(The Austin area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 8:30 on December 29, 2011. Send interesting sightings–complete with species name, location, and contact information–to Kenny Anderson.)
Rarities Found This Week
Tundra Swan continues on Salt Lake in Guadalupe County. Originally found December 13, it continues at least through 12/28.
A Black-throated Sparrow was found east of Salado on Armstrong Road- likely a new Bell County record 12/21.
6 Whooping Cranes continue on Granger Lake. 4 adults and 2 juveniles are being seen from the dam and Friendship Park. At least through 10/27
An Anna’s Hummingbird was photographed at a Travis county home near Hamilton Pool on 12/27.
Reports of Sage Thrashers came from Hill’s Prairie in Bastrop County and from the Balcones CBC and the Westcave Preserve CBC. 5 birds were seen on closed tracts of the Balcones Preserve (1 more the following day) and 1 bird on a closed section of the Westcave Preserve. So, clearly they arestill around.
5 Mountain Bluebirds were seen near the laundrymat in Webberville on12/23.
A Calliope Hummingbird was photographed at a Schertz residense 12/24.
1, arguably/possibly 4, Greater Scaup were on Salado Creek in Salado 12/17
Black Phoebe was seen on the Chisolm Trail low water crossing. The concrete bridge over Salado Creek inside the Mill Creek Golf Course community. Last seen 12/21
3 Yellow-headed Blackbirds were near the Riverwalk Drive retention pond, 1 mile south of Hutto off FM685 in Williamson County 12/24.
A Red-naped Sapsucker was photographed on Carlson Lane in northeastern Travis County 12/29.
A Tri-colored Heron remains below Mansfield Dam in western Travis County 12/25.
Green-tailed Towhee was seen on River Road, north of Old Ferry in western Travis County on 12/25.
Cackling Geese were in a field near Wells Lane in northeast Travis County 12/25 and 20+ (dark geese) continue at Granger Lake 12/28
An American Bittern was photographed at an Austin pond 12/28.
Rusty Blackbird reports: 5 at Big Webberville in Travis County 12/27, at least 3 from Hill’s Prairie in Bastrop 12/27, and 3 from Hornsby Bend on 12/24-26 and 10 from Hornsby Bend 12/27.
Lark Buntings: 3 birds on Barnes Road in Bell County 12/23, ~18 on a trip from Delhi to String Prairie in Bastrop on 12/27, 1 at Reimer’s Ranch in Travis 12/27, 2 at Salt Lake in Guadalupe county12/26, and ~30 on Lund Road N in Carlson in Travis County 10/29.
Say’s Phoebe continues at Granger Lake’s Willis Creek WMA (12/27) and 1 on Armstrong Road near the little cemetery at Barnes Road 12/23 in Bell County.
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.
