April 22, 2022

We’re starting to build up a healthy stable of continuing rarities in the ABA Area again, leading with the recent Tufted Flycatcher (ABA Code 5) in southeast, Arizon. The long-staying Black-faced Grassquit (4) in Florida was seen again, as was the Steller’s Sea-Eagle (4) Nova Scotia, at least through the beginning of the week. And a Little Stint (4) is still being seen in California.

We start in Newfoundland, where strong easterly winds in the middle of the week provided perfect conditions for European vagrants in the southeast part of the island itself. Multiple sightings of European Golden-Plover (4), Black-tailed Godwits (4), and Barnacle Geese (4) turned up on the Avalon Peninsula, with a few surprises mixed in. A Pacific Golden-Plover was discovered among the Euros, one of only a few records for the province, and most surprisingly, a stunning breeding plumage Brambling showed up in Renews. This was a provincial 1st record, and a long-awaited one at that. One assumes that this was a stray from East Asia, but with the impressive array of vagrants from Europe milling around, it’s impossible to be certain.

Firsts were just limited to Atlantic Canada. In Oklahoma, a male Hooded Oriole at a feeder in Osage represents a 1st record for that state.

And in Oregon, a Common Crane (3) near Burns represents a state 1st as well. All surrounding states have recorded this species with a couple northern California records coming tantalizingly close to the Oregon border in the past.

Notable for Colorado, the state’s 13th Common Gallinule was seen in El Paso. 

Good birds for Arizona include a Flame-colored Tanager (3) in Cochise and the state’s 3rd record of Clay-colored Thrush in Santa Cruz. 

Texas hosted the state’s 3rd record of Kelp Gull (4) at the Brownsville Landfill in Cameron, along with the season’s first Tamaulipas Crow (4). A female Blue Bunting (4) was also found this week in Hidalgo. 

In Florida, a female Western Spindalis was seen in Lee, notable for being on the Gulf Coast when most records of this species are in the east.

South Carolina had its first Fulvous Whistling-Duck in many years in Jasper. 

And in Quebec, a Tufted Duck (3) was seen in Montérégie.

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.