February 4, 2022
The long list of continuing rarities in the ABA Area has not shortened much in the last week. Though the Maine Steller’s Sea-Eagle was not seen, it could conceivably turn up just about anywhere and shouldn’t be counted out. Florida boasts a trio of Caribbean rarities into this week in Zenaida Dove (ABA Code 5), Yellow-faced Grassquit (4), and Thick-billed Vireo (4), and the quartet of Bat Falcon (5), Social Flycatcher (5), Golden-crowned Warbler (4), and Crimson-collared Grosbeak (4) are still being seen in Texas. New Mexico’s Blue Mockingbird (4) stays put for another week.
California comes in with an early candidate for best bird of the young year with an Oriental Turtle-Dove (4) discovered and subsequently photographed by many in Santa Clara. This represents the 3rd record of the east Asian long-distance migrant for the state. Most records for this species in the ABA Area predictably come from western Alaska, but there are a handful from the rest of the continent, mostly in fall and winter.
Missouri’s 4th record of Sage Thrasher was seen this week in Dallas.Â
In New York, a Slaty-backed Gull (3) in Central Park in New York was the highlight of a truly impressive suite of Larids this week, with as many as 8 species present at one time.
And in Connecticut, a Varied Thrush was seen at Hammonassett.
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.
