Rare Bird Alert

Because of sustained COVID-19 rates in many states and provinces, the purpose of this report is to keep homebound birders caught up rare bird sightings across the ABA Area. We do not endorse the pursuit of rare birds beyond your local area. The ABA urges readers to respect state, provincial, and local restrictions on non-essential travel. The ABA’s Recording Standards and Ethics Committee has released guidelines on how birders should approach this ongoing pandemic and we urge birders, whether they are members of the ABA or not, to consider them when deciding whether to travel to see a rare bird. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

Florida continues to host Caribbean rarities like Cuban Pewee (5) and Black-faced Grassquit (4), while Texas still has Golden-crowned Warbler (4), plus multiple Crimson-collared Grosbeaks (4) and Blue Buntings (4). A Streak-backed Oriole (4) is still being seen in California, as is the Northern Jacana (4), and Maine’s accommodating Redwing (4) is still being seen in Portland.

And it’s with the European thrush irruption that we begin this week, as a Redwing (4) has made it all the way to Saanich, British Columbia. This suggests that one of these wandering thrushes could turn up just about anywhere in the ABA Area. This is BC’s 4th record.

And that wasn’t even the only new Redwing (4) in the ABA Area this week, as Nova Scotia, perhaps more predictably, gets into the fun with two individuals, one in Baccaro and a second at Crystal Crescent Beach. 

The rest of the continent was rather light this week, but Pennsylvania had a Harris’s Sparrow at a feeder in Lancaster. 

Ohio hosted a sharp male Painted Bunting at a feeder in Tuscarawas. 

Good for Kentucky was a California Gull in Marshall. 

And notable for Arizona, a Common Grackle was seen in Cochise. 

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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.