Here’s the quarterly update to the “Big as Texas eBird Counties” spreadsheet for December 2024: 

Highlights and notes from the quarter from September to late November.

• This spreadsheet has been changed to match the latest updates to the eBird/Clements list. Here are the changes.
  1. Herring Gull name changed to “American Herring Gull
  2. Vega Gull added to the list
  3. European Herring Gull added to the list.
  4. Scopoli’s Shearwater added to the list.
  5. Audubon’s Shearwater name changed to Sargasso Shearwater
  6. Pelicanifomes order changed: Pelicans moved to the bottom, Ibises and Spoonbills moved to the top.
  7. Accipiters moved up directly behind Golden Eagle
  8. A slight shuffle in buteos.
  9. Barn Owl name changed to “American Barn Owl”
  10. Red-crowned Parrot name changed to Red-crowned Amazon
  11. Cattle Tyrant was moved to Exotic:Provisional section
  12. House Wren name changed to “Northern House Wren”
  13. Common Redpoll name changed to “Redpoll”

 

• Added to the Texas list this quarter. 
  1. Vega Gull: (due to split from Herring)
  2. European Herring Gull:  (due to split from Herring)
  3. Scopoli’s Shearwater (due to split from Cory’s)

 

• Review Species added to counties for the quarter.
  1. Connecticut Warbler: Aransas (May late entry) – https://ebird.org/checklist/S172900894
  2. Vega Gull: 
     1. Cameron – Brownsville Landfill (2015-2019)
     2. Harris – Multiple (2006-2008)
     3. Nueces – Elliot Landfill (2000)
  3. European Herring Gull: Galveston – Apffel Prk / East Beach (2009)
  4. Common Crane: Kleberg – https://ebird.org/checklist/S102276547 (2022)
  5. Redpoll: Navarro – https://ebird.org/checklist/S128276013 (1930)
  6. Eurasian Wigeon: Nueces – https://ebird.org/checklist/S202999054
  7. Gray-crowned Yellowthroat: Zapata – https://ebird.org/checklist/S203430348 (1996)

 

• Scopoli’s/Cory’s Shearwater current status::
  1. Aransas: Cory’s/Scopoli’s
  2. Brazoria: Scopoli’s
  3. Calhoun: Scopoli’s
  4. Cameron: Cory’s and Scopoli’s
  5. Galveston: Scopoli’s
  6. Kenedy: Cory’s and Scopoli’s
  7. Kleberg: Cory’s/Scopoli’s
  8. Matagorda: Cory’s/Scopoli’s
  9. Montgomery: Scopoli’s
  10. Nueces: Cory’s and Scopoli’s

 

• “Way out of range” county records:
  1. Angelina: Calliope Hummingbird – https://ebird.org/checklist/S194673095
  2. Archer: Prairie Warbler – https://ebird.org/checklist/S193747010
  3. Bowie: Black-chinned Hummingbird – https://ebird.org/checklist/S201997814
  4. Burleson: Audubon’s Oriole – https://ebird.org/checklist/S203676676 (interesting photos)
  5. Chambers: Sage Thrasher – https://ebird.org/checklist/S201631820
  6. Clay: Magnificent Frigatebird – https://ebird.org/checklist/S202308501
  7. Cooke: Swallow-tailed Kite – https://ebird.org/checklist/S194412638
  8. Deaf Smith: Short-billed Dowitcher – https://ebird.org/checklist/S187263329
  9. El Paso: Veery – https://ebird.org/checklist/S196179800
  10. Garza: Brown Pelican – https://ebird.org/checklist/S198044184
  11. Hardeman: Buff-breasted Sandpiper – https://ebird.org/checklist/S195262973 (no notes)
  12. Hemphill: Cassin’s Vireo – https://ebird.org/checklist/S195497233
  13. Hood: Couch’s Kingbird – https://ebird.org/checklist/S195910997
  14. Irion: Broad-winged Hawk – https://ebird.org/checklist/S199922605
  15. Kimble: Gray Hawk – https://ebird.org/checklist/S194302043
  16. King: Crested Caracara – https://ebird.org/checklist/S197673103
  17. Lipscomb: Blue-winged Warbler – https://ebird.org/checklist/S196109439
  18. Marion: Lesser Black-backed Gull – https://ebird.org/checklist/S204121309
  19. Midland: Bay-breasted Warbler – https://ebird.org/checklist/S196928414
  20. Navarro: Brown Booby – https://ebird.org/checklist/S200838382
  21. Nueces: Acorn Woodpecker – https://ebird.org/checklist/S202580960
  22. Oldham: American Golden-Plover – https://ebird.org/checklist/S196653928
  23. Parker: Couch’s Kingbird – https://ebird.org/checklist/S194174129
  24. Parmer: 
      1. Hudsonian Godwit – https://ebird.org/checklist/S196298320
      2. Whimbrel – https://ebird.org/checklist/S196588610
  25. Potter: Wood Thrush – https://ebird.org/checklist/S198949480
  26. Randall: Short-billed Dowitcher – https://ebird.org/checklist/S192709964
  27. Reeves: Golden-winged Warbler – https://ebird.org/checklist/S200121717
  28. Robertson: Broad-tailed Hummingbird – https://ebird.org/checklist/S193640885
  29. Scurry: Black-throated Green Warbler – https://ebird.org/checklist/S194274231
  30. Tarrant: Brewer’s Sparrow – https://ebird.org/checklist/S198806891
  31. Travis:
      1. Mexican Duck – https://ebird.org/checklist/S191433082
      2.  Western Flycatcher – https://ebird.org/checklist/S194670831
  32. Wichita: 
      1. Mottled Duck – https://ebird.org/checklist/S199779141
      2. Black Phoebe – https://ebird.org/checklist/S203881133
  33. Williamson: Lucy’s Warbler – https://ebird.org/checklist/S200554492

 

• Continuous work in obscure counties
  1. Ector: Anthony Hewetson and Sheri Anderson (4 species)
  2. Hemphill: Bob Friedrichs (4 species)
  3. Kent: Mark Lockwood (5 species)
  4. Parmer: Jay Packer (6 species), Steve Glover & Greg Cook (2), Audrey Curtis (3)
  5. Runnels: Sheridan Coffey & Martin Reid (3 species)
  6. Sterling: Sheri Anderson & Anthony Hewetson (3 species), Stephen Falick (2)

 

• Limpkin this quarter was not added to any new counties.

• 254th county completion:
• Wilson’s Snipe –  Dallam County
• Dickcissel – Ector County
• Northern Cardinal – Parmer County

• Species needed for just one county:

• 1. 1. Mallard: Medina
     2. Western Kingbird: Shelby
     3. Cedar Waxwing: Loving
     4. American Pipit: Hall
     5. Lark Sparrow: Newton
     6. Vesper Sparrow: Sabine
     7. Orchard Oriole: Castro
     8. Nashville Warbler: Moore
     9. Wilson’s Warbler: Franklin

• For the quarter (last 3 months) eBirders added 183 total county ticks starting at 73549 & ending at 73732.

 

Safe county birding! 

I keep track of Big Days. So if you Christmas Count day is pretty big well maybe it will make it on this list:  http://texascenturyclub.org/index.php/County_Big_Days