Recent Rarities
Western Tanager
Brown-crested Flycatcher
Extremely similar to the more expected Great Crested Flycatcher and its paler western cousin the Ash-throated Flycatcher, this species is an inhabitant of South Texas that we occasionally see in Central Texas, best told from its congeners by voice. This individual was stirring up trouble with Great Crested Flycatchers in a park in South Austin.
Photographed at Cherry Creek Nature Park, 6.12.25.
Western Wood-Pewee
It's not often that you see a bird that turns out to be a county first, but that happened to me today at Nicholas Dawson Park. Initially thinking this to be the more expected Eastern Wood-Pewee, I heard it call and realized I was looking at a Western, typically found in far West Texas. Nearly identical to its eastern cousin, voice is the key to ID, and I (with several other excited observers) was lucky to see AND hear it multiple times over the afternoon.
Photographed at Nicholas Dawson Park, 5.27.25.
Western Tanager
There are several stages to a rare bird photo chase.
Stage 1: You arrive at the location and ask the birders already there, “Has it shown up yet?” The answer is usually the same: “No, not yet!” Undeterred, you settle in. Patience is the name of the game—and with any luck, the bird is still somewhere nearby.
Stage 2: Someone finally spots it. “Western Tanager!” The bird you drove an hour to see is foraging at the very top of a tree at some distance—miles out of range for a decent photo. Still, you watch from afar, silently willing it to come closer.
Stage 3: It does. Now, cameras are at the ready. Adrenaline kicks in. You know you might only have a few seconds to get the shot.
Stage 4: The bird drops to a branch just feet away, perfectly eye-level. You hold your breath, barely daring to blink.
Stage 5: It sits in the open. Hallelujah. You take the shots.
Stage 6: You get home, load them onto the computer… and pray at least one is in focus.
Photographed at Crescent Bend Nature Park, Schertz 5.18.25
Bobolink
A small member of the blackbird family, Bobolinks are long-distance migrants that are found in open fields and agricultural areas. Their migration path typically takes them east of us– there are only a handful of records for this species in Travis County– but occasionally they’ll appear in neighboring areas. I went out to Granger (about an hour away) to visit with a small flock along a county road. Another lifer for me!
Photographed near Granger, Texas 5.16.25.
Worm-eating Warbler
The Worm-eating Warbler is a unique warbler of the forest understory which only occasionally reaches Austin during spring migration, as most of the population migrates up the coast. They can often be seen near eye level as they investigate clumps of dead leaves and vines for insects. My friend Erica (who first spotted this one) and I find one of these nearly every year at Nicholas Dawson Park, and their relatively confiding nature (in my experience) makes them easy to observe.
Photographed at Nicholas Dawson Park, 4.20.25.
Anna’s Hummingbird
I was lucky to spend a few days with this adult male Anna’s Hummingbird at a friend’s house in west Austin. Year-round residents of California and the Pacific, a number of them wander east every winter and show up in Texas and the Gulf Coast states. This has been a particularly good year for them in Texas, with multiple sightings in various areas including some adult males, which are more infrequently seen. These are distinguished from other male hummers in our area by their brilliant magenta head, which when not catching the light appears dark.
Photographed in Austin, 2.27.25.
Rufous-backed Robin
When an ultra-rare bird lingers in the same spot for over a week, I had the same thought as nearly every other birder in Texas—you can’t not go try to see it! The Rufous-backed Robin, usually found in Western and Central Mexico, is rare in Texas but has become a regular visitor to Arizona and the Southwest border region. This individual has been appearing at regular intervals throughout the day at the water feature at Lora's Blind in South Llano River State Park near Junction.
Photographed at South Llano River State Park, 2.18.25.
Ferruginous Hawk
A large, pale, attractive hawk of open country, the Ferruginous Hawk is uncommon to locally common in winter in Central Texas. With the kind help of a local birder, I spotted three of these birds near Bastrop and got some photos when one of them flew very close to the road as we were watching another one in a tree. They can look very similar to pale Red-tailed Hawks, but the dark feathered legs, yellow gape to the bill, and near-white tail make them stand out.
Photographed on Loop Road, Smithville, 1.18.25.
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Finally got another one of my nemesis warblers today - a Black-throated Gray Warbler. Normally found in the western part of the country from the Pacific Northwest through New Mexico, we occasionally see them in Texas as winter vagrants, much like the Black-throated Blue from last month. Texas's mild winters offer these insect-eating birds a steady food supply during their stay, and this adult male has been munching on caterpillars at Lakeshore Park since at least Friday. It remains to be seen if he sticks around after a cool front comes through on Wednesday, but I hope to get more opportunities to photograph him.
Photographed at Lakeshore Park, Austin, 12.21.24.
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 often 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.