Rare Bird Alert

The ABA Area hosts an impressive set of rarities continuing into this week, with the highlight remaining the ABA Area’s 3rd record of Eurasian Blackbird (ABA Code 5) in Labrador. California continues to host a Red-flanked Bluetail (4) and a Little Stint (4), and the Common Shelduck (5) is still being seen and discussed in Pennsylvania.

The influx of winter wanderers southward into the interior of the continent was not predicted to include many Bohemian Waxwings, but one was seen in Apache, Arizona. The mountain ash crops in the western half of the continent were reported as good to bumper, but that doesn’t always stop birds from traveling to new places. EDIT: Previous versions of this post stated this was a 1st record for Arizona.

From New Hampshire comes the still unconfirmed but compelling report of a Garganey (4) in Cheshire, which would represent a 1st for that state and potentially a 3rd for Vermont if it crosses the dozen meters between where it was spotted and the state line.

Nova Scotia’s 8th record of Common Ringed Plover in Yarmouth is one of very few, if any, winter records on the continent.

In Maine, a Harris’s Sparrow was visiting a feeder in Androscoggin.

Good for New York was a young Swainson’s Hawk in Richmond.

Good numbers of Common Murres were seen this week off of Virginia Beach, Virginia, where there are only a handful of records for the state.

In Florida, a Bahama Mockingbird (4) and the state’s 3rd record of Mountain Plover were both seen in Brevard.

Ohio’s 3rd Slaty-backed Gull was found among a large gull flock in Cuyahoga, where both Common and Glaucous-winged Gulls have been seen in recent weeks.

In Indiana, a Mountain Bluebird was seen in Newton, the state’s 8th.

Illinois also had a Bohemian Waxwing this week, in Stephenson.

And in British Columbia, the province’s 3rd Fieldfare (4) was seen in Kelowna.

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.