Austin (Travis Audubon Society) RBA
May 4, 2005
Date: Wed, 4 May 2005 19:40:45 -0700
Reply-To: Isaac Sanchez <isaacs@AUSTIN.RR.COM>
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From: Isaac Sanchez <isaacs@AUSTIN.RR.COM>
Subject: Austin area RBA 5-4-05
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*Texas
*Austin
*May 4, 2005
*TXAU9909.09
This is the Austin area Rare Bird Alert for May 4, 2005. A 60-mile radius
circle centered in Austin defines the reporting area. The Austin area RBA is
a service of the Travis Audubon Society.
Birds mentioned (Rare species* for the area are in UPPERCASE)
Least Grebe
Green Heron
GLOSSY IBIS
White-faced Ibis
SWALLOW-TAILED KITE
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Willet
Hudsonian Godwit
White-rumped Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Wilson’s Phalarope
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Common Nighthawk
Chuck-will’s Widow
COMMON PAURAQUE
Rufous Hummingbird
RINGED KINGFISHER
Pileated Woodpecker
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATHER
Great-crested Flycatcher
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
GREAT KISKADEE
Eastern Kingbird
Warbling Vireo
VEERY
Gray Catbird
Sprague’s Pipit
Swainson’s Thrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush
Canada Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
CERULEAN WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
PRAIRIE WARBLER
Scarlet Tanager
CASSIN’S SPARROW
Black-throated Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Blue Grosbeak
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting
LAZULI BUNTING
Dickcissel
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Orchard Oriole
Bullock’s Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
FIRST OF THE SEASON REPORTS include: Warbling Vireo (5/3), Swainson’s Thrush
(5/2), Baltimore Oriole (5/2), Olive-sided Flycatcher (5/1), Least
Flycatcher (4/30), White-rumped Sandpiper (4/29), Blue Grosbeak (4/28),
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (4/26), Gray Catbird (4/21), Wilson’s Phalarope (4/24),
Eastern Wood Pewee (4/23), Green Heron (4/20), Eastern Kingbird (4/17),
Indigo Bunting (4/16), Clay-colored Sparrow (4/16), Great-crested
Flycatcher (4/16), Common Nighthawk (4/16), Painted Bunting (4/16), Orchard
Oriole (4/16), Dickcissel (4/16), Yellow-headed Blackbird (4/14), Canada
Warbler (4/12), Chick-wills Widow (4/10)
LINGERING MIGRANTS: American Goldfinch (5/1), Rufous Hummingbird (5/1), Pine
Siskin (4/30), Sprague’s Pipit (4/27)
On the 3rd: Susan Schaezler had 14 species of warblers and 4 vireo species
in her backyard (aka “WarblerWoods”) near the Comal-Guadalupe Co. line.
Another noteworthy bird seen was a Bullock’s Oriole. On the previous day
she had a VEERY that was photographed and can be seen at
http://www.warblerwoods.com/index.php?option=com_gallery&Itemid=40&include=albums.php
On the 3rd: Eric Carpenter also had 14 warbler species at Hornsby Bend in
Travis Co. In addition he saw a Scarlet Tanager and a Rose-breasted
Grosbeak. On the 1st he saw 3 Northern Waterthrush at Hornsby.
On the 2nd: Scott Young spotted a SWALLOW-TAILED KITE and 4 Buff-breasted
Sandpipers at the Kizer Golf Course in Austin.
On the 2nd: Richard Kaskan had a good morning at the State Capitol
grounds. He saw 8 species of warblers, including Bay-breasted and
Blackburnian Warblers, a Scarlet Tanager, and 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.
Later in the morning Shawn Ashbaugh added 5 more warbler species to bring
the total to 13 for the Capitol grounds. He also heard an Alder Flycatcher.
On the 1st: Brush Freeman heard a COMMON PAURAQUE in Utley, Bastrop Co. He
also saw a Northern Waterthrush.
On April 29th: Eric Carpenter saw a CASSIN’S SPARROW at Hornsby Bend.
On the 28th: Susan Schaezler had 11 warbler species on her property that
included a GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER. On the previous day she reported a
CERULEAN WARBLER.
On the 26th: Eric Carpenter identified a GLOSSY IBIS among 20+ White-faced
Ibis at Hornsby Bend.
On the 26th: Byron Stone reported a Black-throated Sparrow on Cotton Rd. in
Hays Co.
On the 25th: Scott Young saw a Peregrine Falcon and 2 Hudsonian Godwits on
the Kizer Golf Course in Austin.
On the 24th: Tim Fennell reported a Willet at the Sore Finger WMA and a
Northern Waterthrush at the San Gabriel WMA, both in Williamson Co.
On the 20th: Scott Young saw a Least Grebe on the Kizer Golf Course in Austin.
On the 19th: Phil Rostron had a singing BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER in
Bastrop State Park.
On the 19th: Susan Schaezler reported a GREAT KISKADEE on Old Wiederstein Rd
near her home.
On the 19th: Eric Carpenter saw a Hudsonian Godwit at Hornsby Bend. On the
16th he reported an American Woodcock at Hornsby.
On the 17th: Shawn Ashbaugh and Scott Young birded Webberville Park in
Travis Co. They heard a BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER, saw a Bald Eagle, and a
Pileated Woodpecker.
On the 16th: Byron Stone saw a singing Louisiana Waterthrush in NW Austin.
He also birded Hornsby Bend and relocated the Prothonotary Warbler first
reported by Eric Carpenter on April 3. In addition he saw a pair of RINGED
KINGFISHERS on the Colorado River.
On the 15th: Julie Shank reported seeing a LAZULI BUNTING at the Wild Flower
Center in Austin.
On the 15th: Rob Bates saw a Merlin in Leander in Williamson Co.
On the 14th: Fred Dalby had a singing PRAIRIE WARBLER in his backyard in
south Austin.
Thanks to all who contributed to this report.
End of transcript.
*A “rare species” for the area is defined as a bird that historically is
recorded less than 5 times a season in any season of the year. The 2003
Travis Audubon Society Austin area checklist is used to determine these
rarities.
An online guide to Austin-area birding locations is located at:
www.tpwd.state.tx.us/nature/birding/austin_birding_sites/index.htm
Compiler/Transcriber: Isaac Sanchez Email: IsaacS@austin.rr.com