Rare Bird Alert

Birders are self-isolating but that doesn’t yet mean we can’t go out birding provided we take proper precautions. You may as well take advantage of this time to find some interesting birds. Even in this strange time, the continuing foursome of notable ABA vagrants is the same as it has been for a while. Thick-billed Vireo (ABA Code 4) and La Sagra’s Flycatcher (4) in Florida, a Garganey (4) in California, and that Siberian Accentor (4) Washington.

It’s getting ridiculous in south Texas with regard to Fork-tailed Flycatchers (3) and one more–I think the third this year–was found in Hidalgo this week.

But the most unusual discovery of the week comes from southern Arizona, where a female Magnificent Frigatebird was seen perched on a power line in Cochise, which I don’t have to tell you is many hundred miles from the nearest ocean. It’s a truly amazing bit of serendipity for bird and birder.

Colorado had a pair of good birds this week, a Eurasian Wigeon in Logan and a Red-shouldered Hawk in Denver. 

Arkansas’s 4th record of Scott’s Oriole was visiting a feeder in Perry this week. I get theimpression that we are going to be finding a lot of rare birds from feeders in the upcoming months.

Ohio had a Great Cormorant seen from the lakeshore in Cuyahoga. 

And in Rhode Island, a Wilson’s Plover was seen at Scarborough Beach, a very good bird for New England.

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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.