January 17, 2025
Continuing rarities in the ABA Area include Northern Lapwing (ABA Code 4) in Massachusetts and Eurasian Sparrowhawk (5) in Alaska. Birding in Texas is highlighted by Cattle Tyrant (5) and Yellow-headed Caracara (5) on the upper coast and Mottled Owl (5) and Brown Jay (4) in the Valley.
The early part of the year always seems to be good for EUropean migrant thrushes in the ABA Area, and in that sense Quebec’s 5th Redwing (4) found this week in Charlevoix, is right on time. The bird is associating with a large flock of overwintering American Robins and can be seen with some effort.
Vermont hosts the state’s 1st record of Purple Gallinule, found on a snowy back deck in Addison Co. This species is found for turning up in weird places, including a number of records in Europe, so the most surprising aspect of this find is that it took so long for one to find Vermont. All surrounding states, plus Quebec, have multiple records with some coming painfully close to the Vermont border.
Adak Island in the western Aleutians, Alaska, has been a haven for vagrant raptors this winter. At least two Eurasian Sparrowhawks have been present there for weeks, and the latest find appears to be Alaska’s, and the ABA Area’s, 2nd record of Hen Harrier, though this would appear to be the first living record. It’s possible that this Old World equivalent of our familiar Northern Harrier has occurred in North America more frequently than has been documented, as identification can be quite difficult, the only other record of this species in the ABA Area also comes from western Alaska, a salvaged wing found on Attu Island in June 1999.
In Michigan, the state’s 2nd record of Anna’s Hummingbird is visiting a feeder in snowy Manistee Co.
Tennessee’s 5th, but first photographed, record of Purple Sandpiper was found this week in Davidson Co. The last record of this bird in the state came from 1976.
In Kentucky, a Varied Thrush was visiting a yard in Lexington.
Virginia had a Say’s Phoebe in Rockingham Co this week.
In Massachusetts, a Painted Bunting was coming to a feeder in Kingston.
And in New Hampshire, a modern interpretation of the “Patagonia Picnic Table Effect” was happening where birders looking for the state’s 4th MacGillivray’s Warbler found early in the week in Strafford Co, discovered the state’s 6th Harris’s Sparrow at roughly the same site.
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.
