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July 16 - Brown Booby*

Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX: On July 15 an immature BROWN BOOBY* was observed for an extended period of time in the afternoon at Padre Island National Seashore. The bird was between 3 and 4 miles south of the visitor center.

July 16 - Green Violet-ear*

Austin: A confirmed GREEN VIOLET-EAR* has been visiting a feeder in Austin, TX, beginning at 12:30 pm on July 15. It has also been seen several times on July 16.

June 14 - Masked Duck*

Dallas: On the morning of June 14 a female MASKED DUCK* was observed at a Trinity River restoration project marsh in northwest Kaufman County near Dallas.

June 13 - Mangrove Cuckoo*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On June 13 Scarlet and George Colley of the South Padre Island Nature Center observed a MANGROVE CUCKOO* feeding in their backyard at their house in Port Isabel, TX. They welcome visitors. Directions and contact information are in the TX RBA website report.

June 13 - Flame-colored Tanager*

Big Bend National Park: In the early morning hours on June 13 a female FLAME-COLORED TANAGER* was seen and photographed in the vicinity of the Boot Spring campsites in Big Bend National Park. There may a male present also, but it was not seen well enough to confirm the sighting.

June 11 - Brown Jay*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On June 11 it was reported that BROWN JAYS* (both adult and juvenile) have been seen over the past couple of days in La Puerta Tract, a USFWS sanctuary, near Rio Grande City, TX.

June 9 - Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the morning of June 9 John Brush confirmed a SULPHUR-BELLIED FLYCATCHER* at Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen, TX. It is suspected to have been present for about a week. Exact directions are in the TX RBA report on the website.

June 7 - Red-billed Tropicbird*

South Padre Island, Texas: At about 8:45 am on June 7 Brad McKinney observed an adult RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD* near the South Padre Island jetties at the southern end of South Padre Island.

May 7 - Short-tailed Hawk*

Edwards Plateau, TX: On May 7 Mitch Heindel, while leading a tour, found a dark morph SHORT-TAILED HAWK* at Lost Maples State Natural Area. They got good looks on the way down the Can Creek trail from the ponds.

May 3 - Piratic Flycatcher

Corpus Christi, TX: On May 3 a PIRATIC FLYCATCHER* was identified by Gene Blacklock at Pollywog Pond in Corpus Christi, TX.

April 27 - Yellow-Green Vireo

Upper Texas Coast: On Apr 26 late in the day a YELLOW-GREEN VIREO was seen close to the parking lot for the Rookery at Smith Oaks Bird Sanctuary in High Island.

April 16 - probable Elegant Tern

Upper Texas Coast: Midday on Apr 15 a probable ELEGANT TERN* was observed briefly and photographed at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. Photos have been posted. It may also have been present on Apr 14.

April 13 - Ruff

Edwards Plateau: On April 12 in the afternoon a juvenile RUFF* was observed and photographed at Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory, which is near Austin, TX.

April 12 - Greater Flamingo

Upper Texas Coast: On April 12 at around 6:00 pm two GREATER FLAMINGOES* were observed and photographed at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary. Earlier this year in February, two flamingoes had been seen in the Laguna Madre.

April 6 - Blue Bunting

Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX: At 11:50 am on April 6, a male BLUE BUNTING* was observed briefly at the northeast end of Pintail Lake at Santa Ana NWR. The observer, Dan Jones, saw the bird, heard it give a few calls, but then was unable to refind it.

March 28 - Northern Pygmy-Owl

Big Bend NP, Texas: On March 28 a NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL* was found along the Emory Peak Trail in Big Bend National Park. The bird definitely seemed territorial, and there is a good chance it could be refound. When calling, it was clearly audible from a long stretch of trail.

March 18 - White-throated Robin

Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX: On Mar. 18 Lynn Barber confirmed a WHITE-THROATED ROBIN* being seen at the property of Allen Williams in Pharr, TX. The robin was feasting on mulberries and hackberries. Allen also has numerous other species including a Clay-colored Robin. He welcomes birders during daylight hours, requesting a donation of $10 for a week's admission. The address is 750 W. Sam Houston in Pharr. Lynn has already posted a photo.

March 16 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher

Upper Texas Coast: On the afternoon of March 15 a FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER* was found in Sabine Pass (Jefferson County), TX. The bird was observed by multiple observers from 3:00 until dark, flycatching mostly from the utility wires on Pilot Station Road 0.6 to 0.9 miles south of the bridge over Texas Bayou. This is the section of the road where the ship channel comes right up to the road on the left(east), and is before one reaches the main line of Salt Cedars. It is possible this is the same bird that was seen in February in Louisiana.

March 7 - Iceland Gull

Houston, TX: On March 6 Martin Reid found a classic first year ICELAND GULL* in a large flock of gulls at a construction site at Hwy. 59 and Beltway 8 which is close to Bush Intercontinental Airport.

March 5 - Clark's Nutcracker

Texas Panhandle: A CLARK'S NUTCRACKER* has been reported from the TX Tech University's Kilgore Research Site at the intersection of Highway 60 and FM 683 (just east of St. Francis) in Carson County. As of March 3 it was still being seen.

March 1 - Little Gull

Dallas, TX: On March 1 a LITTLE GULL* was found and photographed at the White Rock Lake spillway in Dallas.

February 9 - White-crested Elaenia

South Padre Island, TX: On Feb. 9 a WHITE-CRESTED ELAENIA was found at the Sheepshead lot at South Padre Island, Cameron County. Please check web site report for a link to photos.

February 9 - Blue Bunting

Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX: On the morning of February 9, David Benn found a female BLUE BUNTING* at Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Brownsville, TX. The bird was at the west end of the wetland boardwalk.

January 16 - Little Gull

Rains County, TX: On Jan. 15 an adult LITTLE GULL* was seen by Matt White in Rains County off Free Bridge Road.

January 14 - Arctic Loon

Van Zandt County, TX: On Jan. 13 from 12:30-1:00 pm Matt White observed and digiscoped an adult basic plumaged ARCTIC LOON* at Lake Tawakoni in Van Zandt County. If accepted this will be a first state record.

January 10 - Gray-crowned Yellowthroat

Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX: On Jan. 9 a GRAY-CROWNED YELLOWTHROAT* was seen from below the dam on the banks of the Rio Grande.

January 8 - Ruddy Ground-Dove

Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX: On the morning of Jan. 8 a RUDDY GROUND-DOVE* was seen at Anzalduas County Park.

December 30 - Golden-crowned Warbler

Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX: During the Weslaco CBC on Dec. 29 Mary Gustafson had a GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER* at the town of Progreso Lakes. She has only gotten brief glimpses of it on Dec. 30. The warbler is in an area that is very difficult to bird.

December 27 - Little Gull

Collin County, TX: During the McKinney CBC on Dec. 26 Gailon Brehm found a probable adult LITTLE GULL*. It was observed flying over Lake Lavon at the Brockdale Park boat ramp.

December 25 - White-winged Junco

Davis Mountains State Park, TX: On Dec. 24 Martin Reid and Sheridan Coffey found a first-winter WHITE-WINGED JUNCO* at the first feeding station in Davis Mountains State Park, Jeff Davis County. This is a subspecies of Dark-eyed Junco which is under special study by the TX Bird Records Committee. Reports will be formally reviewed.