Rare Bird Alert

Last week’s Siberian Accentor (ABA Code 4) in Washington joins the familiar La Sagra’s Flycatcher (4) in Florida and long-staying Garganey (4) in California in the continuing category. The Accentor appears to be pretty pretty reliable these days, which is fantastic for all the birders who have made the trip to see this stunning east Asian vagrant.

It’s always a big deal when Texas or California get a state 1st. Those two states, the largest in the Lower 48, have historically boasted the largest state/province lists in the ABA Area. And Texas got a new one this week with the discovery of a White Wagtail (3) in Travis. Though Texas birders generally look south when considering new additions to their state list, White Wagtail had to be on the short list as it has the potential to turn up in just about anywhere on the continent, though it is most frequently discovered on the west coast.

That wasn’t the only noteworthy bird seen in Texas this week, as a Eurasian Tree Sparrow was discovered in Brazoria. 

An excellent find for California was a Thick-billed Kingbird in San Dimas, Los Angeles County.

North Carolina had another Limpkin, the 4th in the last 6 months, in Rowan. 

In Colorado, a Snow Bunting was seen and well-photographed in Jefferson. 

And in Newfoundland, a Slaty-backed Gull (3) was among the famously diverse gull flock at Quidi Vidi Lake in St. John’s.

ooo

ooo

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.