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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.

West Texas: WOOD SANDPIPER* -- first report: Aug 30
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. The bird was not found on the morning on Aug 30.

Updated West Texas: FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER* --
first report: Aug 28; last update: Aug 30
On Aug 28 Cecilia Riley and others found a FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER* near the town of Balmorhea in west Texas. She reported that it was seen and photographed at about 3:30pm on the highway between Balmorhea and Balmorhea State Park. It was probably 1 mile south of Balmorhea or 3 miles north of the State Park. This is an adult bird which is unmistakable with very long tail. (Photos). The bird was with several kingbirds and Scissor-tailed Flycatchers. Several pictures were taken before the bird was lost as it flew up a fence line to the west. The bird was refound late on Aug 28 in the same location: on a fence line on the north (left) side of the highway between the town of Balmorhea and the state park. The fence line it was on was west of the Reeves 321 road intersection. There were no sightings on Aug 29. On Aug 30 it was found in the late morning 200 yards past County Road 321. Look for a windmill in a field on the southside of the highway. The bird was seen northward across the highway from the windmill in a field. It was perching fairly low to the ground in some shrubs. A number of Scissortails were in the area also.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: JABIRU* --
first report: Aug 21; last update: Aug 26
On the evening of Aug 20 Ruth Hoyt and Rafa Flores observed and photographed a JABIRU* which Rafa had first found last week outside Raymondville in Willacy Co. Ruth reported: "We saw the bird outside Raymondville, on the south side of Highway 490, 1/2 mile west of FM1425. It was very large and easy to spot from the car and from a fair distance. It stood in a flooded sorghum field, feeding on frogs. It appears to be a first or second basic adult. The road is a two-lane road with no shoulder and conditions off the road are wet and muddy from the recent rains." (Photos and updated notes). Rafa reported that the Jabiru had first been seen Aug 8 by some local farmers. It may have arrived as a result of hurricane Dolly. The location is about a 3-mile radius area of fields and ponds.

At 7:20am on Aug 21 the Jabiru was refound off FM1425 just north of Hwy 490 (just north of a levee on a grassy field to the right). At 10:30am it had moved back to Hwy 490 west of FM1425 about 0.25 miles. At 11:00am the bird was between County Road 100 and County Road 105, which are both west of FM 1425, and on the south side of Hwy 490 behind the only house there. At 7pm the Jabiru was at the junction of Hwy 490 and FM1425. On Aug 22 Jabiru was seen till mid-morning at County Road 105 and Hwy 490. It was not refound on Aug 24-26 despite extensive searching. In general, best advice to find the bird is to work all the roads in the area. Please remember that the fields are all private property. Also note that many of the roads are flooded. Exercise caution on Hwy 490 which has a lot of very fast moving traffic.

Coastal Bend: LESSER FRIGATEBIRD*, BROWN BOOBY* -- first report: Aug 19; last update: Aug 27
On Aug 19 Martin Reid photographed a female frigatebird with a pink bill at the Quintana Jetty, which has now been confirmed as an adult female LESSER FRIGATEBIRD*. Photos and notes of frigatebird. (updated on Aug 27). Martin reported: "The bird was in a loose aggregation of 12 - 15 frigatebirds that were working the mouth of the jetty, harassing the many feeding terns there. I first saw the bird from the tip of the Quintana Jetty at about 11:15am, and it was present for at least 90 minutes, mostly a bit distant but occasionally coming quite close - as were other frigates. I looked for it again in the afternoon, but there were only 7 frigates there - none of them the target bird. I think that there is a quite decent chance that this bird is working that section of the coast, and may regularly visit the jetties mouth area - I got the impression that there was a steady turnover of birds, as new individuals arrived, spent an hour or so there, then drifted off parallel to the coast. The pink bill is quite visible even at a distance." Martin believes this would be the 5th or 6th NA record.

Martin also observed an immature BROWN BOOBY* riding into port on the shrimp boat Nicholas at about 1:05 pm on the same day. Photos and notes.

Updated Galveston: RUFF* -- first report: Aug 31; last update: Aug 31
On Aug 31 Havar Hveding observed and photographed a RUFF* on Galveston Island. He reported that it was hanging out around some wet areas 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. Several birders looked for it in the late afternoon but couldn't find it.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: RUFF* --
first report: Aug 24; last update: Aug 25
At around 8 am on Aug 24 a female RUFF* (Reeve) was found in the southwest corner of Hwy 490 and 1425 near Raymondville by birders who were searching for the Jabiru. It was not found on Aug 25.

ZONE-TAILED HAWK -- first report: Aug 30
On Aug 29 at about 1:15pm Kevin Motto and a friend observed and photographed a ZONE-TAILED HAWK on their home from the Hazel Bazemore Hawk Watch. The hawk was seen on the road directly behind the Calallen Football Stadium, between the Hazel Bazemore park gate and Northwest Blvd. They were on Hazel Bazemore Pkwy (County Road 69). The hawk landed on a fence post, and after a short period flew off again.

Also on Aug 30 Ed Fair reported that just before noon a ZONE-TAILED HAWK was circling and calling in Austin, just south of Lake Austin, halfway between Commons Ford Ranch and Emma Long Parks. The bird was molting and was alone.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: APLOMADO FALCON --
first report: Aug 6; last update: Aug 19
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. The two birds have continued through Aug 19. One has a very bleached breast; the other has a bright rufous breast.

Upper Texas Coast: LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL -- first report: Aug 30
On Aug 29 Mike Austin found a 3rd summer LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL at Follets Island. Follets Island is across San Luis Pass to the southwest of Galveston Island in southern Brazoria County (at 29°03' N, 95°10' W).

Upper Texas Coast: PRAIRIE WARBLER -- first report: Aug 30
On Aug 29 Mike Austin found an immature male PRIAIRE WARBLER at Dos Vacas Muertas, a Houston Audubon sanctuary on Galveston Island.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL --
first report: Aug 23
On Aug 23 Byron Stone and Paul Sunby observed and photographed a late 2nd cycle or early 3rd cycle LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL in Port Mansfield. Byron reported: "The bird was feeding on a fish carcass at the north end of the small beach at what I believe is Fred Stone County Park, at the north end of town along the beach. The bird is slightly larger than nearby Laughing Gulls, and its mantle appeared slightly darker than that of nearby LAGU's. Legs are pale yellow, bill is bright yellow with reddish spot near the tip, and a bit of a black smudge near the red. Bill has a moderate gonydeal bulge. Wings appear relatively long, although I couldn't discern the exact amount of primary extension. Mantle is completely adult gray, and coverts and secondaries are mostly adult gray with some brown still on coverts. Brownish greater covert feathers are extremely worn. Tail is mostly white, with small amount of black smudging on dorsal surface."

Austin: LEAST GREBE --
first report: July 9; last update: Aug 25
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 birds have continued at least through August 23 with various numbers counted (generally 10 birds) and multiple broods. On Aug 18 a new nest was found which can be easily viewed from the walkway.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: RED-BILLED PIGEON, MUSCOVY DUCK  -- last update: Aug 26
Watch for RED-BILLED PIGEONS and MUSCOVY DUCKS early or late in the day at Salineno. Your odds can be improved by walking downstream to look for them near the river island. No Muscovies were found on Aug. 24, but a single juvenile Muscovy was seen flying upriver at 9:00am on Aug 25. Map. Salineno is #80 on the Lower Texas Coast Wildlife Trail.

Lower Rio Grande Valley: FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWLS --
FERRUGINOUS PYGMY-OWLS ;may be seen 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).

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.