Rare Bird Alert

American Flamingos (ABA Code 3) are still being seen regularly in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina. The Large-billed Tern (5) is sticking it out in Florida into the winter. And in Texas, several Golden-crowned Warblers (4) are still being seen in the Lower Valley.

We haven’t been able to mention Manitoba in this spot in some time, and the state or province in the ABA Area with the longest 1st record drought, which has finally come to an end this month with not one, but two species, both from different directions. First, a Vermilion Flycatcher was seen in Victoria Beach and last month, news of a White Wagtail at Lake Manitoba meant an exciting double for this bird-rich province.

Georgia also welcomes a new species to its list this week, with a Bar-tailed Godwit (3) seen in coastal Chatham Co.

Virginia also gets a 1st with the report of a briefly staying Mexican Violetear (3) at an unfortunately inaccessible to birders feeder in Carroll Co.

And in British Columbia, a Masked Booby (3) was photographed on a boat near Haida Gwaii, representing a 1st provincial record. The very same vessel also had a Brown Booby (3), for which there are about a dozen records.

Next door in Alberta, a Yellow-throated Warbler south of Edmonton is the province’s 3rd, and the first in more than a decade.

Oregon’s 12th record of Prothonotary Warbler was seen near the Winchuk River.

Idaho boasted a pair of nice birds in the state’s 6th Ancient Murrelet in Nampa and a Hudsonian Godwit in Lewiston.

North Dakota’s 5th record of Cassin’s Finch was visiting a feeder in Stutsman Co.

Minnesota’s 5th Anna’s Hummingbird was in Dakota Co and what is perhaps the farthest north record of Limpkin yet was photographed by a deer hunter near International Falls.

Illinois had a sharp-looking Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch was the lakefront in Cook Co.

In Louisiana, a new American Flamingo in Cameron Parish is probably the state’s 6th, but it’s hard to keep track these days.

In New Jersey, a young Calliope Hummingbird turned up in Ocean Co and a Western Flycatcher was well-photographed at Sandy Hook.

Ontario had a pair of 2nd records this week, with a Dusky Flycatcher in Hilliardton and a Brewer’s Sparrow at Thunder Bay.

In Quebec, a Black-throated Gray Warbler was seen at Saint-Georges.

New Brunswick had its third Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) in as many years in Sackville.

And Nova Scotia’s 4th Vermilion Flycatcher was seen at Chebogue Point, with its 5th Eared Grebe at Amherst.

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.