2006 REPORT OF THE KANSAS BIRD RECORDS COMMITTEE

 

This report summarizes the activities of the Committee for the calendar year 2006.  The Committee received 32 observation reports in 2006, recording the occurrence of 31 different birds. Of this total, 26 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 Checklist of North American Birds, 7th edition, American Ornithologists Union, 1998, updated through the 47th Supplement, 2006, (Auk 123:926-936).

 

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), 2006–13, two adults, 29 June 2006, at a subdivision pond in Olathe (Johnson County), reported by Brad Williamson.  Eleventh state record.

 

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), 2006–15, two adults, 26 July 2006, at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) (Stafford County), reported by Rob Graham, documented with photograph.  Twelfth state record.

 

Red-throated Loon, (Gavia stellata), 2006-28, one immature, 22 November 2006 at Heritage Park Lake, Olathe (Johnson County), reported by David Fischer, documented with several photographs of the bird on the water and in flight.  Twentieth state record.

 

Glossy Ibis, (Plegadis falcinellus), 2006-17, one adult, 19 August 2006 at Quivira NWR (Stafford County), reported by Mark Land, also seen by Matt Gearheart, Aaron Mitchell, and Will Chatfield-Taylor.  Nineteenth state record.

 

Black Vulture, (Coragyps atratus), 2006-08, one adult, 7 May 2006 at Shawnee Mission Park (Johnson County), reported by David Fischer.

 

White-tailed Kite, (Elanus leucurus), 2006-21, one adult, 11-23 September 2006 at the Nelson Environmental Study Area, University of Kansas Field Station and Ecological Reserves (Jefferson County), reported by Galen Pittman, also seen by over 75 other observers, documented with several photographs.  Fourth state record.

 

Wilson’s Plover, (Charidrius wilsonia), 2006-09, one adult male, 1 May 2006 at Smoky Hills Audubon Pond (Saline County), reported by Robert Highgate, also observed by Roger Plankenhorn.  This is the second state record for this species, but it remains on the hypothetical list in the absence of any physical evidence.

 

Little Gull, (Larus minutus), 2006-29, one immature, 28 October 2006 near the Ninnescah Yacht Club on the west shore of Cheney Reservoir (Reno County), reported by Pete Janzen, Kevin Groeneweg, and about 20 others on a field trip, documented with several photographs.  Sixteenth state record.

 

Iceland Gull, (Larus glaucoides kumlieni), 2006-31, one immature, 5 December 2006 on the Kansas River near the Massachusetts Street Bridge in Lawrence (Douglas County), reported by David Fischer, documented with three photographs.  Ninth state record.

 

Black-legged Kittiwake, (Rissa tridactyla), 2006-27, one unknown age, 11-19 November 2006 at the John Redmond Reservoir spillway (Coffey County), reported by Mark Land, Mark Corder, and many other observers over several days, documented with numerous photographs.  Sixteenth state record.

 

Broad-billed Hummingbird, (Cynanthus latirostris), 2006-07, 26-27 April 2006 at a hummingbird feeder at the Chris Hobbs residence in Johnson County. Documented with one photograph. Second state record.

 

Anna’s Hummingbird, (Calypte anna), 2006-02, one adult female, 29 October 2005 at a feeder at a Hays residence (Ellis County), reported by Greg Farley.  Other observers included Marilyn Sim, Terry Mannell, and Earl Carlson.  Documented with five photographs.  Sixth state record.

 

Calliope Hummingbird, (Stellula calliope), 2006-16, one adult male, 27 July 2006 at a Pratt residence (Pratt County), reported by Lee and Jane Queal.  Documented with one photograph.  Twelfth state record. 

 

Calliope Hummingbird, (Stellula calliope), 2006-18, one unknown age or sex, 30  August 2006 at a Hays residence (Ellis County), Terry Mannell, also observed by Marilyn Sim, Sam Mannell, and Wayne Smith.  Documented with three photographs.  Thirteenth state record.

 

Rufous Hummingbird, (Selasphorus rufus), 2006-01, one immature female, 12-17 August 2005 at a Larned residence (Pawnee County), reported by Don and Kathy Kazmaier.  Documented with one photograph.

 

Rufous Hummingbird, (Selasphorus rufus), 2006-20, one adult male, 9-16 September 2006 at a rural residence near Alta Vista (Morris County), reported by Peggy Jenkins, also observed by Donald Jenkins.  Documented with two photographs.

 

Hammond’s Flycatcher, (Empidonax hammondii), 2006-19, one unknown age, 4 September 2006, in a shelterbelt near the Leoti High School (Wichita County), reported by Matt Gearheart.  Other observers included Pete Janzen, Kevin Groeneweg, Mark Land, and Kurt VanBoening.  Documented with five photographs.  Eighth state record.

 

Vermilion Flycatcher, (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2006-06, one adult male and one adult female engaged in nest building, 20 April 2006 at Middle Springs, Cimarron National Grasslands (Morton County), reported by Mark Corder.  Documented with photographs. Nest was later abandoned.  First breeding record for Kansas.

 

Vermilion Flycatcher, (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2006-10, one adult male, 22 April 1983, at a rural residence near Ruleton (Sherman County), photographed by John Palmquist (details written by Tom Shane to accompany photographs).

 

Vermilion Flycatcher, (Pyrocephalus rubinus), 2006-23, one adult male, 11-24 September 2006, at a pasture in southwest Washington County, reported by Warren Buss.  Other observers included Dan Thalmann, David Seibel, Judd Patterson, Ted Cable, and Nancy Fish.  Documented with several photographs.

 

Fish Crow, (Corvus ossifragus), 2006-14, two adults, 30 April 2006, in rural Douglas County, northeast of Lawrence, reported by Mark Robbins.  This is the northern most record of this species to date.

 

Western Bluebird, (Sialia mexicana), 2006-04, one adult female, 23 March 2006 at the Cimarron National Grasslands (Morton County), reported by Sidra Blake.  Fourth state record.

 

Hepatic Tanager, (Piranga flava), 2006-05, one adult male, 22 April 2006, in the shelterbelt north of the Elkhart Cemetery (Morton County), reported by Pete Janzen, Jan Cornelius, and Jerry Martin.  This is the first record for this species in Kansas and will be added to the KOS checklist as hypothetical status.

 

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, (Leucosticte tephrocotis), 2006-25, one adult male, 22 October 2006 at a bridge over White Woman Creek in eastern Greeley County, reported by Henry Armknecht.  This is the first record for this species in Kansas and will be added to the KOS checklist as hypothetical status.

 

Records not accepted

Golden Eagle, (Aquila chrysaetos), 2006–03, one unknown age, 10-11 April 2006, observed in a Wichita residential back yard (Sedgwick County).  Based on photographs submitted with the record the bird appeared to be a Buteo, probably a dark phase Red-tailed Hawk.

 

Golden-fronted Woodpecker, (Melanerpes aurifrons), 2006-30, one adult male, spring 2005, observed at a rural residence in Brown County.  Insufficient details to separate from Red-bellied Woodpecker.

 

Members of the committee voting on these records:

 

Greg Farley

Matt Gearheart

Kevin Groeneweg

Mark Land

Jackie Nooker (Alternate)

Chuck Otte (Secretary)

Brett Sandercock (Alternate)

John Schukman

Max Thompson (Chair)

 

Submitted by Chuck Otte, KBRC secretary