Rare Bird Alert

Rare birds still being found in the ABA Area into this last week of February include Steller’s Sea-Eagle (ABA Code 4) in Maine, along with the Bat Falcon (5), Social Flycatcher (5), and Golden-crowned Warbler (4) in Texas. The Florida Thick-billed Vireo (4) was also seen this week as was the Oriental Turtle-Dove (4) in California, and the Northern Lapwing (4) in Maryland.

It’s been a pretty impressive year for gull 1sts so far, as 4 of the 5 state/provincial 1sts recorded in this new year have been gulls. The latest comes from Pennsylvania, where a young Glaucous-winged Gull in Burks represents a state 1st record, one of only a few records of this west coast gull east of the Great Lakes.

Other noteworthy finds in what has been a light week, include a pair of Harlequin Ducks in Nueces, Texas, which represent the 3rd record for the state.

And up to Oklahoma, where a Varied Thrush in Bartlesville, Osage, is also a state 3rd.

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.