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November 2023 Photo Quiz

By |November 16th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

Don’t blame me! I didn’t do it! Blame the bird for running out of the frame! Besides, while the bill might have helped, it might not have. Second besides, there are only four reasonable options for the bird’s identification, so you’re just going to have to do it without the bill.

Five Keys to Seeing 800 Birds in the ABA Area

By |November 15th, 2023|Current|

In 1968, at the age of 10, I set a goal to see 600 bird species in the U.S. by what then seemed the impossibly old age of 50. At that time, it seemed to me that spotting 600 bird species was akin to a Major League Baseball player hitting 500 career home runs, a goal which only a handful of players had reached. So, seeing 600 bird species was achievable, and certainly very special.

Clark’s Nutcracker, Pinyon Jay, and Pygmy Nuthatch Irruption 2023

By |November 14th, 2023|Field Ornithology|

Clark’s Nutcracker, Pinyon Jay, and Pygmy Nuthatch are on the move in fall 2023. All three species are occurring on the coast and in the desert at lower elevations than usual, as well as out of range. Clark’s Nutcrackers reached Minnesota and Wisconsin, Pinyon Jays pushed eastward, especially in Colorado, and a Pygmy Nuthatch turned up in Saskatchewan.

Bird Names for the 21st Century

By |November 2nd, 2023|Current|

What about the problem of the proliferation of honorific, or patronymic, names on the ABA Checklist? Should all those names–some of them referring to widespread and familiar species commemorating significant historical figures–be scrapped? This commentary addresses that question, and proposes a way forward.

October 2023 Photo Quiz

By |October 17th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

Given the excellent size comparison with the leaves and stems, this month’s quiz bird must be rather small. There seems to be an eye ring; obvious white wing bars; white leading edges to the tertials; long-ish primary projection; a short-ish tail; and olive back, nape, and crown. Some birders will immediately recognize the bird from two characters...

The Chicago Megaflight of 5 October 2023

By |October 16th, 2023|Field Ornithology|

Ever witnessed thousands upon thousands of warblers streaming overhead nonstop? In early October, birders in Chicago experienced a migration spectacle that they won’t soon forget. Nathan Goldberg, Marky Mutchler, and Jacob Drucker report on this megaflight, what caused it, and how birders made sense of the chaos, as well as the sad reality of the window-strikes that resulted and what you can do to help.

ABA Seeks Development Manager

By |October 10th, 2023|Current|

The Development Manager (DM) is responsible for the identification and qualification of major and planned gift prospects and assists in cultivating and soliciting donors through communications, meetings, trips, events, and other activities. The DM leads the development of an annual fundraising plan and is the main staff liaison to the Board’s fundraising committee.

September 2023 Photo Quiz

By |September 18th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

Individual birds clinging to a tree in this bird’s manner are frequently woodpeckers but could be any of a number of species, some of which do not habitually perch in this fashion. The seemingly large patch of white on what might be the wings rules out Brown Creeper and various nuthatch species among the relatively few inveterate bark-clinging ABA-Area bird species. That white patch also rules out various species that I have seen irregularly or rarely engaging in bark-clinging behavior such as flycatchers, vireos, jays, warblers, and even sparrows.

Hurricane Idalia Report 2023

By |September 7th, 2023|Field Ornithology|

There is no gaudier or more glorious storm bird than American Flamingo, and perhaps no more absurd place for a pair of them to show up than Ohio. After Hurricane Idalia hurtled into the Florida panhandle, gawky hot pink waders began appearing as if in a nationwide yard flocking prank―in Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio, and elsewhere.

Québec: Summer 2023

By |June 1st, 2023|Quebec, Regional Reports|

Summer 2023 was marked by the most severe wildfires that the province has ever seen, almost three times larger than any historic events. Temperatures were slightly higher than normal, especially in July, while precipitation was at a record-breaking high in many regions of southern Quebec.

August 2023 Photo Quiz

By |August 15th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

A bit of an odd little bird this month and one that would be, perhaps, more readily identified if the quiz were a video rather than a static photo. There is not much choice but to comb through the various species of ABA-Area shorebirds, and August is certainly a good month for those in most or all of the ABA Area. Distinctive features include…. Hmm, maybe I’ll leave determining those to the quiz takers. I will say, however, that one of those distinctive features is frequently overlooked when misidentifying this species for another.

Québec: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|Quebec, Regional Reports|

Again this year, the fall season was the most profuse regarding its number of exceptional birds. Rarities included Tundra Bean-Goose, Common Scoter, Magnificent Frigatebird, White-faced Ibis, Swallow-tailed Kite, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Gray Kingbird, Fieldfare, Green-tailed Towhee, and Townsend’s Warbler.

West Indies & Bermuda: Winter 2022–2023

By |December 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, West Indies & Bermuda|

Winter 2022–2023: 1 Dec–28 Feb Andrew Dobson (Greater Antilles, Bahamas, Bermuda) andrewdobs@gmail.com Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles) Anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr Recommended citation: Dobson, A., & A. Levesque. 2023. Winter 2022–2023: West Indies & Bermuda. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fDQ> North American Birds. Significant first records occurred in Antigua (Northern Lapwing), Cuba (White Wagtail), Dominican Republic (Ruff), Guadeloupe (Western Reef-Heron), Saint Kitts (Spotted Redshank), and Jamaica (Southern Lapwing), while Bermuda recorded its second record of Hairy Woodpecker. Ducks to Shorebirds One long-staying Fulvous Whistling-Duck was joined by two more at Fosters Private Wetland, Saint Lucy, Barbados 7 read more >>

Prairie Provinces: Winter 2022–2023

By |December 1st, 2022|Prairie Provinces, Regional Reports|

Winter 2022–2023: 1 Dec-28 Feb Rudolf Koes rkoes@mymts.net James Fox fox.james.ed@gmail.com Recommended citation: Koes, R.F, and J. Fox. 2023. Winter 2022-2023: Prairie Provinces. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fDi> North American Birds. The winter of 2022–2023 was very quiet in the Prairie Provinces, bird-wise. Many of the species that are usually counted on to add spice to the season were scarce or absent. Northern owls were hard to come by, with mediocre numbers of Snowy Owls and an almost complete absence of Northern Hawk-Owls and Great Gray Owls. Similarly, winter finches were present in low numbers, with a read more >>

Baja California Peninsula: Year 2022

By |January 1st, 2023|Baja California Peninsula, Regional Reports|

Year 2022: 1 Jan–31 Dec Richard A. Erickson richard.erickson@lsa.net Gerardo Marrón atakamara@gmail.com Enrique D. Zamora-Hernández zugunruhe@gmail.com Recommended citation: Erickson, R. A., G. Marrón, and E. D. Zamora-Hernández. 2023. Year 2022: Baja California Peninsula. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fCa> North American Birds. Observer coverage of the region continued to improve in 2022 based on eBird data, and the number of species recorded increased in kind. At 417, the total number for the region was more than in the previous two years (405, 402). The same was true for Baja California Sur (343 compared to 316 and 336), but read more >>

American Birding Association Checklist Committee (CLC) Midterm Report, 2023

By |July 19th, 2023|Listing and Taxonomy|

We present our 2023 "midterm" announcements based on species additions and ABA code changes since our annual report in December 2022. Additions and code changes will be incorporated into the next ABA Checklist, along with taxonomic and nomenclatural revisions from the 64th Supplement to the American Ornithological Society (AOS) Check-list.

2023’s El Niño Begins

By |July 19th, 2023|Field Ornithology|

Marine ecology is complicated, yet there is one pattern that is quite consistent: cold water has more food than warm water. So when waters warm in an El Niño, such as is occurring now, birds move to find food. Read on for details about what exciting birds are showing up, and where.

July 2023 Photo Quiz

By |July 14th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

There are not a lot of ABA-Area bird families that could claim a bird that looks like this, what with those long legs, strongly patterned tawny wings, and strongly black-barred tawny tail. In fact, most observers probably immediately narrowed the bird down to just a couple of species, neither of which is at all rare in the ABA Area...

North American Birds: Vol. 74, No. 1

By |July 11th, 2023|North American Birds|

⬅ ABA Members! Log in here before using the links below. view/download magazine In this issue: From the Editor Michael L. P. Retter About the Authors Red-legged Honeycreepers in the Unites States Plus a Comprehensive Overview of Their Status and Distribution Within North America Amy Davis Michael L. P. Retter First State and Provincial Records from 2022 Compiled by Nate Swick “European” Sandwich Tern in North America Notes on Occurrence and Identification David Sibley What’s So Kingly read more >>

Western Great Lakes: Winter 2022–2023

By |December 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, Western Great Lakes|

Winter 2022–2023: 1 Dec–28 Feb Ethan Urban ethanurban9@gmail.com Recommended citation: Urban, E. 2023. Winter 2022–2023: Western Great Lakes. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fwq> North American Birds. This mostly unremarkable winter season was warmer than average, and included a few notable rarities such as Ivory Gull, multiple Slaty-backed Gulls, Yellow-billed Loon, and Prairie Falcon. It was a poor winter for Snowy Owl and, with the exception of Evening Grosbeaks, winter finches. Note that many of the casual and accidental species have yet to be reviewed by their respective records committees. This report will be updated accordingly as the read more >>

June 2023 Photo Quiz

By |June 16th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

Don’t you just love looking up at the nether regions of birds? I can imagine some quiz takers crying foul, but the bird is identifiable. In fact, it’s easily identifiable. One simply must be aware of the usefulness of certain characters, and that awareness takes study, both of field guides and of actual birds.

Arkansas Region: Spring 2021

By |March 1st, 2021|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Spring 2021: 1 Mar–31 May Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2023. Spring 2021: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fpj> North American Birds. Seasonal highlights include: Black-necked Stilt, Dunlin, Dark-eyed Junco x White-throated Sparrow Hybrid, Evening Grosbeak, Lesser Goldfinch, Lazuli Bunting, Bobolink, Yellow-headed Blackbird. Swans through Doves Trumpeter Swans are rare outside of the Magness Lake, Cleburne Co area where they have been regular in significant numbers in winter. This season there are only two reports of Trumpeter Swans outside the afore mentioned area: three at a small pond near James read more >>

Hawaii: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|Hawaii, Regional Reports|

Fall 2022: 1 Aug–30 Nov Alex Wang axwang12@gmail.com Jennifer Rothe jennifer.a.rothe@gmail.com Recommended citation: Wang, A., and J. Rothe. 2023. Summer 2022: Hawaii. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fnS> North American Birds. Autumn begins an exciting season for birders in the Hawaii Region. Long-distance migrants like Bristle-thighed Curlew and Pacific Golden-Plover begin returning from their nesting grounds on the North American continent, and handfuls of waterfowl settle in to overwinter in the islands. Invariably, these expected arrivals are accompanied by a mixed bag of wayward migrants, most often in the form of raptors, gulls, and especially shorebirds. The first-ever read more >>

Arkansas Region: Summer 2021

By |June 1st, 2021|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Summer 2021: 1 Jun–31 Jul Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2023. Summer 2021: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fnI> North American Birds. Seasonal highlights: Greater White-fronted Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose x Canada Goose hybrid, Inca Dove, White-winged Dove, and Sandhill Crane. Whistling-Ducks through Quails Nesting of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks was established in Crawford Co with the appearance adults with at least 12 recently hatched chicks near Alma, King Ranch along Orrick Road, Crawford Co 18 Jun (Joe Neal). In addition, two Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks were observed along the Coal Hill BBS route read more >>

Arkansas Region: Summer 2020

By |June 1st, 2020|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Summer 2020: 1 Jun–31 Jul Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2022. Summer 2020: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fnw> North American Birds. Seasonal highlights: Red-breasted Merganser, Rufous Hummingbird, Laughing Gull, Royal Tern, nesting White-faced Ibis, and nesting Swallow-tailed Kites. Ducks through Terns Red-breasted Merganser photographed at Lake Balboa, Hot Springs Village, Garland Co 20 Jun (Vic Prislipsky) was just the second ever summer record. An Inca Dove at Stephens 26 Jun was just the second for Ouachita Co (Michael Linz, Patty McLean). A White-winged Dove was west of Garland City, read more >>

Arkansas Region: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Fall 2022: 1 Aug–30 Nov Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2023. Fall 2022: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fnc> North American Birds. Seasonal highlights include Tundra Swan, Eurasian Wigeon, Red-necked Grebe, Limpkin, Brown Booby, Swallow-tailed Kite, and a Say’s Phoebe. Continuing observation of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks at the Arkadelphia Oxidation Ponds, Clark Co 13 Aug verifies suspected reproduction with four young seen. Up to 10 adults have been at this site since 23 May (Renn and Terry Tumlison). Two Tundra Swans were seen foraging in a field with 10 Trumpeter Swans read more >>

West Indies & Bermuda: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|West Indies & Bermuda|

Fall 2022: 1 Aug–30 Nov Andrew Dobson (Bermuda) andrewdobs@gmail.com Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles) Anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr Recommended citation: Dobson, A. & A. Levesque. 2023. Fall 2022: West Indies & Bermuda. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-fmO> North American Birds. The 2022 Fall season certainly did not disappoint with numerous first appearances for many islands. Pride of place to the first record of Elegant Tern in the West Indies reporting area—photographed on Grand Cayman. Other highlights included Grenada’s first Aplomado Falcon and Wattled Jacana; a Red-legged Honeycreeper in the Bahamas; a Gadwall in Antigua; and a Yellow-headed Blackbird in the Dominican read more >>

CODEBREAKERS: How to Find the Elusive Black Rail

By |April 26th, 2023|Field Ornithology|

One of the great things about birding is that some birds are incredibly challenging to find, requiring skill, patience, and, maybe most of all, luck. The ABA and Birding magazine are dedicated to helping birders increase their chances of finding the ABA Area’s most difficult birds by providing tips and tricks by top birding experts. That’s the philosophy behind the new Codebreakers series, of which Heather Hill’s column on finding Black Rails is the first entry.

April 2023 Photo Quiz

By |April 25th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

With this quiz photo, April seems to be setting up as raptorial-thing month in the ABA Photo Quiz. If I remember, perhaps that will continue next year. The color pattern immediately rules out all ABA-Area vulture species and falcon species, including Crested Caracara, leaving us with ...

Arkansas Region: Winter 2020–2021

By |December 1st, 2020|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Winter 2020–2021: 1 Dec–28 Feb Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2022. Winter 2020–2021: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-f4x> North American Birds. Seasonal highlights include Common Merganser, Anna’s Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Cattle Egret, White Ibis, Prairie Falcon, Tropical Kingbird, White-eyed Vireo, Townsend’s Solitaire, Evening Grosbeak, Common Redpoll, Yellow Warbler, Summer Tanager. Swans through Mergansers Five Trumpeter Swans near Walnut Ridge 2 Feb were a first for Lawrence Co (Kent Freeman). Tundra Swans are annual or nearly so in Cleburne Co; one was at SEECO Lake off Hiram Road 15 Dec (Michael Linz, Patty McLean); read more >>

Arkansas Region: Fall 2021

By |August 1st, 2021|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Fall 2021: 1 Aug–30 Nov Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2023. Fall 2021: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-f4h> North American Birds. Seasonal highlights: Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Piping Plover, Black-legged Kittiwake, Neotropic Cormorant, Vermilion Flycatcher, Cave Swallow, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Bewick's Wren, and Clay-colored Sparrow. Waterfowl Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are suspected to be breeding at the Arkadelphia Oxidation Ponds (restricted access), Clark Co since two adults and three fledged young were seen here 12 Sep (Renn & Terry Tumlison). Five adults had been seen at this location in March and April. A very high number of 175 read more >>

Southern Great Plains: Fall 2021

By |August 7th, 2021|Regional Reports, Southern Great Plains|

Fall 2021: 1 Aug–30 Nov W. Ross Silcock silcock@rosssilcock.com Chuck Otte cotte@twinvalley.net Joseph A. Grzybowski j_grzybowski@sbcglobal.net Recommended citation: Silcock W.R., C. Otte, J. Grzybowski. 2023. Fall 2021: Southern Great Plains. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-f2H> North American Birds. Recent years have seen increasing reports of birds lingering quite late, and this fall was no exception. Fall was fairly slow in arriving, resulting in numerous sightings of tardy birds that many years would be noteworthy, but were commonplace this year. Along the same lines, perhaps fewer than normal unusual waterfowl were noted in the southern region because of read more >>

New Mexico: Fall 2021

By |August 1st, 2021|New Mexico, Regional Reports|

Fall 2021: 1 Aug–30 Nov Matthew J. Baumann mbaumann22@gmail.com Raymond L. VanBuskirk newmexicobirder@gmail.com Jodhan Fine jodhanfine22@gmail.com Andrew T. Theus andrewtheus93@gmail.com Recommended citation: Baumann, M. J., R. L. VanBuskirk, J. Fine., and A. Theus. 2021. Fall 2021: New Mexico. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-f2f> North American Birds. Fall 2021 was yet another drought-ridden season in the state of New Mexico. While there was not enough precipitation to majorly combat the effects of the ongoing drought, the state fortunately experienced an above average monsoon season, particularly in the southwest region. Most notable this season were two unprecedented first state read more >>

Atlantic Region: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|Atlantic Region, Regional Reports|

Fall 2022: 1 Aug–30 Nov David Seeler dseeler@eastlink.ca Recommended citation: Seeler, D. 2022. Fall 2022: Atlantic. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-f0w> North American Birds. The Eurasian strain of the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza Virus (H5N1) continued to affect the region. In the words of IL Jones, St. John’s Newfoundland, on 20 August 2022: “A substantial proportion of NL’s seabird breeding population has died this summer (I can hardly believe I am writing this). Common Murres and Northern Gannets seem to have been worst hit, with Atlantic Puffins possibly not as badly affected. Other seabirds like Razorbills and read more >>

Southern California: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, Southern California|

Fall 2022: 1 August–30 November Guy McCaskie guymcc@pacbell.net Kimball L. Garrett cyanolyca818@gmail.com Recommended citation: McCaskie, G., and K. L. Garrett. Fall 2022: Southern California. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-f07> North American Birds. The Fall of 2022 in Southern California will be remembered for the quantity and quality of landbird vagrants along with some notable seabird rarities. The season began with another wave of near record heat through August and September, punctuated by some strong monsoonal rains on the deserts (including historic flooding in Death Valley). Remnants of Tropical Storm Kay, which had been a hurricane when off read more >>

Alabama & Mississippi: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Alabama and Mississippi, Regional Reports|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May Lawrence Gardella lfgardella@gmail.com Recommended citation: Gardella, Lawrence. 2023. Spring 2022: Alabama & Mississippi. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eZN> North American Birds. . Birders this spring continued to find various birds expanding their ranges north, west, and south. Although overall migration was relatively slow, the season had its highlights, including several rarities, an influx of unusual numbers of eastern migrants to coastal Alabama and good numbers of American Golden-Plovers in several parts of the region. I once again thank Bob Duncan for much helpful information regarding the season’s weather. March started warm; dry read more >>

Ontario: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Ontario, Regional Reports|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul Adam Capparelli adam.capparelli@mail.utoronto.ca Aaron Rusak afrusak@gmail.com Recommended citation: Capparelli, A., and A. Rusak. 2022. Summer 2022: Ontario. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eZC> North American Birds. Summer 2022 was as uneventful in birds as it was in weather. Temperatures started off cooler and below seasonal in the beginning of June and this persisted for almost the entire month. Towards the end of June a high pressure system originating south of the border resulted in extreme heat and record-breaking temperatures in some areas of southern Ontario. The hot temperatures continued throughout July and into read more >>

Ontario: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|Ontario, Regional Reports|

Fall 2022: 1 Aug–30 Nov Adam Capparelli adam.capparelli@mail.utoronto.ca Aaron Rusak afrusak@gmail.com Recommended citation: Capparelli, A., and A. Rusak. 2023. Fall 2022: Ontario. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eZr> North American Birds. Fall 2022 was unusually warm, not just in Ontario, but across all of Canada, with many provinces recording their warmest October ever. Starting from August, hot, summer-like weather continued well into September. The same was true with precipitation, with most of the province seeing near- or below-average precipitation. October and November continued the trend of warm weather in Ontario with southwest winds dominating the forecast. This unseasonably read more >>

Prairie Provinces: Fall 2022

By |August 1st, 2022|Prairie Provinces, Regional Reports|

Fall 2022: 1 Aug–30 Nov Rudolf Koes rkoes@mymts.net James Fox fox.james.ed@gmail.com Recommended citation: Koes, R.F., and J. Fox. 2023. Fall 2022: Prairie Provinces. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eYW> North American Birds. Relatively mild and placid weather during much of the period enticed many migrants to linger beyond normal departure dates and resulted in a drawn-out overall migration. This came to an abrupt end during the second week of November, with cold temperatures and substantial snow, especially in the east of the region. Northern owls and winter finches remained scarce, a trend that continued into winter. Rare alcids read more >>

Alaska: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Alaska, Regional Reports|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul Thede Tobish Tgtljo@gmail.com Recommended citation: Tobish, T. 2022. Summer 2022: Alaska. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eXV> North American Birds. Summer 2022 was a tale of two dominant weather conditions. Continuing from May was strengthening continental high pressure, characterized by widespread stable, warm, and dry conditions across the region. Record high temperatures and drought-like weather featured from the North Slope down to the Southeast. This spell of fine weather no doubt enhanced June breeding conditions but also allowed for one of the region’s worst fire seasons. Over three million acres had burned by read more >>

Prairie Provinces: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Prairie Provinces, Regional Reports|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May Rudolf Koes rkoes@mymts.net James Fox fox.james.ed@gmail.com Recommended citation: Koes, R.F., and J. Fox. 2022. Spring 2022: Prairie Provinces. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eWY> North American Birds. After an abnormally dry 2021 the spring of 2022 became one of the wettest on record, particularly in southern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan. A series of Colorado Lows brought snow, followed by rain, resulting in the wettest April since 1896 in Winnipeg, while May saw three times the normal amount of rain. Temperatures were also below normal throughout the region. Not withstanding these conditions, or perhaps read more >>

ABA Community Weekend in Denver, Colorado

By |July 21st, 2023|ABA Community Weekends|

August 5-6, 2023
Sat., Aug. 5, 8am MDT: Guided bird walk at Greenlee Wildlife Preserve & environs with Ted Floyd, LeAnn Pilger, Kyle Carlsen, and Hannah Floyd
Sat. Aug. 5, 2pm MDT: Digiscoping Workshop at Front Range Birding Company with Andrea Cahoon
Sat., Aug. 5, 7pm MDT: Birds and Beers social
Sun., Aug. 6, 8am MDT: Guided bird walk at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge with Ted Floyd, LeAnn Pilger, Christy Carello, and Drew Bender
Sun., Aug. 6, 12:30pm MDT: Presentation on Native Plants and Birds by Dina Baker, Audubon Master Birder and Native Plants
Sun., Aug. 6, 1:30pm MDT: Presentation on Mindful Birding by Crystal Reser, Audubon Master Birder

ABA Community Weekend in San Francisco, California

By |May 26th, 2023|ABA Community Weekends|

June 17-18, 2023
Saturday morning: Guided Bird Walk at Lake Merritt with Nate Swick, Whitney Lanfranco, and Wayne Serrano
Saturday morning: Digiscoping Workshop at Lake Merritt with Nate Swick and Whitney Lanfranco
Saturday evening: Birds and beers social at Temescal
Sunday morning: Guided Bird Walk at Land's End with Nate Swick, Whitney Lanfranco, and Whitney Grover

Québec: Summer 2022

By |June 30th, 2022|Quebec, Regional Reports|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 JulPierre Bannonpierre.bannon@icloud.comOlivier Bardeniridosornis@gmail.comNormand Davidnormanddavid@videotron.caSamuel Denaultsamueldenault@hotmail.comRecommended citation: Bannon, P., O. Barden, N. David  and S. Denault. 2022. Summer 2022: Québec. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eW3> North American Birds. Highlights in the province of Québec this summer included two Black-necked Stilts, a Royal Tern, a Sandwich Tern and a Rock Wren. More info on these and on other interesting birds seen in summer 2022 are following. All records are tentative until official acceptance by the Québec Bird Records Committee. DUCKS THROUGH VULTURESA group of seven Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks was reported at Rivière-Trois-Pistoles 5 Jun (Jean-Claude Pelletier), read more >>

Southern Atlantic: Winter 2020–2021

By |December 30th, 2020|Regional Reports, Southern Atlantic|

Winter 2020–2021: 1 Dec–28 Feb Josh Jackson decaturjosh@gmail.com Rich Jackson rjcos@me.com Recommended citation: Jackson, J., and R. Jackson. 2021. Winter 2020–2021: Southern Atlantic. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eVV> North American Birds. The winter of 2020–2021 saw a “superflight” irruption of boreal finches all down the East Coast. While some backyard birders might have complained about the abundance of Pine Siskins eating them out of birdseed, others took the opportunity to go see Evening Grosbeaks, Red Crossbills and even a wayward Common Redpoll in their home state. South Carolina added to its state list with the arrival of a Townsend’s read more >>

March 2023 Photo Quiz

By |March 15th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

Driving down the road, you spot what seems an odd-looking bird for one perched on a roadside wire. You stop and get only a one- or two-second view before your presence flushes the bird into the nearby woodlot on private property.

WEBINAR: Birding & Nature Study on the Southern Ocean

By |March 1st, 2023|Current|

ABA Members can view the recording of this webinar here: https://www.aba.org/community/groups/programs-webinars/ The American Birding Association kicks off our Programs and Webinars, exclusively for members, with this outstanding travelogue by Ted Floyd. What: Join longtime Birding magazine Editor Ted Floyd for a virtual journey to the end of the Earth. Our expedition will take us from Tierra del Fuego to the Falklands to legendary South Georgia to the “Ice Continent” itself, Antarctica. Along the way, we will encounter staggering numbers of seabirds and marine mammals, along with otherworldly snowscapes and exhilarating seascapes. The presentation will be illustrated read more >>

Hawaii: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Hawaii, Regional Reports|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul Alex Wang axwang12@gmail.com Jennifer Rothe jennifer.a.rothe@gmail.com Recommended citation: Wang, A. and J. Rothe. 2022. Summer 2022: Hawaii. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eMo> North American Birds. Summer in the Hawaii Region tends to be a relatively uneventful season for birding. Overwintering ducks and shorebirds have typically long since departed the region for their breeding grounds, though the occasional individual opts to remain in the islands rather than brave the perils of another trans-Pacific journey. Outside of typical migration windows, large oceanic storm systems represent the best chance to deliver rarities to the islands; read more >>

Oregon and Washington: Winter 2021-2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Oregon and Washington, Regional Reports|

Fall 2021: 1 Dec–28 Feb Eric Heisey heiseyew@gmail.com Adrian Hinkle adrian.hinkle@gmail.com Christopher Hinkle christopher.hinkle2@gmail.com Recommended citation: Heisey, E., Hinkle, A., Hinkle, C. 2022. Winter 2021–2022: Oregon-Washington. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eM9> North American Birds. There were few Covid-19-related cancellations, with good turnout on most CBCs. A single early December pelagic trip out of Newport ran as scheduled. December was wet, cold, and windy, with unusually low-elevation westside snow and ice during CBC season. Snowy conditions close to sea level led to the cancellation of the Yaquina Bay CBC in late December. Some other coastal CBCs suffered from read more >>

Volunteer Your Time and Talent!

By |February 22nd, 2023|Current|

Many of us can attribute our passion for birding to the people and groups who fostered our interest. A great way to give back to the birding community is to volunteer for a committee or board role with the ABA.  We are looking for help in a number of areas to help guide the organization in its growth.  These are opportunities to make a real difference in the organization and to work with some of the most accomplished birders on the continent.  Here are the areas of talent we are looking for support in: Consumer Marketing:  The read more >>

Coexistence to Conserve

By |February 17th, 2023|Current|

Indigenous Birders, Cattle Ranchers, and Conservation in Latin America
Birding and bird photography have become popular pursuits in Latin America, and, for many, even a career. This development applies also to Indigenous communities, where some people have discovered that they can use birding as a way to protect the area they live in while deriving a livelihood.

February 2023 Photo Quiz

By |February 15th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

While some may be confounded by this photo quiz, others will nail it immediately. One of the benefits of really looking at birds, really studying them, is the little kernels of knowledge that such scrutiny can impart, items that might, down the road, enable certain ID of a bird seen poorly.

Southern Atlantic: Fall 2020

By |August 7th, 2020|Regional Reports, Southern Atlantic|

Fall 2020: 1 Aug–30 Nov Josh Jackson decaturjosh@gmail.com Rich Jackson rjcos@me.com Recommended citation: Jackson, J., and R. Jackson. 2021. Fall 2020: Southern Atlantic. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eCv> North American Birds. It was a wetter and warmer than average fall across most of GA, SC, and NC, and a record 30 tropical storms were given names in the North Atlantic Basin. The continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a number of new birders finding entertainment in their backyards or chasing notable rarities, such as the Brown Booby that remained on GA’s Lake Lanier for more than two read more >>

Arkansas & Louisiana: Fall 2020

By |August 1st, 2020|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Fall 2020: 1 Aug–30 Nov Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2023. Fall 2020: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eAP> North American Birds. Seasonal Highlights include Common Ground-Dove, Rufous Hummingbird, Yellow Rail, Black Rail, Long-billed Curlew, Laughing Gull, Swallow-tailed Kite, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, and Evening Grosbeak. WATERFOWL THROUGH GALLINULES An estimated 20,000 Greater White-fronted Geese were just east of Lodge’s Corner, Arkansas Co 15 Oct (Kenny & LaDonna Nichols). Sea ducks this season included a Surf Scoter at Big Lake WMA, Mississippi Co 2 Nov (Timothy P. Jones); a single Black Scoter at Alma Wastewater Plant, read more >>

January 2023 Photo Quiz

By |January 20th, 2023|Photo Quiz|

There are at least two features that often distinguish between skilled, experienced birders and others when it comes to large flocks of birds. The first is the understanding that just because many or most of the individuals of a large flock of birds appear to be referable to the same species does not necessarily mean that such an assumption is true for the entire flock.

New England: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|New England, Regional Reports|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May Greg Hanisek ctgregh@gmail.com Recommended citation: Hanisek, G. 2022. Spring 2022: New England. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eux> North American Birds. Shorebirds were noteworthy among a variety of early arrivals. In Massachusetts only two species, American Oystercatcher and Whimbrel, were later than the average arrival date for this century.  An April 11–12 cold front produced what veteran observer Rick Heil considered one of the best April fallouts he's seen on Plum Island. Sub-regional Compilers Louis Bevier (Maine), Kent MacFarland (Vermont), Steve Mirick (New Hampshire), Bob Stymeist, Neil Heyward (Massachusetts), Rachel Farrell (Rhode Island), read more >>

Crested Terns in Florida

By |January 6th, 2023|Field Ornithology|

While the tern complex does not contain as many species as the gull complex and therefore is not as confounding, the identification of Thalasseus terns nonetheless can be challenging. In addition to the normal variation in body size and coloration of bare parts such as bills and legs, identification can be hampered by continent-crossing vagrants that may breed with related species in both North America and in Europe, creating hybrids and back-crosses.

December 2022 Photo Quiz

By |December 16th, 2022|Photo Quiz|

While some might immediately recognize the species represented here, others may have to work out the ID. That difference is often the primary one between skilled, experienced birders and others. Research on how skilled practitioners of birding has shown that such use a different portion of their brains to identify individuals of species they know well than do birders that do not know the species well or at all.

Atlantic Region: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Atlantic Region, Regional Reports|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul David Seeler dseeler@eastlink.ca Recommended citation: Seeler, D. 2022. Summer 2022: Atlantic Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-elk> North American Birds. It was warm and humid this season with rainfall less than normal for most of the region. Avian Flu/H5N1 continued its devastating course through the region’s avian species this season There has been a significant impact on domestic species as well as those species that live in densely packed colonies throughout the region. Evidence of spread to marine and terrestrial mammals has been documented for the region. Species of note for the read more >>

Arkansas & Louisiana: Spring 2020

By |March 1st, 2020|Arkansas & Louisiana, Regional Reports|

Spring 2020: 1 Mar–31 May Lyndal York lrbluejay@gmail.com Recommended citation: York, L. 2022. Spring 2020: Arkansas Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eld> North American Birds. Seasonal highlights include Cinnamon Teal, Red-necked Grebe, Long-billed Curlew, Brown Booby, breeding Roseate Spoonbills, Swallow-tailed Kite, Lesser Goldfinch, and Scott’s Oriole. Waterfowl through Shorebirds Very rare transient Cinnamon Teals were at Hiwasse, Benton 17 Apr (Patti Bertschy) and Dardanelle, Yell Co 25–26 Apr (Kenny & LaDonna Nichols. Notable lingering waterfowl included: a Greater Scaup at Bald Knob NWR, White Co 9 May (Glenn & Michelle Wyatt); a Common read more >>

Prairie Provinces: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Prairie Provinces, Regional Reports|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–30 Jul Rudolf Koes rkoes@mymts.net James Fox fox.james.ed@gmail.com Recommended citation: Koes, R.F., and J. Fox. 2022. Summer 2022: Prairie Provinces. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ekO> North American Birds. The summer of 2022 was hot across the Prairie Provinces and very wet, especially in southern Manitoba and southeastern Saskatchewan, continuing a trend started in the spring. Alberta experienced some very destructive storms. Although the shorebird migration at both ends of the season was lacklustre, the copious rains created areas with sheetwater on agricultural fields in southern Manitoba, which attracted a decent number and variety of read more >>

West Indies & Bermuda: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, West Indies & Bermuda|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul Andrew Dobson (Greater Antilles and Bermuda) andrewdobs@gmail.com Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles) Anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr Recommended citation: Dobson, A., and A. Levesque. 2022. Summer 2022: West Indies & Bermuda. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ekE> North American Birds. Cuba recorded its first Great-tailed Grackle and the Turks and Caicos Islands, their first Black Tern. The first breeding of Antillean Euphonia was proven in Guadeloupe. Seawatching highlights included a Bulwer’s Petrel off Guadeloupe and two South Polar Skuas off Bermuda. Waterfowl through Terns Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks are rare in Bermuda with two first reported read more >>

West Indies & Bermuda: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, West Indies & Bermuda|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–30 Apr Andrew Dobson (Greater Antilles and Bermuda) andrewdobs@gmail.com Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles) Anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr Recommended citation: Dobson, A. and A. Levesque. 2022. Spring 2022: West Indies & Bermuda. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ekq> North American Birds. Cuba recorded its first Brant; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines documented its first Green Kingfisher; a Bald Eagle in Bermuda was the first for 34 years; and Guadeloupe recorded its second White-winged Tern. Waterfowl to Shorebirds Two Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were seen at Harrington Sound, Bermuda 31 May (Kieran Richardson). A Fulvous Whistling-Duck was read more >>

Hudson-Delaware Region: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Hudson-Delaware, Regional Reports|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul Robert O. Paxton rop1@columbia.edu Amy Davis adavis@aba.org Shaibal S. Mitra shaibal.mitra@csi.cuny.edu Frank Rohrbacher rohrbaf@aol.com Recommended citation: Paxton, R. O., Amy Davis, Shaibal S. Mitra, and Frank Rohrbacher. 2022. Summer 2022: Hudson-Delaware. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ekd> North American Birds. Summer 2022 was hot and, in the region’s north, dry. In New York City, the average temperature in June was 79°F compared with an average of 71.4°F, while total precipitation in June was only 2.92” as compared with an average of 3.56”. Rainfall in Rochester in June was only 2.04” as compared with read more >>

Southern California: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, Southern California|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul Guy McCaskie guymcc@pacbell.net Kimball L. Garrett cyanolyca818@gmail.com Recommended citation: McCaskie, G., and K. L. Garrett. 2022. Summer 2022: Southern California. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eiY> North American Birds. Weather conditions through the summer period typified the 21st century pattern of reduced coastal marine layer influence, very dry terrestrial conditions, and lots of heat. Monsoon conditions (which proved to be well above average in August and September) had not arrived by the end of July. There were no major brush fires through the period, though a number of smaller fires burned in most read more >>

Southern California: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, Southern California|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May Guy McCaskie guymcc@pacbell.net Kimball L. Garrett cyanolyca818@gmail.com Recommended citation: McCaskie, G., and K. L. Garrett. 2022. Spring 2022: Southern California. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-eiG> North American Birds. It was something of a lackluster spring over most of the Region, punctuated by a predictable sprinkling of rarities. There was intensive monitoring of early morning visible migration of landbirds at various sites, most notably Bear Divide in the western San Gabriel Mts. of Los Angeles Co, the area around Gorman in the northwest corner of Los Angeles Co, Mt. Soledad in La Jolla, read more >>

Ontario: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Ontario, Regional Reports|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May Adam Capparelli adam.capparelli@mail.utoronto.ca Aaron Rusak afrusak@gmail.com Recommended citation: Capparelli, A., and A. Rusak. 2022. Spring 2022: Ontario. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ehQ> North American Birds. We would like to extend our gratitude to Blake A. Mann, Maureen Riggs, Brian Ratcliff, Carter Dorscht, and Jeremy L. Hatt for regional reporting, Andrew Keaveney for assistance in data logistics, and Matt Parsons, Cesar Ponce, Markus Legzdins, and Jarmo Jalava for contributing the photo highlights for this report. March was a month of tumultuous weather with a mix of unusual warmth and winter weather but ended read more >>

Québec: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Quebec, Regional Reports|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May Pierre Bannon pierre.bannon@icloud.com Olivier Barden iridosornis@gmail.com Normand David normanddavid@videotron.ca Samuel Denault samueldenault@hotmail.com Recommended citation: Bannon, P., O. Barden, N. David  and S. Denault. 2022. Spring 2022: Québec. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ehA> North American Birds. Spring is a good season to see vagrant birds and this year was no exception. Among the waterfowl, Québec birders had the opportunity to see old world species like Tundra Bean-Goose, Pink-footed Goose, Barnacle Goose, Tufted Duck, and Common Pochard. Furthermore, the record-breaking numbers of Golden Eagles and Broad-winged Hawks southwest of Montréal astounded hawkwatchers. Finally, a read more >>

Western Great Lakes: Summer 2022

By |June 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, Western Great Lakes|

Summer 2022: 1 Jun–31 Jul William Marengo wcmarengo@gmail.com Recommended citation: Marengo, W. 2022. Summer 2022: Western Great Lakes. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ehf> North American Birds. Dry conditions prevailed throughout the season. There was good news for one regional breeding specialty but discouraging news for another. Unusual for summer, the region experienced a parade of impressive rarities. A total of at least six first state records were found, one being a first United States record, amongst the other accidentals. Note that many of the casual and accidental species have yet to be reviewed by the state’s records read more >>

Celebrating the 2022 ABA Award Recipients: Peter Pyle, Holly Merker, Ted Floyd, and Nate Swick

By |November 22nd, 2022|Current|

On behalf of the ABA Board of Directors and staff, the ABA Awards Committee is delighted to announce the winners of the 2022 ABA Awards. This year, the ABA Awards Committee is happy to recognize one recipient of the ABA Lifetime Achievement Award, also called “The Tropicbird,” one recipient of the Award for Conservation and Education, and two recipients of the Award for Distinguished Service. ABA Awards are given to birders who have done exceptional work in promoting the cause of birding.

Western Great Lakes: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, Western Great Lakes|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May William Marengo wcmarengo@gmail.com Recommended citation: Marengo, W. 2022. Spring 2022: Western Great Lakes. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-een> North American Birds. Numerous rarities were seen this spring, especially from Wisconsin. Highlights include Fulvous-whistling Duck, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Ash-throated Flycatcher. Note that many of the casual and accidental species have yet to be reviewed by the state’s records committees. This report will be updated accordingly as the committees review the records. Sub-regional Compilers Sunil Gopalan (Wisconsin), Andrew Simon (Michigan), Ethan Urban (Michigan) Abbreviations LP (Lower Peninsula, MI), NWR (National Wildlife Refuge), SGA (State read more >>

Hawaii: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Hawaii, Regional Reports|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May Alex Wang axwang12@gmail.com Jennifer Rothe jennifer.a.rothe@gmail.com Recommended citation: Wang, A and J. Rothe. 2022. Spring 2022: Hawaii. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ebq> North American Birds. While spring in the Hawaii Region largely lacks the blatant climactic cues experienced elsewhere in much of the ABA area, there are nonetheless subtle indicators of seasonal shift present in the islands. The vernal season generally marks the transition from rainy winter weather to drier days; however, this spring was unusually dry, with drought conditions present on multiple islands. Still, shorebirds and seabirds transited through Hawaiian waters read more >>

Southern Great Plains: Summer 2021

By |June 1st, 2022|Regional Reports, Southern Great Plains|

Summer 2021: 1 Jun–31 Jul Joseph A. Grzybowski j_grzybowski@sbcglobal.net W. Ross Silcock silcock@rosssilcock.com Recommended citation: Grzybowski, J.A., and W.R. Silcock. 2022. Summer 2021: Southern Great Plains. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-ebh> North American Birds. Overall, this was a fairly routine summer with an array of summer vagrants and some surprise and suspected extralimital breeding across taxonomic groups.  A large colony of American White Pelicans in Nebraska were a pleasant discovery.  More Osprey are now nesting in the region south to eastern Oklahoma.  Black-bellied Whistling Ducks, an exceptional rarity 30 years ago, are now spreading across the region. read more >>

October 2022 Photo Quiz

By |October 20th, 2022|Photo Quiz|

As any of the folks that have conducted migrating-waterbird counts – seawatches – can say, ducks in flight are relatively straightforward to identify. First, there’s flight style, which does a reasonably good job of allowing quick discernment as to whether one is looking at dabblers or divers...

Welcome to ABA Community!

By |October 20th, 2022|Current|

Go To ABA Community >> We're delighted to welcome ABA members to our newest project: ABA Community. This online platform was inspired by the printed ABA Member Directory that served as a way for members to connect with fellow birders and trip guides many years ago. Today we are happy to share a new way to connect within a safe online network accessed through your ABA membership. To use ABA Community you must be an ABA Member. What can you do at ABA Community? Connect and interact with fellow birders. Engage in groups focused on different birding read more >>

2022 Kenya Trip Report

By |September 27th, 2022|Trip Reports|

We enjoyed 11 glorious days traveling to three very different areas of Kenya: Samburu, Buffalo Springs and Shaba Game Reserves in the dry northern region; Lake Nakuru National Park in the rift valley; and the magnificent Maasai Mara Game Reserve in the south. We traveled in three safari vehicles, each expertly guided by Rockjumper’s Glen Valentine, Forrest Rowland and Daniel Danckwerts. All the participants, including ABA representatives Katinka Domen, John Lowry and Neil Hayward, rotated daily through the vehicles, such that everyone had the opportunity to ride with everyone else. Our first and last nights were at read more >>

New England: Winter 2021–2022

By |December 1st, 2021|New England, Regional Reports|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec–28 Feb Greg Hanisek ctgregh@gmail.com Recommended citation: Hanisek, G. 2021. Winter 2021–2022: New England. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dY2> North American Birds. In New England's human epicenter, Boston, January provided a feel for this winter's weather diversity. Temperatures hit a high of 54F on New Year's Day, but the average of 32 degrees was 2.5 degrees colder than normal for the month. Then the closing days brought the Blizzard of 2022, which as noted by Stymeist was the first in four years and buried the city under 23.6 inches of snow. That made it read more >>

An Interview with Julia Tchira

By |September 23rd, 2022|Current|

Birds inspire art in many ways: writing, painting, photography, film. Not least of the art forms that birds frequently move people to create is music. The work of composer and violinist Julia Tchira has been heavily influenced by the wonder of birds, including a recent piece she wrote about the ABA’s 2022 Bird of the Year, the Burrowing Owl.

September 2022 Photo Quiz

By |September 14th, 2022|Photo Quiz|

The first response of some quiz-takers might well be, “What a horrible photo, particularly for a quiz photo!” Others, however, may well jump on the correct identification immediately. For those of us that are not accomplished at or comfortable with identification by shape, posture, and behavior, this could certainly provide for a difficult quiz. Those that had the second response posited above would have gotten the ID solely on shape and posture, perhaps aided by behavior.

August 2022 Photo Quiz

By |August 17th, 2022|Photo Quiz|

Back to the quiz bird being in flight. Aren’t you glad last month’s wasn’t?! There’s not much interesting showing this month. The quiz bird looks long- and narrow-winged, which, if accurate, certainly helps rule out some possibilities...

Review of the Olympus M.Zuiko 150–400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO

By |August 10th, 2022|Current|

Holy freakin’ cow! I have uttered those words quite regularly, and rarely quietly, from the moment I unpacked my new Olympus M.Zuiko 150–400mm F4.5 TC 1.25x IS PRO. So what does the TC 1.25x in the name stand for? That’s another fun capability of this lens . . . it has a 1.25x teleconverter built in. Just flipping a switch multiplies your focal length by 25%, so the 300–800mm equivalent focal length becomes a 375–1,000mm f5.6 super telephoto birding lens.

Atlantic Region: Spring 2022

By |March 1st, 2022|Atlantic Region, Regional Reports|

Spring 2022: 1 Mar–31 May David Seeler dseeler@eastlink.ca Recommended citation: Seeler, D. 2022. Spring 2022: Atlantic Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dEb> North American Birds. Weather conditions over the season were near normal. Perhaps the most interesting—and ultimately devastating weather effects—were related to persistent northeast to easterly North Atlantic winds from late March though late April. In late March, northeasterly winds drove Thick-billed Murres close to the shores of Newfoundland and Labrador, and ultimately prevented them from accessing their feeding grounds. Capelin fish stocks have been critically reduced within the Region for years, resulting in many Thick-billed read more >>

Hudson-Delaware Region: Fall 2021

By |August 1st, 2021|Hudson-Delaware, Regional Reports|

Amy Davis adavis@aba.org Shaibal S. Mitra shaibal.mitra@csi.cuny.edu Robert O. Paxton rop1@columbia.edu Frank Rohrbacher rohrbaf@aol.com Recommended citation: Davis, A., S.S. Mitra, R.O. Paxton, and F. Rohrbacher. 2022. Fall 2021: Hudson-Delaware. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dDk> North American Birds. Fall 2021 was among the warmest ever for the Hudson-Delaware region: the third warmest for NJ, fourth warmest for NY, and fifth warmest for DE. NJ and DE experienced drier than usual conditions, while NY was wetter than normal. Tropical Storms Fred and Henri brought a few interesting storm birds to the region’s coastal areas, and a late Oct nor’easter read more >>

July 2022 Photo Quiz

By |July 19th, 2022|Photo Quiz|

A quick look at this month’s quiz bird’s feet, more specifically how the toes are attached to the foot, should get us into the correct bird order, as the passerine foot is distinctive. Another important, but widely overlooked bird-ID feature is our quiz bird’s...

West Indies & Bermuda: Winter 2021–2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Regional Reports, West Indies & Bermuda|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec–28 Feb Andrew Dobson (Greater Antilles, Bahamas, Bermuda) andrewdobs@gmail.com Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles) Anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr Recommended citation: Dobson, A., & A. Levesque. 2022. Winter 2021–2022: West Indies & Bermuda. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dz6> North American Birds. Significant first records occurred in several countries. A Harris’s Sparrow was not only the first for Cuba but also the Caribbean. Two Lesser Antillean Bullfinches discovered on Vieques Island were the first to be documented for the Greater Antilles. Jamaica recorded its first and second Pacific Golden-Plovers. In the Lesser Antilles, Guadeloupe added Sabine’s Gull to its species read more >>

Québec: Winter 2021-2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Quebec, Regional Reports|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec–28 Feb Pierre Bannon pierre.bannon@icloud.com Olivier Barden iridosornis@gmail.com Normand David normanddavid@videotron.ca Samuel Denault samueldenault@hotmail.com  Recommended citation: Bannon, P., O. Barden, N. David  and S. Denault. 2022. Winter 2021—2022: Québec. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dyS> North American Birds. The winter started with mild temperatures in Dec but turned much colder in Jan. Highlights for the period were the amazing discovery of three Bramblings, a passerine of northern Eurasia previously found only once in the province, a Northern Lapwing, a Mountain Bluebird and an Ivory Gull. Western visitors almost annual in Québec present during this period were read more >>

Hawaii: Winter 2021-2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Hawaii, Regional Reports|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec–28 Feb Alex Wang axwang12@gmail.com Jennifer Rothe jennifer.a.rothe@gmail.com  Recommended citation:  Wang, A. and J. Rothe. 2022. Winter 2021–2022: Hawaii. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dyG> North American Birds. The winter of 2021–2022 was abnormally dry across the Hawaiian Islands. Migrant bird numbers may have been affected both through the paucity of freshwater resources available to them as well as the lack of storms driving them to land in the first place. This unseasonal dryness seemed particularly pronounced on Oʻahu, where wetlands such as Pouhala Marsh were bone-dry most of the winter, providing little habitat for read more >>

Western Great Lakes: Winter 2021–2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Regional Reports, Western Great Lakes|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec–28 Feb William Marengo wcmarengo@gmail.com Recommended citation: Marengo, W.C. 2022. Winter 2021–2022: Western Great Lakes. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dyu> North American Birds. An Ivory Gull and a Tufted Duck were highlights gracing a season that, in regard to rarities, was fairly quiet.  Sub-regional Compilers Rob Pendergast (Wisconsin), Andrew Simon (Michigan), Ethan Urban (Michigan). Abbreviations: Abbreviations: CP (County Park), L.P. (Lower Peninsula, MI), NL (National Lakeshore), NWR (National Wildlife Refuge), RA (Recreation Area), SGA (State Game Area), SNA (Scientific/State Natural Area), SP (State Park), SR (State Riverway), SWA (State Wildlife Area), Twp. (Township), U.P. read more >>

Atlantic Region: Summer 2018

By |June 1st, 2018|Atlantic Region, Regional Reports|

Summer 2018: 1 June–31 July David Seeler dseeler@eastlink.ca Recommended citation: Seeler, D. 2022. Summer 2018: Atlantic Region. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dyj> North American Birds. A chilly June was gradually replaced by heat waves in most of Atlantic Canada throughout July and August. Late snowfall and cold weather in the Newfoundland and Labrador region delayed the transition to summer. The summer heat wave in southern Atlantic Canada was reflected by a significant increase is ocean temperatures of 2–3 degrees above the 20 year average for the region. Increased temperatures were likely the cause of a significant dry read more >>

Ontario: Winter 2021–2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Ontario, Regional Reports|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec–28 Feb Adam Capparelli adam.capparelli@mail.utoronto.ca Aaron Rusak afrusak@gmail.com Recommended citation:  Capparelli, A., and A. Rusak. 2022. Winter 2021-2022: Ontario. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dya> North American Birds. We would like to extend our gratitude to Blake A. Mann, Maureen Riggs, and Brian Ratcliff for regional reporting, Andrew Keaveney for assistance in data logistics, and Joshua D. Vandermeulen, Elias Joshi, and Dinu Bandyopadhyay for contributing the photo highlights for this report. The theme for Winter 2021-2022 was a changeable one, with fluctuating temperatures and messy storms that dumped large amounts of sometimes mixed precipitation across read more >>

Prairie Provinces: Winter 2021–2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Prairie Provinces, Regional Reports|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec 28 Feb Rudolf Koes rkoes@mymts.net James Fox fox.james.ed@gmail.com Recommended citation: Koes, R.F., and J. Fox. 2022. Winter 2021–2022: Prairie Provinces. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dxR> North American Birds. After several years with reasonably moderate winters across the southern Prairie Provinces, the winter of 2021–2022 was one characterized by severe cold spells, often very windy conditions and much greater-than-average snowfall, especially in Manitoba, where it was the third-snowiest winter in over a century. In Alberta the Christmas week was the coldest in 50 years, which discouraged many potential Christmas Bird Count (CBC) participants. It read more >>

Southern California: Winter 2021–2022

By |December 1st, 2021|Regional Reports, Southern California|

Winter 2021–2022: 1 Dec–28 Feb Guy McCaskie guymcc@pacbell.net Kimball L. Garrett cyanolyca818@gmail.com Recommended citation: McCaskie, G., and K. L. Garrett. 2022. Winter 2021–2022: Southern California. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dxz>North American Birds. Although precipitation totals were only slightly below average in many parts of the region, Southern California experienced yet another generally dry winter which exacerbated a widespread and severe drought; the limited snowpack in the higher mountains was largely gone below about 3000 m elevation by April. Any relationship between drought conditions and winter bird irruptions is tenuous at best, but the season saw low numbers read more >>

Alabama & Mississippi: Fall 2021

By |August 1st, 2021|Alabama and Mississippi, Regional Reports|

Fall 2021: 1 Aug–30 Nov Greg D. Jackson g_d_jackson@bellsouth.net Recommended citation: Jackson, G. D. 2022. Fall 2021: Alabama & Mississippi <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-drU> North American Birds. Birders in our region enjoyed an exciting fall season, replete with good numbers of standard migrants and plenty of rare prizes. General migration of water, shore, and land birds was moderate to good in most areas. Though a few birds were early, later-than-normal departures became more common. Rarities included second state records for both Alabama and Mississippi, as well as many other fine discoveries of lesser magnitude. Temperatures this read more >>

Baja California Peninsula: Year 2021

By |December 1st, 2021|Baja California Peninsula, Regional Reports|

Year 2021: 1 Jan–31 Dec Richard A. Erickson richard.erickson@lsa.net Gerardo Marrón atakamara@gmail.com Enrique D. Zamora-Hernández zugunruhe@gmail.com Recommended citation: Erickson, R. A., G. Marrón, and E. D. Zamora-Hernández. 2022. Year 2021: Baja California Peninsula. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-dqW> North American Birds. This is our second annual report for the Baja California Peninsula. The number of species recorded was up (405 compared to 402 in 2020), with an impressive increase in Baja California (380 vs. 360) but a decrease in Baja California Sur (316 vs. 336); reports of pelagic species were especially lacking in Baja California Sur (Table read more >>

June 2022 Photo Quiz

By |June 15th, 2022|Photo Quiz|

This time we have a lovely, pristine, perfectly lit, perfectly posed bird that shows all the field marks we need to identify it correctly to species. Did you believe any of that? This month’s quiz bird of a bird photographed in August might confound a number of quiz takers as to which family it belongs, although at least the order should be straightforward.

West Indies & Bermuda: Fall 2016

By |August 1st, 2016|Regional Reports, West Indies & Bermuda|

Fall 2016: 1 Aug–30 Nov Robert L. Norton (Bahamas, Greater Antilles) Corvus0486@aol.com Andrew Dobson (Bermuda) andrewdobs@gmail.com Anthony Levesque (Lesser Antilles) Anthony.levesque@wanadoo.fr Recommended citation:  Norton, R., A. Dobson, & A. Levesque. 2022. Fall 2016: West Indies & Bermuda. <https://wp.me/p8iY2g-deL> North American Birds. Regional highlights Bermuda highlights include the first record of Grey-headed Swamphen and first Rusty Blackbird for 41 years. Tropical Storm Karl produced an unprecedented number of Pectoral Sandpipers. The Bahamas recorded its first record of Sedge Wren. A Western Wood-Pewee was an extreme rarity on Cuba. Waterfowl to read more >>

May 2022 Photo Quiz

By |May 21st, 2022|Photo Quiz|

Not a very good photo this month. Right? While I generally try to have reasonably good photos with the quiz subject in reasonably good focus, birding is not really like that. We do not see most individual birds well, and, at least for those with “good ears,” most birds that we detect are not seen at all.