Rare Bird Alert

Continuing birds in the ABA Area are mostly situated on the western part of the continent, with Common Crane (ABA Code 4) in California, and Plain-capped Starthroat (4), Berylline Hummingbird, and Eared Quetzal (4) still being seen in Arizona.

There aren’t nearly as many birders in western Alaska as there would be in usual years, but there are still plenty of birds, including at least three Oriental Greenfinch (4) on Unalaska. It remains to be seen how many birders will make the trip this fall, as Alaska has a number of COVID specific rules for visitors who must either provide a negative test when arriving or take one upon arrival and quarantine until the the results are in.

Washington finally nabbed its 1st state record of Nazca Booby (4) in Seattle, becoming the last state or province on the Pacific coast to finally add the species to its official list, which is all the more shocking when you realize the ABA’s 1st was documented less than a decade ago.

And Utah also gets a 1st this week, with the report of a Cerulean Warbler at Utah Lake in Utah. 

In Saskatchewan, a Tropical Kingbird was photographed near Saskatoon and posted to the ABA’s What’s This Bird group where it was identified.

Noteworthy for Arizona was a Prothonotary Warbler in Pima. 

In Tennessee, a Neotropic Cormorant was discovered in Cocke, notable for beng on the eastern half of the state rather than along the Mississippi River where most records come from.

In Louisiana, a Red-footed Booby (4) was seen in Vernon,  the 4th for the state and the first inland

Ontario had a Lark Sparrow at Long Point this week.

And New York becomes the latest state to boast a wayward Brown Booby (3), in Hamilton. 

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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.