December 6, 2024
Jumping straight into the new birds for the last couple weeks, the incredible shearwater story in the northern interior continues. In addition to the sightings on the Great Lakes in Wisconsin and Ontario, a wrecked Short-tailed Shearwater was discovered in Stony Rapids, Saskatchewan, last week. The bird was taken in by a rehabilitator and eventually released on a large reservoir. It’s not only a provincial 1st record but further evidence that there appeared to be a huge movement of this species into the northwest passage this fall. We may yet see where these species end up, but it seems plausible that spots on the North Atlantic might see some records in the spring.
The low-pressure induced easterlies that blew towards Atlantic Canada in the latter half of November likely threw a Common Shelduck (ABA Code 5) to. eastern Long Island in Suffolk Co, New York, last week. This species is always a bit messy in North America, given its presence in menageries and zoo collections, but a bird turning up in a plausible place at the right time of year under the right conditions seems a good candidate for acceptable natural vagrancy.
Colorado has added several southwestern species to its state list in the last decade, and this week saw another in the form of a Crissal Thrasher in Baca Co. This desert thrasher doesn’t initially seem like a great candidate for vagrancy, but it has occurred very close to the Colorado border in northern New Mexico in the recent past, and records in southern Utah have increased in the last decade.
North Carolina’s 1st record of White-throated Swift was found in Tyrell Co at the end of November. There are surprisingly few records of this common western North American species in the east, though a record this fall in Arkansas suggested that maybe birders should be looking for it. Providing, of course, folks can get a good look as it zips past.
Georgia’s long-awaited 1st record of Swainson’s Hawk turned up this week in Brunswick Co.
Florida continues to have a pretty impressive 2024, with the state’s 2nd record of Ancient Murrelet turning up right in front of a birder paddling off Vero Beach, and the state’s 3rd Brewer’s Sparrow at the very popular and heavily birded Lake Apopka.
Tennessee’s 3rd record of Cassin’s Kingbird showed up in Chattanooga this week, not more than two weeks after the state’s 2nd record. They appear to be two different individuals.
Massachusetts had an impressive run over the last couple weeks with both a Townsend’s Warbler and a Black-throated Gray Warbler at the same site in Woburn. The’s state’s 4th Lazuli Bunting was seen in Newbury and the state’s 6th Spotted Towhee in Provincetown. And if that wasn’t enough, those trans-Atlantic winds blew a Northern Lapwing (4) down to Nantucket.
Nova Scotia’s 4th record of Rock Wren was seen in Digby Co, and the 12th or so Ash-throated Flycatcher at West Pubnico.
Oklahoma’s 3rd White-throated Swift was photographed in Major Co, continuing the trend for this species over the last month.
Always nice in the Lower 48, a Yellow-billed Loon was seen in Butte Co, South Dakota.
Wyoming’s 3rd Black-legged Kittiwake was seen in Casper.
And in Alaska, lingering birders found a lingering Baikal Teal (4) on Adak.
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.
