Least Grebes continued to maintain a pres- 
ence on the Upper Texas Coast (hereafter, 
U.T.C.) and in cen. Texas. New locations for 
this species include one just s. of Kerrville, 
Kerr 16 May (ph. TC, SCo) and one in Round 
Rock 2-21 Mar (ph. TFe), possibly a 
Williamson first. An alternate-plumaged Red- 
necked Grebe on L. Buchanan, Llano/Bumet 
15-24 Mar provided the 2nd documented 
record for the Edwards Plateau (ph. tTFe, 
SWi, m.ob.). A Western Grebe put in an ap- 
pearance at Richard Simpson Park, Tarrant 21 
Apr (JSi); 34 on L. Buchanan, Llano 15 Mar 
(ph. TFe, SWi) was a great number along the 
e. edge of expected range. The banded Amer- 
ican Flamingo that has traversed the lower 
Gulf coast since the fall of 2005 departed 
Louisiana in mid-May and spent 16-17 May at 
Freeport, Brazoria (ph. tDSa, TFr et al). 
Brown Pelicans continued in a few inland lo- 
cations in e. and n.-cen. Texas, presumably 
holdouts from last year’s hurricanes; one in 
Lubbock, Lubbock lingered there through 4 
Mar (AH, BSc). Other notable wandering 
Brown Pelicans included one in Presidio, Pre- 
sidio 4-31 Mar QKa, PSi), one at Greenbelt L., 
Donley 7-17 May (HO), and another in Ker- 
rville, Kerr 6 May (ph. TG). Lone Neotropic 
Cormorants showed up at two unexpected w. 
Texas locations: at the Independence Creek 
Preserve, Terrell 4 Apr (BSu) and the Presidio 
sewage ponds, Presidio 30 Apr (ML). An An- 
hinga wandered well nw. of its range to L. 
Fort Phantom, Jones 27 Mar (ph. LBl). 
HERONS THROUGH RAPTORS 
An American Bittern in Dimmitt, Castro 19 
Apr (AH) was a nice find in the Panhandle, 
where the species is rare. A Least Bittern at 
Cook’s Slough, Uvalde 19 Apr was a good find 
(ph. DLo, MLo); 6 birds in a wetland near 
Seagoville, Kaufman 10 May (GC) made a 
nice inland count. Big Bend’s Rio Grande Vil- 
lage, Brewster held a Little Blue Heron 29 Mar 
OJo) as well as 3 Yellow-crowned Night- 
Herons 4 May (MBu, EC). A White Ibis in 
Lubbock, Lubbock 1 Apr (NM, m.ob.) fur- 
nished one of very few records for the area. 
White Ibis made a strong shovAng in cen. 
Texas, perhaps being forced inland by 
drought conditions on the coast. Small num- 
bers of both imms. and ads. appeared in 
Travis, Bastrop, Williamson, and Caldwell 
starting in early Apr, with a few lingering 
through the end of the period (m.ob.). A high 
count of 25 came from Shipp L., Bastrop 17 
May (PR). Individual birds were noted at 
egret rookeries near Webberville, Travis (BFr) 
and near Lockhart, Caldwell (CHa), though 
no evidence of nesting was found. A Glossy 
Ibis made its way to Lubbock, Lubbock 5 May 
TEXAS 
Among the many vagrants to the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas 
from the winter that lingered into the spring was this immature 
male Rose-throated Becard. This generally cooperative bird was at 
Estero Llano Grande State Park, Hidalgo County from the fall until 
mid-April 2009 (here 28 February). Photograph by Dauid McDonald. 
(BGi) for a regional first. Other inland 
Glossies include singles at Hornsby 
Bend, Travis 24 Apr (ph. EC), at Rich- 
land W.M.A., Navarro/Freestone 8-16 
May (TFe, DDC, DLi), and at Village 
Creek Drying Beds, Tairant 14 (JoC) & 
25 Apr (GC, EdW, m.ob.). Roseate 
Spoonbills made an early appearance at 
Richland Creek WM.A., Navarro, with 
up to 6 present 8-21 May (TFe, PB); an- 
other was at Alazan Bayou, Nacogdoches 
17 May (DW). Quite unexpected was 
one at L. Meredith, Moore 31 May (BP). 
A Black Vulture at Independence 
Creek Preserve, Terrell 4 Apr (BSu) was 
on the edge of where they can be ex- 
pected. A Hook-billed Kite n. of San 
Ygnacio, Zapata 20 May (RRo) was a bit 
farther up the Rio Grande than usual. 
Continuing signs of expanding Swal- 
low-tailed Kite activity were 2 birds 
over Jonestown, Travis 28 Apr (BiC, 
BrC) and another sw. of Austin, Travis 5 
May OGi); one noted several times in 
the Tomball/Cypress area, Harris in late 
Mar and early Apr hinted at local breed- 
ing (KM et al). The White-tailed Kite nest ef- 
fort at Rio Bosque Wetlands Park, El Paso that 
began in Feb failed, but nesting had begun 
again by 1 May OSp). though this also was 
unsuccessful. Birds continued there through 
the period, with a high of 5 on 24 May and 
another 3 about 3 km away 27 May OSp)- 
More unexpected was an individual near 
Alpine, Brewster 23 Apr (ML). A pair of 
Cooper’s Hawks at the Houston Arboretum, 
Harris were found nest building 4 Mar (BE). 
Three other pairs were located in Houston, 
Harris during the period, indicating this 
species is now a regular breeder there QKe). A 
Red-shouldered Hawk at the Independence 
Creek Preserve, Terrell 4 Apr (BSu) was slight- 
ly w. of its range. A Zone-tailed Hawk fre- 
quented w. El Paso, El Paso 25-29 May, where 
the species is very rare (MLA, JeC). A pair of 
Crested Caracaras bred at the Stelzer Ranch, 
Kent 16 Mar+ (DSt, ph.) for perhaps the 3rd 
year in a row. A Prairie Falcon passed over 
Bentsen S.P., Hidalgo 29 Mar (fide JR). 
RAILS THROUGH JAEGERS 
Four King Rails in wetlands near Seagoville, 
Kaufman 22-23 May (GC et al.) made a good 
inland count. Purple Gallinules showed a 
strong presence along the w. edge of their 
range, including singles in Collin, Kaufman, 
and Tarrant late Apr+ (m.ob.). Westerly 
American Golden-Plovers include 2 near 
Dimmitt, Castro 19 Apr (AH) and one at the 
Uvalde Fish Hatchery, Uvalde 17 Apr (BoB). A 
possible state-second Pacific Golden-Plover 
was near Progresso, Hidalgo 26 Mar (ph., 
TRSt); details are under review. A Snowy 
Plover nest containing three eggs at Bryan 
Beach, Brazoria 7 May QKe) was the first dis- 
covered on the U.T.C. in many years. Two 
Whimbrels at Richland Creek W.M.A., Navar- 
ro 14 May (CSh, HH, MSy) provided a rare 
area record, A stunning Surfbird was at the 
Port Aransas jetties, Nueces 1-9 May (ph., 
tCRi, MGr, CJ). Fourteen White-rumped 
Sandpipers se. of Midland, Midland 30-31 
May (ph. RMS) was a good number for that w. 
location, and 56+ at Imperial Res., Pecos 24 
May (ByS) was an even more impressive total 
for that region. The wintering Purple Sand- 
piper on the S. Padre Island jetty, Cameron lin- 
gered until at least 26 May (ph. BHe). Early 
Buff-breasted Sandpipers were at the Progres- 
so sod farm, Hidalgo 22 Mar (RSt) and at Still- 
house Hollow Res., Bell 29 Mar (RP). An 
amazing 1100 individuals were present near 
Calallen, Nueces 1-2 May (WS, SC, MaR). 
Likely representing a regional record total, 
540 Long-billed Dowitchers stopped at Fort 
Hancock Res., Hudspeth 21 Mar OPa)- A lone 
Red-necked Phalarope present intermittently 
17-28 May at Southside W.T.P., Dallas (RRa, 
BoS) represented the only report from the e. 
half of the state at this season. 
A Black-legged Kittiwake was at South 
Padre I., Cameron 21 Mar-13 Apr (ph., tDR, 
AD et al.). A first-cycle kittiwake at Rollover 
Pass and an ad. at Bolivar Flats, Galveston IB- 
IS Apr furnished very rare spring records for 
the U.T.C. (ph. MiR, CC). Glaucous Gulls 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
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