Rare Bird Alert: May 23, 2025

Continuing rarities in the ABA Area include both Mottled Owl (ABA Code 5) and Brown Jay (4) in Texas, and Yellow-headed Caracara (5) in Florida. 

This month sees another entry into the frequently mind-blowing category of seabirds in the wrong ocean. A birder making the relatively innocuous and tubenose-poor ferry crossing across the Delaware Bay between Lewes, Delaware, and Cape May, New Jersey, took a photo of an unusual seabird in New Jersey waters. Closer examination found it to be the Atlantic Ocean’s 1st record of  Streaked Shearwater (4), obviously a 1st for New Jersey as well. This species is common in the western Pacific, breeding on islands around Japan and the Korean peninsula and wintering in Australasia. There are a handful of pelagic records from the west coast of the ABA Area, and one bizarre inland record from Wyoming, which suddenly seems more plausible in the light of this extraordinary find. 

And that was not the only wild New Jersey can boast this month. An apparent Common Swift (5) was photographed in Cape May Co, last week, which would represent the state’s 2nd, almost exactly one year after the first. The bird was not seen by many, as one would expect for such a bird, but joins the ranks of Common Swift records on the east coast which includes multiple records from Newfoundland and one from North Carolina. 

Alabama gets the 1st state record double this past week with both a Roseate Tern and a Great Kiskadee photographed at Fort Morgan this week, both new additions to the state list. Roseate Tern breeds next door in Florida and has come very close to Alabama in the past. Great Kiskadee was less predictable, but still has a modest pattern of vagrancy in the southeast with priori records in Tennessee and South Carolina. 

Ohio is well-known for warblers this time of year, but a Virginia’s Warbler in Cuyahoga Co was probably not on anyone’s checklist of likely arrivals. It was the state’s 1st. Also noteworthy from the state on late, a Tricolored Heron was seen in Licking Co, a Ruff (3) in Ottawa Co, and the state’s 4th Black-billed Magpie in Lucas Co. 

Wyoming also boatsts a pair of great finds this month, as the state’s 1st Tundra Bean-Goose (3) was found in Casper, one of very few interior records in the ABA Area. A Crested Caracara photographed in Teton Co also represents the state’s 2nd record. 

And a slightly stale record, but one worth mentioning nonetheless, an apparent Southern Lapwing (5), the ABA’s 4th record, was photographed in April at the Tennessee River NWR in Humphreys Co, Tennessee. This is a 1st record for Tennessee, though sadly the report was not made widely available at the time of the discovery. However, given the long-staying Michigan bird, it can’t be discounted that this individual might still be around somewhere. 

Georgia hosts a Ruff (3) this week at Little St. Simon’s Island in Glynn Co. 

The latest Caribbean vagrant to land in Florida is a Thick-billed Vireo (3) in Palm Beach Co. 

In North Carolina, a Bermuda Petrel (3) inaugurated the annual spring blitz in offshore waters of Dare Co. 

New York birders enjoyed a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) in New York Co this week. 

Nova Scotia’s 4th record of Ross’s Goose was seen by many at Cape Breton. 

Notable birds in Quebec this month so far include Say’s Phoebe at Bas-Saint-Laurent, a Black-necked Stilt at Lanaudière, and a Green-tailed Towhee at Montérégie. 

In Michigan, a stunning White-winged Tern (3) was photographed in Bay Co. 

Wisconsin also boasts a Ruff (3) this week, in Milwaukee. 

Montana’s 3rd record of Tufted Duck (3) was photographed at Warm Springs this week. 

Idaho’s 11th Scissor-tailed Flycatcher was seen in Moscow. 

Good birds in Alberta include the province’s 5th Black-throated Gray Warbler in Calgary, its 10th Dickcissel at Grande Cache, and the 11th Lesser Goldfinch in Yellowhead Co. 

Washington’s 2nd Lesser Nighthawk was seen in Kittitas Co, almost exactly a year after the state’s 1st was discovered. 

British Columbia boasts a late season Brambling at a feeder in Burnaby. 

Birders are getting into place in Alaska for the spring rarity season, which kicks off with a number of annual rarities, the most noteworhty of which is probably a Common Pochard (4) on St Paul Island. 

And Hawaii’s and the ABA Area’s 4th record of Great Crested Tern (5) was discovered on the Big Island this week. 

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.