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Seasonal Reports

Spring 2001

Region 6

Summary

Loons - Vultures

Waterfowl

Raptors

Rails - Shorebirds

Gulls - Terns

Doves - Owls

Hummingbirds

Kingfishers - Flycatchers

Shrikes - Swallows

Chickadees - Waxwings

Warblers

Tanagers - Sparrows

Cardinals - Finches

TANAGERS

Scarlet Tanager: (1 male) 20 April (David Shackelford), Hensel Park, College Station, Brazos County [occasional].

Scarlet Tanager: (1 male), 24 April (Darrell Vollert; Mary Brandt), Chappell Hills subdivision, Washington County [rare; Darrell writes, "This was only my second sighting of a spring male Scarlet Tanager in Washington County.].

Scarlet Tanager: (1) 28 April (David Scott), Guadalupe St., College Station, Brazos County [rare migrant].

Scarlet Tanager: (1 male) 30 April (David Shackelford), Lick Creek Park, College Station, Brazos County [occasional].

Scarlet Tanager: (1 male) 30 April and 1 May (Habib Rahman), Bryan, Brazos County [occasional].

SPARROWS

Olive Sparrow: (1) 5 May (Derek Muschalek), CR271, Karnes County [rare].

Spotted Towhee: (1 adult male) 7 April (Chris Merkord, Jennifer Reidy), Roberts Rd., Washington County [late and rare].

Eastern Towhee: (1) 1 April (Tim Fennell), Granger area, Williamson County [rare].

Clay-colored Sparrow: (1) 5 May (Ellen Ratoosh), Emerald Forest subdivision, College Station, Brazos County [rare spring migrant; "perhaps grounded by the storms last night"].

Vesper Sparrow: (2) 20 April (Tim Fennell), Willis Creek Park, Granger Lake, Williamson County [late departure for Central Prairie].

Grasshopper Sparrow

Tim Fennell, Williamson County, on 27 May, "Grasshopper Sparrows are more abundant than I have ever seen them. On my BBS (Wahlberg Route) on 5/27, I had seven Grasshopper Sparrows on the route. Since the route began in 1980, Grasshopper Sparrows had been recorded during only three years (2 birds maximum). On 5/26, between 8:30 and 9:30 am, I did an informal survey of the grasslands on the eastern edge of Round Rock and I counted 69 Grasshopper Sparrows. Of the 69, fourteen birds were heard only. Of the birds seen, eight were carrying insects (I could only identify five of the insects and they were, you guessed it, grasshoppers).

Tim Fennell, Williamson County, on 12 May, "It looks like it is going to be a banner year for Dickcissels and especially Grasshopper Sparrows (I heard and saw them at many places on the route that I haven't encountered them in the past 4 years- I think the rainfall this year is the cause of this as previously parched fields are incredibly lush)."

Grasshopper Sparrow: (1 pair) 24 May (Darrell Vollert), BBS route between Burton and Independence, Washington County [new species for BBS route.]

Darrell observed, "I found one male and one female perched together on a barbed wire fence at stop #50 on Rocky Hill School Road at Old Independence Road. The male Grasshopper Sparrow displayed and sang and called often. The pair mated several times. This is the first time that I have ever seen Grasshopper Sparrows in Washington County. Pat Giddings has the only other record that I am aware of for the county. I watched the two sparrows for several minutes after my survey was finished. The male Grasshopper Sparrow's lesser coverts had orange coloration on them that was more visible when the bird extended his wings outward. The female did not have the orange coloration on her wings. It was easy for me to tell just by looking at the plumage of the two birds which one was the male and which one was the female."

Grasshopper Sparrow: (15) 29 May (Colin Bludau), various in SW part of county, Karnes County [breeding confirmed].

Le Conte's Sparrow: (1) 29 April (Tim Fennell), grassy spillway leading to marsh below dam at Granger Lake, Williamson County [late departure].

Harris's Sparrow: (5) 31 March (Mike Creese, San Antonio Audubon Society Field Trip), ranch of Susan and Donald Schaezler, northeast of San Antonio, Guadalupe County [late].

Harris's Sparrow: (2) 9 and 11 April; (1) 16 April; (2) 21 April; (2) 23-25 April (Mary Ann Grahmann), Chadwick-Hogan Road just south of Chappell Hill, Washington County [rare this late in the season; the latest prior record was 19 April; recorded on video].

Harris's Sparrow: (1) 2 May (Darrell Vollert), along fence line on FM577 near SH105 in Brenham, Washington County [very late sighting; latest area record].

White-crowned Sparrow: (4) 21 April; (6) 23 April; (2 in morning; 6 in afternoon) 24 April; (6 seen singing) 25 April; (2) 2 May (Mary Ann Grahmann), Chadwick-Hogan Road just south of Chappell Hill, Washington County [expected to end of April; rare in May].

White-crowned Sparrow: (1) 5 May (Tim Fennell), Granger Lake dam, Williamson County [late].

Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco: (20) 10 March (Darrell Vollert), Washington-on-the-Brazos SHP, Washington County [unusual concentration of Oregon race since normal mix is 20:1 Dark-eyed to Oregon].

Dark-eyed Junco: (2) 31 March (Derek Muschalek), six miles southeast Gillett, Karnes County [late departure].

McCown's Longspur: (1) 1 March (Gary Fritcher), Burleson County [rare; There 13-14 records of McCown's Longspurs in the Central Brazos Valley, most of which we only have dates, so it is possible some of these are also from Burleson Co. But all of these are prior to 1976. We have had no records in the past 25 years.].

McCown's Longspur: (1) 11 March (Tim Fennell), sharp "L" turn on CR 359/Friendship Lane, Williamson County [rare].