Rare Bird Alert: January 4, 2014

The Austin Area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 12:00 on January 4, 2014. Send interesting sightings–complete with species name, LOCATION, and contact information–to Kenny Anderson at kennya290@gmail.com.

Rarities Found This Week

  • A female Long-tailed Duck has been photographed at Inks Dam National Fish Hatchery in Burnet County 12/27-1/3.
  • A White-tailed kite was photographed 12/28 at the Granger Lake Pecan Grove (Williamson).
  • A Prairie Falcon was photographed on Wells Lane on Travis County on 12/28.
  • The Palmetto State Park CBC held on 12/29 reported Prairie Falcon and Purple Finch. Both Gonzales County birds have yet been confirmed.
  • A Ferruginous Hawk was reported on the south side of Granger Dam on 1/3 (Williamson).
  • An unconfirmed report of a Brown Pelican at Stillhouse Hollow Lake- River Bend Park in Bell County 1/1.
  • A Lesser Black-backed Gull has been sporadically seen at the Austin Landfill- seen from Blue Goose Road. 1229,31. A Franklin’s Gull is also present at location (Travis).
  • A Calliope Hummingbird continues at an Austin home, latest report 12/28,30.
  • A Zone-tailed Hawk was seen on Old Highway 71 on 12/27 in Bastrop County.
  • A Say’s Phoebe continued to be seen at a private location in Bastrop County on 12/28.
  • Up to 45 Western Grebes and 25+ Horned Grebes were seen from Black Rock Park on the western shore of Lake Buchanan on 12/28.
  • 1 to 2 Horned Grebes have frequented Lake Pflugerville with latest reports 12/27-1/2. An American Bittern was photographed at Lake Pflugerville 12/29. And, an exciting American Pipit has been photographed again 12/31 and 1/4. The bird certainly appears like the japonicus subspecies.
  • 2 Ash-throated Flycatchers were photographed 12/28 on Llano County CR315.
  • A Short-eared Owl was recorded at Union Grove WMA in Bell County.
  • Rusty Blackbirds have consistently been at Hornsby Bend with latest update 1/1.
  • A Red-headed Woodpecker was seen at a private boatdock along CR347 in Williamson County.
  • A Wilson’s Warbler was seen along Barton Creek near the Lower Colorado River on 12/31.
  • Nashville Warblers: 12/27 Hornsby Bend’s Pond 3 (Travis), 12/29 Bracken Bat Cave (Comal), 1/1 at Berry Springs Park (Williamson).
  • Vermilion Flycatcher at Hornsby Bend continues as of 1/1; Vermilion Flycatcher on Old San Antonio Road in Travis County 12/28.
  • Eastern Towhees have made a strong showing in the area with latest reports of 2 at Hamilton Pool near the pay booth, a female at Shaw Island Road on the western shore of Lake Buchanan on 12/28, 1 female at Stillhouse Hollow Park in Bell County

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.