There are lots of continuing rarities into Feb. 2026, including Whooper Swans (ABA Code 4) in Washington, a European Robin (5) in Québec, and a Taiga Flycatcher (5) in British Columbia. Yellow-headed Caracaras (5) continue in Florida and, surprisingly, Delaware, as this week saw the return of one of last year’s strangest vagrants. The Yukon Eurasian Bullfinch (4) also continues this week, as do the long staying Brown Jays (4) and Cattle Tyrant (5) in Texas. And in Virginia, the Red-flanked Bluetail (4) continues into this week.
A pair of Taiga Bean-Geese (3) in Port Renfrew, on the southern end of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, is a first record for the province, and the third for Canada, with previous records from Yukon Territory and Québec, as well as a record from nearby in Washington. Since the bean-geese were split in 2007, Tundra has always been the more common species in the ABA Area, but the past few years have seen in increase in records of both species across the ABA Area. In fact, this is the second Taiga Bean-Goose in North America this year, after one discovered in Jan. 2026 in upstate New York.
New Jersey also gets a first record this month, and like the bean-geese, it is a species for which extralimital records have been increasing. A Glaucous-winged Gull in Middlesex Co is a state first, and the latest of several recent records around the Great Lakes and in the Northeast, including a number of them from nearby New York and Pennsylvania.
Staying in the east, an American Woodcock is notable in St Pierre et Miquelon.
Maryland’s 2nd record of Crested Caracara was seen this month in Baltimore Co.
North Carolina had a Townsend’s Warbler in Pamlico Co this week.
Up to Illinois, a Short-billed Gull in Lake Co is a nice find.
Michigan also hosted a Crested Caracara, one of several vagrant records already in 2026, in Easton Co.
Kansas’s second Eurasian Tree Sparrow was seen in Riley Co.
Good for Colorado was a Brant in Pueblo Co.
And Idaho’s 3rd Mountain Plover was spotted this week in Elmore Co.
Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any, please message blog AT aba.org and we 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 installments of the ABA Rare Bird Alert. Readers should note that most of these reports have not yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial records 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.
