Rare Bird Alert

Continuing rarities in the ABA Area into the third week of August include Berylline Hummingbird (ABA Code 4) in Arizona, the Gray Heron (5) seen last week in Prince Edward Island, and the long-staying Steller’s Sea-Eagle (4) still being seen in Newfoundland.

An exciting first record from Massachusetts, where a pelagic out of Chatham discovered and acquired excellent documentary photos of a Cape Verde Shearwater (5), a 1st for Massachusetts and only the ABA’s 2nd record, the 1st coming from North Carolina about almost 20 years ago. This bird is a difficult ID, presenting as a smaller, darker Cory’s Shearwater and easily blending into the large flocks of shearwaters common in the north Atlantic this time of year.

The other 1st record for the week comes from Minnesota, where the Brown Booby (3) previously seen in Wisconsin did indeed cross the Mississippi River into Winona where it represents a 1st for two states.

Also good for the Great Lakes region, a Neotropic Cormorant was seen in Delta, Michigan, this week.

Oklahoma’s 5th record of Brown Booby turned up in Payne. 

Georgia’s 5th Bell’s Vireo was well-photographed in Athens.

Noteworthy for California, a Red-faced Warbler was seen in San Diego. 

Washington’s 2nd record of Nazca Booby was seen near Seattle in King. 

Perhaps harkening a nice fall for Asian vagrants in the west, an Eastern Yellow Wagtail in Sechelt, British Columbia, is the province’s 5th.

And in Alaska,  Olive-backed Pipit (3) and Little Stint (4) are both nice finds on St Paul Island, and the state’s 5th Heermann’s Gull was seen this week in Sitka.

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.