The Austin Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 8:30 on April 12, 2013. Send interesting sightings–complete with species name, LOCATION, and contact information–to Kenny Anderson at kennya290@gmail.com.

Sort of a dull week given the date, but a few notable finds…

Rarities Found This Week:

• A male Cerulean Warbler was reliably reported from a central Austin home on 4/7 in Travis County. A male Cerulean Warbler was nicely described at Seider’s Springs Park along Shoal Creek in Austin on 4/10. I did not endeavor to try to figure out if this is a single bird.
• A Zone-tailed Hawk was seen at the Balcones Canyonlands NWR headquarters on 4/11 in northwestern Travis County.
• 20 alternate-plumage Hudsonian Godwits at Union Grove in Bell County on 4/11 is a good count on an early date.
• A Blue-winged Warbler at a Bastrop County home on 4/12 was a nice yard bird.
• 3 Common Loons linger on Lake Travis in Travis County, birds are being seen from Windy Point. Last update on 4/12 indicated birds were nearing high breeding plumage.
• Laggard Sprague’s Pippits were at Commons Ford Park (1 on 4/7) and Bob Wentz Windy Point (1 on 4/6).
• A Snowy Plover continued at Lake Travis on 4/7; low lake level could be enticing to the species to over-summer. Updates encouraged.
• Commons Ford Park held 2 LeConte’s Sparrows on 4/7 and a single on 4/12. The Prairie Restoration Organization held a “Big Day in the Park” on 4/7, positive results already are being seen from their efforts.
• An American Woodcock in Bastrop State Park (4/7) doing the wounded-wing display, carrying on strongly suggests an attempt to breed locally.
• 2 Buff-breasted Sandpipers on the ball fields at Southeast Metro Park were a nice April find. 4/8

Reports for the Austin area RBA cover a 60 mile radius, centered from the Capitol in downtown Austin. Bird sightings mentioned here have been filtered and 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. 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 kennya290@gmail.com

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

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