(The Austin area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 8:15 January 26, 2012. Send interesting sightings–complete with species name, location, and contact information–to Kenny Anderson.)

Rarities Found This Week

Rains provided immediate results with a pair of Mottled Ducks in Webberville Fields on 1/26 and–in a large group of Ring-billed Gulls–a Laughing Gull in a Bastrop field on 1/26.

5 Rusty Blackbirds were on Earhardt Road in Bastrop County on 1/26.

A White-faced Ibis was at an Austin subdivision called The Colony along the Lower Colorado River on 1/22.

A Ruby-throated Hummingbird visited a Windsor Park home’s feeder on 1/24.

Dunlins were seen behind Lowe’s in Bastrop on 1/26.

Continuing Birds From Previous Week

Tundra Swan was reported on Salt Lake in Guadalupe County on 1/23.

6 Whooping Cranes were seen on 1/21 at Granger Lake and 3 on 1/23. All sightings should be reported.

A Common Merganser continues on a private businesses pond in Williamson County 1/23.

Green-tailed Towhee was relocated at Nalle Bunny Run, a Hill Country Conservancy property, in western Travis County on 1/24.

Sage Thrasher was seen at Pleasant Valley, behind the Town Hall on 1/26.

Rusty Blackbirds 2-8 have been reported on 1/21,22,23,26 at Hornsby Bend. Birds are seen on 1 West and around the CER Building.

Possible Pacific Wren was relocated at Willis Creek WMA in Williamson County on 1/21. Continued observations are encouraged.

Lark Buntings, ~ 10, were viewed on Harry Lind Road in eastern Travis County on 1/25.

Reports for the Austin area RBA cover a 60 mile radius, centered from the Capitol in downtown Austin. The circle extends north to Belton (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 and scrutinized by the compiler and are believed to be genuine. When documentation or photographs were provide, that is mentioned along with the other information about the bird(s) being seen.

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 nollanderson@sbcglobal.net.

-Kenny Anderson, Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society

To view our archive of previous RBA reports, click here.