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June 10 - Purple Sandpiper, Brown Jays

TX Lower Rio Grande Valley: On June 10 a PURPLE SANDPIPER* was photographed by Scarlet Colley on islands off Port Isabel in the bay. The bird is only visible from a boat. For information, contact the Sealife Center at (956) 299-1957. Also on June 10 Huck Hutchens found 2 BROWN JAYS* at Salineno. The birds were calling just to the left of the boat ramp. Muscovy Ducks and Red-billed Pigeons are also present in the area.

June 2 - Red-billed Tropicbird

Texas Coastal Bend: Midday on June 2 Jon McIntyre saw a RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD* at the end of the South Jetty in Port Aransas. It was flying about 500 yards off the end and hanging around a large patch of seaweed. He watched the bird through a scope for about 20 minutes (11:45-12:05pm).

April 24 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher

Upper Texas Coast: Sam Woods reported that on the afternoon of Apr 24 a FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER* was found at Houston Audubon's Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary in High Island on the Upper TX Coast. The bird was on the treeline on the east side of the lower pond (not Claybottom Pond). The bird was seen for a few minutes and then flew off at about 5:30pm. Find a link to a photo in the website report.

April 19 - Rufous-backed Robin

West Texas: On the morning of Apr 19 Josh Burns saw a probable adult RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN* at the Post Park in Marathon. He has had some experience with the species in Arizona and the bird met his expectations except that its colors were lighter than he had seen before. Post Park (also known as Pena Park) is 5 miles south of Marathon on Post Road. Marathon is about 40 miles north of Big Bend NP.

April 15 - Ruddy Ground-Dove

Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: Richard Messenger reported that on the morning of Apr 15 he observed a pair of RUDDY GROUND-DOVES* at Santa Ana NWR, on the far part of Jaguarundi Trail.

April 11 - probable Black-vented Oriole

Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the afternoon of Apr 11 Scarlet Colley photographed a probable BLACK-VENTED ORIOLE* which was seen bathing at the Eagle Scout water feature at the South Padre Island Convention Center. It was in a flock of Orchard Orioles. The bird is described as larger than Orchard, black head, black back, black tail, black wings without any white, and yellow-orange belly. Bill is bluish at the base. Find a link to Scarlet's photos in the website report.

April 11 - Ruff

Upper Texas Coast: On Apr 11 Derek Muschalek found a RUFF* at Anahuac NWR. The bird was on the north side of the road on the north side of the Shoveler Pond loop.

April 4 - Northern Jacana

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the morning of Apr 4 Huck Hutchens found an immature NORTHERN JACANA* at Pintail Lakes at Santa Ana NWR. The bird was in the largest pond and was visible from the eastern side - the far side. You will go past the turnoff of the Pintail Lakes trail towards the river and then past the next road on the right before being able to see the bird if it stays in the same area. A scope will be useful.

March 26 - Tamaulipas Crow

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Mar 26 at 2pm, Stan DeOrsey found a TAMAULIPAS CROW* at the Brownsville Sanitary Landfill. Photographs were obtained.

March 22 - Ruff

Texas Coastal Bend: On Mar 21 at about 8:30am a RUFF* (male winter plumage) was observed foraging in unmown grass along left side of entrance road of Bill Witt City Park in Corpus Christi. The bird was seen well by 7 birders on a Carolina Bird Club "Bonus" field trip to Corpus Christi/Rockport/Kingsville area. Photos were obtained.

March 6 - Western Gull

Coastal Bend: On Mar 6 Martin Reid found a first cycle WESTERN GULL* at the new Corpus Christi landfill. There is also a Glaucous Gull and several Lesser Black-backed Gulls. The Western Gull was on the first lined pond south of the work area. The landfill is located south of the junction of FM 2444 and FM 665\43. The landfill is closed on Sundays.

February 26 - Purple Sandpiper

Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Feb 25 a PURPLE SANDPIPER* was found and photographed on the exposed tidal flats in the bay in Port Isabel.

February 18 - Blue Bunting, Eurasian Wigeon

In the Lower Rio Grande Valley, a male BLUE BUNTING* was found by Joyce Stevens and Dave Kuceyeski at Osprey Overlook at Laguna Atascosa NWR on Feb 17 and continued on the morning of Feb 18. The latest sighting of the female at this location was on Feb. 15.

In north Texas, Foard County, the EURASIAN WIGEON* found by Brady Subar on Feb 16 was relocated and photographed by Brady and Ronny Moore. The location is a small playa just off US Hwy. 70 on CO RD 291 about 1/4 mile east of Thalia in Foard Co.

February 16 - Aztec Thrush

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the afternoon an AZTEC THRUSH* was found on the north side of the inner loop at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley SP-WBC in Mission

February 13 - Blue Bunting

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the evening of Feb 12 Chris Neri found and photographed a female BLUE BUNTING in the Laguna Atascosa NWR Visitor Center garden. Find a link to the photo in the website report.

February 4 - Crimson-collared Grosbeak

Lower Rio Grande Valley: Kent Anderson reported that on the afternoon of Feb 3 a CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK was seen at Quinta Mazatlan at the right side of the house in a tree next to the greenhouse/glass house.

Jan 24 - Amazon Kingfisher

Lower Rio Grande Valley: Late in the afternoon on Jan 24 Alan Wormington and Robert Epstein found and photographed a female AMAZON KINGFISHER* in Laredo. The bird was first seen at the mouth of Zacate Creek, then for some time along the creek itself. Zacate Creek is adjacent to (downstream from) Las Palmas Park along the Rio Grande in Laredo.

January 21 - Brown Jay

Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Jan 21 a group of birders saw a BROWN JAY* from the tower at San Ygnacio. The site is the old Seedeater Sanctuary at the foot of Washington St.

January 20 - probable Kelp Gull

Coastal Bend: On Jan 19 Jon McIntyre found a probable 2nd winter KELP GULL* on the beach at Port Aransas, TX. The bird was first seen at beach marker 62 then the gull flew north and he relocated at marker 45. Photos were obtained.

January 18 - Brown Booby

At Boca Chica Beach in the Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley a BROWN BOOBY* is being seen. The GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL* also continues at that location.

January 2 - Northern Wheatear

Bee County: On Jan 2 a NORTHERN WHEATEAR was seen, photographed and confirmed by a group of birders including Mel Cooksey, Willie Sekula and Martin Reid. The bird was first discovered by John Borntrager, a young Amish man on his farm in SW Bee County on Dec 30. It was also seen on Jan 1 at 5pm, and Jan 2 at 10am. Find directions in the website report. Please note that John welcomes visitors on all days except Sunday. This is believed to be only the second record for Texas.