Rare Bird Alert

After more than a year, the south Texas Social Flycatcher (5) is still being seen, a rare bird pillar at this point. Even when no other rare birds are continuing, it hangs on.

Hot Limpkin Summer has, against all odds, turned into bonkers Limpkin winter, as Kentucky finally gets on their board with their 1st record of Limpkin seen this week in Todd. Kentucky was completely surrounded by states that had previously recorded Limpkins, sometimes multiple birds, and finally fills in a big gap in the map. Now, I suppose, we look to outliers like Pennsylvania, Ontario, and New Jersey for the next Limpkin fix.

Early December winds over the north Atlantic looked favorable for vagrants from Europe, which manifested this week in a single Northern Lapwing (4) in Thomaston, followed soon by an incredible 5(!) birds in Aroostook. 

From Quebec, a Redwing (4) in Sept-Iles almost certainly came in on the same weather pattern.

Good birds in Massachusetts this week mostly came from the other direction, with a Smith’s Longspur seen in Hampshire and a MacGillivray’s Warbler in Boston.

New York’s 4th record of Hammond’s Flycatcher was seen in Sullivan this week.

In Ontario, an incredibly accommodating Dovekie was seen on Lake Ontario in Toronto.

Florida’s 9th record of Broad-billed Hummingbird, a sharp-looking male bird, was seen at a feeder in Gainesville, and the season’s first La Sagra’s Flycatcher (4) turned up in Miami-Dade. 

Texas celebrates the return, after more than a decade, of a small flock of Brown Jays (4) in Starr. One hopes that these infrequent visitors from Mexico stick around for a while as they did last time they were seen in the ABA Area.

Kansas’s 3rd record of Scott’s Oriole was seen this week in Kansas City.

Washington had a Brambling (3) in Port Angeles this week.

And British Columbia also had a Brambling (3), this one at Powell River.

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.