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January 3 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: Midday on Jan 3 Nick Wallisch found an adult male FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER* in Willacy County southeast of Raymondville. Directions are in the website report.

January 3 - Pine Flycatcher*

Edwards Plateau: On Jan 3 Sheridan Coffey reported an almost certain PINE FLYCATCHER* in Choke Canyon SP in McMullen County, south of San Antonio. It was initially found on Dec 13 and also observed and recorded on Jan 1 and Jan 3. Find Sheridan's full report, directions, and link to photos and audio on the website report. If accepted it will be a first record for the United States.

December 24 - Great Black-backed Gull*

North Texas: On Dec 24 from 2:15 to 4:00pm, D.D. Currie, Greg Cook, and Dell Little observed a GREAT-BACKED GULL* at Lake Ray Hubbard (Dallas County).

December 15 - Masked Duck*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On December 14 five MASKED DUCKS* were found during the La Sal Vieja CBC. Directions: From US 77 in Raymondville west on TX 186 to FM 1761. Turn right (north) on 1761 (which becomes 141 at the county line) and then left (west) on CR 3700 (aka Brushline Road - note there are other Brushline Roads!). 0.2 miles west on Brushline Road to a series of small ponds on the right/north side of the road.

December 14 - Crimson-collared Grosbeak*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On December 14 at noon Jamie Ritter and two others got very good looks at a female CRIMSON-COLLARED GROSBEAK* at Frontera Audubon in Weslaco.

December 9 - Blue Bunting*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On Dec 6, a female BLUE BUNTING* was found at Frontera Audubon's nature sanctuary in Weslaco, Texas. The bird was refound on the morning of Dec 9. It is being seen along the central trail between the feeding station and the bird blind.

December 2 - Purple Sandpiper*, Brant*

South Padre Island, TX: On the morning of Dec. 2 Scarlet and George Colley refound a PURPLE SANDPIPER* which had first been observed and photographed on Nov. 29 on the South Padre Island jetty. On Dec. 2 the bird was feeding with Ruddy Turnstones right at the very end of the north jetty on the north side just about ten granite blocks from the tip.

Lubbock, TX: On the morning of Dec 2 Brian Gibbons saw a "Black" BRANT* fly in with Lesser Canada Geese at McAlister Park in SW Lubbock.

November 22 - Brant*

Coastal Bend: On November 22 two possible BRANTS* were found in a pond south of Kingsville, TX. The pond is located southeast of the intersection of Kleberg County Roads 1120 and 2240. They were first spotted in the morning and then refound and confirmed to be Brants at 3:00pm.

November 8 - possible Kelp Gull*

Upper Texas Coast: On the morning of Nov 8 Ron Weeks found a large black-backed gull at the base of the Quintana Jetty. Cin-Ty Lee also saw the gull and the consensus is it may be a KELP GULL*.

November 6 - Rose-throated Becard*

Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas: On Nov 6 a female ROSE-THROATED BECARD* was spotted by the RGV Birding Festival group at Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco, TX. The becard is in an area that is closed to the public. Those wanting to view the bird must be escorted by a staff member. A special bird walk will be conducted Friday Nov 7 at 8:30am to try and re-find the bird. The Saturday morning 8:30am bird walk will also venture to find the bird.

November 5 - Dusky-capped Flycatcher*

Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas: On the morning of November 5 a DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER* was heard and seen in front of the visitor center at Sabal Palm Audubon Center by a group of birders on the Harlingen Birding Festival tour.

October 20 - Red Phalarope*

San Antonio, TX: On the morning of Oct 19 a first winter RED PHALAROPE* was found at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center in south San Antonio, TX. The bird was refound in the afternoon.

October 19 - Clark's Nutcracker*

TX Panhandle: A CLARK'S NUTCRACKER* was found at 5:30pm on Oct 18, southwest of Canyon in Randall Co, TX. Details and directions are in the website report.

September 24 - Gyrfalcon*

Corpus Christi, TX: On Sept 24 at 2:00pm an immature GYRFALCON buzzed the hawk platform at the Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch in Corpus Christi. It then went down to the pond and unsuccessfully attacked a Black-necked Stilt. Clay Taylor got diagnostic photos of the light flight feathers and dark underwing coverts.

September 10 - Violet-crowned Hummingbird*

West Texas: A VIOLET-CROWNED HUMMINGBIRD* is being seen in Fort Davis, TX. Carol Edwards, a resident of Fort Davis, has observed it on multiple occasions near her home, the most recent being the morning of Sept 10. Directions and contact information are in the TX RBA website report.

September 1 - Sabine's Gull

Texas Panhandle: On September 1 Brian Gibbons reported that he found a juvenile SABINE'S GULL at Rita Blanca Lake near Dalhart in the panhandle. The bird was walking on the sandy beach at the north end of the lake. He took photographs which will soon be available.

August 31 - Ruff*

Galveston, TX: On Aug 31 Havar Hveding observed and photographed a RUFF* on Galveston Island. He reported that it was hanging out around some wet parts of a field by the 8 Mile Rd (W side of the road, N of Stewart) on Galveston Island. It was feeding and showing well from the road from 10am to noon. He couldn't see it when he left, but assumed it was still somewhere in the field.

August 30 - Wood Sandpiper*

West Texas: On Aug 29 while searching for the Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Martin Reid and Sheridan Coffey observed a WOOD SANDPIPER* from the dam at Lake Balmorhea in west Texas. They first heard the bird flying at some distance and eventually it flew at eyelevel within 30 yards of them. They got very good and solid looks at the bird and the critical field marks were seen well. The bird vocalized about six times. Unfortunately the bird kept flying south. It did not seem to gain altitude so there is hope that it may have been just going to another feeding area south of the lake. They will try to refind the bird on Aug 30.

August 28 - Fork-tailed Flycatcher*

West Texas: On Aug 28 a FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER* was observed and photographed about one mile west of the town of Balmorhea in west Texas. The location is between Balmorhea State Park and town. The bird was hanging out with a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on a fence wire.

August 24 - Ruff*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: At around 8 am on Aug 24 a female RUFF* (Reeve) was found in the southwest corner of Hwy 490 and 1425 near Raymondville, TX by birders who were searching for the Jabiru.

August 21 - Jabiru*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the evening of Aug 20 a JABIRU* was observed and photographed outside Raymondville in Willacy Co. in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. It had first been found last week.

August 19 - possible Lesser/Great Frigatebird*, Brown Booby*

Coastal Bend: On Aug 19 Martin Reid photographed a female frigatebird with a pink bill, possibly a LESSER/GREAT FRIGATEBIRD* at the Quintana Jetty near Freeport. The bird was found in a large group of frigatebirds. He hopes to be able to obtain a solid identification from the photograph. He also observed an immature BROWN BOOBY* riding into port on the shrimp boat Nicholas at about 1:05 pm.

August 14 - Rose-throated Becard*

Lower Rio Grande Valley: On the evening of Aug 13 a female or immature ROSE-THROATED BECARD* was seen in the thicket at Frontera Audubon Society (Weslaco, TX). It was not relocated on the morning of Aug 14.

August 5 - Lesser/Great Frigatebird*

Coastal Bend: On the afternoon of Aug 5 Brush Freeman observed a juvenile Frigatebird with a brown head that he believes is either a LESSER or GREAT FRIGATEBIRD. The sighting was made in Matagorda Bay close to Port O'Connor. He feels that the bird may stay in the area, and may have already been present for a while.

July 30 - Green Violetear*

Magnolia, TX: On July 29 a GREEN VIOLETEAR* was observed by Don DuBois as it visited some flowers at his home in Magnolia, TX (Montgomery Co). This is about 40 miles northwest of Houston. Don welcomes birders in small numbers. Contact information is in the website report.