Just in time for the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, south Texas is seeing some interesting vagrants including a both a Green-breasted Mango (3) and a Northern Jacana (4) in [read more...]]]> Continuing rarities in the ABA Area include the Antillean Palm-Swift (ABA Code 5) still being seen in Florida, and a Red-footed Booby (4) in California.

Just in time for the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, south Texas is seeing some interesting vagrants including a both a Green-breasted Mango (3) and a Northern Jacana (4) in Hidalgo. Farther afield, a Varied Thrush was seen in San Saba. 

We have a couple 1st records to report this week, one of which is a little questionable, however. In the sure thing department, a Vermilion Flycatcher in Nampa, Idaho, is the 1st confirmed record of this species in the state. Though there is a hypothetical record from two decades previous.

And in Clallam, Washington, which has seen a ton of great birds in the last couple weeks, a Eurasian Tree Sparrow, a potential 1st, raises some interesting questions about provenance. Is this individual from the established populations in the middle of the continent or could it have come from across the ocean. Also in Washington, a Brown Booby (3) was seen near Waldron.

Notable for British Columbia was an Ash-throated Flycatcher near Burns Lake.

Birders are out of the Bering Sea for the most part, but there are still birds to be found in Alaska. A Chipping Sparrow was in Homer this week.

California had a Worm-eating Warbler in Davis

In Colorado, a Eastern Wood-Pewee was discovered in Bent. 

Arizona’s first Rufous-backed Robin (3) of the season turned up in Yuma. 

Notable for South Dakota was a Parasitic Jaeger photographed near Oahe.

In Kansas, a Golden-crowned Sparrow was seen in Russell. 

Missouri had a Say’s Phoebe in Dunklin. 

Good for Tennessee is a Long-tailed Jaeger in Davidson. 

Illinois had a King Eider seen in northern Cook. 

Michigan’s 9th record of White Ibis was a young bird in St. Clair. A Townsend’s Warbler was also seen at Penninsula Point.

In Ohio, a Vermilion Flycatcher was seen by many birders in Wayne. 

Ontario had a Common Ground-Dove in Toronto.

New Brunswick becomes the latest place to get a Tropical Kingbird this fall, with a bird at Cambridge Narrows.

Newfoundland’s 2nd record of Golden-crowned Sparrow turned up near Renews. Also on the island, a Glossy Ibis was seen in Rocky Harbour and yet another Townsend’s Warbler, the fourth this fall, was seen in Flatrock.

Prince Edward Island had a lingering Black Skimmer in Pownal Bay.

Maine also gets a Tropical Kingbird, this one at East Machias.

Massachusetts is red hot in terms of rarities lately, with the latest a Bell’s Vireo in Bristol and a “Western” Flycatcher, that many believe is a Pacific-slope, in Hampshire.

New Jersey had a Brown Booby flyby in Cape May. 

In Virginia, a Little Egret was reported from Accomack. 

South Carolina’s 3rd record of Snail Kite was seen in Clarendon this week.

And in Alabama, a Black-headed Grosbeak was visiting a feeder in Baldwin. 

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Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any please message blog AT aba.org and I will try to fix them as soon as possible. This post is meant to be an account of the most recently reported birds. Continuing birds not mentioned are likely included in previous editions listed here. Place names written in italics refer to counties/parishes.

Readers should note that none of these reports has yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial committees. For full analysis of these and other bird observations, subscribe to North American Birds, the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA.

This week turned out to be one of the most impressive of what has been a pretty exciting rarity year, with no fewer than five 1st state and provincial records including [read more...]]]> Continuing rare birds in the ABA Area include a Red-footed Booby (ABA Code 4) in California and the Antillean Palm-Swift (5) in south Florida.

This week turned out to be one of the most impressive of what has been a pretty exciting rarity year, with no fewer than five 1st state and provincial records including some real doozies. So without furhter ado, we’ll jump right into it.

The early headliner for the week was a Yellow-browed Warbler (5) in Victoria, British Columbia, the province’s second east Asian mega in the last month. This little Old World warbler represents the 1st record for both the province and for Canada, and was all the more exciting because it showed so well in the days following its discovery. This was the 11th for the ABA Area, with all previous records coming from western Alaska.

But that wasn’t the only individual of this species to show up in the western part of the continent. A second Yellow-browed Warbler for the week was seen in Alpine, California, where it represented a 1st record for that state as well as a 1st for the Lower 48. But these two finds cause one to recall a 2006 sight record of Yellow-browed Warbler from Wisconsin in late October, that at the time was only accepted to the state’s hypothetical list but now looks a whole lot more interesting.

Remarkably, those were not the only incredible records for the period. From Pennsylvania, comes the fairly shocking discovery of a Snail Kite in Erie, obviously a 1st state record and by dar the farthest north record of this species.

A Black-tailed Gull (4) in Tadoussac, Quebec, represents a 1st provincial record of this east Asian larid.

And from Alabama, a White-crowned Pigeon photographed on Dauphin Island would be a 1st record for that state.

From North Carolina, a Lazuli Bunting was reported from Dare, which would be the state’s 5th record.

New Hampshire also had a Lazuli Bunting this week, coming to a feeder in Concord.

In Connecticut, an apparent Western Meadowlark was photographed near Westport.

Massachusetts continues to boast a wonderful run of rare birds including a Purple Gallinule in Norfolk, a Tropical Kingbird in Middlesex, and yet another Townsend’s Warbler in Dukes. 

Nova Scotia saw its first Pink-footed Goose (4) of the season in Cape Breton.

In Ohio, a Purple Gallinule was present in Lorain, and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (3) turned up in Wyandot for the state’s 3rd record.

Noteworthy for Michigan was a Lark Bunting at Ontonagon.

In Colorado, a Sprague’s Pipit was seen in Yuma. 

At Washington’s Neah Bay in Clallam, easily one of the finest vagrant traps in the west of the continent, if not all of North America, an Indigo Bunting, an Orchard Oriole, and a Hooded Oriole were found this week. They were joined on the other side of the Olympic peninsula by a Black-tailed Gull (4) in Port Townsend.

And in Arizona, a Ruff (3) was found in Yuma. 

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Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any please message blog AT aba.org and I will try to fix them as soon as possible. This post is meant to be an account of the most recently reported birds. Continuing birds not mentioned are likely included in previous editions listed here. Place names written in italics refer to counties/parishes.

Readers should note that none of these reports has yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial committees. For full analysis of these and other bird observations, subscribe to North American Birds, the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA.

It’s getting to the end of the season in Alaska, and the long fall is slowly turning into winter, [read more...]]]> Either birders have given up or the restlessness of the season has finally captured our long-staying ABA rarities, as none were reported this week. At least not to eBird from whence I usually glean that information.

It’s getting to the end of the season in Alaska, and the long fall is slowly turning into winter, but there are still a few birders in the far flung regions of the state, though they are not long for it. A  White-tailed Eagle (ABA Code 4) was seen in Nome this week, one of very few records for the North American mainland of this Old World equivalent to our Bald Eagle. And on St. Paul Island in the Pribilofs, mid-October brings multiple Rustic Buntings (3), Eyebrowed Thrush (3), and a sharp Gray Wagtail (4).

There is one 1st record to report, and it is once again a southern bird moving north. Alberta’s 1st provincial record of Ash-throated Flycatcher was photographed this week in Edmonton, gamely surviving -10C overnight temperatures.

In the wake of the province’s 1st Brown Shrike, British Columbia has seen some exceptional records in the last week, including a Common Crane (3) at Peace River which is the province’s 2nd, a Green-tailed Towhee in Lumby which is the 12th, and an apparent Red-shouldered Hawk at Metchosinm, the 2nd.

In California, another Nazca Booby (4) was seen in Santa Cruz. 

Utah’s 6th record of Reddish Egret was seen in Moab.

Texas had its second Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) in as many weeks in Willacy. 

In Arkansas, a Brown Booby (3) turned up at a lake near Fort Smith.

Two noteworthy birds were seen in North Dakota this week, a Black-throated Blue Warbler in Fargo and a Black-chinned Hummingbird at a feeder in Stanley.

Minnesota had a pair of southwestern species with a Black-throated Sparrow near Duluth and a Rock Wren in Minneapolis.

Ontario also had a Black-throated Sparrow this week, in Courtice. This is the province’s 3rd.

Notable for Massachusetts was a Lark Bunting in Essex. 

Virginia had a Kirtland’s Warbler in Northampton this week.

Tennessee’s 2nd record of Virginia’s Warbler was found in Union. Its 1st was only earlier this year. And a Harris’s Hawk in Sevier is notable, though this bird is commonly kept in captivity and local birders are unsure as to its provenance.

Alabama’s 3rd record of Crested Caracara was seen in Baldwin this week.

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Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any please message blog AT aba.org and I will try to fix them as soon as possible. This post is meant to be an account of the most recently reported birds. Continuing birds not mentioned are likely included in previous editions listed here. Place names written in italics refer to counties/parishes.

Readers should note that none of these reports has yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial committees. For full analysis of these and other bird observations, subscribe to North American Birds, the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA.

It’s always pretty remarkable when a banding station turns up an exceptional record, just [read more...]]]> Continuing rarities in the ABA Area include Jack Snipe (4), Siberian Accentor (4), and Marsh Sandpiper (5) persisting in Alaska, and California continues to be Sulid central with both Red-footed Booby (4) and Blue-footed Booby (4) hanging around into this week.

It’s always pretty remarkable when a banding station turns up an exceptional record, just due to the relatively passive nature of banding, but the Rocky Point Bird Observatory made an amazing discovery when they pulled a British Columbia 1st record Brown Shrike out of their nets this week when banding on a military base near Victoria. Not only is this a 1st for the province, but it’s the 2nd record for Canada, following a record in Nova Scotia in 1997.

That wasn’t the only good bird seen in British Columbia this week. A Brown Booby was spotted from an offshore trip near Richmond, and two Ash-throated Flycatchers were discovered in Tofino.

We had three potential 1st records this week, starting in Iowa, where a potential state 1st Kirtland’s Warbler was reported in Clinton. 

Minnesota had its 1st record of Cassin’s Sparrow in Lake this week, a species known for its periodic irruptions north and east.

And as if to illustrate this phenomenon, New Hampshire also had a Cassin’s Sparrow this week, the state’s 1st in Rockingham. That bird was just one of a nice trio for that state, which also include the 3rd or 4th LeConte’s Sparrow in Hillsborough and the 2nd Gull-billed Tern also in Rockingham. 

Newfoundland had a Townsend’s Warbler in Blackhead this week, its second in as many weeks.

We continue to see Dorian vagrants slowly moving back southward and stopping off in every state and province along the way. In Maine, this phenomenon result in Black Skimmers and Royal Tern in York. 

In New Jersey, a Yellow Rail was spotted wandering around a city street in Bergen. 

Maryland had a Gray Kingbird this week in Harford. 

North Carolina’s 5th or so Townsend’s Warbler was seen this week in Dare. 

Florida had another Antillean Palm-Swift for the year in Monroe, this week. This is only the ABA’s 3rd record.

Good for Mississippi was a Sabine’s Gull in Waveland.

Texas had a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) in San Patricio this week.

Notable for Kansas was an Anna’s Hummingbird visiting a feeder in Ellsworth. 

Michigan’s 3rd record of Sharp-tailed Sandpiper was seen in Muskegon, at precisely the same location where the first two records came from.

A young Long-tailed Jaeger was seen this week in Yavapai, Arizona.

In Nevada, an Arctic Tern was seen in Clark. 

Alaska is a little slower this week than previous week, but there are still some great birds showing up, including a Hawfinch (4) and multiple Rustic Buntings (3) on St Paul Island.

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Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any please message blog AT aba.org and I will try to fix them as soon as possible. This post is meant to be an account of the most recently reported birds. Continuing birds not mentioned are likely included in previous editions listed here. Place names written in italics refer to counties/parishes.

Readers should note that none of these reports has yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial committees. For full analysis of these and other bird observations, subscribe to North American Birds, the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA.

It’s a good time to be in Alaska, especially the Bering Sea. Both St Paul and Gambell have turned [read more...]]]> Continuing rarities in the ABA Area include Blue-footed Booby (ABA Code 4) and Red-footed Booby (4) in California, Marsh Sandpiper (5) in Alaska, and the Thick-billed Vireos (4) in Florida that almost certainly bred this year.

It’s a good time to be in Alaska, especially the Bering Sea. Both St Paul and Gambell have turned out some nice birds this week, including the season’s second Jack Snipe (4) and a Siberian Rubythroat (4) on St Paul and two Little Buntings (4) along with the ABA Area’s 6th record of Tree Pipit (5) on Gambell.

There is one first record to report, from Illinois which has seen at least three firsts this fall. A  Cassin’s Kingbird in Cook represents the 1st record for the state and one of surprisingly few extralimital records of this species, at least compared to other, more vagrant-prone, species in the Tyrannus genus.

The most surprising trend for the week is the spate of Northern Wheatears, with at least three records in the last seven days in the ABA Area of this long-distance migrant.

Texas had a Northern Wheatear near Victoria, it’s 3rd.

Another Northern Wheatear turned up on Virginia’s eastern shore just yesterday, in Northampton, the state’s 4th.

But it was Minnesota that led everything off, with a Northern Wheatear in Wright, the state’s 2nd.

But none of those were the most bizarre record of the week, which come from Alabama where a Clark’s Nutcracker was photographed in Jefferson. Even more remarkably, this was not a first record, but the 2nd time this often nomadic species has ended up in the state.

Nebraska also had a 2nd record this week, a Grace’s Warbler photographed bathing in Cass. 

Colorado’s 4th record of Broad-billed Hummingbird was seen in Mesa this week.

British Columbia 7th Summer Tanager turned up in  Fraser Lake.

Oregon had its second Broad-billed Hummingbird in as many weeks in Grant, and a Nazca Booby (4) was photographed just offshore in Lincoln. 

Ontario’s 7th record of Vermilion Flycatcher, a female, was seen at Long Point this week.

In Quebec, Gull-billed Terns continue to filter back south after Hurricane Dorian and two were seen in Bas-Saint-Laurent.

New Brunswick had a Black Skimmer in Saint John this week, likely also a Dorian waif making its way back south.

In Newfoundland, a Townsend’s Warbler was seen at Ferryland on the Avalon Peninsula.

Maine had a Western Tanager in Baldwin. 

Good birds for Massachusetts come on and offshore, with a Wilson’s Plover in Essex and the unquestionable highlight of a deepwater pelagic in the form of a Bermuda Petrel (3), the 2nd record for the state.

Connecticut had a couple Gull-billed Terns in Fairfield.  

At the Avalon Seawatch in Cape May, New Jersey, a passing Brown Booby (3) was a highlight.

And in Florida, a Bar-tailed Godwit was found in Collier. 

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Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any please message blog AT aba.org and I will try to fix them as soon as possible. This post is meant to be an account of the most recently reported birds. Continuing birds not mentioned are likely included in previous editions listed here. Place names written in italics refer to counties/parishes.

Readers should note that none of these reports has yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial committees. For full analysis of these and other bird observations, subscribe to North American Birds, the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA.

Photo: Len [read more...]]]> On January 19, 2019, David Baird and Bryan Vroom found an ABA Code 4 Dusky Thrush at the Nanaimo River Estuary in Nanaimo, British Columbia. This is the 3rd record for the province and one of a handful of records of this highly migratory East Asian thrush on mainland North America.

Photo: Len Jellico Macaulay Library

Nanaimo is on the southern end of Vancouver Island, north of Victoria. The bird has been seen for the last few days on the north side of Gordon Road near the town of Cedar. A map, created by Melissa Hafting of BC Bird Alert can be found here.

Dusky Thrush is a highly migratory thrush, breeding in eastern Russia and wintering primarily in Japan and China. It is most commonly encountered in the ABA Area in western Alaska, where it is a rare passage vagrant. It has also been recorded on mainland Alaska, in Yukon, British Columbia, and Washington.