This is the Austin Area Rare Bird Alert and has been updated through 11/10/2016. To report rare or unusual bird sightings in the Austin area, provide recent sighting updates, or inquire about location details on birds listed below, please send an email to armanmorenobirds@gmail.com. If submitting a bird sighting, please include species name, location details, and contact information.

Rarities Found This Week

• LONG-TAILED DUCK was an awesome find at Walter E. Long Park (Decker Lake), just NE of Austin, Travis, on 11/10. The bird was initially spotted from the boat ramp directly NW (towards the power plant). The bird flew closer towards the SW arm of the lake just off the boat ramp and remained back by the reeds with a group of Ruddy Ducks and Coots. It seemed wary of boat traffic and flew a short distance more towards the middle of the lake, directly north of the boat ramp. The bird was quite a distance away and a scope is best. It continues through at least the evening.
• Another great find on the same day, a female-type SURF SCOTER was found at Hornsby Bend in Austin, Travis, on 11/10. The bird was observed on the western portion of Pond 2, where most of the diving ducks hang out. The bird continued through the evening and was relocated in roughly the same spot.
• On the morning of 11/10, a WHOOPING CRANE was photographed flying overhead with a flock of Sandhill Cranes in Muldoon, Fayette, which is SE of Bastrop.
• A male RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER was found at Benbrook Ranch Park in Leander, Williamson, on 11/5. This is near the intersection of CR 279 and Halsey Dr, which is west of Hwy 183. The observer noted that the bird “was in an American Elm to the south of the baseball fields, just east of the walking bridge at the soccer fields on the gravel trail”. No recent reports.
• This might be another good winter for PYRRHULOXIAs in our area. A female was photographed at Warbler Woods in Cibilo/Schertz, Guadalupe Co, on 11/6. Two other birds were found at Reimer’s Ranch Park in SW Travis County (off Hamilton Pool Rd) on 11/5. One of the birds was along the fence line off the gravel road just east of the Climber’s Canyon and south of the old barn that borders the main road. The other was in the far NW corner of the park, off the Turkey Loop, which borders the Pedernales River.

• At least one GREAT KISKADEE continue at Berry Springs Park in Georgetown, Williamson, most recently observed on 11/8.

Reports for the Austin area RBA cover a 60-mile radius, centered on the Capitol in downtown Austin. Bird sightings mentioned here have been filtered and scrutinized by the compiler and are believed to be genuine. Photo or audio documentation for species with challenging IDs will be mentioned if they are known to exist.