Rare Bird Alert

Previously reported rare birds in the ABA Area continuing into this week include Berylline Hummingbird (ABA Code 4) in Arizona, Little Egret (4) in Delaware, and the ABA 2nd record Inca Tern (5) in Hawaii.

The postbreeding dispersal of wading birds has taken a lot of the attention this summer, with the incredible spread of species like Roseate Spoonbill, Limpkin, and Wood Stork this year, but wandering hummingbirds can’t be dismissed either, as they come to the fore this week highlighted by Illinois’s 2nd record of Mexican Violetear (3), a gorgeous bird at a feeder in Lake.

And that wasn’t all, as in North Dakota a Calliope Hummingbird visiting a feeder in Bismarck is a 1st state record of this species that has increased east of its normal range in recent years.

In New Hampshire, a Magnificent Frigatebird in Rockingham a few days ahead of Tropical Storm Henri represents a 1st for that state, New Hampshire’s 3rd new bird in 2021.

What was almost certainly the same Magnificent Frigatebird was seen a couple days later in Norfolk, Massachusetts.

A noteworthy bird in the ABA Area, a young Common Shelduck (4) was seen in Sorel, Quebec. This bird is earlier than most records of this species in eastern Canada and New England, but fits into pattern established in the last few years and is at an expected time of year for dispersal of hatch year birds.

Staying in eastern Canada, a Common Ringed Plover is a nice find in Point Armour, Newfoundland.

Missouri becomes the latest state to host a Roseate Spoonbill this summer, with a bird in Wayne.

Noteworthy for Texas was a Curlew Sandpiper (3) in Grayson.

Nevada’s 4th record of Purple Gallinule, a young bird, was seen in Clark this week.

Good for California is a Brown Thrasher at a private home in San Francisco.

And we start to look towards Alaska as birders make their way to the Bering Sea outposts, and a Willow Warbler (4) on Gambell is a nice early find.

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.