TEXAS 
4 
White-rumped Sandpipers are casual In Texas during the fall and are rarely adequately 
documented. This individual was one of two present at Shatter Lake near Andrews, An- 
drews County 1 6 October 2008. Photograph by Erik Breden. 
Gray Hawks are very local in the Lower Rio 
Grande Valley but continue to show signs of 
expansion, with a juv. at Frontera Audubon, 
Weslaco, Hidalgo during the early part of the 
season and an ad. in Pharr, Hidalgo 14 Sep 
(fide MGu). An unexpected first record for the 
Pineywoods was a dark-morph Short-tailed 
Hawk found injured at Troup, Smith 6 Oct 
(ph. BGr). A White-tailed Hawk near Granger 
L., Williamson 9 Nov was well n. of its ex- 
pected range (ph. TiF). Crested Caracaras 
continue to expand into w. and nw. Texas. 
One was s. of Marfa, Presidio 6 Sep (BSu), but 
quite unexpected were 2 ads. and 3 fledglings 
in Kent through 26 Nov for a first breeding 
record for the South Plains (DS, m.ob.). 
RAILS THROUGH JAEGERS 
A Black Rail flushed e. of Groveton, Trinity 8 
Aug provided a first Pineywoods record (ph. 
BT). A group of 15 Black-bellied Plovers near 
Crosbyton, Crosby 8 Nov (PK) was not only an 
unusually high count for the location but also 
late. American Golden-Plovers continued to 
show that they are regular fall migrants 
through cen. Texas, with a handful of sightings 
there, while one at Balmorhea L., Reeves 30 
Aug (SC, MR) was the only one reported from 
the Trans-Pecos. Inland Piping Plovers are al- 
ways good finds during migration, and this 
season one was at Granger L., Williamson 3 
Aug (ph. TiF), while another was at Stillhouse 
Hollow Res., Bell 13 Sep (RKo). Drought con- 
ditions likely played a factor in concentrating 
920 Black-necked Stilts at San Bernard N.W.R., 
Brazoria 10 Aug (RW). Lone Solitary Sand- 
pipers were near Ft. Hancock, Hudspeth 20 
Nov (ph. BZ) and in El Paso, El Paso 28 Nov 
(JP); following last winter’s reports, these may 
indicate that this species could become a regu- 
lar winter visitor to far w. Texas. Wood Sand- 
piper has not been reported in Texas, so a vo- 
calizing, flyby individual at Balmorhea L., 
Reeves 29 Aug studied by 
an experienced observer 
piques our interest (tMR, 
SC). Despite extensive 
searching, the bird was 
never seen again and disap- 
peared without having 
been satisfactorily pho- 
tographed or recorded. 
Amazing numbers of Long- 
billed Curlews staged in w. 
Texas. Peak counts of 1500 
at Balmorhea L., Reeves 19 
Sep (ML) and 2000 birds at 
Shafter L., Andrews 31 Oct 
(EB) were staggering totals 
that represent a significant 
portion of the known pop- 
ulation. A Marbled Godwit near Crosbyton, 
Crosby 8 Nov (PK) provided a late date for the 
South Plains. Two White-rumped Sandpipers, 
including a juv., were an excellent fall find on 
16 Oct on Shafter L., Andrews (ph. EB). The S. 
Padre I. jetty hosted a wintering Purple Sand- 
piper 29 Nov+ (ph. NN, m.ob.). Single Ruffs 
were great finds on w. Galveston I., Galveston 
31 Aug-1 Sep (ph., tHH, m.ob.) and sw. of 
Raymondville, Willacy 24 Aug-14 Sep (ph., 
tRP, ECa, MGu). Out of place were 2 American 
Woodcocks near Levelland, Hockley 24 Aug 
(AnH) and another one in a residential yard 
near Buffalo Gap, Taylor 11 Aug (ph. JC). The 
only Red-necked Phalarope reported in the e. 
half of the state was one sw. 
of Raymondville, Willacy 13 
Sep (DJ). Single Red 
Phalaropes were well docu- 
mented in Kaufman 19 Oct 
(ph. GC, TDDC et al.) and at 
Mitchell L., Bexar 19 Oct 
(ph., tMGo et al.). 
Inland Laughing Gulls, 
sometimes in unprecedent- 
ed numbers, appeared in 
East Texas after Hurricane 
Ike. Scattered individuals 
ranged from L. Wright Pat- 
man, Bowie to L. Sam Ray- 
burn, San Augustine, but the 
motherlode was at the L. 
Livingston spillway, 
Polk/San Jacinto with 280-t 
birds 15 Sep (DW). At least 125 birds were still 
there 17 Sep. Unusual were 20 Franklin’s Gulls 
seen out in open Gulf waters off South Padre 
1., Cameron 9 Nov (BMc et al). An impressive 
flock of 1100+ Franklin’s Gulls was found on 
L. Sam Rayburn, Angelina 23 Oct (DW). A sec- 
ond-cycle California Gull was at Balmorhea L., 
Reeves 2 Nov (ph. ML), while singles were at 
three El Paso area locations (BZ, JP). A first-cy- 
cle Thayer’s Gull was in Galveston, Galveston 
22 Nov (CTL). Inland Lesser Black-backed 
Gulls included singles on the L. Livingston 
spillway, Polk 26 Nov (ph. DW, RS, RT) and 
Ascarate L., El Paso 30 Nov (BZ). A gull pho- 
tographed at Quintana, Brazoria 8 Nov was 
thought by some to be a Great Black-backed, 
but no consensus was reached (MBa). A worn 
Kelp Gull was discovered at the base of the 
Quintana Jetty, Brazoria 8 Nov+ (ph., tRW, 
CTL et al). As is expected in the fall, Sabine’s 
Gulls were observed at scattered locations 
throughout the state. Most notable were single 
individuals at L. Rita Blanca, Hartley 1 Sep 
(BrG), L. Tawakoni S.P., Hunt 9 Sep (RKi), and 
at Holiday Marina, L. Tawakoni, Van Zandt 14 
Sep (GC), plus 2 at L. Ransom Canyon, Lub- 
bock 13-14 Sep (AnH, AvH). A belated report- 
ed of an imm. Sabine’s Gull picked up at Surf- 
side, Brazoria 26 Aug 2007 provided a first 
record for Brazoria (fide RW). A juv. Black- 
legged Kittiwake at Tornillo Res. 16-20 Nov 
(ph. JP et al.) was the first in El Paso since 
1991. It or another appeared at nearby McNary 
Res., Hudspeth 22 Nov+ (MSc, JZ). 
Hurricanes deposited Sooty Terns at numer- 
ous locations in e. and ne. Texas. Two and pos- 
sibly 3 birds were on L. Wright Patman, Cass 4 
Sep (MD), one was at L. Bob Sandlin, Titus 14 
Sep (MW), and another was at Holiday Mari- 
na, L. Tawakoni, Van Zandt 14 Sep (GC, PBi, 
BB). Six Bridled Terns were tallied on the 
pelagic trip off South Padre L, Cameron 6 Sep 
(BM et al), while 2 storm-related birds at 
Cooper L., Delta 3 Sep (MW) were amazingly 
far inland. A record-high count of 30 Least 
Terns on L. Sam Rayburn, San Augustine 14 
Sep (DW) was out of season. The 56 Caspian 
Terns at L. Tawakoni, Hunt 9 Sep (TiF) were 
impressive, but the 360 birds counted on L. 
Livingston, Polk 15 Sep (DW) were even more 
so. Hurricane Ike produced a plethora of Roy- 
Two Ryffs were found in Texas in fail 2008; this female was on Galveston Island, Galve- 
ston County 31 August through (here) 1 September. Photograph by David McDonald. 
-jig NORTHAMERICANBIRDS 
