April 1, 2022

It’a April Fool’s Day, and the urge to make up rare birds runs high on this day more than any other. But I will not succumb to that urge this day, and you can take the reports of the following birds to the bank. The Northern Lapwing (ABA Code 4) continues this week in Nova Scotia, as do the long-staying Social Flycatcher (5) and Golden-crowned Warbler (4) in south Texas. And most excitedly, the Red-flanked Bluetail (4) in Washington continued to be seen at least through mid-week.

There’s not much in the way of continental rarities this week, but Texas once again has to reckon with a potential Pacific Wren, this time in Presidio. This would be a 1st state record but a similar bird seen last year was not accepted. The split of Winter Wren into (confusingly) Winter Wren and Pacific Wren has opened up the possibility of wandering Pacific Wrens in the middle of the country. While the phenomenon in and of itself isn’t controversial, determining whether these interesting bird rise to the level of slam-dunk Pacific Wren continues to be. This Texas bird was well-photographed and, notably, well-recorded, so we’ll see what happens.

Staying out west, in Nevada a young Yellow-footed Gull in Clark is the state’s 2nd, and the first in more than 20 years.

While Nutting’s Flycatcher (3) in western Arizona are nothing new, there are shockingly few records away from Mohave. A record this week from Pima adds to that number, though.

A pelagic out of Tofino, British Columbia, had Short-tailed Albatross (3) and Parakeet Auklet, both noteworthy for the province.

Good for Kentucky, a Ruff (3) was seen this week in Fulton. 

And in Pennsylvania, a California Gull in Erie and an American Oystercatcher in Bucks are both good birds for the state.

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.