2005 REPORT OF THE KANSAS BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

 

This report summarizes the activities of the Committee for the calendar year 2005.  The Committee received 39 observation reports in 2005, recording the occurrence of 38 different birds. Of this total, 32 records were circulated. All reports submitted, whether circulated to the Committee or not, are archived in The University of Kansas Museum of Natural History.

 

Record submissions are assigned a sequential number in the order in which they are received, with the year of receipt as a prefix.  Not all submissions that receive a number are circulated.  Birds are listed in phylogenetic order under each of two categories: Records Accepted and Records Not Accepted.  Taxonomy and nomenclature follow the American Ornithologists’ Union Check-list of North American Birds (Seventh edition, 1998) and all updates.

 

After the English and scientific name follows the KBRC record number; the number of individuals seen, with age or plumage notes; date(s) of observation; locality, including county; observer(s), with those documenting the record listed first; supporting physical evidence, if any, received by the Committee; and finally, comments and notes on changes in the species’ status on the KOS checklist.  Records that were not accepted by the Committee have the observers’ names omitted, and a brief explanation of the reasoning behind that decision. 

 

Authors, when citing KBRC records from this report, are encouraged to give credit to the observer(s) of the record that submitted the report along with the citation of this report.

 

Records accepted

Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), 2005-08, two adults of unknown sex, 17-July-2005, in a cattle feed lot near Sterling (Reno County), reported by Matthew Sexson, also observed by Robin Woods and Kyle Tutak; documented with one photo.  Tenth state record.

 

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica), 2005-33, one adult male, 8 - 9-Dec-2005 on the Arkansas River below the Lincoln Street Dam in Wichita (Sedgwick County), reported by Bob Gress.  Other observers included Kevin Groeneweg and Pete Janzen; documented with several photographs.  Sixteenth state record.

 

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena), 2005-31, one unknown sex or age, 20 - 24-Nov-2005 at Harvey County East Lake (Harvey County), reported by Gregg Friesen.  Documented with photograph and sketch.  Seventeenth state record.

 

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus), 2005-14, one immature of unknown sex, 14-Aug-2005, at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (Stafford County), reported by Aaron Mitchell.  Additional Observer, Ken Mitchell.  Thirteenth state record.

 

Roseate Spoonbill (Ajaia ajaja), 2005-13, one immature of unknown sex, 17-Aug-2005, at Fancy Creek State Park region of Tuttle Creek Lake (Riley County), reported by Doris Burnett.  Also seen and photographed by David Rintoul and see by numerous other observers.  Documented with numerous photographs.  Ninth state record.

 

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), 2005-25, one adult of unknown sex, 19-Oct-2005 north of the town of Perry (Jefferson County), reported by Bunnie Watkins.  Northern most record in the state and somewhat late in the season. 

 

Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus), 2005-15, one adult of unknown sex, 27-Aug-2005, near Slate Creek Wetlands (Sumner County), reported by Gary Davis, Also seen by Ladonna Davis, documented with photograph.  This is the first record of this species in the state since 1972.

 

Gray Hawk (Asturina nitida), 2005-26, one adult of unknown sex, 20 - 30-Oct-2005 in a residential area of Wichita (Sedgwick County), reported by Mark Bryant, also seen by Glory Bryant and Leslie Lehman.  Documented with one photograph.  This is the second record of this species in Kansas and the first record to be substantiated with physical evidence, thus removing it from hypothetical status.

 

Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), 2005-27, one adult female, 5-May-2005, vernal spring playa in southeastern Reno County, reported by Kerrie Kirkpatrick.  Seventh state record.

 

Ruff (Philomachus pugnax), 2005-30, one adult female, 5 - 13-Nov-2005, at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (Stafford County), reported by Sebastian Patti and Chris Hobbs.  Additional observers included Brandon Percival and Norman Smith.  Documented with two photographs.  Eighth state record.

 

Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius), 2005-19, one immature of unknown sex, 1 - 2-Sep-2005, Elkhart sewage ponds (Morton County), reported by David Seibel.  Numerous other observers.  Documented with six photographs. 

 

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus), 2005-02, one first winter immature of unknown sex, 23-Jan-2005 along the Little Arkansas River near downtown Wichita (Sedgwick County), reported by Pete Janzen, also observed by Mark Land and Matt Gearheart; documented with 5 photos.  Eleventh state record.

 

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus), 2005-34, one first winter immature of unknown sex, 21-Dec-2005 on the Kansas River near the Massachusetts St Bridge in Lawrence (Douglas County), reported by David Fischer.  Eleventh state record.

 

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea), 2005-12, one adult of unknown sex, 12-May-2005, at the Elkhart sewage ponds (Morton County), reported by Chris Hobbs.  Additional observers included Sebastian Patti and Max Thompson.  Third state record.

 

Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata), 2005-32, three unknown sex or age, 3-Dec-2005 at a pile of grain in the town of Seldon (Sheridan County), reported by Michael J. Cross, also observed by Michael Ingraldi.  This is the first sighting of this species in Kansas since 1969.  Third state record.

 

White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis), 2005-24, one unknown age or sex, 1 - 3-Oct-2005, at Tuttle Creek Reservoir Dam (seen in both Riley and Pottawatomie counties), reported by Mark Mayfield.  Other observers included Ted Cable, Doris Burnett, and Carolyn Ferguson.  Sixth state record.

 

Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae), 2005-35, one sub-adult male, 27-Sep-2005 to 7-Nov-2005, at a Manhattan residence near Tuttle Creek Lake (Riley County), reported by Ted Cable.  Seen by many observers and documented with numerous photographs.  Third state record.

 

Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope), 2005-38, one immature male, 20 - 28-Aug-2005, at a residence in Larned (Pawnee County), reported by Donald Kazmaier.  Documented with one photograph.  Eleventh state record.

 

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus), 2005-09, one adult female, 31-Jul-2005, feeding on flowers in residential yard near Oberlin (Decatur County), reported by Brian Simonsson, also seen by Pam, Breck and Nathan Simonsson; documented with two photos.  Fourteenth state record.

 

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris), 2005-18, one adult female, 2-Sep-2005 at Clark State Fishing Lake (Clark County), reported by Galen Pittman.  Also seen by Mick McHugh, David Seibel and Sebastian Patti.

 

American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis), 2005-06, one adult male, 3 - 13-Jul-2005 along the south side of the junction of the Cimarron River with K-27, at the picnic area, on the Cimarron National Grasslands (Morton County), reported by Matt Gearheart, Aaron Mitchell, Will Chatfield-Taylor and April Mitchell and seen by many other observers; documented with numerous photographs.  This is the first record of this species in Kansas and will be added to the KOS Checklist.

 

Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii), 2005-17, one immature of unknown sex, 4-Sep-2005 in the town of Tribune (Greeley County), reported by Tyler Hicks.  Also seen by Matt Gearheart, Dave Williams, Kevin Groeneweg and Pete Janzen.  Documented with numerous photographs.  Seventh state record.

 

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2005-03, one adult male, 21-Apr-2005 at a rural farmstead near Bloom (Clark County), reported by Galen Pittman.  First Kansas record since 2001.

 

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva), 2005-11, two immatures of unknown sex, 14-Jul-2005, at a city park in Shawnee (Johnson County), reported by Mark Land.  Fourth state record.

 

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva), 2005-16, one immature of unknown sex, 2-Aug-2005, at a wastewater treatment pond in Ford County, observed by Mick McHugh.  Also seen by Sebastian Patti, Galen Pittman and David Seibel.  Fifth state record.

 

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius), 2005-01, one female of unknown age, 8-Nov-2004 in a suburban yard in Topeka, (Shawnee County) by Joanne Brier and Jim Brier.

 

Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens), 2005-21, one unknown sex and age, 22-Sep-2005, along the Cimarron River northeast of Elkhart (Morton County), reported by Sebastian Patti. First Kansas sighting since 1994.  Fourth state record.

 

Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria), 2005-28, one adult male, 29-May-2005 to 4-Jun-2005 at a feeder in Garden City (Finney County), reported by Tom Shane, also seen by Sara Shane.  Documented with three photographs.  Sixteenth state record

 

Records not accepted

Band-rumped Storm Petrel (Oceanodroma castro), 2005-07, four unknown sex or age birds observed on 18-Jul-2005 at Meade State Lake (Meade County).  Insufficient details to separate from similar species.

 

Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri), 2005-22, one unknown sex or age bird observed 13 - 18-Aug-2005 in Wichita (Sedgwick County).  Insufficient details to separate this species from the very similar Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

 

Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri), 2005-36, one adult female observed 8 - 10-Aug-2005 in Larned (Pawnee County).  Insufficient details to separate this species from the very similar Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

 

Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna), 2005-23, one immature female observed 10-Sep-2005 in Wichita (Sedgwick County).  Insufficient details to separate this species from similar hummingbird species.

 

Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana), 2005-04, one male of unknown age, 9-May-2005 in suburban Wichita (Sedgwick County).  Insufficient details to separate from Eastern Bluebird.

 

 

Members of the committee voting on these records

 

Greg Farley

Matt Gearheart

Mark Land (Alternate)

Lloyd Moore

Chuck Otte (Secretary)

Brett Sandercock (Alternate)

John Schukman

Max Thompson (Chair)

Eugene Young

 

Submitted by Chuck Otte, KBRC secretary.