The Austin area Rare Bird Alert is a service of the Travis Audubon Society. This update is as of 10:20 on May 10, 2012. Send interesting sightings- complete with species name, location, and contact information- to Kenny Anderson at nollanderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -Rarities Found This Week- An alternate plumage Pacific Loon was photographed from the Buchanan Dam in Llano County on 5/8. A Common Tern was photographed from Temple Lake Park on Lake Belton in Bell County on 5/6. A breeding plumage Lark Bunting made a fine subject for some documentation photos in Williamson County on 5/6. A Swallow-tailed Kite was seen overhead at the San Gabriel Wildlife Area near Granger Lake on 5/5 (Williamson). A male Western Tanager was described along Barton Creek near Sculpture Falls on 5/7 (Travis) A Laughing Gull was on Pond 1 West at Hornsby Bend 5/8 (Travis). Gray-cheeked Thrushes were photographed at Old Town Elementary School in Round Rock on 5/5 (Williamson) and at the West Bouldin Greenbelt in South Austin on 5/4 (Travis). Golden-winged Warblers were at Lake Creek Trail near the footbridge on Braes Valley 5/9 in Williamson County (photographed), a female at Commons Ford Park in west Austin on 5/9, Warbler Woods photographed one on 5/4 and reported one on 5/10 in Guadalupe County. -Continuing Birds From Previous Week- Two Brown-crested Flycatchers were at Richard Moya Park in Travis County on 5/6. Hutton's Vireo continues at Warbler Woods as of 5/9 and is reported again from St. Edwards Park in Austin on 5/4. Reports for the Austin area RBA cover a 60 mile radius, centeredfrom the Capitol in downtown Austin. The circle extends north to Belton (Bell County), south to Leesville (Gonzales County), east to SomervilleWMA (Lee Burleson County), and west to Blumenthal (Gillespie County).Birdsightings mentioned here have been filtered and scrutinized by the compiler and are believed to be genuine. When documentation or photographs were provide, that is mentioned along with the other information about the bird(s) being seen. For questions or updates about birds mentioned here or to report rare or unusual bird sightings in the Austin area, please send an e-mail to nollanderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Kenny Anderson Austin,TX