Latest Sightings
Western Bluebird
Western Bluebird
I was watching bluebirds at Roy G. Guerrero Park when I heard one make a call I wasn’t familiar with- a short “kew”, very different from the usual two-note slurred call of our Eastern Bluebirds. Upon closer examination, it was a very rare for the county Western Bluebird, and subsequent observations by others turned up a pair! A very exciting find especially for the eastern part of the county.
Photographed at Roy. G. Guerrero Park, 11.12.24.
Black-throated Blue Warbler
I just missed seeing one of these in Port Aransas back in September, so I was thrilled when I got a tip that one was hanging out in San Antonio. These eastern warblers tend to show up in the winter months in Texas as vagrants, and unlike many warbler species, the males do not have a different "alternate" (breeding) plumage, so they look handsome year-round. The greener females look so different that early ornithologists thought they were a separate species, but they have a telltale small wing patch similar to the males. These warblers forage in low shrubs or on the ground, which makes them easy to observe, and this little guy didn't seem fazed by a small group of us taking his picture. An exciting day and beautiful bird for an otherwise difficult week!
Photographed in Brackenridge Park, San Antonio, 11.9.24.
American Flamingo
Since Hurricane Idalia in 2023, American Flamingos, found primarily in the Carribean, have been seen in all sorts of unusual places, including along the Texas coast. I went to Port Aransas this weekend hoping to see this bird at Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center. Though it hadn’t been seen for a few days, it reappeared on September 28 and stayed farther out on the pond until it happened to make this closer flyby to the boardwalk near sunset.
Photographed at Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center, 9.28.24.
Snowy Plover
Austin gets a handful of these small, pale shorebirds every year, but I haven’t managed to get a photo of one until now. Hornsby Bend is a particularly regular stopover spot for them during migration, but they’re most often seen on the farther, less accessible sides of the ponds. Got lucky to spot this one closer in near one of the roads, enabling me to get this portrait.
Photographed at Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory, 8.30.24.
Cassin’s Sparrow
Sparrows aren't always the flashiest of birds, but it is always cool to see a new one. This Cassin's Sparrow, a rare but regular visitor to the Austin area, has been hanging out along one of the roads at Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory for about a week. One key to ID is its lack of distinctive field marks, being rather gray-brown overall with a faint eye ring. According to Cornell's Birds of the World, this sparrow's migratory status, molt patterns and seasonal movements are unusual for North American birds.
Photographed at Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory, 8.23.24
Golden-winged Warbler
Ever since my photo encounter with this species at Mills Pond in 2021, I’d been hoping to improve on or at least match the experience. That opportunity eluded me until this photo. This beautiful male was difficult to track as it moved quickly through branches and hovered in dense clumps of leaves looking for insects. I got lucky with a few photos when it paused for a split second on an open branch. This threatened species is much sought-after by birders and bird photographers alike.
Photographed at Mills Pond Recreation Area, 4.28.24
Eastern Whip-poor-will
A fun find to kick off spring migration! A woman walking by with her baby called me and my friend Suzanne over to see this bird, an infrequent county migrant. Whip-poor-wills are nocturnal birds and a common sound of eastern forests, but they are difficult to see during the day when they roost quietly on logs and branches. I had certainly never seen one so it was exciting to be able to get some photos.
Photographed at Nicholas Dawson Park, 3.25.24.
Painted Redstart
The Painted Redstart, sometimes known as the Painted Whitestart to distinguish it from the not-closely-related American Redstart, is a flashy warbler of subtropical regions that ranges north to the southwestern U.S. They occasionally show up in Texas, often in winter, where they tend to hang out in a favored location. This one has been readily seen in a red oak tree at Choke Canyon State Park for a few weeks now. I was lucky to get this pic when it briefly turned into the sun coming out in the late afternoon.
Photographed at Choke Canyon State Park, 12.26.23.