Seasonal Sightings for Central Prairie and East Texas

Compiled by Bert Frenz,
North American Birds, Subregional Editor, East Texas and
Texas Ornithological Society, Director, Region VI, Central Prairie, Texas.


Spring Season: March 1 - May 31, 2002


The 67 Texas counties included in this report are:  Anderson, Angelina, Austin, Bastrop, Bell, Bowie, Brazos, Brown, Burleson, Caldwell, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Coleman, Comanche, Coryell, DeWitt, Falls, Fayette, Franklin, Freestone, Gonzales, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hamilton, Hardin, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Jasper, Karnes, Lampasas, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Madison, Marion, McLennan, Milam, Mills, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Polk, Red River, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Travis (eastern only), Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Walker, Waller, Washington, Williamson, and Wilson.  

Reduced from over 2000 reports of 309 species from 1 March to 31 May 2002.

GKinTF42602.jpg (30225 bytes) Green Kingfisher (nesting), photographed by Tim Fennell, 26 April 2002, Rivery Park, North San Gabriel River near Georgetown, Williamson County.

Weather reports:

Ellen Ratoosh, 3 March, Brazos County, "Freezing cold here with a vicious north wind the last couple of days and tonight's supposed to be record-breaking - in the mid-teens. The female Purple Finch has spent considerable time stoking up at my feeders today and yesterday."

Tim Fennell, 9 March, Williamson County, "Despite horrendous winds, the birding was surprisingly good."

Darrell Vollert, 11 March, Washington County, "The weather was a little dreary here for most of the day. The rain we had did not amount to much."

Darrell Vollert, 30 March, Washington County, "Lincoln's Sparrows were singing throughout the estate this morning. We received 4/10ths of an inch of rain this afternoon from a thunderstorm."

Brush Freeman, 30 March, Bastrop County, "This morning there was a significant push of raptors passing through western Bastrop Co. While there were some good rains in the Hill Country and the Austin area, Bastrop Co. has only received a light drizzle as yet. Perhaps these migrating raptors are moving just to the east of that weather."

Peter Barnes, March NETFO report, north-east Texas, "March was cooler than usual, and passerine and shorebird migrants started to come through, while breeding birds began to arrive. Richland Creek WMA hosted many waterfowl throughout the month, with 400 Greater White-fronted Geese, 100 Snow Geese, 20 Hooded Mergansers."

David Wolf, 30-31 March, Nacogdoches and Angelina counties, from Pineywoods Scissor-Tales, XXIX, 9, May 2002, "It is a maxim that during spring migration 'bad weather brings good birds,' and this certainly happened after the very severe storms and heavy rain on the night of March 30-31. Jesse Fagan checked the Nacogdoches Airport and found 200+ American Golden-Plovers, and 500+ martins amidst other grounded birds on the runways and surrounding grassland, and Georgette Guernsey birded the Angelina County Airport and found 29 golden-plover, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Upland Sandpipers and 6 Least Sandpipers. On April 7-8 heavy overnight rains (totaling 4.25 inches in some parts of Nacogoches) brought the creeks out of their banks and ropped a Ring-billed and 2 Franklin's Gulls and a smattering of shorebirds onthe flooded SFASU intramural fields. Mid-April, unfortunately, was dominated by a lack of frontal or storm activity, and therefore few migrants were seen."

Shawn Ashbaugh, 7 April, Austin RBA, "Starting at around 4:00 pm, the RBA was flooded with phone calls from birders who witnessed the large raptor movement through central Texas. 100s of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks moved through the area between approximately 12:00 pm Sunday the 7th and 12 pm Monday the 8th. The Broad-winged Hawks were accompanied by a small number of accipiters, 100s of Swainson's Hawk, 100s of American White Pelican, 100s of Franklin's Gull, and 100s of Anhinga. The RBA received 3 reports totaling 5 SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. Scott Young was lucky enough to see 3 Swallow-tailed Kite at Roy Kizer Golf Course."

Tim Fennell, 2 May, Williamson County, "5/2/02; Granger Lake - Lake Georgetown; 7:00 am - 7:00 pm; 70's- 80's, clear to cloudy, S 10 mph - N 10 mph; 105 species"

Darrell Vollert, 3 May, Washington County, "Today on Harrison Street in Brenham I had a nice assortment of warblers. We had a weak frontal passage this morning around 10 am that must have grounded the warblers in Brenham. We had a light northerly wind most of the afternoon and the skies were overcast for the most part. The high temperature in Brenham was only 84 degrees. Get out the sweaters! At least it's better than the low 90's we have been experiencing most of the week. I was beginning to think I would not see any of the common May warblers in Washington County this spring. As you know it has been a very disappointing spring migration in our area. But today made up for the disappointment a little."

Peter Barnes, 5 May, Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County, "Shorebirds were the highlights with 13 species at the north ponds. ... The mudflats are more extensive now and inviting for shorebirds. There were many more large wading birds than the previous week, with 150 White Ibis, 25 Little Blue Herons, the year's first Tricolored Heron and first White-faced Ibis."

Peter Barnes, 10 May, Smith County, "Last night's storm brought the following to my neighborhood south of Tyler this morning [10 May]: 1 Little Blue Heron, 1 Philadelphia Vireo, 1 Least Flycatcher, 1 Willow/Alder Flycatcher, 1 Swainson's Thrush, 2 Yellow Warblers, 1 Tennessee Warbler, 1 Chestnut-sided Warbler, 2 Black-throated Green Warblers, 2 Magnolia Warblers, 1 Wilson's Warbler, 1 American Redstart."

Darrell Vollert, 10 May, Washington County, "We have been experiencing gusty winds from the southeast and very warm days this week. Today's high temperature is predicted to be 91 degrees. We are having a sub-par spring migration in the Central Brazos Valley. I have seen only 21 species of warblers in Washington County this spring."

Ellen Ratoosh, 11 May, Burleson County, "Lizzie and I drove down Rd. 440 off of Hwy 50 in Burleson Co. this afternoon, 5/11, from about 4:30-5:30. We hoped for yesterday's Bobolinks, but no luck. The wind was ferocious, as was the blowing dirt."

Peter Barnes, 11 May, Freestone County, "I birded Richland Creek WMA with Hayden and Rita Haucke on Saturday, May 11. It was very windy and birding was on the slow slide. Nevertheless, we had 10 species of shorebirds, including great telescope views of a Buff-breasted Sandpiper in unusual habitat, on the mudflats in the north end ponds, in the company of a mixed flock of shorebirds."

David Wolf, 12 May, Nacogoches County, "A Bronzed Cowbird … appeared on a day of very strong south winds ahead of a fast-approaching cold front, and was likely an "overshoot".

Tim Fennell, 13 May, Williamson County, "What a difference two days and a north wind makes! Inspired by the passage of a cool front last night, I took the long way home from work by Granger Lake today and was glad I did. On Saturday (5/11), Eric Carpenter and I did a Big Day in Williamson County as part of Travis Audubon's Anniversary celebration. We worked hard in brutal 20+ mph south winds to come up with 25 individuals (10 of which were Killdeer) of 6 shorebird species (and were pleased and surprised to finish up with 117 species overall for the day). Today, with the north wind, mudflats were actually present at Sore Finger WMA on Granger Lake and it was like Hornsby Bend had been dropped down in Williamson County! The following were present from 6:30- 7:30 pm. As the sun started to set and the wind dropped, the birds started flying around a bit so I don't know how long they will be around. Killdeer (5+), Lesser Yellowlegs (6), Spotted Sandpiper (9), Hudsonian Godwit (8), Semipalmated Sandpiper (10+), Western Sandpiper (5+), Least Sandpiper (10+), 'peep' species (20+), White-rumped Sandpiper (50+), Pectoral Sandpiper (30+), Dunlin (8, alternate plumage), Stilt Sandpiper (150+), Wilson's Phalarope (300+)."

Peter Barnes, 13 May, Harrison County, "Texas Eastman in Longview had the highest numbers and variety of shorebirds, with a remarkable 52 Hudsonian Godwits on May 10 (GL), and 1-4 birds on May 3, 9, 11 and 13 (GL, ER). May 13 was an outstanding day there, with 2 Whimbrel, rare in north-east Texas, 4 Willets, 4 Sanderlings, an impressive 350 Stilt Sandpipers, 40 Dunlin and 3 American Avocets observed (all GL)."

Darrell Vollert, 14 May, Washington County, "As I expected, today was a pretty good day for migrants in Washington County. I birded a short time in Brenham this morning and briefly in Chappell Hill this evening. I am sure many migrants were down in the Brazos River bottom today. Wish I had had the time to bird down there today. We had a northeast wind today and a high temperature of 80 degrees."

Darrell Vollert, 17 May, Washington County, "The passage of last Friday [10 May] night's strong cold front brought with it some of the best birding opportunities of the spring to Washington County and the Central Brazos Valley the past few days. Birding was good just ahead of the front on Friday too. Unfortunately we did not receive any measurable rain with the cold front on Friday. ... May 17 Weather conditions: Overcast with gusty winds from the SE."

Randy Pinkston, spring report, Bell County, "This year will be remembered as the spring, not of birds, but of non-stop southeast winds. I don't remember another one like it in my eight years in Bell County. The winds became obnoxious. Migrants took advantage of the favorable conditions and either passed us by altogether, or stopped only briefly. This occurred day after day, week after week, as the season progressed. The result was fewer species (and numbers) of neotropical passerine migrants observed than in other recent years, yet the birding effort put forth was at least as much as other years."

Tim Fennell, spring weather report, Williamson County, "Dry was the operative word for the season. By the end of April, the area's rainfall was at least four inches below normal. Despite the lack of rain, Granger Lake was full and offered little shorebird habitat. Most of the season was abnormally hot as well with most of April running at temperatures 10 degrees above normal. In mid-May, a couple of weak, dry cold fronts dropped temperatures to at or below normal for the rest of the month. South winds dominated throughout the season and, overall, migration seemed to run on the late side. Despite such conditions, I was surprised to record 25 shorebird and 21 warbler species during the season. And despite the overall lack of rain, the grasslands and croplands around Granger Lake still looked green at the end of the season but a bumper crop of breeding grassland birds did not seem to be in evidence like last year."

Bird Sightings

 

LOONS THROUGH ANHINGAS

Pacific Loon: (1) 23 March (Eric Carpenter, Brush Freeman), Lake O. H. Ivie, Coleman County [casual; one was also seen 3 February here].

Eric Carpenter, "Brush Freeman and I observed a Pacific Loon (alongside a Common Loon) at OH Ivie Reservoir today. The bird was seen from just above the boat ramp at Kennedy Park, which is located northeast of the dam."

Pacific Loon: (1 adult in winter plumage) 8 April (Charles Bryant), Lake Conroe dam, Montgomery County [casual].

Charles Bryant, "There was a single Pacific Loon at the Lake Conroe dam site this AM. The cooperative wanderer gave us spectacular close-up views from the dam road east of the spillway. A beautiful bird in winter plumage. The Lake Conroe dam site is located between Conroe and Montgomery, west of the San Jacinto River bridge off SH 105."

Common Loon: (15) 12 March (Tim Fennell), Lake O' the Pines, Marion County [good count].
Common Loon: (1) 23 March (Eric Carpenter, Brush Freeman); ("lots") 24 March (Jay Packer, Lorie Black), Lake O. H. Ivie, Coleman County [uncommon].
Common Loon: (1 adult in breeding plumage) 8 April (Charles Bryant), Lake Conroe dam, Montgomery County [occasional].

Pied-billed Grebe; (153 in one raft) 12 March (Tim Fennell), Lake O' the Pines, Marion County [high concentration].
Pied-billed Grebe: (1) 28 March through at least mid-April (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf), Alazan Bayou WMA [possible breeder; occasional].
Pied-billed Grebe: (2) 6 April; (1) 25 April; (1) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lark, Round Rock, Williamson County [occasional].
Pied-billed Grebe: (6-8 juveniles several weeks old) ~12 May (Bill Elsik), his pasture between Snook and Caldwell, Burleson County [rare nester; little data on dates for juveniles, but this seems early].

Bill Elsik, 12 May, "Driving through my pasture surprised 6 to 8 apparent Pied-billed Grebes at least several weeks old on Long Lake. Haven't spotted the parents for the last 4 weeks, but this is a coyote-infested area and the grebe chicks may be orphans.
Bill Elsik, 13 May, "In March and first part of April there was a male Pied-billed Grebe on each of my two main ponds. Both have fairly good brush around them, but the males spent most of their time down near the dams where cattail and other weeds are the most common. Never saw females but assumed they were on a nest. If this is early, perhaps the unusually warm weather we have had this winter/spring is the reason.
"Went by the pond with the grebes this morning about 10 a.m. Could see just a bit of water through the brush and stopped/killed truck motor with window down and listened. Heard the parent grebe 'talking' to the youngsters, but haven't sighted them again the last two days. I have no idea how old the youngsters are, I guessed several weeks on how long it has been since I last saw the adults, and how fast the little ones were skedaddling across the water. They made 200 yards in seconds!"

Eared Grebe: (3) 2 May; (1) 20 May (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lark, Round Rock, Williamson County [late departure].

Western Grebe: (2) 24 March (Jay Packer, Lorie Black), Padgitt Park, Lake O. H. Ivie, Coleman County [casual].

Jay Packer, "At Padgitt Park (at OH Ivie), we had three Aechmophorus grebes - two Westerns and one Clark's. They were fairly close and it was wonderful getting to observe them together."

Clark's Grebe: (1) 24 March (Jay Packer, Lorie Black), Padgitt Park, Lake O. H. Ivie, Coleman County [casual; first county record].

American White Pelican: (12) 18 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [late departure].
American White Pelican: (300-400) 24 May (Ernest Jasek, Susan Schaezler, independently), Guadalupe County [late departure].

Susan Schaezler, "May 24, 2002 American White Pelican 3-400 - I just talked to my neighbor, Ernest Jasek, and he also saw the >300 American White Pelicans fly over 5/24--they flew over this area, before we saw them over the Nacogdoches Road area."

BrPeTF5202.jpg (18466 bytes)Brown Pelican: (1 apparent 2nd year bird) 2 May (Tim Fennell), from Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [casual; photographed].

Tim Fennell, "Today I birded an east-west transect in Williamson County (north of Austin) that started in the Blackland Prairie around Granger Lake (on the downthrown side of the Balcones Fault Zone) and ended on the Edwards Plateau around Lake Georgetown (on the upthrown side of the fault). I started at 7:00 am and ended at 7:00 pm with a couple of hours of breaks for errands along the route. The highlights included the first bird of the day - a Brown Pelican on Granger Lake - and the last bird of the day - an immaculate male Golden-cheeked Warbler quietly feeding at or below eye-level for 10 minutes. Other birds of note included American Avocets, Green Kingfisher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, singing Rock Wrens, a bright adult male Mourning Warbler and displaying Bronzed Cowbirds."

Brown Pelican: (2 subadults) 8 May and (1) through 18 May (Grant Critchfield), Rogers Park on Lake Belton, Bell County [very rare].

fide Randy Pinkston, on 8 May, "Grant Critchfield of Temple called this afternoon to report his sighting of two subadult Brown Pelicans at Rogers Park on Lake Belton in Bell County. The birds were diving and foraging on shad. Nearby boaters told Grant they had observed two or three additional Brown Pelicans around the bend from Rogers Park but Grant was working and could not investigate their report. This very rare inland sighting is not entirely surprising given the prevailing strong southeast winds this spring season and Tim Fennell's recent report of Brown Pelican on Granger Lake. While there are previous Bell County records, this is the first I am aware of in my eight years here."

David Bryant, 8 May, "A friend of mine told me about seeing a Brown Pelican on Lake Travis last week. I would think that is a pretty unusual sighting also."

Randy Pinkston, spring report, "Grant Critchfield observed two Brown Pelicans at Lake Belton May 8 for a very rare local record, and undoubtedly the result of this year's strong SE winds. Grant continued to spot single individuals through May 18."

Neotropic Cormorant: (2) 15 March (Randy Pinkston), Temple Lions Park, Bell County [rare on Bell County checklist].

Neotropic Cormorant: (3) 21 April (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional at this date].

Anhinga: (2 flying near Broad-winged Hawks) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [occasional].
Anhinga: (60) 30 March (Brush Freeman), near Utley, Bastrop County [occasional].

Brush Freeman, "This morning there was a significant push of raptors passing through western Bastrop Co.. ... Also there was one kettle of about 60 Anhingas that went over as well. All of these migrants seem to be following the ridge that runs along the north bank of the Colorado and all were headed N/NW. By noon the flow had pretty much stopped or moved so high that I did not take note of them."

Anhinga: (1) 6 April (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].

Tim Fennell, "Highlights included Anhinga, White Ibis, both rare on this Blackland Prairie."

Anhinga: (100s) 7 April (fide Austin RBA); (135) 8 April (Rob Fergus), eastern Travis County [large migrant concentration].

Austin RBA, Shawn Ashbaugh, "On the 7th: Starting at around 4:00 pm, the RBA was flooded with phone calls from birders who witnessed the large raptor movement through central Texas. 100s of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks moved through the area between approximately 12:00 pm Sunday the 7th and 12 pm Monday the 8th. The Broad-winged Hawks were accompanied by … 100s of Anhinga.

Rob Fergus, "Thinking eastern Travis County might be the place to be after the rains last night, I headed out to Blake Manor road and found the huge movement of Broadwings heading E-NE. ...Amazing was also 135 Anhinga (one pair, three singles, and one huge flock)."

Anhinga: (2) 21 April; (1) 28 April (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].
Anhinga: (1) 11 May (Darrell Vollert), Clarann Estate, Chappell Hill, Washington County [occasional].

BITTERNS TO SPOONBILLS

American Bittern: (1) 25 March (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare].
American Bittern: (1) 6 April; (2) 10 April; (2) 21 April (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare].
American Bittern: (2) 24 March (Jesse Fagan, Claudia de la Cruz); (10+) 7 April (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf), Alazan Bayou WMA [occasional].

David Wolf, "After they were absent all winter, two American Bitterns were found at Alazan Bayou WMA on March 24 (JF, CC), and by April 7 they increased to a remarkable 10+ birds (JF, DW). On several days they were heard 'singing' their marvelous 'thunder-pumping call' - could they possibly attempt to breed here?"

Great Blue Heron: (15+ active nests) 20 April (Tim Fennell), marsh below Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [breeding details].

Great Egret: (250) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [unusually large number].

Snowy Egret: (50) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [unusually large number].

Little Blue Heron: (75) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [unusually large number].

Tricolored Heron: (4) 9 April (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [rare in spring].
Tricolored Heron: (1) 5 May (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare].

Cattle Egret: (2) 15 March (Randy Pinkston), Temple Lions Park, Bell County [early arrival].
Cattle Egret: (1) 16 March (Peter Barnes, TOS Field Trip), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].

Green Herons typically are uncommon in April and common starting in May, but this year some observers commented on increased numbers.
Green Heron: (1) 30 March (Darrell Vollert), Clarann Estate, Chappell Hill, Washington County [FOS].
Green Heron: (1) 10 and 13 April (Ellen Ratoosh), Brison Park, College Station, Brazos County.
Green Heron: (2) 21 April (Tim Fennell), North San Gabriel River near Georgetown, Williamson County.

Randy Pinkston for Bell County, spring report, "Green Heron- everywhere this year."

Green Heron (1) 4 May (Tim Fennell & Lester Faigley), San Gabriel WMA, Williamson County
Green Heron: (2) 7 May (Glenn Olsen), Morrison Road, southeast Waller County.
Green Heron: (1) 20 May (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County.
Green Heron: (1) 10 April; (7) 14 May; (2) 21 May; (2) 30 May (Keith Arnold), Country Club Lake, Bryan, Brazos County [weekly surveys].

Keith Arnold, 14 May, "FIVE in flight over parking lot; saw at least 2 others."

Black-crowned Night-Heron: (1) 16 April (Maggie Cooper), her yard, Elgin, Bastrop County [occasional].
Black-crowned Night-Heron: (3) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare].

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron: (2) 20 April (Peter Barnes), just south of Tyler, Smith County [occasional].

Peter Barnes, "The only location where Yellow-crowned Night Herons are seen regularly in Smith Co. is the Old Sabine Bottom WMA, where they breed, so 2 flyover birds just south of Tyler were notable on April 20."

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron: (pair on nest) 10 April; (6) 21 April; (5) 26 May (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [breeding evidence].

White Ibis: (1) 6 April (Tim Fennell), flying over dam at Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].

White Ibis: (1) 10 April; (3) 21 April; (150) 5 May; (300) 26 May (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional; unusually large number].

Peter Barnes, 5 May, "Shorebirds were the highlights with 13 species at the north ponds. ... The mudflats are more extensive now and inviting for shorebirds. There were many more large wading birds than the previous week, with 150 White Ibis, 25 Little Blue Herons, the year's first Tricolored Heron and first White-faced Ibis."

Glossy Ibis: (1) 16 May (Cheryle Beck), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [first county record; only other records in Central Oaks & Prairies is one in McLennan County and one or two in Bell County].

Cheryle Beck, "All three had a very glossy red and green body color. Two of the birds were classic White-faced Ibis. They had white around the bill, the bill was a blue-gray color. The legs were dark red. They had clearly noticeable red eyes. The third was slightly larger than the other two. There was no white on the face and the bill seem a subtly different color. Kelly described it as warmer and that is as close as I can come. It was still gray but not quite as bluish. The legs were lighter, grayer than the legs of the other two birds. The eye look brown. We watched these birds for about fifteen minutes and most of the time we were looking for a red eye. None of us ever saw this birds eye looking red."

White-faced Ibis: (1) 25 April (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lake, Round Rock, Williamson County [occasional].
White-faced Ibis: (1) 5 May (Peter Barnes); (2) 16 May (Cheryle Beck); (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].

Roseate Spoonbill: ("several") week of 1 April (Brad the foreman from Temple-Island, fide Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake, Angelina County [very rare].
Roseate Spoonbill: (1) ~15 April (Virginia Landeck), Lake Livingston State Park, Polk County [very rare].
Roseate Spoonbill: (1) 19 April (John Muldrow, David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [vagrant on McLennan Co. checklist].
Roseate Spoonbill: (1 adult, 1 juvenile) 24-25 April (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional; photographed].
Roseate Spoonbill: (1) 6 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare in May].

VULTURES

Black Vulture: (1 adult and 2 chicks) ~16 April; (chicks growing and not nearly so cute, hissing and growling loudly) 24 April (George Russell), deer stand, Zwickey Creek Wildlife Sanctuary, San Jacinto County [nesting data].

George Russell, 18 April, "A couple of days ago I was at our Zwickey Creek Wildlife Sanctuary and saw a black vulture fly out of an old deer stand. I opened the door and there were two of the cutest, fuzziest birds imaginable. I had never seen black vulture nestlings before. They were balls of orange furry fuz with little squaking black heads. My photos are not too good as they jumped behind the two old chairs in the stand and I didn't want to disturb them any more than I had already."

WATERFOWL

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: (10) 18 March (Claude Sloan), Cedar Creek Lake, Henderson County [very rare in East Texas in March].
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: (4) 2 April (Peter Barnes), Henderson County [rare].

Claude Sloan, "Saw ten black bellied whistler ducks at Cedar Creek Lake, Henderson co. today Mar. 18. No previous sightings in the past four years here."

Peter Barnes, "Black-bellied Whistling Duck are rare visitors from late March through late November, so a report of 75 birds at Lake Fork in Wood Co. on Feb 10 was unprecedented (Matt White, David Hurt). This species has apparently been colonizing Lake Fork for at least a decade."

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: (2) 21 May (Mary Solmonson), Commodore Cape/Indian Hills, Lake Livingston, Polk County [rare in East Texas].
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck: (2) 25 May (David & Luanne Brotherton), Upshur County [rare].

Fulvous Whistling-Duck: (1) 20 March (Randy Pinkston), Temple Lions Park, Bell County [very rare; first county record]

Randy Pinkston, "This evening on my drive home from work I discovered a Fulvous Whistling-Duck on a pond south of Temple Lions Park in Temple, Bell County, Texas. The whistling-duck was part of a larger 'new' group of ducks on the pond comprising approximately 80 Redheads, a lesser number of Lesser Scaup, and a Bufflehead or two. Interesting combination of species, I thought. As best I can tell this represents a first county record. Also at the pond edge were seven Greater White-fronted Geese."

Fulvous Whistling-Duck: (~30) 7 May (Glenn Olsen, independently Shirley & Dan Wilkerson); (200-300) 11 May (Bob Ohmart); (100) 14 May (Fred Collins), rice fields west of Pyramid Plant on FM 529, southeast Waller County [uncommon].
Fulvous Whistling-Duck: (2) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Old Lake Road near Smithville, Bastrop County [rare].

Ross's Goose: (2) 3 March (Guy Luneau), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [occasional].

Canada Goose: (3) 6 April (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional in April].

Mute Swan: (2) 5 March (Peter Barnes), downtown Whitehorse, Smith County [domestic escapee?].

Mallard: (2 males, 1 female) at least to 7 April (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf, Georgette Guernsey), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches County [likely breeding again at this area].

Mallard: (1 male, 1 female) 15 March; (2 males, 1 female) 19 March; (1 male) 26 March; (1 male) 1 April; (male & female with 10 very young downy chicks, these birds have NOT associated with the tame Mallards; Keith considers them as 'wild') 10 April; (1 male only) 23 April (Keith Arnold), Country Club Lake, Bryan, Brazos County [weekly survey; breeding of wild birds is rare].
Mallard: (4) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare].

MoDuTF42002.jpg (20401 bytes)Mottled Duck: (3) 10 March; (2) 16 March; (no.?) 26 May (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].
Mottled Duck: (2) 24 March (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional].
Mottled Duck: (1) 3 April (Randy Pinkston), Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional].
Mottled Duck: (1) 20 April (Tim Fennell), FM 971, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional].
Mottled Duck: (2) 13 April; (3) 20 April; (4) 18 May; (2) 26 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger WMA, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional; photographed on 20 April].
Mottled Duck: (2) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Shipp Lake, Bastrop County [occasional].

Blue-winged Teal: (5) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [somewhat late].

Cinnamon Teal: (5) 9 March (Tim Fennell, Roxie Rochet, Bill Eddie); present through 22 April (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lake, Round Rock, Williamson County [occasional].
Cinnamon Teal: (1 drake) 10 March; (1) 16 March; (pair) 10 April (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare].

Cinnamon/Blue-winged Teal hybrid: (1) 15 March (Randy Pinkston), Temple Lions Park, Bell County [very rare].

Randy Pinkston, "This afternoon I had a drake hybrid Cinnamon/Blue-winged Teal on a pond south of Temple Lions Park. This is probably one of the more likely hybrid combinations but I cannot remember another one in thirty plus years of looking closely at waterfowl. My bird was similar to the illustration on page 87 of Sibley but its chest and sides were essentially like a pure Cinnamon Teal. This is what caught my eye initially. The head was less cinnamon, paler and grayer, and with a better defined white crescent before the reddish eye. The white patch on the sides of the rump was almost as bold as a Blue-winged Teal's. It swam along with a male Blue-winged. The hybrid was slightly larger, I believe, or at least lankier, and its bill size and shape were more like Cinnamon Teal's."

Cinnamon X Blue-winged Teal hybrid: (1 male) 26 April (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman at Longview, Harrison County [very rare].

fide Peter Barnes, "A male Cinnamon X Blue-winged Teal hybrid, a cinnamon bird with a trace of the white facial crescent and white lower flank patch of Blue-winged Teal, was at Texas Eastman in Longview on April 26 (GL)."

Northern Shoveler: (2) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional].
Northern Shoveler: (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [late departure].

Green-winged Teal: (2) 7 April; (1 male) 15 April (Chris Merkord), CR 214, Burleson County [occasional in April].
Green-winged Teal: (2) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [unusually late departure].

Redhead: (80) 20 March (Randy Pinkston), Temple Lions Park, Bell County [occasional].
Redhead: (150+) 16 March; (1) 6 April (Tim Fennell), marsh below dam at (Tim Fennell), Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [occasional in April].
Redhead: (2) 25 April; (4) 9-27 May (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lake, Round Rock, Williamson County [late departure].

Lesser Scaup: (12) 20 April (Tim Fennell), Granger Lake area, Williamson County [occasional].
Lesser Scaup: (5+) 6 April; (8) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lark, Round Rock, Williamson County [occasional].

Bufflehead: (41) 20 March (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lake, Round Rock, Williamson County [unusually large number].
Bufflehead: (8) 6 April (Tim Fennell), Granger Lake area, Williamson County [late departure].
Bufflehead: (1) 9 April (Karen Arquette), WMARSS (sewage ponds), Waco, McLennan County [late departure].

Common Goldeneye: (1) 20 March (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lake, Round Rock, Williamson County [rare].
Common Goldeneye: (1) 3 April (David Shackelford), Waco, McLennan County [late departure].
Common Goldeneye: (1) 10 March; (2) 6 April (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare in April].

Hooded Merganser: (3) 8 March (Brush Freeman), small pond west of McCoys, Bastrop County [occasional].
Hooded Merganser: (8) 9 March; (9) 14 March (Tim Fennell), Granger area, Williamson County [occasional].
Hooded Merganser: (20) 10 March; (4) 16 March (Peter Barnes); (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional, but 26 May sighting is a late departure].

Ruddy Duck: (7) 20 April (Tim Fennell), Granger Lake area, Williamson County [occasional].
Ruddy Duck: (10+) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lark, Round Rock, Williamson County [occasional].
Ruddy Duck: (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [late departure].

KITES, HAWKS AND EAGLES

Osprey: (1) 23 March (Laura Bottone, Tappa Burt), Lake O' the Pines, Marion County [occasional].

Osprey: (pair) 2 April (George Russell), San Jacinto County [return to prior nest].

George Russell, 2 April, "The Osprey pair is back on their nest on the power pole. They had to make a few repairs and it looks good now."

Osprey: (1) 12 May (Guy Luneau), Panola County [uncommon in early May].
Osprey: (1) 26 May (Guy Luneau), Martin Creek Lake, Panola County [very rare after mid May].

Although expected in Liberty County, more than a dozen sightings this spring of Swallow-tailed Kites in the Central Prairie and other areas of East Texas is unusual.
Swallow-tailed Kite: (1) 8-9 March (Bill Elsik), Burleson County [rare].

Bill Elsik, on 10 March, "Last couple of days a large white bird almost size of giant blue heron or great white egret that has a deeply forked tail has been seen here. I didn't get a good look the only time I saw it - from underneath straight on at two hundred yards the impression was of white with borders of black and perhap black over back, but when it landed in a nearby tree the lighting was bad and I couldn't see clearly. I was driving away over a tank dam and couldn't back up or get another view. Second day the bird was sighted by my two sons."

Swallow-tailed Kite: (2) 30 March (Brush Freeman), near Utley, Bastrop County [rare].

Brush Freeman, "Around 11:05 I noted a long string of mixed raptors passing over mostly Broad-wings and Swainson's but a few accipiters as well. After that rather large intitial passage came a number of smaller kettles and lots of single birds and then a rather large kettle of ~80 Mississippi Kites, this seems early for such a large group of Mississippi Kites but I guess it is not. Within this kettle were two Swallow-tailed Kites. The sightings of Swallow-taileds in Bastrop Co primarily along the Colorado River drainage has become an annual thing in the last decade or so. Also there was one kettle of about 60 Anhingas that went over as well. All of these migrants seem to be following the ridge that runs along the north bank of the Colorado and all were headed N/NW. By noon the flow had pretty much stopped or moved so high that I did not take note of them."

Swallow-tailed Kite: (5) 7 April (Scott Young, et al.), eastern Travis County [rare].

Austin RBA, Shawn Ashbaugh, "On the 7th: Starting at around 4:00 pm, the RBA was flooded with phone calls from birders who witnessed the large raptor movement through central Texas. 100s of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks moved through the area between approximately 12:00 pm Sunday the 7th and 12 pm Monday the 8th. The Broad-winged Hawks were accompanied by a small number of accipiters, 100s of Swainson's Hawk, 100s of American White Pelican, 100s of Franklin's Gull, and 100s of Anhinga. The RBA received 3 reports totaling 5 SWALLOW-TAILED KITE. Scott Young was lucky enough to see 3 Swallow-tailed Kite at Roy Kizer Golf Course. Thanks to all those who called in to report sightings from all over the eastern 2/3 of Travis County."

Swallow-tailed Kite: (2) 8 April (Susan Schaezler), her land, Guadalupe County [rare].

Susan Schaezler, "4-8-02 Kettle formation 930 a.m. I just returned from seeing if there were birds down from the storm last night - it was foggy and the sun was breaking through when I left. The trees have lots of Hawks in them, along with the towers - they were everywhere! I also had 2 Swallow-tail Kites fly over me--beautiful. The large birds were drying their wings and as I checked the 2nd field, they were lifting off and 2 kettles were forming of mixed birds, but mostly Broad-winged Hawks. It was truly beautiful to observe! As I returned to my home, there were a different hawk species kettling above my home--I just hope some of my pictures come out, but for now, I'm switching to my true love--warblers."

Swallow-tailed Kite: (2 adults) 13 April (David Wolf), US 59/259 junction, over Central Heights, Nacogdoches County [rare; very few county records].
Swallow-tailed Kite: (2) 28 April to 8 May but not thereafter (Vanessa Adams, Darrell Pogue, Peter Barnes, Brooke Nicotra), Old Sabine Bottom WMA, Smith County [nesting suspected; probable first county record].

Peter Barnes, "Vanessa Adams found two SWALLOW-TAILED KITES at the Old Sabine Bottom WMA in Smith County on April 28. They may be nesting as she has seen them several times over the past 10 days, and they have been confirmed by Darrell Pogue, Brooke Nicotra and myself, most recently this morning, May 8.

Swallow-tailed Kites were observed regularly in their usual Liberty County haunts.
Swallow-tailed Kite: (1) 12 March (Ellen Pickett, fide Barbara Tilton), corner of Bowie & Trinity Streets in Liberty, Liberty County [uncommon].
Swallow-tailed Kite: (2) 1 April (Sue Davison), 1 in Dayton, other 10 miles northeast of Dayton on FM 1008 in Kenefick community, Liberty County [occasional].
Swallow-tailed Kite: (1) almost daily from ~21 April to 22 May; (3) 22 May (Stacey Huffman), FM 1409, 1 mile north of Old River, Liberty/Chambers county line [uncommon].

Stacey Huffman, "For the past month I have seen a single Swallow-tailed Kite almost daily between 10:00am and noon. Yesterday (May 22) I had 3 of them fly over at 11:45 am. I live on FM 1409 on the Chambers/Liberty County line just one mile North of Old River."

White-tailed Kite: (1) 9 March (John Gower), private ranch near Ding Dong, southwestern Bell County [rare].
White-tailed Kite: (1) 6 April (Karl Kosciuch, Meg Byerly), Highway 21, ~1 mile west of Old Dime Box, Lee County [rare].
White-tailed Kite: (1 near last year's abandoned nest site) 14 April (Jesse Fagan), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches County [casual].

David Wolf, "One at Alazan Bayou WMA (site of last year's failed breeding attempt) on April 14 was apparently a one-day wonder (Jesse Fagan) and no others have been found in our area before or since this year."

White-tailed Kite: (1) 4 May (Darrell Vollert), US290 between Brenham and Chappell Hill, Washington County [rare].

Darrell Vollert, "Saturday, May 4th I spotted a White-tailed Kite soaring over US290 between Brenham and Chappell Hill. This is only my third sighting of a White-tailed Kite in Washington County."

Mississippi Kite: (80) 30 March (Brush Freeman), near Utley, Bastrop County [uncommon, FOS, large count].

Brush Freeman, "This morning there was a significant push of raptors passing through western Bastrop Co… Around 11:05 I noted a long string of mixed raptors passing over mostly Broad-wings and Swainson's but a few accipiters as well. After that rather large initial passage came a number of smaller kettles and lots of single birds and then a rather large kettle of ~80 Mississippi Kites, this seems early for such a large group of Miss. Kites but I guess it is not."

Bald Eagle: (1 immature) 12 March (Tim Fennell), Lake O' the Pines, Marion County [uncommon].
Bald Eagle: (1) 23 March (Richard Brett, Frank Smith), Lampasas River at Hwy 190, Bell County [late departure].
Bald Eagle: (1 on nest) 30 January; 15 February; 7 March; but empty nest on 15 March; (1 adult, 1 second year bird, empty nest) 23 March (Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake Irrigation Field, Angelina County [uncommon].
Bald Eagle: (1 adult) 8 April (Charles Bryant), Lake Conroe dam, Montgomery County [uncommon].
Bald Eagle: (1 immature) 7 April (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches County [uncommon].
Bald Eagle: (2 immature) 10 April; (1 adult) 21 April (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [uncommon].
Bald Eagle: (85 young eagles produced on 64 occupied territories) spring (fide Chris Gregory), East Texas [production doubled since 5 years ago].

Chris Gregory, 14 May, "We have recently completed our aerial surveys and the eagle production in east Texas continues to grow. Our preliminary results show that we monitored 64 occupied territories that produced 85 young eagles. This production is nearly double of what we saw just five years ago." [Chris is Wildlife Biologist for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Livingston].

Northern Harrier: (1) 21 April (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [late departure].
Northern Harrier: (1) 22 April (Eddie Ray), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [late departure].

Sharp-shinned Hawk: (1 male) 18 March (Bob Bird), back yard, Angelina County.

Nancy Bird, "On the morning of 3/18, Bob spotted our "winter resident" male Sharp-shinned Hawk setting on a fence post just behind the feeders in our back yard. As we were watching him, I noticed a very nervous female Northern Cardinal in the scrub just below the Sharp-shinned Hawk. I told Bob, "she is a goner!" As we watched the Sharp-shinned looking around then all at once he took off toward a nearby Pear tree which was in bloom. Birds scattered, but the Sharp-shinned Hawk caught one of the birds going to the ground just under the tree with it. We watched as he stomped his prey over and over again. We figure he was trying to kill it with his talons. About this time we got the glimpse of a large bird flying across our back yard, the Sharp-shinned Hawk took flight carrying it's prey! We initially assumed the big bird was a Red-shouldered Hawk, but to our amazement we found a Barred Owl landed in the exact spot on the ground the Sharp-shinned Hawk had been only moments before. After a few minutes of looking around on the ground for the Sharp-shinned Hawk's prey the Barred Owl flew up into a tree nearby. I'm sure he was disappointed at not getting an "easy" lunch."

Sharp-shinned Hawk: (1 eating a waxwing) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [interesting observation].

Sharp-shinned Hawk: (1) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), Lackey Ranch Road, DeWitt County [late migrant].

Cooper's Hawk: (1 immature) 5 April (Keith Arnold), trapped inside Manor East Mall, Bryan, Brazos County [Keith, "We tried to 'herd' it to one of the doors, but I finally caught up with and as I held it in my hands, it expired."].

Cooper's Hawk: (12) 8 April (Rob Fergus), eastern Travis County [part of huge migrant concentration].

Rob Fergus, "Thinking eastern Travis County might be the place to be after the rains last night, I headed out to Blake Manor road and found the huge movement of Broadwings heading E-NE. ... Other birds moving--150+ Swainson's, 12 Cooper's Hawks, 1 American Kestrel, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 1 Osprey."

Cooper's Hawk: (1) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [late departure].

Harris's Hawk: (1) 6 May (Brush Freeman), 304 & Ott Road, south Bastrop County [very rare; second county record].

Broad-winged Hawk (dark morph): (1) 9 March (Oscar Carmona), Hwy 6 about 15 miles north of Bryan, Robertson County [rare form; breeds only in Alberta].

Oscar Carmona, "While driving back to Huntsville from a meeting on March 9th, I spotted a Dark Morph Broad-winged Hawk along Hwy 6 about 15 miles north of Bryan. The bird was alone, but there was evidence of a small movement of Broad-wings as I had eyed some along the way. The Dark Morphs are uncommon but can sometimes be picked out of those large kettles of light morphs."

An spectacular migration of Broad-winged Hawks caused a flood of excitement among Central Prairie birders in early April.
Broad-winged Hawk: (100,000+) 7 April (fide Austin RBA), eastern two-thirds of Travis County [unusually high count].

Austin RBA, Shawn Ashbaugh, "On the 7th: Starting at around 4:00 pm, the RBA was flooded with phone calls from birders who witnessed the large raptor movement through central Texas. 100s of thousands of Broad-winged Hawks moved through the area between approximately 12:00 pm Sunday the 7th and 12 pm Monday the 8th."

Broad-winged Hawk: (204) 8 April (Peggy Harding), over Rusk County [unusually high concentration for spring migration in East Texas].

Broad-winged Hawk: ("lots") 8 April (Susan Schaezler), Guadalupe County.

Susan Schaezler, "4-8-02 Kettle formation 9:30 a.m. I just returned from seeing if there were birds down from the storm last night - it was foggy and the sun was breaking through when I left. The trees have lots of Hawks in them, along with the towers - they were everywhere! I also had 2 Swallow-tail Kites fly over me--beautiful. The large birds were drying their wings and as I checked the 2nd field, they were lifting off and 2 kettles were forming of mixed birds, but mostly Broad-winged Hawks. It was truly beautiful to observe!"

Broad-winged Hawk: (300,000) 8 April (Rob Fergus), eastern Travis County [huge migrant concentration].

Rob Fergus, "Thinking eastern Travis County might be the place to be after the rains last night, I headed out to Blake Manor road and found the huge movement of Broadwings heading E-NE. From 10-11am over 150,000 went through in huge kettles at which point I stopped counting and concentrated on finding non-broadwings. Total estimate from 10am-1pm--over 300,000 birds (including one beautiful dark phase)."

Rob Fergus, later in day, "Just checking the NEXRAD images on www.intellicast.com--looks like the largest broadwing movement is now over eastern Williamson and western Lee Counties. Check the Killeen Radar and look for the big 'cloud' of birds moving NE on the animated radar image. "

Broad-winged Hawk: ("steady stream") 9 April (Karen Arquette) Waco, McLennan County [huge migrant concentration].

Karen Arquette, Waco Treatment plant 04/09/02 12pm - 1:30pm, "A steady stream of Raptors were migrating over head while we were there: Mississippi Kite, N. Harrier, Coppers Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Swainson's Hawk."

Broad-winged Hawk: ("many") 9 April (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County.

Brush Freeman, "Also of note locally were 4 Tri-colored Herons flying over around 6:10 as well as many Broad-wingeds coming down to roost around 7:00pm to the Wilbarger drainage just a mile to my north."

Broad-winged Hawk: (1 on nest) 27 May (Guy Luneau), Rusk County [Peter Barnes, "a low-density breeder in north-east Texas"].
Broad-winged Hawk: (1 calling in flight through pines) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Park Rd 1C, Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [rare].

Swainson's Hawk: (1) 19 March (Derek Muschalek), his yard 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [early migrant].
Swainson's Hawk: (140) 30 March (Brush Freeman), near Utley, Bastrop County [good count].
Swainson's Hawk: (100s) 7 April (fide Austin RBA), eastern two-thirds of Travis County [high count].
Swainson's Hawk: (~150) 8 April (Rob Fergus), eastern Travis County [good count].
Swainson's Hawk: (1) 4 and 20 May (Darrell Vollert), Brazos River Road, Washington County [probably nesting].
Swainson's Hawk: (1) 18 May (Darrell Vollert), flying east over Clarann Estate, Chappell Hill, Washington County [local breeder?].

Zone-tailed Hawk?: (1) 2 May (Byron Stone), Webberville Park, eastern Travis County [casual].

Byron Stone, "At Webberville Park in eastern Travis County, on Thursday May 2, 2002, during a brief morning visit, I saw a probable juvenile ZONE-TAILED HAWK (Buteo albonotatus). This was a large, very dark, long-tailed hawk which was seen first at high altitude to the northeast from the Couch's Kingbird nest-site near the boat ramp. The ZT Hawk went into a half-folded-wing stoop and dropped down to near tree-top level flying upriver, after which I lost it in the trees - it may have landed on perch or prey. I could see the solid black underwing coverts contrasting with the slightly less dark primaries and secondaries. At the bird's closest approach (probably 100 yards) I could clearly see the fine barring on the underside of the flight feathers. The tail remained folded and I could not see any prominent light band - the tail appeared uniformly dark. I did not think to note leg color, and I'm not sure I could have made it out on this backlit bird. I welcome comments from others who have more familiarity with ZTHA than I do (having seen a grand total of about 6 in the field)."

Harlan's (Red-tailed) Hawk: (1) 3 March (Guy Luneau), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [occasional].

Ferruginous Hawk: (1 juvenile) 6 March (Mel Hochhalter), Webberville County Park, eastern Travis County [rare].

Mel Hochhalter, "Lacked the chestnut markings on underwings, so I assume it was a juv. It was hanging around a nest."

Crested Caracara: (1) 13 April (Troy & Marla Hibbits), FM 2486 about 2-3 miles east of the Comanche County line, Hamilton County [not much data for this county; rare?].
Crested Caracara: (1) 14 April (Matt White), near Campbell, Hunt County [further evidence of range expansion in western portions of East Texas].
Crested Caracara: (1) 11 May (David Henderson), Big Brown Lake Mine Reclamation Area, Freestone County [rare this far north].

American Kestrel: (1) 21 April (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [uncommon at end of April].
American Kestrel: (at least 3 breeding pairs carrying food to nests) mid to late May (David Wolf, Jesse Fagan), within Loop 224 around Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County [nesting data].
American Kestrel: (1) 11 May (Ellen Ratoosh), Hwy 50 just south of Buffalo Ranch, Brazos River bottoms, Burleson County [very late departure; dates after first week of May usually are associated with breeding birds, but kestrels are not known to breed in this county].

Merlin (Richardson's race): (1 adult male) 2 March (Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau, Scott Luneau), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [rare].

Peter Barnes, "The richardsonii race of the Merlin is the pale form that breeds on the northern Great Plains, and the male differs from the widespread columbaris nominate race in having a paler gray-blue back and wings that contrast with the black wingtips, and pale cheeks that lack the "teardrop" in columbaris."

Merlin: (1) 15 March (Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake Irrigation Field, Angelina County [very rare].
Merlin: (1 male) 25 March (Bert Frenz), I-35 at Elm Mott, McLennan County [occasional].
Merlin: (1) 9 April (Derek Muschalek), his yard 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [rare].
Merlin: (1) 14 April (David Wolf), McAlister Park on Sam Rayburn Reservoir, Nacogdoches County [occasional].

Peregrine Falcon: (1) 8 April (Rob Fergus), eastern Travis County [in huge migrant concentration].
Peregrine Falcon: (1) 18 April (David Wolf), Nacogdoches ponds, Nacogdoches County [occasional].
Peregrine Falcon: (1) 19 April (John Muldrow, David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [uncommon].

TURKEYS TO CRANES

Wild Turkey: (31) 19 March (Colin Bludau), CR 185, 5 miles southwest of Karnes City, Karnes County [unusually large number].
Wild Turkey: (1) 5 April (Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake, Angelina County [rare].

Nancy Bird, "Our first ever reported Wild Turkey in the Ryan Lake area was seen by Georgette on 4/5 - Georgette spoke with the Temple-Island foreman [Brad] and was told they have been seeing as many as 10-12 in the area over the past several years."

camera.GIF (1399 bytes) camera.GIF (1399 bytes) Wild Turkey: (1 hen with nest of 7 destroyed eggs) 27 May (Shirley Wilkerson), Comanche, Comanche County [status?].

Shirley Wilkerson, "May 27th in Comanche, a female turkey, with her nest just destroyed a few hours earlier. Appeared to be about 7 eggs destroyed in nest. Pictures attached."

An unusually large number of reports of Northern Bobwhite included many sightings in Brazos County in strange urban environments.
Northern Bobwhite: (1 heard only) 25 March (Dawn Wenzel), private land adjacent to Lick Creek Park, College Station, Brazos County [rare].
Northern Bobwhite: (1 adult male) 20 April (Mary Dabney Wilson), College Hills subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [rare, especially in the city; first report in RBA area in 1 year; first report in Brazos County in 3 years].

Mary Dabney Wilson, "On Saturday April 20 ca. 7:30a.m. while sitting on my porch watching the backyard birds, out of the corner of my eye I caught some movement. When I looked, I was amazed to see an adult male Northern Bobwhite parading along my side fence line, it the yard, not in the shrubs. When it reached my back privacy fence, it walked along it until it decided to hop up to the top and over into the backyard of my back neighbor. Later I heard the Bobwhite call in the distance, from the direction he had been going. I live in the College Hills neighborhood, one block northeast of Thomas Park, right off of Walton. I was stunned!"

Northern Bobwhite: (2-4) 11-25 April (Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau, Scott Luneau), Rusk County [rare].
Northern Bobwhite (probable): (1 adult male) 25 April (Bill Page), near Barnhill's parking lot on Texas Avenue, College Station, Brazos County [rare; no suitable habitat at this location].
Northern Bobwhite: (1 calling) 25 April (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].
Northern Bobwhite: (1 immature) 27 April (Marguerite Van Dyke), her driveway, Bryan, Brazos County [rare].

Marguerite Van Dyke, "On Sun. April 27th a bobwhite paraded down our gravel driveway … in Bryan--(I grew up on a farm and know bobwhites when I see one, but this was rather unbelievable! It was not fully grown.) Paul was still asleep and missed the excitement, but he thinks an immature may have been attracted by other birds at my feeders or was just exploring around."

Northern Bobwhite: (1) 5 May (Judy Winn), running through a gas station on Villa Maria and Boonesville Rd, Bryan, Brazos County [rare; unusual habitat].

Judy Winn, "Day before yesterday (May 5) I saw one cross the road at the Villa Maria/Booneville Rd. intersection. It ran from a gas station on one corner to a yard on the other. I was shocked, to say the least! Couldn't tell whether it was male or female, but looked to be an adult."

Northern Bobwhite: (8) ~24 April (Mary Ann Grahmann); (1 calling, 1 juvenile) 15 May (Mary Ann Grahmann, Darrell Vollert), Chadwick-Hogan Road, Chappell Hill, Washington County [rare].

Northern Bobwhite: (2) 4 June (Darrell Vollert), Rocky Hill School Road, Burton BBS, Washington County [rare].

Virginia Rail: (2-4) 9 March to 7 April (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches County [occasional].

David Wolf, "From 4-2 individuals were present at Alazan Bayou WMA (Nac Co) from March 9-April 7 (David Wolf); none had been found here all fall or winter before this, nor were any found after this."

Sora: (1) 14 April (David Wolf), TX 147 causeway, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, San Augustine County [occasional].
Sora: (3+) 6 April; (8+) 20 April; (2) 2 May (Tim Fennell), marsh below Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [uncommon].

American Coot: (300) 21 April (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [good count].

PLOVERS TO SANDPIPERS

American Golden-Plover: (26) 25 March (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare].
American Golden-Plover: (200+) 31 March (Jesse Fagan), Nacogdoches Airport, Nacogdoches County [unusually large number following severe storms the previous day].
American Golden-Plover: (29) 31 March (Georgette Guernsey), Angelina County Airport, Angelina County [grounded following severe storms the previous day].

David Wolf, Pineywoods Scissor-Tales, XXIX, 9, May 2002, "It is a maxim that during spring migration 'bad weather brings good birds,' and this certainly happened after the very severe storms and heavy rain on the night of March 30-31. Jesse Fagan checked the Nacogdoches Airport and found 200+ American Golden-Plovers, and 500+ martins amidst other grounded birds on the runways and surrounding grassland, and Georgette Guernsey birded the Angelina County Airport and found 29 golden-plover, 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Upland Sandpipers and 6 Least Sandpipers. On April 7-8 heavy overnight rains (totaling 4.25 inches in some parts of Nacogoches) brought the creeks out of their banks and ropped a Ring-billed and 2 Franklin's Gulls and a smattering of shorebirds onthe flooded SFASU intramural fields. Mid-April, unfortunately, was dominated by a lack of frontal or storm activity, and therefore few migrants were seen."

American Golden-Plover: (310) 9 April (Guy Luneau), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [uncommon species, but remarkably large number].
American Golden Plover: (3) 17 April (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare].
American Golden-Plover: (2) 11 May (Peter Barnes, Hayden Haucke), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].
American Golden-Plover: (10) 16 March; (3) 2 and 6 April (Peter Barnes); (2) 11 May (Peter Barnes, Hayden & Rita Haucke), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [uncommon; May sighting is late].

Snowy Plover: (1) 3 May (Guy Luneau, Eddie Ray), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [very rare].

Semipalmated Plover: (2) 25 April (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger WMA, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].
Semipalmated Plover: (no.?) 1 May (David Shackelford), Waco, McLennan County [uncommon].

Mountain Plover: (42) 1 March (Tim Fennell); (28) 9 March (Tim Fennell, Roxie Rochet, Bill Eddie); (11) 14 March; (3) 16 March (Tim Fennell); (2) 21 March (David Shackelford, John Muldrow), Granger area, Williamson County.

Black-necked Stilt: (2) 8 April (Randy Pinkston), Lions Park, Temple, Bell County [occasional].
Black-necked Stilt: (2) 25 April (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lake, Round Rock, Williamson County [occasional].
Black-necked Stilt: (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].

American Avocet: (3) 26 April; (3) 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman at Longview, Harrison County [very rare in East Texas Pineywoods].
American Avocet: (1) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].
American Avocet: (2) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].

Willet: (5) 20 April (Tim Fennell), shallow area/submerged island east of Friendship Park boat ramp, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare; photographed].
Willet: (4 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [occasional].

Spotted Sandpiper: (32) 18 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [good count].

Whimbrel: (2) 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [very rare in East Texas].

Peter Barnes, May NETFO report, "May 13 was an outstanding day there, with 2 Whimbrel, rare in north-east Texas, 4 Willets, 4 Sanderlings, an impressive 350 Stilt Sandpipers, 40 Dunlin and 3 American Avocets observed (all GL)."

Hudsonian Godwit: (25+) 4 May (Ken Hartman); (~15) 7 May (Glenn Olsen, independently Shirley & Dan Wilkerson), rice fields west of Pyramid Plant on FM 529, southeast Waller County [rare].
Hudsonian Godwit: (1-4) 3, 9, 11 and 13 May; (52) 10 May (Guy Luneau, Eddie Ray), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [unusually large number; rare to occasional migrant].

Peter Barnes, May NETFO report, "Texas Eastman in Longview had the highest numbers and variety of shorebirds, with a remarkable 52 Hudsonian Godwits on May 10 (GL), and 1-4 birds on May 3, 9, 11 and 13 (GL, ER). May 13 was an outstanding day there, with 2 Whimbrel, rare in north-east Texas, 4 Willets, 4 Sanderlings, an impressive 350 Stilt Sandpipers, 40 Dunlin and 3 American Avocets observed (all GL). A Snowy Plover was another rarity there on May 3 (GL, ER)."

HuGoTF51302.jpg (21427 bytes)Hudsonian Godwit: (6 males, 2 females, alternate plumage) 13 May (Tim Fennell); (1) 19 May (Chris Merkord); (1) 20 May (Randy Pinkston), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare; photographed by Tim Fennell]

Tim Fennell, "What a difference two days and a north wind makes! Inspired by the passage of a cool front last night, I took the long way home from work by Granger Lake today and was glad I did. On Saturday (5/11), Eric Carpenter and I did a Big Day in Williamson County as part of Travis Audubon's Anniversary celebration. We worked hard in brutal 20+ mph south winds to come up with 25 individuals (10 of which were Killdeer) of 6 shorebird species (and were pleased and surprised to finish up with 117 species overall for the day).

Today, with the north wind, mudflats were actually present at Sore Finger WMA on Granger Lake and it was like Hornsby Bend had been dropped down in Williamson County! The following were present from 6:30- 7:30 pm. As the sun started to set and the wind dropped, the birds started flying around a bit so I don't know how long they will be around. Killdeer (5+), Lesser Yellowlegs (6), Spotted Sandpiper (9), Hudsonian Godwit (8), Semipalmated Sandpiper (10+), Western Sandpiper (5+), Least Sandpiper (10+), 'peep' species (20+), White-rumped Sandpiper (50+), Pectoral Sandpiper (30+), Dunlin (8, alternate plumage), Stilt Sandpiper (150+), Wilson's Phalarope (300+)."

Ruddy Turnstone: (1 male in alternate plumage) 28 May (Grant Critchfield); 29 May (Randy Pinkston), Temple Park on Lake Belton, Bell County [rare, second county record].

Randy Pinkston, 29 May, "Grant Critchfield of Temple called yesterday to report an alternate plumage Ruddy Turnstone at Temple Park on Lake Belton in Bell County. His find represents a second county record. The first record was from Stillhouse Hollow Lake on 20 May 2000. I drove to Temple Park after work to check it out. ... Ruddy Turnstone (1) male in high alt pl."

Sanderling: (4 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [rare].
Sanderling: (7) 17 May (David Wolf, Jesse Fagan), TX 147 causeway over Lake Rayburn, San Augustine County [David, "during strong cold front on May 17; rarest shorebird sighting this spring (there was little habitat available for this group."].
Sanderling: (1 in transitional plumage) 29 May (Randy Pinkston), Temple Park on Lake Belton, Bell County [very rare locally].

Semipalmated Sandpiper: (1) 28 April; (no.?) 5 May; (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes), north unit, Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].
Semipalmated Sandpiper: (1) 6 April; (10+) 13 May (Tim Fennell); (4) 19 May (Chris Merkord), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional].

Least Sandpiper: (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [late departure].

White-rumped Sandpiper: (14) 4 May (Tim Fennell, Lester Faigley); (50+) 13 May (Tim Fennell); (14) 18 May (Tim Fennell); (6) 19 May (Chris Merkord); (6) 20 May (Randy Pinkston), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [high count on 13th; uncommon; photographed].
White-rumped Sandpiper: (37 mostly in alternate of transitional plumage) 29 May (Randy Pinkston), Temple Park on Lake Belton, Bell County [occasional].

Dunlin: (1) 21 April;(1) 5 May (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare; first record for the WMA].
Dunlin: (40) 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [rare; unusually large number].
Dunlin: (8) 13 May; (1) 26 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare migrant, photographed].
Dunlin: (1) 27 May (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare].

Stilt Sandpiper: (150+) 13 May (Tim Fennell); (1) 20 May (Randy Pinkston), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional, unusually high number; photographed].
Stilt Sandpiper: (350) 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [unusually large number].

Buff-breasted Sandpiper: (25) 6 April (Peter Barnes); (1) 11 May (Peter Barnes, Hayden & Rita Haucke), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare; first record for WMA].

Peter Barnes, "A morning at Richland Creek WMA on Saturday, April 6, yielded 85 species. Birds of the day were a flock of 25 Buff-breasted Sandpipers, which flew over but unfortunately did not stop. ... This is the first sighting for the WMA. So was Dunlin according to the last version of the list that I saw. With the new ponds, I think that more shorebirds are going to be added to the list."

Short-tailed Dowitcher: (2 calling and in alternate plumage) 4 May (Tim Fennell, Lester Faigley), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].
Short-billed Dowitcher: (2, plus 55 dowitcher species) 16 March; (1 in alternate plumage) 5 May (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare].

Wilson's Phalarope: (1 in breeding plumage) 10 April; (2) 28 April (Peter Barnes); (1) 11 May (Peter Barnes, Hayden & Rita Haucke), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].
Wilson's Phalarope: (300+) 13 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [good count; photographed].
Wilson's Phalarope: (3) 18 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [somewhat late].
Wilson's Phalarope: (5 females in alternate plumage) 29 May (Randy Pinkston), Temple Park on Lake Belton, Bell County [late migrant].

GULLS AND TERNS

Franklin's Gull: (1 in alternate plumage) 9 March (Tim Fennell, Roxie Rochet, Bill Eddie), Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [very early migrant].
Franklin's Gull: (2) 16 March (Tim Fennell), San Gabriel WMA near Granger Lake, Williamson County [early migrant].
Franklin's Gull: (1) 29 March (Peggy Harding, Candy Troup, Lisa Evers), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [occasional].
Franklin's Gull: (300-400) 29 May (Randy Pinkston), Temple Park on Lake Belton, Bell County [large concentration so late in season].

Randy Pinkston, "Franklin's Gull (3-400) - an impressive number of birds this late in the season...they appeared to be departing the lake and moving away to the NNE as I arrived. Interestingly, most or all were in first alternate plumage."

Bonaparte's Gull: (8) 16 March (Peter Barnes, TOS Field Trip), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].

Caspian Tern: (6) 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [occasional; good count].
Caspian Tern: (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].

Forster's Tern: (1) 14 April (David Wolf), TX 147 bridge, Lake Sam Rayburn, San Augustine County [late; David, "this species leaves East Texas lakes surprisingly early"].
Forster's Tern: (6) 25 April (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lake, Round Rock, Williamson County [uncommon].

Least Tern: (2) 10 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [occasional].
Least Tern: (2) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [casual].

DOVES THROUGH NIGHTJARS

Eurasian Collared-Dove: (6-8) 1 March (Georgette Guernsey), Lufkin Mall area, Angelina County [absent during winter, first report since fall].
Eurasian Collared-Dove: (1) 21 April (Larry Coffman), Caldwell, Burleson County [first county record].

Larry Coffman, "I have sighted a Eurasian Collared-Dove at my home in Caldwell, Texas. The bird was feeding at our bird feeder in our back yard. We didn't know what it was until I found a picture on the internet. Thought you might like to know since according to the map it has never been sighted in Burleson County, Texas."

Eurasian Collared-Dove: (2) 11 May (Tim Fennell), Cedar Hollow Road, west of Georgetown, Williamson County [extended territory].

Tim Fennell, "While this species seems established around Granger, this was my first sighting west of I-35 in the county."

Eurasian Collared-Dove: (pair plus 3-5 immature) 13 May (Maxine Pate), Brookshire, Waller County [still relatively rare in this county and the RBA area in general; this pair arrived in Spring 2001 and spent the winter].

Maxine Pate, "Last spring a pair of what I think are Eurasian Collared Doves began coming to our feeder. They apparently nested because, when young birds began leaving nests, there were 3-5 of what appeared to be immature ECDs--the collar wasn't as well defined as the adults, etc. We now have as many as 5 at a time at our feeders."
"We did have these birds at our feeders all year, including during the winter months. There were not as many, but we know that at least 2 stayed through the winter, perhaps the original pair."

Eurasian Collared-Dove: (1) thru 15 May (Fred Collins), continue to be seen along Cochran Road between Monaville Volunteer Fire Department and the point where Cochran turns east about 3 miles south of the fire station, Waller County [locally common].

Eurasian Collared-Dove: (1) sometime in May (fide Eddie Ray), Rusk County [new county record?].

Eurasian Collared-Dove: (2) 27 May (Keith Arnold), old US 290 in Waller, Waller County [occasional].

This season brought increased reports of White-winged Dove in Brazos County, but it is still uncommon here.
White-winged Dove: (3) 23 April; (1) 1 May; (1) 26 May (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [occasional status is increasing to uncommon].

Ellen Ratoosh, "This evening 4/23, while walking in the neighborhood, I was startled to see three White-winged Doves fly into a tree. One of them called briefly, then they flew off. This is the first time that I've seen more than singles in this area - not sure this is so great."

White-winged Dove: (1) 11 May (Jim Dixon), his feeder on Inlow Street, Bryan, Brazos County.
White-winged Dove: (1) 18 May (Keith Arnold), his yard, Bryan, Brazos County.

Keith Arnold, "I had a White-winged Dove in my yard onthe 18th, only the 2nd time as a 'yard' bird."

White-winged Dove: (1) ~30 May (Norm Dronen), Texas A&M University campus, College Station, Brazos County.

fide Keith Arnold, "Norm Dronen informed me that we now have at least 3 White-winged Doves on campus; you may recall that we had one for several weeks last summer."

Inca Dove: (2) 13 March (Gladys Guthrie), Angelina County [uncommon; first time in her yard for several months].
Inca Dove: (1 singing while on a nest) 15 April (David Wolf), Rayburn Dam, Jasper County [uncommon].

Black-billed Cuckoo: (1) 11 May (Tim Fennell, Eric Carpenter), Rivery Park, Georgetown, Williamson County [rare migrant].

Yellow-billed Cuckoo: (1 heard) 11 April (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [FOS, early arrival].
Yellow-billed Cuckoo: (1) 14 April (Darrell Vollert), Clarann Estate, Chappell Hill, Washington County [early].
Yellow-billed Cuckoo: (1) 16 April (Jack Windsor), Lufkin, Angelina County [a bit early].

Greater Roadrunner: (1) 12 March (Hazel Bluhm), Lake O' the Pines dam, Marion County [occasional].
Greater Roadrunner: (1) 12 April (Dick Pike), his home, Angelina County [occasional].
Greater Roadrunner: (1) 23 April (Guy Luneau), Rusk County [occasional].
Greater Roadrunner: (1) 23 May (Eddie Ray), Harrison County [occasional].
Greater Roadrunner: (1) 6-30 May (Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau, Scott Luneau), Rusk County [occasional].

Eastern Screech-Owl: (red morph building nest) 25 March; (gray morph building nest) 31 March; (8 hatched) as of 30 April (Hazel Bluhm), her yard, Marion County [nesting data].
Eastern Screech-Owl: (first fledgling) 27 May (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [nesting data].

Brush Freeman, "As if on cue, this evening I saw and heard the first fledged E. Screech Owl of the season for here at my place in Bastrop Co. If I remember correctly this is but 3 days later than I first heard them last year. The begging (?) calls the young produce have be be something that would strike the uninitiated as something quite odd.... I liken it to the moans of sick puppies. "

Great Horned Owl: (1 owlet with downy feathers) 15 March (Allen Jackson), FM2447, Chappell Hill, Washington County [see story].

fide Darrell Vollert, "First I have an owl story to tell you. Yesterday morning (3/15) I received a phone call from Allen Jackson, who lives on FM2447-West. He found a baby owl on the ground near his driveway and wanted to know if he should try to feed. Told him he shouldn't. I drove over to his house and saw the baby owl. It was a Great Horned Owl. The baby owl was covered with white downy feathers and already has an impressive raptor bill. The nest was high up in a Green Ash tree. One of the adult owls was on the nest and the owl peered down at us as we looked at the baby. Allen set the little owl on a bench and took a couple photos. He is going to give me copy of the prints when they are developed. I gave Allen the phone number of wildlife rehabber Charli Rohack. She is the director of Eyes of Texas Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rescue in College Station. Allen left me a message yesterday evening. First he was told to throw a rope over a branch as high up in the nest tree as possible, attach the rope to a bucket handle, place the baby owl in the bucket, and raise the bucket up as close to the nest as possible. Later in the day Charli called Allen back and told him that Great Horned Owls would not feed young in two nests. Charli found a surrogate mother for the baby owl in Independence. Allen's wife was going to take the baby owl to Independence this morning. Such small-town excitement!"

Short-eared Owl: (4+) 12 March (Tim Fennell); (1) 1 April (Eddie Ray), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [rare in East Texas, except this location].

Whip-poor-will: (1 heard) 15 March (Mike Manson, Lily Bartoszek, Joe Manson), College Hills subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [early migrant; only earlier area record is 29 Feb 1976 in Brazos Co. and tie with 15 Mar 1999 in Bastrop Co.].
Whip-poor-will: (2) 26 March (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [uncommon, his FOS].

Brush Freeman, "I had two Whips calling this evening just after dark. I didn't get out to check last evening as it was so cool. I usually get them here in Bastrop county around the 23-25 of March though."

Whip-poor-will: (2 heard) 15 April (Randy Pinkston), Salado, Bell County [not listed on the Bell County checklist, but seems likely to occur in migration].

Randy Pinkston, "This evening at dusk, indeed almost dark, I stepped outside on my front porch to listen for my first Chuck-will's-widow of the year. I have tried this since the 11th without any luck. Tonight I heard definite nightjars calling faintly in the distance but I couldn't discern the species initially. I really 'squinted' my ears and listened hard until I picked up at least two birds calling. The chucks were there for sure, but among them I picked up two very clear and definite prrrip-purr-rills. They stopped calling right after that. I heard chucks faintly a couple more times but traffic and wind noise have hampered my efforts since then. I have not heard either species for a couple of hours now, despite trying for the whip with a tape recording.
"I have wondered about Whip-poor-wills in Bell County since moving here almost eight years ago. My interest peaked the first time Brush Freeman posted his success with them each spring in Bastrop County. This spring seems to be a banner year for the species in Travis County as well. I know of no other records for Bell County."

HUMMINGBIRDS

Buff-bellied Hummingbird: (1) from 10 March (Margaret Cook), her feeders, northern Austin County [reappearing yearly since spring 1995].
Buff-bellied Hummingbird: (1) from 13 March (Sue Ruotsala, Billie Bernard), their feeders, northern Austin County [reappearing yearly since spring 1997].
Buff-bellied Hummingbird: (1) from 30 March (Marcia Effinger), her feeders, Old Chappell Hill Road, Chappell Hill, Washington County [arrived somewhat late this season; reappearing yearly since May 1998].
Buff-bellied Hummingbird: (1) 10 April (Derek Muschalek), his yard 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [FOS in his yard].
Buff-bellied Hummingbird: (1) 5-6 May (Jason Leifester), Elgin, Bastrop County [rare].

Jason Leifester, "A Buff-bellied Hummingbird has been making infrequent visits to our feeder in Elgin, located in the extreme northern part of Bastrop County. I first spotted the bird yesterday evening (5/6/02). Without binoculars and at a considerable distance, I could only tell that it was bigger than our usual Ruby-throats, and that its call was distinctly different from that species. After fleeting glimpses before and after work today, I finally managed a definitive look at the bird a short while ago."

Buff-bellied Hummingbird: (1) 26 May (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [rare].

Brush Freeman, "My neighbor down the road has had a Buff-bellied Hummingbird (still a notable occurrence here) coming into a ripe feeder since mid-late April. I checked it out briefly this weekend to quell my fears that the continuing reports did not relate to a 'better' species and suggested they change the month old, cloudy mixture."

Ruby-throated Hummingbird: (1 male) 15 March (Fred & Mary Brandt), their yard, Chappell Hills subdivision, 2 miles north of Chappell Hill, Washington County [early arrival].
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: (1 male) 16 March (Jimmie & Bob Putnam); (1) 18 March (Georgette Guernsey); (1) 19 March (Nancy Bird); (1) 20 March (Jack Windsor); (1) 20 March (Peggy & Charlie Watts), all at their respective yard feeders, Angelina County [FOS].
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: (1 female) 17 March (Darrell Vollert), Chappell Hill, Washington County [occasional].
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: (1) 18 March (Derek Muschalek), his yard 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [FOS].
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: (1) 20 March (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [FOS].
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: (1 male) 20 March (Frank Bumgardner), China Spring, McLennan County [occasional].
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: (1) 21 March (Joan Luneau), Rusk County [occasional on this date].

Rufous Hummingbird: (1) week of 11 March (Andrew Ebel), his feeder, Walnut Hill Drive, Brenham, Washington County [rare].
Rufous/Allen's Hummingbird: (1 adult female) 24 November 2001 to 31 March 2003 (David Cimprich), his feeders, Kempner, Lampasas County [rare, long residency].

David Cimprich, "first observed on 24 Nov. at my house near Kempner, Lampasas Co. and still present on 2 Mar. I've gotten video of the bird and can only be sure that it is a Rufous/Allen's. I've tried without success to get a clear shot of its tail spread. The bird is clearly an adult female with no rufous in the back or central rectrices and about 25 red feathers clustered in the center of the throat. It's come to the feeder twice while I've been writing this message."

David Cimprich, 14 May, "I last saw the Rufous/Allen's on 31 March. She had been chasing Black-chinned Hummingbirds from the feeders (one in particular) for a couple weeks. I was hoping that she would stay at least another day so I could say she was here in April, but she disappeared. However, I'm not disappointed; I thought that she would leave weeks before she finally did."

KINGFISHERS TO WOODPECKERS

Ringed Kingfisher (probable): (1) 2 April and 4 April (George Russell), Brown's Creek near FM 980, San Jacinto County [first record for Pineywoods of East Texas].

George Russell, 2 April, "Today, I was taking the canoe back down Brown's Creek, another creek on the preserve. I heard a bird that sounded like some type of kingfisher but its call was different. I flushed him three times and so only caught silhouettes of him but he was huge, at least he appeared much larger than a Belted Kingfisher of which we have many. Finally he got mad and flew overhead and back up the creek but he was against the sun and so appeared dark but extremely large. I am 95% certain that he must have been a Ringed Kingfisher. I do not know what else he could have been unless I was hallucinating."

George Russell, 4 April, "... The kingfisher began the 'machine gun' ke ke ke ke ke ke ke of the Ringed. I did not see the bird as he flew further downstream. I hoped to confirm the rufous belly by stalking the location from where it appeared he landed but instead of flushing the kingfisher, a Great Egret and a Bald Eagle flew off. A while later the kingfisher took off again, moving well into the distance and perhaps over the lake. He made the same call that in my opinion of watching birds for nearly 50 years, was a kingfisher but not a Belted. In the meantime a pair of Pileateds began laughing at me. I think they sensed my frustration in not having been able to confirm 100% that the kingfisher was Ringed and not Belted. Anyway, I am up to 99% certain at this point."

Bert to TexBirds, "I'm following up on a report of a likely sighting of Ringed Kingfisher in San Jacinto County. I've never heard of a record this far north, but I've noticed the species is listed on the Upper Texas Coast checklist. Can someone tell me where Ringed Kingfisher has been sighted historically on the UTC?

Jim Morgan, "Bert, I photographed a Ringed Kingfisher at Brazos Bend State Park in Fort Bend County on 04 Nov 1989. It was there for 2-3 weeks. I believe others photographed it as well. It was seen by many observers. My photos and documentation were sent to the TBRC and to the Texas Photo Record file at A&M. In fact, this may be at a time when I was still a member of the TBRC. I think the record was reviewed and accepted officially by the TBRC even though it was not a review species. Numerous rarities from the UTC were treated this way in the 1970s and 1980s (e.g. Brown-crested Flycatcher on Freeport CBC, seen, heard and photographed)."

George Russell, 9 April, "The Ringed Kingfisher has apparently moved on. Day before yesterday and yesterday, I observed and heard Belted Kingfishers at Brown's Creek. I am now close to 100% certain that the earlier bird had been a Ringed as the two kingfishers were entirely different, both in size and in call. It is too bad that I was unable to photograph him or that another person was not able to come and verify my observations. I do feel confident enough to suggest my sighting be listed at least as 'unconfirmed' just so folks can be on the look out in this area in the future."

Green Kingfisher: (1) 16 March (Sheridan Coffey, San Antonio Audubon field trip), Floresville City Park, Wilson County [occasional].
Green Kingfisher: (1 adult female) 25 March (Scott Young), Onion Creek, opposite bank of McKinney Falls State Park, eastern Travis County [rare].
Green Kingfisher: (2) 30 March (Colin Bludau), Cibolo Creek, Karnes County [rare].
Green Kingfisher: (1 male) 21 April (Tim Fennell); (pair) 25 April (Tim Fennell, Randy Pinkston, independently); (1 male) 2 May (Tim Fennell); (2 pairs, including one pair at a nest burrow) 11 May (Tim Fennell, Eric Carpenter); to at least 28 May (Tim Fennell), Rivery Park, North San Gabriel River near Georgetown, Williamson County [rare; probable first nesting record for county; photographed].

Tim Fennell, "This evening I decided to explore a running trail in Georgetown I had seen many times as I returned from birding the Granger Lake area. As I ran along the trail (which runs along the south side of the North San Gabriel River) I came to a beautiful spot with limestone cliffs and clear, shallow pools. I thought to myself that if I was around Lost Maples, I would be looking for a Green Kingfisher. Numerous Cricket Frogs were calling and one tick-tick call seemed odd compared to the rest. I thought it must be the power of suggestion working on me but I pulled out my binocs anyway (which I always carry in a fanny pack on such trail runs) and scanned the bank and, sure enough, there sat a male Green Kingfisher. He soon flew upstream. As I continued up the trail I continued to hear him and saw him one more time as he flew by with a minnow in his mouth."

Randy Pinkston, 25 April, "Today around 3:30 PM I tracked down Tim Fennell's male Green Kingfisher along the North San Gabriel River on the west side of I-35. I had no difficulty finding the bird according to Tim's directions. As Tim noted, the location is a nice shady sweep of river with limestone walls on its north bank. First I heard him. It didn't take long to spot him and I enjoyed superb views as he perched with a minnow in his beak, cocking his tail and giving frequent calls. Soon he flew upstream to deep shade near the bank and fluttered with something as he perched. When I looked I saw the female. I assume the fluttering was the greeting behavior as he fed her the minnow, but I suppose it could have been a quickie copulation(?). I watched both birds over the next half hour as they flew up and down this short stretch of river. Both were very vocal. Both birds made the typical staccato clicking sounds. Just as often the male gave a loud grating call, especially as he was flying along the river. Both birds were successful in catching minnows."

Tim Fennell, seasonal report, "Green Kingfisher - 4/21- 5/28/02: The birds of the season for me. High of 4 birds on 5/11 (two pairs, including 1 pair at a nest burrow) at Rivery Park, Georgetown. A probable first nesting record for the county. JPEG's obtained"

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: (1 male) 5 April (Darrell Vollert), Brenham, Washington County [somewhat late departure].
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: (1 female) 14 April (Darrell Vollert), Clarann Estate, Chappell Hill, Washington County [late departure].

Northern Flicker: (pair) 20 April (David Wolf, et al.), Dorr Creek Road, Nacogdoches County [very scarce breeder in area, but regular at this site].

Pileated Woodpecker: (5, including 3 heard only) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [nesting data; two appeared to be working out a previously used nest cavity].
Pileated Woodpecker: (fledglings) 24 April (Guy Luneau), Rusk County [nesting data, photographed].

FLYCATCHERS

Olive-sided Flycatchers were in good supply this spring.
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (2) 4 May (Cheryle Beck), Camp Tyler, Smith County [occasional].
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (2) 8 May (Peter Barnes, Brooke Nicotra), Old Sabine Bottom WMA, Smith County [occasional].
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (2) 8 May (Darrell Pogue, Brooke Nicotra, Peter Barnes), Old Sabine Bottom WMA, Smith County [occasional].
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (1) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), Adanal Ranch, Karnes County [fairly common].
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (1) 15 May (Truman Powell), Tyler, Smith County [occasional].
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (1) 19 May (Chris Merkord), San Gabriel WMA, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional].
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (1) 28 May (Brush Freeman), Webberville Park, extreme eastern Travis County [occasional].
Olive-sided Flycatcher: (1) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop County [late migrant].

Eastern Wood-Pewee: (2) 10 April (Georgette Guernsey), Kurth Lake, Angelina County [early arrival].

Acadian Flycatcher: (1) 13 April (Louis Debetaz, Carroll Moore); (1) 15 April (Georgette Gurensey), Angelina College Fitness Trail, Angelina County [early edge of arrival dates].

Traill's flycatcher: (1) 10 May (Peter Barnes), south of Tyler, Smith County [rare].
Traill's flycatcher: (1) 18 May (Tim Fennell), Georgetown, Williamson County.
Alder Flycatcher: (2) 17 May (Rob Fergus), McKinney Falls State Park, eastern Travis County [rarely identified].
Alder Flycatcher: (1 singing) 19 May (Jesse Fagan), Nacogdoches sewage ponds, Nacogdoches County [rarely identified].

David Wolf, "Singing Empidonax included a Willow Flycatcher at Alazan Bayou WMA (Nacogdoches Co.) on May 5 (David Wolf, Jesse Fagan) and an Alder Flycatcher at the Nac sewage ponds on May 19 (Jesse Fagan). Much remains to be learned about the migrations of these two species through the Pineywoods, so singing and identifiable birds are much appreciated!"

Alder Flycatcher: (1) 21 May (Brooke Nicotra), Old Sabine Bottom WMA, Smith County [occasional].

Willow Flycatcher: (1 singing) 5 May (David Wolf, Jesse Fagan), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches [rarely identified].
Willow Flycatcher: (1) 17 May (Rob Fergus), McKinney Falls State Park, eastern Travis County [rarely identified].
Willow Flycatcher: (2) 20 May (Darrell Vollert), Brazos River Road, Washington County [rarely identified].

Least Flycatcher: (1) 28 January to 1 March (Derek Muschalek), south of Yorktown, DeWitt County [out of season linger; rare].

Eastern Phoebe: (1 on nest) 14 March (Tim Fennell), Berry Creek, between Georgetown and Weir, Williamson County [occasional nester; photographed].
Eastern Phoebe: (1 on nest) 24 March (Tim Fennell), CR 337 bridge over Opossum Creek, Williamson County [occasional nester].
Eastern Phoebe: (1 adult near nest built in an old Barn Swallow nest; 5 eggs) 25 March (Karl Kosciuch, Meg Byerly), under the Thompson Creek bridge on Highway 21, Brazos County [very rare breeder in Central Brazos Valley].

Karl Kosciuch, "We observed the phoebe (assumed to be the breeding bird) near the bridge where the nest is located. I observed a phoebe fly under the bridge last year but found no nest. I've seen a few phoebe nests and it was the same shaggy nest I am familiar with. Built in the Barn Swallow nest, it was an open cup with a clutch of five white eggs exposed. We located the nest on Monday, 25 March."

camera.GIF (1399 bytes) Eastern Phoebe: (1) 8 and 9 April; (1 flying from presumed nesting area) 16 April; (1) 22 April; (2) 1 May; (female on nest, male nearby) 3 May; (2 adults) 24 May; (2 adults, 3 newly hatched chicks, 2 eggs) 30 May; (3 1-week-old chicks on nest) 6 June; (chicks fledged) 15 June (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [very rare nesting; in same area where nest was found last summer].

Ellen Ratoosh on 6 May, "… We saw the female on the nest, the male nearby. This is not the same site as last year, but nearby. I assume there are eggs, since there was no sight/sound of nestlings. Interesting to me is that this nest is built on top of some of those flute-shaped wasp nests. …

Ellen on 30 May, "… With the help of a step-stool and an inspection mirror, we found three newly-hatched chicks and two eggs in the Eastern Phoebe nest. Both parents were observed feeding the young, and the female is brooding the nest. The nest is about a foot below the roof of the culvert, which is 8' high. The culvert is made of smooth concrete, and is 10' wide, with straight sides, a flat roof, and a concrete floor. Today the water was only a few inches deep, but flowing fast after yesterday's storms (1.5" here). There is a single, inactive Barn Swallow nest nearby, but no other swallow nests. (Interestingly, the swallow nest is also built atop those flute-shaped wasp nests. I'm concluding that this is for mechanical reasons; must be a good support for starting a nest on a smooth flat surface.)"

Ellen Ratoosh, 6 June, "My neighbor, Barb Emery, took a bunch of photos of the Eastern Phoebe nest .... last Thursday, June 6th. There were three, one week-old nestlings, although in the photos they just look like lumps of fluff."

Eastern Phoebe: (1) 19 April (Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake, Angelina County [late or possibly nesting].
Eastern Phoebe: (3, including nest) 20 April (Tim Fennell), Jonah Loop, Williamson County [occasional nester].
Eastern Phoebe: (6, including fledglings) 26 April (Tim Fennell), Rivery Park, Georgetown, Williamson County [occasional nester].
Eastern Phoebe: (8+, including a nest with 4 nestlings) 2 May (Tim Fennell), FM 971, Berry Creek Bridge, Williamson County [occasional breeder].

Say's Phoebe: (1) 1 March (Tim Fennell), CR 438, Williamson County [occasional].
Say's Phoebe: (1) 16 March (David Cimprich), north end of Fort Hood, Coryell County [occasional].

Vermilion Flycatcher: (1 male) 11 March (fide Mike Manson), Lick Creek Park, College Station, Brazos County [rare].
Vermilion Flycatcher: (1 male) 26-27 March (Eddie Ray), Harrison County [very rare in East Texas Pineywoods].

Ash-throated Flycatcher; (1) 10 April (Derek Muschalek), Hwy 80, 3.7 miles north of Gillett, Karnes County [FOS, occasional].
Ash-throated Flycatcher: (pair) 26 April (Randy Pinkston), Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area, Bell County [occasional].
Ash-throated Flycatcher: (1) 2 May (Tim Fennell), CR 241, Williamson County [rare].
Ash-throated Flycatcher: (1) 4 May (Rusty Alderson), Leander, Williamson County [occasional].

Great Crested Flycatcher: (1) 31 March (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [uncommon, FOS].
Great Crested Flycatcher: (1 heard) 5 April (Georgette Guernsey), Kurth Lake area, Angelina County [early arrival].

Great Kiskadee: (1) 19 March (Derek Muschalek), his yard 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [FOS].
Great Kiskadee: (2) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [rare].

Couch's Kingbird: (pair) 28-29 April (Byron Stone, Aletha Snowden); thereafter to at least 29 May when young were present (m.ob.), Webberville Park, east of Webberville, eastern Travis County [rare nesting pair].

Western Kingbird: (1) 9 April (Keith Arnold), Texas A&M University campus, College Station Brazos County [early arrival].
Western Kingbird: (1) 10 April (Karl Kosciuch), Texas A&M University campus, College Station, Brazos County [early arrival].
Western Kingbird: (1) 13 May (Eddie Ray), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [rare].

Peter Barnes, May NETFO report, "A Western Kingbird was a surprising find at the Sabine Mining Company land in Harrison Co. on May 13 (ER), but is consistent with this species' easterly march through Texas over the past century."

Eastern Kingbird: (1) 30 March (Jesse Fagan, Claudia de la Cruz), Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County [early arrival].
Eastern Kingbird: (1) 31 March (Georgette Guernsey), Crown Colony, Angelina County [early arrival].
Eastern Kingbird: (1) 31 March (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [early arrival].

Eastern Kingbird: (20+) 7 May (Jennifer Reidy), BLORA (Ft.Hood), Bell County [good count].

Jennifer Reidy, "They were all over."

Randy Pinkston for Bell County, spring report, "Eastern Kingbird- Normally outnumbered 10 to 1 (or more) by Westerns, this year the ratio is clearly smaller."

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: (1) 14 March (Peter Barnes), Lake Tyler, Smith County [early arrival].

Peter Barnes, "Scissor-tailed Flycatchers were seen a little earlier than usual this year, with several reports in the latter half of March, the first one being at the Lake Tyler concession area on March 14 (PB). The first birds to arrive are typically males with very long tails, with the majority of birds arriving in April."

SHRIKES, VIREOS AND CROWS

Loggerhead Shrike: (1 nestling out of nest) 19 April (Toby Hibbitts), TAMU Research Park, College Station, Brazos County [breeding data].

Toby Hibbitts, "I saw a Loggerhead shrike nestling in research park today (4/19/02), however I did not see the nest. The bird was out hopping and squawking on the ground and moving around very well, but its chances of life are probably pretty slim with all the dogs out there. It seemed to be a early breeding event maybe worth noting."

Bell's Vireo: (2 singing) 28 April (Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau, Scott Luneau), TXU mine near Henderson, Henderson County [return to nesting site; rare in East Texas].
Bell's Vireo: (1) 29 May (Joan Dziezyc), Wellborn area, College Station, Brazos County [rare].

Yellow-throated Vireo: (3) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [early arrival].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (1 heard) 30 March (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [occasional].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (1) 8 April (Derek Muschalek), Klein Road, DeWitt County [rare - his first in last 19 years; occasional on Central Texas Coast checklist].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (1) 6 April; (1) 21 April (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (1) 7 May (Graham Gips), his ranch, Fayette County [occasional].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (1) 15 May (Mary Ann Grahmann, Darrell Vollert), Caney Creek, Washington County [occasional].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (6) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [good count].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (3) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop County [occasional].

Blue-headed Vireo: (1) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), Adanal Ranch, Karnes County [late departure].

Warbling Vireo: (1) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), Adanal Ranch, Karnes County [occasional].
Warbling Vireo: (1) 19 May (Guy Luneau), Sabine River, Panola County [late migrants or possibly breeding?].

Peter Barnes, May NETFO report, "A Warbling Vireo and 2 Yellow Warblers were singing along the Sabine River in Panola Co. on May 19 (GL). These birds may have been late migrants but raise the intriguing possibility of breeding in the area, since they are known to nest infrequently in Dallas and Johnson counties nearby."

Warbling Vireo: (1) to 19 May (Brush Freeman), Webberville Park, east of Webberville, eastern Travis County [rare].

Brush Freeman, "First a Warbling Vireo has been present since my first visit to see the Couch's and appears to be on territory. I have not had but one visit where I did not have the male Vireo singing lustily. There is also a first year Orchard Oriole which has also been present during the same timeframe. It also sings very often.
"I have not noted a mate present for either the Vireo or the Oriole as yet. But after watching these two birds now for several visits it appears to me that the Oriole and the Vireo tend to follow each other about and are never far from each other and usually in the same tree. If the Oriole flies to another tree the Vireo is soon right behind it. Often their songs over-lap to the point that a strange and weird bird is appears to be singing from the same location (i.e close quarter counter singing ??). I don't know what this means but find it interesting and wonder if it is not a matter of aggression/territorialism or acts of desperation due to a failure to secure mates by one or both birds.
"As with the Kingbirds, should evidence be found that the Warbling Vireo is in fact on territory and breeding is confirmed via young, a nest etc. It too would represent a first breeding record for Travis Co. and this part of the state. I plan to watch as best as I can or as time permits. There was a pair of these Vireos present through 19 June of 2001 and in that case the male also sang frequently, though I was never able to confirm breeding and was not present to check after the 19th for some time."

Warbling Vireo: (pair nesting in a cottonwood) 27 May (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare breeder].

Philadelphia Vireo: (1) 10 May (Peter Barnes), south of Tyler, Smith County [occasional].

Red-eyed Vireo: (14) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [good count].

Yellow-green Vireo: (1 adult) 3 May (Rob Fergus), Webberville Park, eastern Travis County [accidental; probably only the second record for the Blackland Prairies and remarkably the first was at the same park in 1993].

Rob Fergus, "This morning at Webberville Park in Travis County I had a bright adult Yellow-green Vireo in the same tree near the restrooms where the Couch's Kingbirds continue nest building. Bird was seen for a total of about 20 seconds over about a minute and a half, and flew before anyone else could see it. I observed the pale grayish crown without a dark lower border, pale supercilium, smudgy line through the eye, very yellow cheeks and side of neck extending out into the upper breast and down the flanks and across the lower belly and undertail. Back was greenish, but didn't seem too different from red-eyed vireo. Bill was large with pale flesh-colored lower mandible. Eye dark. Overall impression of head was of a pale, washed out red-eyed vireo with bright yellow cheeks and side of neck. Bird had crown feathers raised slightly, giving it a rakish, hat-haired look."

Bull. Texas Ornith. Soc., 28 (2): Nov-Dec 1995. Texas Bird Records Committee Report for 1994, Carl B. Haynie. p 36. "Yellow-green Vireo (Vireo flavoviridis) (9/8). ... One singing male returned for its second summer to Webberville County Park near Austin, Travis where it was again tape recorded and photographed during its stay 3 May - 8 September 1993 (Bruce Neville, Doug Emkalns, Greg Lasley; 1993-76, TPRF #1119, TBSL #203-11)."

Green Jay: (2) 26 April (Colin Bludau), FM 2102 4 mi SW of Coy City, Karnes County [rare].

American Crow kills Northern Mockingbird: 8 April (George Russell), San Jacinto County [unusual behavior].

George Russell, 9 April, "Yesterday, I observed something that I had never seen before. A couple of days ago I saw a mockingbird chasing a crow, which is not unusual. Yesterday, I saw a crow killing a mockingbird. It was a brutal and very unpleasant sight. I do not know if this was retribution or not, but apparently the crow consumed the mockingbird because when I returned to the scene about 15 minutes after the fatal attack, the mockingbird was gone as well as the crow."

Fish Crow: (6 calling) 12 March (Tim Fennell), Lake O' the Pines, Marion County [status at this lake?].

LARKS THROUGH SWALLOWS

Horned Lark: (1 skylarking and singing) 29 April (Guy Luneau, Eddie Ray), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [rare].
Horned Lark: (2) 24 March; (1) 24 May; (1) 26-28 May (Tim Fennell), FM 1105, north of Weir, Williamson County [breeding probable - territorial, occasional].

Tim Fennell, "Horned Lark - 3/24 - 5/28/02: High of 2 birds on 3/24 on FM 1105, north of Weir. Recorded on my BBS route (Walburg) on 5/24, the first time since the route was begun in 1980. They were last recorded on the precursor route (East Georgetown) in 1976. Same general area they bred last year."

Purple Martin: (500+) 31 March (Jesse Fagan), Nacogdoches Airport, Nacogdoches County [unusually large number following severe storms the previous day].

Tree Swallow: (2) 12 March (Tim Fennell), Lake O' the Pines, Marion County [rare; out of season].
Tree Swallow: (3 singing and examining cavities in snags in the water) 13 March (Ellen Ratoosh, Darrell Vollert), over Gibbons Creek Reservoir near the parking lot, Grimes County [rare; possible nesting].
Tree Swallow: (no.?) 10 March; (5) 16 March (Peter Barnes, TOS Field Trip), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].
Tree Swallow: (1) 21 March (David Shackelford, John Muldrow), north side of CR 346, Granger area, Williamson County [occasional].
Tree Swallow: (6 eggs in nest) 26 April (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman at Longview, Harrison County [one of the few locations where this species breeds in East Texas].
Tree Swallow: (3) 6 April; (1) 13 April; (2) 20 April; (2+) 25 April; (1) 6 May; (1) 11 May (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional; seen inspecting and entering same cavity during the period. Possible breeding.].

Tim Fennell, "On 4/6/02, three Tree Swallows exhibited some interesting behavior at Willis Creek Park on Granger Lake. Two of them (I could never tell if it was the same two each time) would squabble or court (couldn't tell which) out over the water where the sunken timber sticks up near the mouth of the creek. Then one would perch on the top of a ~ 12 foot snag while the other would perch at the mouth of a cavity about 2 feet below the top of the snag. The one at the cavity would go into the cavity but never more than half way. Meanwhile the third swallow would be perched on some other snag nearby. I watched this occur repeatedly over a half hour. I stopped back by a half hour later and they were still at it. This is the same area I had Tree Swallows through at least mid-June last year.

Tim Fennell, "Today (4/13) I stopped back by the same spot and one Tree Swallow was present. I watched the bird for 15 minutes and, during that time, it visited the same cavity as last week three times and stuck its head in the cavity each time. Immediately before each visit to the cavity, it had been flying back and forth over the water. It also occasionally perched on top of the snag or on nearby snags."

Tim Fennell on 20 April, "7 swallow species (including Tree Swallows at the same snag at Willis Creek Park for the third week in a row) "

Tim on 25 April, "Same snag for past 4 weeks."

Tree Swallow: (5 fledglings) 13 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [rare breeders in north-east Texas].

Peter Barnes, May NETFO report, "At least 5 Tree Swallows, rare breeders in north-east Texas, fledged at Texas Eastman in Longview on May 13 (GL)."

Tree Swallow: (1-2) 5 and 17 May (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf), TX 147 causeway over Lake Sam Rayburn, San Augustine County [late sighting; possible breeding].

David Wolf, "Late sightings of 1-2 Tree Swallows at TX 147 bridge on May 5 & 17 (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf) and Kurth Lake (Angelina County) on May 24 & 31 (Georgette Guernsey) hint at possible breeding sites (we have only one confirmed breeding record in our area, from June 2000 on upper Rayburn)."

Tree Swallow: (1-2) 24 and 31 May (Georgette Guernsey), Kurth Lake, Angelina County [late sighting; possible breeding].

Bank Swallow: (2) 22 March (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare].
Bank Swallow: (no.?) 1 May (David Shackelford), Waco, McLennan County [rare].
Bank Swallow: (3) 20 April at Granger Lake dam and Sore Finger WA; (1) 2 May at Granger Lake dam; (10+) 18 May at Sore Finger WA (Tim Fennell), Williamson County [occasional].
Bank Swallow: (100) 3 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [unusually large count].
Bank Swallow: (18) 19 May; (2) 20 May (Darrell Vollert), Chappell Hill, Washington County [occasional].

Cave Swallow: (3) 4 March (Darrell Vollert), Wichita Ranch near Chappell Hill, Washington County [occasional].
Cave Swallow: (1) 25 March (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [occasional].
CaSwTF31402.jpg (26917 bytes)Cave Swallow: (2 nests) 14 March to 28 May; (10+) 2 May (Tim Fennell), FM 971, Berry Creek Bridge, east of Georgetown, Williamson County [nesting; photographed].
Cave Swallow: (25+ nests) 1 March to 31 May; (10 on nests) 14 March; (15+) 20 April (Tim Fennell), in culvert under I-35 between HWY 79 and FM 3406, Round Rock, Williamson County [breeding confirmed].
Cave Swallow: (3+ nests) 28 May (Tim Fennell), CR 201 bridge over North San Gabriel River, Liberty Hill, Williamson County [breeding confirmed].

 

 

 

CHICKADEES THROUGH KINGLETS

Red-breasted Nuthatch: (1) 24 March (Rick Schaefer), Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest, Nacogdoches County [late sighting after scarcity all winter].

David Wolf, "Red-breasted Nuthatch - one at the Stephen F. Austin Experimental Forest (Nac Co) on March 24 (Rick Schaefer) was a surprise after their scarcity all winter."

Red-breasted Nuthatch: (1) during winter and early spring through at least 24 April (Darrell Vollert), FM1155, Chappell Hill, Washington County [late departure].

Darrell Vollert, 24 April, "This morning I found a male Red-breasted Nuthatch calling near the intersection of FM1155 and FM2447 in downtown Chappell Hill. Chappell Hill is located a half-mile north of US290 in Washington County. Furthermore, Chappell Hill is located 65 miles northwest of Houston. Most likely today's date is the latest a Red-breasted Nuthatch has ever been found in the spring in the Central Brazos Valley." [Actually, 26 April 1981 is the latest date for the area. - Bert Frenz].

Red-breasted Nuthatch: (1) 27 April (Guy Luneau), Rusk County [late departure].

Red-breasted Nuthatch: (1) 5 April; (1) 12 April; (1 female) 3 May (Darrell Vollert), Brenham, Washington County [late departure].

Darrell Vollert, "On Friday, May 3rd I found a female Red-breasted Nuthatch on Harrison Street in Brenham. I heard the nuthatch calling all afternoon."

D D Currie, 12 May, "Just spotted a Red-breasted Nuthatch in my yard in west Arlington. Is this late for this species?"

Jim Stevenson, "Wintering Red-breasted Nuthatches in the gulf states seldom stay past March. However, there are records in most southern states into May, which leads me to think they may be birds wintering farther south that are just passing through. But yes, even for that, this is a very late data."

White-breasted Nuthatch: (2) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [in same location as last year].

Rock Wren: (up to 3, including 2 singing) 14 March through 11 May (Tim Fennell), below Lake Georgetown dam, Williamson County [occasional?; breeding probable; photographed].

Rock Wren: (1 singing) 13 April through 11 May (Tim Fennell), rock quarry on D.B, Wood Road, .7 mile south of Cedar Breaks Campground on Lake Georgetown (just west of I-35), Williamson County [breeding probable].

Canyon Wren: (8, including 2 adults and 4 fledglings) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Lake Georgetown, Williamson County.

Bewick's Wren (eastern form): (1) 1 and 9 March (Tim Fennell, et al.), CR 438, Granger area, Williamson County [rare form this far west].
Bewick's Wren: (1) 25 April (Tim Fennell), Round Rock, Williamson County [occasional in April].
Bewick's Wren: (1) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Williamson County [occasional in May].

Winter Wren: (1) 16 March (Tim Fennell), San Gabriel WMA near Granger Lake, Williamson County [occasional].
Winter Wren: (1) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [occasional].
Winter Wren: (1) 22 March (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare, particularly this late].

Marsh Wren: (3) 20 April (Tim Fennell), marsh below Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [occasional].
Marsh Wren: (2) 21 April (Peter Barnes), south unit of Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [late departure].
Marsh Wren: (1) 22 April (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [rare in April].
Marsh Wren: (2) 2 May (Tim Fennell), marsh below Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [rare in May].

Golden-crowned Kinglet: (1) 18 March (David Wolf), Pecan Park, Nacogdoches county [somewhat late departure].

THRUSHES THROUGH WAXWINGS

Veery: (1) 17 May (Rob Fergus), McKinney Falls State Park, eastern Travis County [listed with "?" on 1999 park checklist, implying "recorded or expected, but status is unknown." Rare on Austin area checklist].

Gray-cheeked Thrush: (1) 18 May (Tim Fennell), Rivery Park, Georgetown, Williamson County [rare].

Hermit Thrush: (18) 1 March (Derek Muschalek), 8 miles south of Yorktown, DeWitt County [unusually large number].

Wood Thrush: (1) 7 April (Ellen Ratoosh), Brison Park, College Station, Brazos County [FOS, occasional in early April].

American Robin: (1) 25 April (Tim Fennell), Rivery Park, Georgetown, Williamson County [late or breeding].
American Robin: (2) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Meadow Lark, Round Rock, Williamson County.
American Robin: (2) 4 May (Tim Fennell, Lester Faigley), Granger Lake area, Williamson County.
American Robin: (3) 19 May (Ellen Ratoosh), Brison Park, College Station, Brazos County [uncommon; presumed breeder].
American Robin: (1) singing daily to 27 May (Darrell Vollert), FM1155 and FM2447, downtown Chappell Hill, Washington County [expanded nesting range].

Darrell Vollert, 7 May, "An American Robin has been heard singing daily near the intersection of FM1155 and FM2447 in downtown Chappell Hill. American Robins have not previously nested in Chappell Hill, but they do nest in Brenham which is ten miles away."

Gray Catbird: (1) 16 March (Tim Fennell), San Gabriel WMA near Granger Lake, Williamson County [early migrant].
Gray Catbird: (1) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [possibly on territory].

Brush Freeman, "The surprise of the morning was of this bird singing almost continuously from a dense stand of Yopaun, Blackberry and scrub ash) I suspect it is on territory and if so would represent a very nice record for the county if it is in fact breeding."

Northern Mockingbird: (fledgling with both parents) 9 April (Darrell Vollert), US290 one mile west of Brazos River, Washington County [early for fledgling; Oberholser lists 6 March as early egg date; Sibley gives incubation as 11-15 days and fledging as 12-15 days].

Darrell Vollert, "April 9- US290 one mile west of the Brazos River. I saw a surprisingly early Northern Mockingbird fledgling with both parents along a fence covered with blackberry vines. The fledgling mocker was branching near the nest. It was even more surprising to see this fledgling as an F1 or F2 tornado went through that area Sunday night. Trees were down in the area and barns were destroyed. I don't know how the mockingbird family made it through the storm. They are tough customers. Guess that's why they are the state bird of Texas."

Long-billed Thrasher: (2) 25 May to at least 1 June (Susan Schaezler), her land, Cibolo, southwestern Guadalupe County [casual; east and north of normal range; photos submited to Jeffrey Hanson].

San Antonio RBA, Georgina Schwartz, "2 Long-billed Thrashers were seen in a yard near Cibolo on May 25th, which is pretty much an eastern and northern record for this bird. Singing L B Thrashers can also be found at the S A Botanical Gardens and in the Brackenridge Park near at Tuleta and Brackenridge streets."

Jeff Hanson, "They're bonified Long-billeds. ...  Long-billed's recently historical range is only a few dozen miles away from the Schaezlers' property at best."

There were many reports of late departing Sprague's Pipit this season.
SpPiTF31602.jpg (22953 bytes)Sprague's Pipit: (1) 6 April (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [late departure].

Tim Fennell, seasonal report, "Sprague's Pipit - 3/1-4/6/02: High of 3 birds on 3/24 in eastern Williamson County. JPEG's obtained."

Sprague's Pipit: (1-2) late March to 8 April (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf), Nacogdoches Airport, Nacogdoches County [occasional].
Sprague's Pipit: (1) 10 April (Derek Muschalek), his yard 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [late departure; casual in April].
Sprague's Pipit: (2) 18 April (Fred Collins), his farm on Repka Road, Waller County [late departure; second latest record in area database].

Fred Collins, "Today I was driving across my pasture on Repka Road eliminating thistle and flushed 2 Sprague's Pipits. Quite a surprise to me. I don't think I have ever seen them this late. Two birds in fairly close association surprised me as well."

Bert Frenz, "Other April records: 8 Apr 1972; 10 Apr 2002 in DeWitt Co.; 11 Apr 1980; 15 Apr 2000 in DeWitt Co.; 18 Apr 1980 in Burleson Co.; 22 Apr 2001 in Bell Co."

Sprague's Pipit: (2 in scope at 20 ft.) 23 April (Derek Muschalek), his yard, 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [late departure].

Cedar Waxwing: (1500) 31 March (Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau, Scott Luneau), Rusk County [large flock].
Cedar Waxwing: (500) 29-31 March (Peter Barnes), Tyler, Smith County [large flock].

Peter Barnes, "Cedar Waxwings made a big push through north-east Texas at the end of the month with more than 500 birds in Tyler on March 29-31 (PB), and a huge flock of 1,500 birds in Rusk Co. on March 31 (GL, JL, SL)."

Cedar Waxwing: (12) 18 May (Eddie Ray), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [late departure].

WARBLERS

Blue-winged Warbler: (1 singing male) 8 April (Derek Muschalek), Klein Road, DeWitt County [occasional].
Blue-winged Warbler: (1) 10 April (Karl Kosciuch), Texas A&M University campus, College Station, Brazos County [uncommon].
Blue-winged Warbler: (1) 11 April (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [uncommon].
Blue-winged Warbler: (1 13 April (Louis Debetaz), Angelina County Fitness Trail, Angelina County [occasional].
Blue-winged Warbler: (1) 13 April (Sue Ruotsala, Billie Bernard), their backyard, north Austin County [uncommon].
Blue-winged Warbler: (1) 17 April (David Wolf), Pecan Park, Nacogdoches County [occasional].

Golden-winged Warbler: (1) 26 April (Rob Fergus), McKinney Falls State Park, eastern Travis County [occasional].
Golden-winged Warbler: (1) 5 May (Guy Luneau), Rusk County [occasional].

Orange-crowned Warbler: (2) 22 April (Ellen Ratoosh), Brison Park, College Station, Brazos County [toward end of expected winter residency].
Orange-crowned Warbler: (2) 25 April (Tim Fennell), San Gabriel WMA, Williamson County [occasional].
Orange-crowned Warbler: (2) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [late departure].
Orange-crowned Warbler: (1) 5 May (David Shackelford, John Muldrow, Frank Bumgarnder), soccer fields and Cobb's Branch, Waco, McLennan County [late departure].

Northern Parula: (22) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [good count; territorial; breeding probable].
Northern Parula: (25) 16 March; ("many") 6 April; (50+) 10 April; (50) 21 April;(no.?) 28 April (Peter Barnes); (no.?) 11 May (Peter Barnes, Hayden & Rita Haucke), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [good count].
Northern Parula: (19) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [common].

Brush Freeman, "Parulas 19 (9 were definitely Northern's) ... For about a month now there has been a persistent report of one, maybe even two Tropical Parulas near the lake in Buescher State Park. This would be a first Bastrop Co. record if it can be nailed down, and no one would like to secure such a record more than I. I talked to the park personnel this morning and they say that the observers who have described the birds did so well and after hearing these descriptions it would seem that it is a good possibility that Tropicals are somewhere there. Some of the observers are adamant about their ID. Despite over an hour of looking however I could only find 4-5 male Northerns near the lake. I have been busy this entire spring and was not able to get over there until this morning to check this out for myself. I had many more Parulas at other area locations in the area this morning (19 singing males in all) but did not see but about half of those. The ones I did see were all Northerns and most were counter-singing to other males. At this time of year with the other breeding warblers somewhat quiet and busy with domestic duties, these Parulas might appear to the visitor to be the second most common warbler after Pine Warbler of course, but I think that the Black & Whites are just mainly quiet now."

Magnolia Warbler: (12) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), Adanal Ranch, Karnes County [good count].

Golden-cheeked Warbler: (5) 13 April (Tim Fennell), Sweetwater Trail, which begins at Cedar Breaks Campground on Lake Georgetown (just west of I-35), Williamson County [rare].
Golden-cheeked Warbler: (adult male feeding two recent fledglings) 26 April (Randy Pinkston), Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area, Bell County [rare].
Golden-cheeked Warbler: (1 adult male) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Cedar Hollow Park, Lake Georgetown, Williamson County [rare].

Black-throated Green Warbler: (1) 18 March (Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau, Scott Luneau), Rusk County [early arrival].

Yellow-throated Warbler: (1) 16 March (Joe Orr, San Antonio Audubon field trip), Falls City Park, Wilson County [rare for region].
Yellow-throated Warbler: (1) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [territorial, breeding probable].
Yellow-throated Warbler: (1) 22 March (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [rare; east of normal range].
Yellow-throated Warbler: (1+) 29 March (Peggy Harding, Candy Troup, Lisa Evers), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [uncommon].
Yellow-throated Warbler: (3) 12 April (Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake, Angelina County [uncommon].
Yellow-throated Warbler: (1) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [territorial, breeding probable].

Pine Warbler: (50-60 males singing) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [common; good count].
Pine Warbler: (1) 15 May (Mary Ann Grahmann, Darrell Vollert), south of the junction of FM1371 and FM1456, northern Austin County [rare in May in this county].

Blackpoll Warbler: (1) 7 May (Graham Gips), his ranch, Fayette County [very rare].
Blackpoll Warbler: (1 male) 8 May (Kay Burnell), Appleby, Nacogdoches County [rare].

David Wolf, "Blackpoll Warbler - one male in Appleby (Nacogdoches Co) on May 8 (Kay Burnell) was our only rare warbler this spring. All other species expected in our area were found at least once, but numbers were low and the migration was decidedly "dull" and "undramatic", with no great fallouts or pushes."

Cerulean Warbler: (1) 12 April (Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake, Angelina County [rare; only report this season for Pineywoods area].

Black-and-white Warbler: (14) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [territorial behavior, breeding probable].
Black-and-white Warbler: (3) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County.

Brush Freeman, "... At this time of year with the other breeding warblers somewhat quiet and busy with domestic duties, these Parulas might appear to the visitor to be the second most common warbler after Pine Warbler of course, but I think that the Black & Whites are just mainly quiet now."

American Redstart: (1) 12 April (Brush Freeman), Utley, Bastrop County [early migrant].
American Redstart: (13) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), Adanal Ranch, Karnes County [good count].

Prothonotary Warbler: (1) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [FOS; early arrival].
Prothonotary Warbler: (1 male singing on territory) 29 April (Byron Stone), Webberville Park, east of Webberville, eastern Travis County [uncommon].

Byron Stone, "We also saw and heard a male Prothonotary Warbler which appears to be on territory along the edge of the river between the boat ramp and the fishing pier."

Prothonotary Warbler: (2-3 singing on territory) 4 May (Tim Fennell, Lester Faigley), where the river meets the lake, San Gabriel WMA, Granger Lake, Williamson County [breeding probable].
Prothonotary Warbler: (nesting) mid-Apirl through at least 8 May (Grant Critchfield), Rogers Park on Lake Belton, Bell County [rare in Bell County].

fide Randy Pinkston, on 8 May, "Grant also wanted me to mention that Prothonotary Warblers have returned to their haunts at Iron Bridge Park on Lake Belton as of three weeks ago. Grant first located the warblers last spring."

Prothonotary Warbler: (1 territorial male) 28 May (Brush Freeman), near boat launch, Webberville Park, extreme eastern Travis County [occasional].
Prothonotary Warbler: (1) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Park Rd 1C, Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [Brush, "appears to be on territory on the west end of the small lake in Buescher SP"].

Worm-eating Warbler: (1) 13 April (Sue Ruotsala, Billie Bernard), their backyard, north Austin County [occasional].
Worm-eating Warbler: (1 male) mid-April through at least 17 June (Robert Row), his yard, Jasper, Jasper County [southern limit of breeding area].

Robert Row, "A singing male Worm-eating Warbler has been around my house in Jasper (City of) since early-mid-April. He (and maybe she) shares a wooded area with a pair of Pine Warblers and they both sing together...almost every day. Rhandy Helton found two singing males 2 or 3 summers ago just west of Martin Dies State Park in eastern Tyler County. I saw one here at Martin Dies...at the spillway...last year July. This must be about the most southwest corner of their summer breeding area. We only occasionally see them here in migration and singing males in the summer are quite rare."

Swainson's Warbler: (1 singing) 10 April (Darrell Vollert), SH105 at Jackson Creek, along the creek between Gaskamp Road and Flewellen Road, Washington County [early arrival].
Swainson's Warbler: (2 heard) 14 April (Louis Debetaz); (3) 19 April (Georgette Guernsey), Ryan Lake, Angelina County [uncommon].
Swainson's Warbler: (1 singing) 22 April (fide Peter Barnes), Old Sabine Bottom WMA, Smith County [this is the only location where the species is thought to breed in Smith County].
Swainson's Warbler: (1) 10 April; (4) 21 April; (singing) 5 May; (no.?) 11 May; (1) 26 May (Peter Barnes, et al.), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [10 April is early arrival].

Peter Barnes, 10 April, "A Swainson's Warbler was singing at the extreme north-east corner of the north unit, where I have not previously observed them."
Peter Barnes, 21 April, "We had 4 singing Swainson's Warblers, 2 in the north unit and 2 in the south unit, and got good looks at one bird in the south unit. The easiest birds to find are those singing along the main road into the south unit."
Peter Barnes, 28 April, "Swainson's Warblers were not heard but I spent only a brief period in the south unit where they breed."
Peter Barnes, 5 May, "Swainson's Warblers were singing in both the north and south units."

Swainson's Warbler: (1 singing) 15 May (Mary Ann Grahmann, Darrell Vollert), Brazos River north of US 290, Washington County [occasional].
Swainson's Warbler: (1 singing) 25 May (Darrell Vollert), SH 105 along Jackson Creek near Gaskamp Road, Washington County [occasional].
Swainson's Warbler: (1 heard only) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop County [occasional].

Ovenbird: (1) 9 March (Kathy McCormack, Stu Wilson), in wooded bottomland along nature trail in Taylor Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [very early arrival].

Stu Wilson, "Kathy McCormack and I birded the Granger Lake area in Williamson County on Saturday, 9Mar02. The 40mph winds kept our species count down but we did have a couple of good finds highlighted by an ovenbird. The bird was located on the ground in a wooded bottomland area along the Nature Trail in Taylor Park on the south shore of the lake. Kathy found the bird and we each wound up having good looks. The current Check-List and Seasonal Distribution pamphlet for Birds of the Austin, Texas Region shows that the probably of seeing an ovenbird in March is something less than "Forget It!"

Austin RBA, "Stu Wilson and Kathy McCormack located an OVENBIRD in Taylor Park, which is on the southern shore of Granger Lake. This bird was seen well by both Stu and Kathy, and represents our first March record in the last 24 years (at least)!"

Louisiana Waterthrush: (5 including 3 heard-only) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [migrants or breeding?].

Brush Freeman, "Louisiana. Waterthrushes 5 (3HO) a couple of birds found well away from any water feature and may be just migrants."

Louisiana Waterthrush: (1) 24 March through early May (Peter Barnes), south of Tyler, Smith County [early arrival; territorial behavior].
Louisiana Waterthrush: (1 singing) 31 March to 13 April; (2) 14 April (Randy Pinkston), Stillhouse Hollow Lake, Bell County [possible breeding; rare].

Randy Pinkston, 22 June, "Single Louisiana Waterthrush was singing in appropriate breeding habitat at Stillhouse Hollow Lake Mar 31-Apr 13. It was joined by a second bird Apr 14. While this observation would suggest possible nesting by this rare summer resident, I neither observed nor heard the birds on subsequent visits to the area. This same area in previous years has supported small numbers of nesting Golden-cheeked Warblers. This year I found zero."

Louisiana Waterthrush: (1) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [late migrant or breeding].
Louisiana Waterthrush: (1 singing) 29 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop County [rare].
Louisiana Waterthrush: (4-5) 1 June (Brush Freeman, Paul Sunby, Matt Heindel, Mark Lockwood), Lost Pines woodlands of Bastrop County [rare].

Kentucky Warbler: (1) 6 April (Louis Debetaz, Jack Windsor), Ryan Lake area, Angelina County [early arrival].

Common Yellowthroat: (1) 16 March (Tim Fennell), San Gabriel WMA near Granger Lake, Williamson County [early arrival].
Common Yellowthroat: (3) 28 March (Jesse Fagan, Rick Schaefer), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches County [occasional in March].
Common Yellowthroat: (1 female foraging in a Yaupon Holly hedge row) 31 May (Darrell Vollert), Harrison Street, Brenham, Washington County [late departure for this county].

Hooded Warbler: (1) 17 March (Derek Muschalek), his yard 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [FOS; early arrival].
Hooded Warbler: (3) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [territorial, breeding probable].
Hooded Warbler: (1) 20 March (Georgette Guernsey), Old Orchard Park in Dibol; (2) 29 March (Georgette Guernsey), Crown Colony, Angelina County [early arrival].
Hooded Warbler: (no.?) 1 May (David Shackelford), Waco, McLennan County [rare].

Canada Warbler: (1 male) 15 April (Chris Merkord), Texas A&M University campus, College Station, Brazos County [occasional in April].
Canada Warbler: (1) 23 April (Lynn Smith), her yard, Angelina County [occasional in April].

Yellow-breasted Chat: (1) 24 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop-Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [territoral, breeding probable].

Brush Freeman, "Fairly hard to come-by as breeders in this area."

Yellow-breasted Chat: (1 singing) 24 and 29 May (Brush Freeman), Bastrop County [occasional].

TANAGERS AND SPARROWS

Scarlet Tanager: (1) 5 May (David Shackelford, John Muldrow, Frank Bumgarnder), soccer fields and Cobb's Branch, Waco, McLennan County [occasional].
Scarlet Tanager: (1 male) 27 May (David Shackelford), WMARSS, Waco, McLennan County [occasional].

Western Tanager: (1 male) 22 or 23 May (Jennifer Reidy), Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area on Ft. Hood, Bell County [casual; no records in October 2000 Bell County checklist].

Jennifer Reidy, "Last Wednesday or Thursday, I had a male western tanager at BLORA (Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area) on Ft. Hood in Bell County. I heard a bird singing loudly, and it did not sound like a summer tanager so I went looking for it. I saw it for a brief second before it saw me and flew away. I saw the red head and yellow body and noted white in the wings as it was flying away. I could still hear it singing from across the slope (and it was still pretty loud!). The song was not as warbly as summer tanagers - the song was composed of clearly defined phrases, about 3-4 times a minute he would repeat the same thing. I translated it as der de (pause) der de (pause) der deacher (deacher drawn out). This is probably a poor translation. I have listened to a few versions of summer tanager and one of western. It sounded somewhat like western, but not exactly (it did not sound like summer at all). I would have reported it sooner, but I was in Mexico this weekend. Anyways, westerns have not been reported from here yet so I thought it was a good bird."

Eastern Towhee: (1 female) 16 March (Tim Fennell), CR 156, Granger Lake area, Williamson County [occasional].
Eastern Towhee: (1 singing) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [uncommon].

Brush Freeman, "A real highlight as this bird was actually in song, a song I have heard only about a half dozen or so times in Texas. Though sounding familiar It took me a while to recall what I was hearing. I finally saw the animal."

CaSpTF5402.jpg (20525 bytes)Cassin's Sparrow: (2 singing and skylarking) 4 May (Tim Fennell, Lester Faigley), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [breeding suggested, but not seen after this date].

Bachman's Sparrow: (1 singing) 8 May (Georgette Guernsey), Kurth Lake, Angelina County [new location?].

Georgette Guernsey. "At Kurth Lake on 5/8, Georgette found a singing Bachman's Sparrow, 8 Prairie, 3 Hooded Warblers and 5 Yellow-breasted Chat. She also found a calling Pied-bill Grebe."

Rufous-crowned Sparrow: (2) 13 April (Tim Fennell), rock quarry on D. B. Wood Road, .7 mile south of Cedar Breaks Campground on Lake Georgetown (just west of I-35), Williamson County [status?].
Rufous-crowned Sparrow: (3) 2 May (Tim Fennell), Cedar Hollow Park, Lake Georgetown, Williamson County.

Clay-colored Sparrow: (2) 1 March (Derek Muschalek), 8 miles south of Yorktown, DeWitt County [occasional].
Clay-colored Sparrow: (2) 29 March; (12 singing and bathing) 23 April (Derek Muschalek), his yard, 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [occasional].
Clay-colored Sparrow: (Derek Muschalek), his yard, 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [occasional].
Clay-colored Sparrow: (1) 26 April (Jesse Fagan, Rick Schaefer); (2) 5 May (Jesse Fagan, David Wolf), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches [rarely-detected spring migrant].
Clay-colored Sparrow: (1) 26 April (Guy Luneau, David Ringer, Jason Pike), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [occasional].
Clay-colored Sparrow: (1) 28 April; (1) 5 May (Peter Barnes), south unit, Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [occasional].

Field Sparrow: (1) 10 April (Ellen Ratoosh), Brison Park, College Station, Brazos County [common, but toward end of expected winter residency].
Field Sparrow: (pair of adults with recently fledged and begging juvenile) 24 May (Georgette Guernsey), Kurth Lake, Angelina County [southern limit of breeding range in the Pineywoods].

David Wolf, "This is the southern limit of their breeding range in the Pineywoods as far as I am aware."

Vesper Sparrow: (3) 6 April; (1) 10 April (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [toward end of expected period].

LaBuTF3102.jpg (20839 bytes)Lark Bunting: (4) 1 March (Tim Fennell), CR 438, Williamson County [occasional].

Savannah Sparrow: (1) 17 May (Randy Pinkston), Salado, Bell County [late departure].

Grasshopper Sparrow (5+) 4 May (Tim Fennell, Lester Faigley); (no.?) 13 May (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area and Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [uncommon].

Tim Fennell, "None recorded on my BBS route [26 May]. Present in low numbers in the best traditional breeding sites."

Grasshopper Sparrow: (1-2 adults) 22-29 April; 15 and 18 May; (nest) 26 May; (nest with one chick) 27 May (Eddie Ray), Sabine Mining Company land, Harrison County [rare].

Henslow's Sparrow: (4) still present 11 March (Mimi Hoppe Wolf, Jesse Fagan et al., TOS field trip), farm near Nacogdoches, south Nacogdoches County [rare, but regular at this location].

Le Conte's Sparrow: (2) 6 April (Darrell Vollert), Clarann Estate, Chappell Hill, Washington County [late departure; rare in April].
Ammodramus species, probable Le Conte's Sparrow: (4) 6 April (Tim Fennell), marsh below dam at Granger Lake, Williamson County [late departure if Le Conte's].
Le Conte's Sparrow: ("several") 19 April (John Muldrow, David Shackelford), Lake Waco dam, McLennan County [late departure].
Le Conte's Sparrow: (1) 25 April (Randy Pinkston), Salado, Bell County [late departure].

Fox Sparrow: (1) 16 March (Peter Barnes, TOS Field Trip), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [rare in March].
Fox Sparrow: (2 singing lustily) 20 March (Brush Freeman), Lost Pines, Smithville/Bastrop area, Bastrop County [rare in March].
Fox Sparrow: (1) 24 March (Guy Luneau; Scott Luneau), Rusk County [late departure; at very edge of departure dates shown on Pineywoods checklist].

Lincoln's Sparrow: (1) 14 May (Derek Muschalek), Adanal Ranch, Karnes County [late departure/migrant].

Harris's Sparrow: (1 male, 1 female) 14 April (Mary Ann Grahmann, Darrell Vollert), Chadwick-Hogan Road, Chappell Hill, Washington County [late departure].
Harris's Sparrow: (1 male, 1 female), 17-19 April (Shirley Wilkerson), her feeders, Kurten, Brazos County [late departure].
Harris's Sparrow: (1) 1 June (Jason Leifester), Elgin, Bastrop County [exceptionally late departure].

Jason Leifester, "While not as exciting as the Common Redpoll in Cameron County, we had an interesting lingerer this afternoon. At about 3:30 p.m. today a gorgeous Harris's Sparrow made a brief appearance in our yard in Elgin. These sparrows were common visitors earlier in the year, but I haven't seen one since April. The pink bill and very large size made it stand out among the House Sparrows that were feeding on the ground around it, but something spooked all the birds and it disappeared into the thick brush over the fence from our yard after less than a minute of feeding. I thought I'd have to go to northern Canada to see this species in June!"

Pink-sided (Dark-eyed) Junco: (1) 21 January (Mimi Hoppe Wolf); (1) 17 March (David Wolf, Mimi Hoppe Wolf), Central Heights, Nacogdoches County [rare form].

McCown's Longspur: (100+) 1 March, Granger Lake area; (1) 9 March, CR 360; (15) 11 March, CR 353 (Tim Fennell), Williamson County.

GROSBEAKS AND BUNTINGS

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: (1) 20 March (Peggy Harding), her yard, Rusk County [very early arrival; very rare at this date].

Peter Barnes, "The first Rose-breasted Grosbeaks to hit north-east Texas must head directly for Peggy Harding's yard in Rusk Co, where one was seen this year on March 20, and last year on March 27. These records are extraordinarily early, and the rest of us must wait until late April to see this species."

Black-headed Grosbeak: (1 adult male) mid-December until at least 10 March (Molly Smith); 6 March (Jesse Fagan), Nacogdoches County [very rare].

David Wolf, "An adult male Black-headed Grosbeak wintered at the home of Molly Smith in Nacogdoches from mid-December until at least March 10; Jesse Fagan saw it on March 6. This was by far the rarest bird in this report, but not unprecedented. It has been nearly a decade since we have had a wintering individual of this species in our area."

Lazuli Bunting: (1) 17 April (David Cimprich), east side of Fort Hood, Coryell County [rare].
Lazuli X Indigo Bunting: (1) 17 April and 16 May (David Cimprich), east side of Fort Hood, Coryell County [very rare].

David Cimprich, "Indigo X Lazuli Bunting. 17 April and 16 May. This is a territorial male. It basically looks like an Indigo Bunting with white wing bars, belly, and undertail coverts. It has a couple brown feathers in its breast (at least it did on 17 April when it might still have been finishing up its prealternate molt)."

Lazuli Bunting: (1 male) 21 April (D. D. Currie, Peter Barnes, Dallas Audubon Society field trip), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [casual; first record for WMA and county].

Peter Barnes, "On Sunday, April 21, I led a field trip to Richland Creek WMA for the Dallas Audubon Society. Twelve of us braved swarms of gnats in the woods, but were rewarded with some nice birds and a trip total of 85 species. Bird of the day was a male LAZULI BUNTING, spotted by D.D. Currie and subsequently seen by most of us. Take the road into the north unit and follow it as it curves to the right. At the next intersection, turn left. The bird was in the bushes and short trees to the right of the road approximately 100-200 yards from the intersection. There were Painted and Indigo Buntings, Blue Grosbeak, and Yellow-breasted Chat in this same area."

Lazuli Bunting (hybrid): (1) 26 April (Beverly Nichols, Sonny Long), Atlanta, Cass County [very rare].

Beverly Nichols, "And some Blue Indigo Buntings ON the porch. Also ON our porch we have had a mixed hybrid Lazuli which looks to be mixed with Blue Indigo Bunting."

Lazuli Bunting: (1 male) 1 May (David Shackelford), WMRSS, Waco, McLennan County [vagrant].

David Shackleford, "Yesterday morning at the Waco treatment plant there was a single male Lauzuli Bunting. It was in an open area with several Indigo and Painted Buntings nearby. This is my first Lazuli Bunting for McLennan County."

Indigo Bunting: (1) 1 April (Guy Luneau), Rusk County [early arrival].
Indigo Bunting: (50-100) 21 April; (numerous) 28 April; (many singing males) 5 May; (75) 26 May (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [good counts].
Indigo Bunting: (75) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [good count].

Painted Bunting: (1 male) 9 April (Marcia Effinger), Chappell Hill, Washington County [early arrival].

DICKCISSELS THROUGH BLACKBIRDS

Dickcissel: (12) 26 May (Tim Fennell), BBS route, Georgtown, Williamson County [low count].

Tim Fennell, "Although present in typical numbers earlier in migration (200-300+ in a day), the breeding season looks bleak. On my 5/26 BBS route, 12 birds were present versus 68 at the same time last year."

Dickcissel: (150) 26 May (Peter Barnes, D. D. Currie), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [Peter, "much lower than in the previous two springs"].

Bobolink: (1 male) 27 April (Dick Pike, Robert Truss, et al.), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches [rare; only area report this season in East Texas].
Bobolink: (2-3 males) 10 May (Cathy Liles), CR 440, off Hwy 50 south of Buffalo Ranch, Brazos River bottoms, Burleson County [casual, this is only the fifth record in the 15-county area since records have been collected].

Cathy Liles, "A new bird for me - we saw at least two and probably three different bobolinks- all male on CR 440. The first was over some sorghum on the right, the second before the low water crossing near the trees on the left and the third right after the low water crossing on the left. The third was the most active moving up and down the fence, they were all closely associated with the Dickcissels and the last was singing. I'll bet they'll still be there tomorrow."

Darrell Vollert, 10 May, Washington County, "We have been experiencing gusty winds from the southeast and very warm days this week. …"

Tom Langschied, 9 May, King Ranch, "Today, one lone male Bobolink was seen on the Norias Division (Kenedy Co.) of the King Ranch. This observation represents the first observation of this species on King Ranch at least by my records. The location of this bird was at least 20 miles inland which was somewhat surprising since most records as recall in South Texas are close to the coast. After seeing the bird, I did notice that the wind was coming strong out of the east which may have helped. This bird was initially spotted and identified by Dr. Bart Ballard of the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at a distance of about 80 yards and then it flew to within 20 yards of us which was a nice surprise."

Ellen Ratoosh, "Lizzie and I drove down Rd. 440 off of Hwy 50 in Burleson Co. this afternoon, 5/11, from about 4:30-5:30. We hoped for yesterday's Bobolinks, but no luck. The wind was ferocious, as was the blowing dirt."

Yellow-headed Blackbird: (1 male) 29 March (Derek Muschalek), DeWitt County [occasional].
Yellow-headed Blackbird: (1 male) 22 April [Georgette Guernsey, Dick Pike, Jesse Fagan), Alazan Bayou WMA, Nacogdoches [first area report in quite a few years, maybe even a decade].
Yellow-headed Blackbird: (2) 24 April (Tim Fennell), Sore Finger Wildlife Area, Granger Lake, Williamson County [rare].

Bronzed Cowbird: (male displaying to female) 2 May (Tim Fennell), near Community Center in San Gabriel Park, Georgetown, Williamson County [rare].
Bronzed Cowbird: (1) 12-13 May (Jesse Fagan), Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches County [first record for entire Pineywoods region].

David Wolf, "A Bronzed Cowbird visited a feeder in Nacogdoches on May 12-13 (Jesse Fagan); excellent photographs were obtained and will be sent directly to Texas Editors. This bird appeared on a day of very strong south winds ahead of a fast-approaching cold front, and was likely an "overshoot". This is the first report for the entire Pineywoods region that I am aware of (and I specifically solicited info on this species when compiling the regional checklist). It may seem a bit surprising that this is the first regional report, since the species has been spreading northward and eastward for years now, but it is the first, and as such is quite significant. Like a number of other expanding species (i.e. White-winged Dove, Great-tailed Grackle), the Pineywoods would seem to be an ecological barrier to them that they have barely penetrated."

camera.GIF (1399 bytes) Brown-headed Cowbird: (1 chick in nest with cardinal chick) 18 May; (both left nest, one egg remained unhatched) 19 May (Shirley Wilkerson), Kurten, Brazos County [nesting data; remaining egg photographed].

ORIOLES THROUGH FINCHES

Baltimore Oriole: (20) 3 May (Guy Luneau), Texas Eastman in Longview, Harrison County [good count].

Purple Finch: (1 female) 9 February to 3 March (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [rare].

Ellen Ratoosh on 9 February, "I was very surprised this morning (2/9) to see a female Purple Finch at my feeder briefly, since it's been such a quiet winter, only a few siskins, juncoes, etc. I seem to see one per winter in my backyard here, but really didn't expect one this year or this late."

Ellen Ratoosh on 11 February, "The female Purple Finch was at my feeder again yesterday afternoon (2/11). She doesn't linger, though, and gives way to the House Finches."

Ellen Ratoosh on 16 February, "Purple Finch - I last saw the female in my yard on 2/16. This week-long stay is the longest I've ever had one."

Ellen Ratoosh on 27 February, "It's icy cold here this morning (2/27), about 18 degrees but thankfully yesterday's ferocious north wind has died down. I was very startled to see the female Purple Finch back at my feeder, since I haven't seen her since the 16th. Seems like it's getting pretty late for this species, and I've never had one hang around more than a day or two before."

Ellen Ratoosh on 3 March, "Freezing cold here with a vicious north wind the last couple of days and tonight's supposed to be record-breaking - in the mid-teens. The female Purple Finch has spent considerable time stoking up at my feeders today (3/3) and yesterday. Nice direct comparisons with the abundant House Finches."

Purple Finch: (3) 31 March (Guy Luneau), Rusk County [late departure].
Purple Finch: (1) 7 April (Jimmie Putnam), his feeder, Angelina County [very late departure]

House Finch: (1 fledgling) 31 March (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [seems early].
House Finch: (1) 23 April (Derek Muschalek), his yard, 11 miles northwest of Yorktown, DeWitt County [rare in this area].
House Finch: (1 fledgling begging from a female) 25 April (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [nesting details].

Pine Siskin: (2) 11 March (Darrell Vollert), Chappell Hill, Washington County [few present this winter].

Pine Siskin: (1) 11-12 March (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [few present this winter].

Ellen Ratoosh, "This was the only one since November in my yard."

Pine Siskin: ("several") 29 March (Charles Bryant), his backyard feeders, Montgomery County [uncommon].

Charles Bryant, "Several pine siskins appeared today (Fri 3-29-02) at our backyard feeders in Montgomery County. These are the only Pine Siskins we've had this Fall/Winter/Spring (2001/2002). Last year they were abundant and stayed all winter."

Pine Siskin: (1) 24-31 March (Hazel Bluhm), her yard, Marion County [uncommon].
Pine Siskin: (50+) 19 April (Ruth Heino), Loco Valley, Nacogdoches County [uncommon].

David Wolf, "After very few reports all winter, Pine Siskins showed up widely at feeders in both counties from mid to late March; with some numbers present through at least mid-April (m. obs.) and 50+ still present in Loco Valley on April 19 (RH)."

Pine Siskin: (1) 27 April (Jason Pike, David Ringer), Harrison County [common].
Pine Siskin: (no.?) 6 April and 9 April (Georgette Guernsey); (4) 11 April (Dick Pick); (2) 13 April (Nancy Bird); (3) 21 April (Dick Pike); (6) 26 April (Nancy Bird); (1) 28 April (Dick Pike), their respective yard feeders, Angelina County [last of season].
Pine Siskin: (3) until 14 May; (1) until 21 May (Ruth Heino), Loco Valley, Nacogdoches County [latest area dates ever].

David Wolf, "Pine Siskins appeared widely at Nacogdoches and Angelina county feeders in mid to late March and many remained into mid-April or later (many observers). Three lingered at feeders in Loco Valley (Nac Co) until May 14 and a single bird remained until May 21 (Ruth Heino); these are our latest area dates ever. There were very few reports of this species earlier in the winter (so were these birds coming south or going north?)."

American Goldfinch: (1 male in breeding plumage) 5 May (Derek Muschalek), singing all day near Yorktown, DeWitt County [rare; late departure].

Contributors

Vanessa Adams, Rusty Alderson, Keith Arnold, Karen Arquette, Shawn Ashbaugh, Peter Barnes, Lily Bartoszek, Cheryle Beck, Billie Bernard, Bob Bird, Nancy Bird, Lorie Black, Laura Bottone, Colin Bludau, Hazel Bluhm, Fred & Mary Brandt, Richard Brett, David & Luanne Brotherton, Charles Bryant, Frank Bumgardner, Tappa Burt, Meg Byerly, Oscar Carmona, Eric Carpenter, David Cimprich, Sheridan Coffey, Larry Coffman, Fred Collins, Margaret Cook, Maggie Cooper, Grant Critchfield, Claudia de la Cruz, D. D. Currie, Sue Davison, Louis Debetaz, Jim Dixon, Norm Dronen, Joan Dziezyc, Andrew Ebel, Bill Eddie, Marcia Effinger, Bill Elsik, Lisa Evers, Jesse Fagan, Lester Faigley, Tim Fennell, Rob Fergus, Brush Freeman, Bert Frenz, Graham Gips, John Gower, Mary Ann Grahmann, Chris Gregory, Georgette Guernsey, Gladys Guthrie, Peggy Harding, Ken Hartman, Hayden Haucke, Rita Haucke, Ruth Heino, David Henderson, Troy & Marla Hibbits, Mel Hochhalter, Stacey Huffman, Allen Jackson, Ernest Jasek, Karl Kosciuch, Virginia Landeck, Jason Leifester, Cathy Liles, Sonny Long, Guy Luneau, Joan Luneau, Scott Luneau, Kathy McCormack, Joe Manson, Mike Manson, Chris Merkord, Carroll Moore, John Muldrow, Derek Muschalek, Beverly Nichols, Brooke Nicotra, Patsy Nix, Bob Ohmart, Glenn Olsen, Joe Orr, Jay Packer, Bill Page, Maxine Pate, Ellen Pickett, Dick Pike, Jason Pike, Randy Pinkston, Darrell Pogue, Jimmie & Bob Putnam, Ellen Ratoosh, Eddie Ray, Jennifer Reidy, David Ringer, Roxie Rochet, Robert Row, Sue Ruotsala, George Russell, Connie Sandlin, Rick Schaefer, Susan Schaezler, David Shackelford, Claude Sloan, Frank Smith, Lynn Smith, Aletha Snowden, Mary Solmonson, Byron Stone, Barbara Tilton, Candy Troup, Robert Truss, Marguerite Van Dyke, Darrell Vollert, Peggy & Charlie Watts, Dawn Wenzel, Matt White, Dan Wilkerson, Shirley Wilkerson, Mary Dabney Wilson, Stu Wilson, Jack Windsor, Judy Winn, David Wolf, Mimi Hoppe Wolf, and Scott Young.


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Revised: April 20, 2004.