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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.

December 28 - Ruddy Ground-Dove, Gray-crowned Yellowthroat

Additional rarities are being reported in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. On Dec 27 there were reports of two GRAY-CROWNED YELLOWTHROATS* (one was in the Nature Conservancy's Southmost Preserve, an area which is closed to the public, and the other along Yolanda Del Rio Road off of Boca Chica). On the morning of Dec 28 a RUDDY GROUND-DOVE* and a HOOK-BILLED KITE were seen at Chapeno. WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATERS were reported on Dec 27 at San Ygnacio, Zapata, and Las Palmas Trail in Laredo.

The BARE-THROATED TIGER-HERON* continues with sightings in the morning of Dec 28 in the weedy field north of the ditch where it has been being seen.

December 27 - Yellow-faced Grassquit

Rio Grande Valley: Mary Gustafson received a report of a YELLOW-FACED GRASSQUIT found on Dec 26 at Las Palmas Trail & Zacate Creek in Laredo. The bird was about 40 meters west of the intersection of Zacate Creek and the Rio Grande River off the southernmost social trail in a reedy cane area. Coordinates: 27°29'56.86" N 99°29'41.48" W . It was described as a dull immature female. This is the only information currently available on the bird and no other reports have been received about it.

December 21 - Bare-throated Tiger-Heron

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the afternoon of Dec 21 Mary Gustafson saw photos of a BARE-THROATED TIGER HERON taken in Hidalgo County (Texas Lower Rio Grande Valley) on Dec 21. Reportedly the bird flushed into an inaccessible area of unknown ownership. More on location and possible viewing opportunities will be available shortly.

December 12 - Crimson-collared Grosbeak, Little Gull

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Dec 12 a CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK was photographed at Bentsen Rio Grande Valley SP-WBC in Mission. This is possibly the same bird that was reported present on Dec 5.

North Texas: On the afternoon of Dec 12 a LITTLE GULL was found at Wynn Joyce Park at Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas County. Find directions in the website report.

December 10 - Ruddy Ground-Dove

Corpus Christi, TX: On Dec 10 Jon McIntyre and his parents found a bright male RUDDY GROUND-DOVE on CR360 close to Sandia (west of Corpus Christi). The bird was on the right side of the road (if you are going N on 360) at the first creek that you come to. It was on the side of the road and then flew into the dense brush. The back was completely rufous. Ruddy Ground-Dove is a TX Review Species.

November 3 - Rose-throated Becard, Masked Duck

Lower Rio Grande Valley: There have been several reports of a ROSE-THROATED BECARD (TX Review Species) at Eagle Pond at Bentsen RGV State Park. A female-plumaged becard was photographed on Oct 30. There have also been reports of a pair of MASKED DUCKS (TX Review Species) at Santa Ana NWR at Cattail Lakes. According to the reports, they were photographed on Oct 31 and seen through the evening of Nov 2.

November 2 - Northern Jacana

Choke Canyon SP: On Nov 1 Pat Bowen, Glenda Janca and Jo Ann Andrews identified a NORTHERN JACANA at Choke Canyon State Park at the Calliham Unit in 75-acre lake. It was observed again on Nov 2 for a considerable length of time in the same location. Northern Jacana is a TX Review Species.