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February 4 - Brant

Texas Panhandle: On the afternoon of Feb 1 an observer photographed a BRANT* with some Canada Geese at Southeast Park in Canyon, TX. Cameron Carver confirmed the identification. Canyon is about 20 miles south of Amarillo. Note that there is also a Southeast Park in Amarillo - the correct park is in Canyon. Find a link to a map in the website report.

February 1 - White-eared Hummingbird

Live Oak County, TX: Joel Simon reported that at 5:30pm on Feb 1 a male WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD* appeared at one of his feeders in Swinney Switch, Live Oak County (about 50 miles NW of Corpus Christi). The bird disappeared before he could get a photo. Visitors are welcome -- check website report for contact information.

January 23 - Purple Sandpiper

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Jan 23 a PURPLE SANDPIPER* was photographed in Port Mansfield. The bird was found with some Ruddy Turnstones. Directions: From TX 186 in Port Mansfield, turn right onto Port Road. Follow it to Laguna Dr. and turn right and follow it to Bayview and turn right. Follow it to Matagorda and turn right. Follow Matagorda past the large dredge hill on the left and turn left on Bay Dr. (dirt) to the bay.

January 21 - Iceland/Thayer's Gull, Great Black-backed Gull

Upper Texas Coast: Ron Weeks reported that on the morning of Jan 21 he found two very interesting first winter gulls between San Luis Pass on the SW end of Galveston Island and Surfside. One was a good candidate for an ICELAND GULL*. It was seen late in the morning around beach access road #2. Ron also found what appears to be a first winter GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL*. The sighting was almost as far as one could drive toward San Luis Pass on the beach.

January 9 - Black-legged Kittiwake

South Padre Island, TX: Mid-morning on Jan 9 Reid and Pam Allen saw and photographed a first-winter BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE* at the jetties on South Padre Island. The bird was seen from the parking lot by the bait stand at the jetties.

January 7 - Rose-throated Becard, Little Gull

Lower Rio Grande Valley: An immature male ROSE-THROATED BECARD* was found and photographed at Salineno on Jan 7 by Pam and Reid Allen.

Northeast Texas: On the afternoon of Jan 7 Luanne and David Brotherton found an immature LITTLE GULL* at Lake O' The Pines.

January 7 - Purple Sandpiper

Brazoria County: Eric Carpenter reported that he had received some excellent photos of a PURPLE SANDPIPER* along the beach in Brazoria County. The photos were taken on January 4. The location was GPS coordinates: 29.00755323711934, -95.21366739022857 or about half-way to San Luis Pass from Surfside.

January 6 - Blue Bunting

Lower Rio Grande Valley: A female BLUE BUNTING* was found during the Anzalduas-Bentsen CBC (in the TX Lower Rio Grande Valley) on Jan 4. Mary Gustafson was able to relocate the bird and has provided directions which can be found in the website report.

January 1 - possible Nutting's Flycatcher

Big Bend NP: On the afternoon of Dec 31 David Bradford and another found a likely NUTTING'S FLYCATCHER* in Big Bend NP, at the Santa Elena Canyon parking lot.

December 19 - Little Gull

TX Coastal Bend: Jon McIntyre reported that on the morning of Dec 19 two LITTLE GULLS* (one adult and one first winter bird) were found in Port Aransas during the Port Aransas CBC.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Dec 18 Dan Jones found a DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER* ("lawrencei") at Sabal Palm Sanctuary near the location of the female CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK*. Both birds continued on Dec 19.

December 15 - Crimson-collared Grosbeak

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the morning of Dec 15, Jimmy Paz and David Benn found and photographed a female CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK* during a Christmas Bird Count at Sabal Palm Sanctuary.

December 12 - Little Gull

Dallas: On the morning of Dec 12 Chris Runk found an adult LITTLE GULL* at Lake Ray Hubbard, out from Wynn Joyce Park in Garland. The gull was found on the far side of the inlet, about 1/2 mile away.

December 3 - Purple Sandpiper

Galveston: On Dec 3 at around 3pm, Bill Tarbox and Ellen Baker found and photographed a PURPLE SANDPIPER* at Apfel Park (East Beach) in Galveston. They were able to get good views and photograph the bird. The sandpiper was with a flock of Ruddy Turnstones near a small lagoon, which was reached by going as far as you can go to the left (north) at East Beach. The birds were on the surf side of the lagoon. When Bill and Ellen left at 3:45pm, the sandpiper was still present, resting with the turnstones.

December 3 - Brown Jay

Lower Rio Grande Valley: Cheryl Longton reported that for the first time in 5 years BROWN JAYS* were seen at Salineno. On Dec 3 one adult and one first-year bird were observed at the feeding area.

December 1 - Violet-crowned Hummingbird

West Texas: On Dec 1 Carolyn Ohl photographed a male VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD* at her Christmas Mountains Oasis. Photo and notes on her blog. The location is in south Brewster County, adjacent to Big Bend National Park. Visitors are welcome.

November 24 - Masked Duck

Lower Rio Grande Valley: At Santa Ana NWR on Nov 23, a female plumaged MASKED DUCK* was photographed by Linda Moss. The bird was seen from the big open deck at Willow Lake.

November 23 - Dusky-capped Flycatcher

TX Lower Rio Grande Valley: Mary Gustafson reported that on the morning of Nov 23 a DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER* was seen at Anzalduas in the ebony grove - the bird was in the first grove on the right past the gatehouse.

November 22 - Mew Gull

Lubbock: On the afternoon of Nov 22 Steve Collins found a 1st winter MEW GULL* at Mae Simmons Park (Lake 5) in Lubbock.

November 21 - Golden-crowned Warbler

Lower Rio Grande Valley: At the National Butterfly Center, two observers had brief looks at a GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER* on Nov 20. Find sighting location in the website report.

November 21 - Crimson-collared Grosbeak

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Nov 21 a volunteer photographed 2 female plumaged CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAKS* at Frontera Audubon Sanctuary.