PRAIRIE FALCON (Falco mexicanus) was northeast of Bertram on FM 234 on January 7th.

A GREATER SCAUP (Aythya marila) was noted on Stillhouse Hollow Reservoir (Bell County) on January 7th.
At Commons Ford Park on the west side of Austin, a RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) was carefully studied on January 6th.

A NEOTROPIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) and 2 CAVE SWALLOWS (Petrochelidon fulva) were present at Meadow Lake in Round Rock on January 6th.

A HARRIS'S HAWK (Parabuteo unicinctus) and a SAY'S PHOEBE (Sayornis saya) were along County Road 284 west of FM 304 in Gonzales County on January 6th.

A VERMILION FLYCATCHER (Pyrocephalus rubinus) was east of Wrightsboro (Gonzales County) on January 6th.

At Richard Moya Park in southeast Austin, a PALM WARBLER (Dendroica palmarum) was detected in the Pecan grove there on January 5th.

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

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