Eastern Towhee by Steve Baranoff

Rarities Found This Week

• SA few successful reports came in, re-finding the Red-necked Grebe found on 3/6 at Stillhouse Hollow Lake’s Union Grove Wildlife Management Area in Bell County. The bird was seen on 3/6,7, and 9; photographed on 3/6.
• Stillhouse Hollow continues to host a Red-throated Loon, which was much more cooperative in viewing distance and frequency of encounter. Reports 3/6-7.8,9,10,11,and 12.
• Bell County, dominating the board, had a fly-over White-tailed Kite on Simmons Road near Stillhouse Hollow on 3/7.
• A Townsend’s Solitaire was photographed below Lake Georgetown in Stilling Basin in Williamson County on 3/11. The bird was relocated on 3/14 after several days of negative reports.
• A photograph came in of 4 Whooping Cranes from 2/24 at Granger Lake- this ups the total from the three previously photographed around the Sore Finger area.
• Burnet County continues to have a reliable Long-tailed Duck at the Ink Lake National Fishery with latest updates 3/10 and 14.
• Hutton’s Vireos are being seen at St. Edward’s Park in Travis County. Two have been photographed near the parking area 3/2-14. A Hutton’s Vireo was reported 3/13 at Pedernales Falls State Park in Blanco County on 3/13.
• A Calliope Hummingbird continues at an Austin residence, latest sighting 3/14 of reliable bird visiting feeder.
• An American Bittern was photographed at Central Park on 38th and Guadalupe in Austin on 3/13. Most likely the same bird skipping around some of the detention ponds in northeast Austin all winter.
• Hornsby-philes were happy when the monthly survey turned up difficult bird for property- Eastern Towhee on 3/8.
• Rusty Blackbirds at Hornsby continue with a large contingent, 47, reported 3/6.

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 “include the location” Anderson, Rare Bird Alert Compiler, Travis Audubon Society

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