Region 6
Region VI Central Prairie
Bert Frenz
221 Rainbow Drive
PMB 12190
Livingston, TX 77399-2021
e-mail: bert@bafrenz.com
SHRIKES THROUGH VIREOS
Loggerhead Shrike: (2 adults feeding 2 fledglings) 24 May (Darrell Vollert), stop #28 along FM390, BBS route between Burton and Independence, Washington County [uncommon].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (1 heard) 16 March (Jim Yantis) Keechi Creek WMA, Leon County [expected for area, but few bird records for this county].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (1) 31 March (Derek Muschalek), six miles southeast Gillett, Karnes County [rare].
Yellow-throated Vireo: (7-8) 20 May (Brush Freeman, Mark Lockwood), upper drainages of Alum Creek, Bastrop County [breeding probable; territorial behavior].
Philadelphia Vireo: (4+) 12 May (Tim Fennell), at Macedonia Pecan Bottom, CR 337 Pecan Bottom, and CR 347 River Access, Williamson County [large number for the area].
Hutton's Vireo: (1) 10 March (Brush Freeman), Park Rd 1C ~1.4 mi. west of it's intersection with Old Antioch Rd. in Buescher State Park, Bastrop County [very rare].
Red-eyed Vireo: (no.?) 20 May (Brush Freeman, Mark Lockwood), upper drainages of Alum Creek, Bastrop County [breeding probable; territorial behavior].
LARKS THROUGH SWALLOWS
Horned Lark: (1 territorial) 27 May; (2 mating) 30 May; (2 singing) 10 June (Tim Fennell), FM 1105, north of Weir, Williamson County [breeding confirmed; photographed; according to Tim, "appears to be the first evidence of Horned Larks in the breeding season in Williamson Co. since 1976."].
Northern Rough-winged Swallow: (5) 19 March (Chris Merkord), TAMU Waste Water Treatment Plant, College Station, Brazos County [early arrival].
Bank Swallow: (2) 5 May; (2) 12 May; (1) 20 May; (2) 30-31 May; (2) 12 June (Tim Fennell), at spillway at Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [possible breeding pair; Tim stated, "Two Bank Swallows have been present at Granger Dam the entire month of May (the banks of the spillway may be suitable for nest burrows)."].
Cliff Swallow: (3) 3 March (Peter Barnes), Richland Creek WMA, Freestone County [early arrival].
Cliff Swallow: (1) 6 March (Darrell Vollert), US290 at Brazos River, Washington County [early arrival; a check on 3 March at same location showed none].
Cave Swallow: (1) 7 March (Ellen Ratoosh), over the pond on Hwy 50 just N of the intersection with Hwy 60 on March 7, Burleson County [first county record].
Cave Swallow: (12 and 3 nests) 30-31 May; (8) 10 June (Tim Fennell), FM 971 bridge over Berry Creek east of Georgetown, Williamson County [breeding confirmed; nests found].
Tim stated, "I also found a small colony of Cave Swallows (my first nesting record for Williamson) at the Berry Creek bridge on FM 971, east of Georgetown. All of the U.S. breeding swallows except Violet-green could be nesting in Williamson this season. I had two Tree Swallows flying around the same drowned timber at Willis Creek Park on Granger Lake from mid- April through the first week of May (I haven't had time to check since then) and two Bank Swallows have been present at Granger Dam the entire month of May (the banks of the spillway may be suitable for nest burrows).
Cave Swallow: (1 nest) 30 May (Russell Nelson), under the US 190 bridge at the park along Sulphur Creek near where US 190 and 281 meet on the south side of Lampasas, Lampasas County [status?].
Barn Swallow: (1) 3 March (Darrell Vollert), Wichita Ranch, Washington County [early arrival].
Barn Swallow: (first sighting of spring) 6 March; (female started incubating) 10 April; (young hatched) 23 April; (2 fledged) 13 May; (female incubating again) 20 May (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [detailed breeding record].