Rare Bird Alert

Because of COVID-19 related Stay-at-Home orders in many states and provinces, the purpose of this report is to keep homebound birders caught up rare bird sightings across the ABA Area during spring migration. We do not endorse the pursuit of rare birds beyond your local area. The ABA urges readers to respect state, provincial, and local restrictions on non-essential travel. The ABA’s Recording Standards and Ethics Committee has released guidelines on how birders should approach this unusual time and we urge birders, whether they are members of the ABA or not, to consider them when deciding whether to travel to see a rare bird. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.

Lots of continuing rare birds in the ABA Area this week, including the White-winged Tern (ABA Code 4) in North Carolina which stayed into the beginning of the current week, a Little Egret (4) in Maine, and a host of good birds in Arizona including Common Crane (4), Berylline Hummingbird (4), Crescent-chested Warbler (4), and Flame-colored Tanager (4). Also, a Black-faced Grassquit (4) continues in south Florida.

With no exceptionally rare birds in the ABA Area this week, I’ll lead off then with a flashy one that was well-photographed.  A striking male Vermilion Flycatcher was discovered in Algoma, Ontario, this week.

Local birders on St. Paul Island, Alaska found a Common/Oriental Cuckoo a few days ago.

Washington’s 7th record of Least Tern was seen near Seattle.

And Oregon’s 10th Yellow-throated Warbler was found at the headquarters of Malheur NWR.

Notable for Nevada was a Dusky-capped Flycatcher photographed in Nye. 

Wisconsin had a Lazuli Bunting, of which there are fewer than a dozen records for the state, in Bayfield. 

Pennsylvania had a trio of Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks near Philadelphia.

In New Jersey, a Brown Booby was perched near shore in Belmar.

Very good for Quebec was a Mississippi Kite in Outaouais.

Connecticut had a pair of good birds this week, a Chuck-Will’s-Widow at a private home in Fairfield and a Black-necked Stilt in Stonington.

Good for Maine was a Black-headed Grosbeak at Mt. Desert.

And in Newfoundland & Labrador, a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) was seen at Goose Bay on the mainland and a White-eyed Vireo on the Avalon Peninsula on the island.

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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.