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The American Birding Association recommends that birders use a standard FRS (Family Radio Service) channel. This kind of common communication is often essential when trying to re-find a roving rarity. The ABA recommends channel 11 subcode 22 for birding communications. Many of the modern FRS radios have built-in GPS and can transmit location information to other capable receivers. For more information, see Using Radios for Birding by Paul Baicich on the Bird Watcher's Digest web site.

To report a Texas rare bird sighting, please email staff@narba.org

*Texas Review Species - please send reports to Mark Lockwood, Texas Bird Records.

Pelagic Birding Trip -- September 6
Eric Carpenter has planned pelagic birding trips aboard the Osprey. The trips leave from the southern tip of South Padre. The next trip will be on September 6. More Information.

Coastal Bend: LESSER/GREAT FRIGATEBIRD* --
first report: Aug 5; last update: Aug 6
On the afternoon of Aug 5 around 2:00pm Brush Freeman saw a juvenile Frigatebird with about 16-18 others over the channel in West Matagorda Bay from the bay front in Port O'Connor. The bird was at a distance but clearly showed a brownish head, indicating a non-Magnificent Frigatebird. Brush reported: "While I am not familiar with any species of frigatebird at all other than MAFR, this critter looks to be either Great or Lesser, I have ruled out another species just based on range. And if a gun was held my head and I had to choose I would go Lesser only because the white on the under-parts seemed limited, even from this distance, to the breast or upper breast. I Google earthed this up and the distance between I and it was .62-1.1 mi. Quite within the range of a good scope here. This bird may hang around, in fact it may have been here for a while as in the afternoons there are always a few frigates around."  On Aug 6 the bird did not make an appearance; Brush now leans towards the Great Frigatebird identification.
Location: (posted by Brush Freeman): pull up Google Earth, go to Port O'Connor Texas, look for a house on the front beach labeled Walker house. With your Google measuring tool, just drag a line out from there straight into the bay 1.1 mi. and you have a rough idea as to where these birds most usually are to be found. This bird may hang around, in fact it may have been here for a while as in the afternoons there are always a few frigates around.

Montgomery County: GREEN VIOLETEAR* -- first report: July 30
On July 29 Don DuBois observed a GREEN VIOLETEAR* coming to Turk's Cap flowers near a window at his house in Magnolia, TX (about 40 miles northwest of Houston). On July 30 the bird was seen in the early morning up to about 8:30am. The family welcomes birders in small numbers at their house to view the bird. Best viewing is from inside the house. As of Aug 4 the bird has not been seen since.

Big Bend National Park: FLAME-COLORED TANAGER* --
first report: June 13; last update: Aug 4
In the early morning hours of June 12 a FLAME-COLORED TANAGER* was seen and photographed in the vicinity of the Boot Spring campsites in Big Bend National Park by Canadian birders Malkolm Boothroyd, Wendy Boothroyd, and Ken Madsen. (Photo) Malkolm, a high school sophomore, found the bird. He is doing a Big Year by bicycle, accompanied by his parents. (Read about their "Bird Year" on their website). The bird was calling actively in the early morning. They believed there was also a second bird present. Malkolm and Dan Jones refound one bird on June 15 at Boot Springs campsites #3 and #4. On June 21 Mike Austin refound the bird photographed by Malkolm at the same location and confirmed it to be a first spring male (based on the orange around the base of the bill and its enthusiastic singing). He believes it is roosting near campsites 3 and 4, and then roams for the rest of the day. He saw and heard it for about 10 minutes beginning at 7 am. Read Mike's report. On June 28 one Flame-colored Tanager (probable female) was found in the same area. Over the weekend of July 5-6 Bob Rasa and Richard Redmond believe they refound the pair by campsite #4, and they also heard a probable second pair along the Pinnacle Trail. On July 27 Thomas Riecke found a young male Flame-colored Tanager in Boot Canyon, 150 meters upstream from Boot Spring. On Aug 1-2 Eric Carpenter searched without success to find Flame-colored Tanagers.

Big Bend National Park: WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD* --
first report: July 28; last update: Aug 4
On July 27 Thomas Riecke, Greg Cook, Lacrecia Johnson, and Brian Gibbons observed a female WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRD* in Boot Canyon at Big Bend National Park. It was seen in a flowering agave between remote campsites BC#1 and BC#2. Two White-eared Hummingbirds, both female, were found on Aug 1-2. They were along the side drainage by BC#2 and also up the drainage to the main Boot Canyon trail about 100 yards before the turnoff to the campsites.

Lower Rio Grande Valley - San Ygnacio: WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATER -- last update: July 26
The WHITE-COLLARED SEEDEATERS have been seen consistently at the end of the Raptor Trail; best time is in the morning. On July 25 at 12:40 pm one male was found at the boat ramp (end of Raptor Trail). On July 20 at 11:20 am two birds were heard calling in the same area. On July 14 a female was observed at 10 am. On July 13 a male was seen in the morning, and both male and female were there at about 7 pm. Normally they are not seen that late in the day. The Raptor Trail is 1/2 mile to the end and 1/2 mile back. The first half of the trail is not very birdy; but the second half is. The entrance is on Uribe Ave. one block to the north and parallel to Washington. San Ygnacio is #87 on the Lower Texas Coast Wildlife Trail. Parking and pedestrian entry to the sanctuary at south end of Washington St.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: APLOMADO FALCON -- first report: Aug 6
On Aug 5 at about 7pm Stacy Sanchez observed two APLOMADO FALCONS at Laguna Atascosa NWR. Stacy was almost to the T at FM106 (General Brant Road) and Buena Vista Road. Other staff members have also reported seeing them there. Laguna Atascosa is now open in certain areas; hours are from 7am to 4pm.

Coastal Bend: MASKED BOOBY -- first report: Aug 4
On Aug 4 Sheridan Coffey and Martin Reid found a hatch year MASKED BOOBY at the Port Aransas jetties. The bird was flying south. They followed it down the beach and got two more looks at it, but were not able to follow it very far.

Updated Austin: LEAST GREBE --
first report: July 9; last update: Aug 7
On July 5 Vincent O'Brien found a LEAST GREBE with 3 juveniles in Austin on a small pond on the southwest side of the Triangle Apartment complex and shopping center, at 4600 Guadalupe, Austin. The group was observed again on the morning of July 9 for about 30 minutes, and has continued through July 10. On July 19 Vincent reported there were four new ducklings present in addition to the three juveniles and two adults. The three juveniles were staying away from the breeding pair and new arrivals at another end of the pond. On July 28 Vincent reported that on July 22, that there were 10 grebes present: the original adult female with 3 juveniles, and the new pair of adults with 4 downy chicks. The ten birds have continued at least through Aug 2.

Lower Rio Grande Valley - Salineno: RED-BILLED PIGEON, MUSCOVY DUCK
Watch for RED-BILLED PIGEONS and MUSCOVY DUCKS early or late in the day. Your odds can be improved by walking downstream to look for them near the river island. Both species were very easy to spot on May 9-10. Map. Salineno is #80 on the Lower Texas Coast Wildlife Trail.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWLS --
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWLS are nesting at the San Miguelito Ranch about 10 miles north of Raymondville. These birds are reportedly very visible near their nest site at the ranch. There is a fee to access this site. Prior arrangements are required, contact Leticia Tijerina, at 956-369-3118. They are also present on the King Ranch and El Canelo (both fee sites). Over the week of July 3-10, they have also been found at Sanata Ana NWR and Mission.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: MANGROVE (YELLOW) WARBLER --
MANGROVE WARBLERS, a well-marked subspecies or unrecognized species, are present year-round. For more information on seeing them, contact Scarlet Colley (telephone: 956-299-1957) at the South Padre Island Nature Center.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: RED-CROWNED PARROTS, GREEN PARAKEETS
Both species can be seen or heard in many valley cities, especially early and late in the day. In McAllen, Green Parakeets stage on 10th Street between Violet and Dove. Recently Red-crowned Parrots have been in Weslaco near Valley Nature Center, at Texas and 5th, and 11th and Indiana. In Harlingen, try Pendleton Park at the intersection of Grimes and Morgan. Fort Brown in Brownsville has both species, and they have been on Cowan Terrace recently as well north of Rt. 4 near the airport. Frontera Audubon Sanctuary and Valley Nature Center in Weslaco are good places for both species.