Rare Bird Alert

The long-staying Social Flycatcher (ABA Code 5) in south Texas was seen again this week, and the ABA’s 10th Wood Warbler (5) continued on St. Paul Island in Alaska.

We begin our tour of this week’s rarities in eastern Canada, where the ABA’s 3rd record of Common Scoter was found at Val d’Or. This is a Canada and Quebec 1st record, and the first for the eastern side of the ABA Area. Previous ABA records of this relatively recent split from our more familiar Black Scoter have come from California and Oregon. It is not, however, a 1st for eastern North America as it is a rare but regular visitor to southeast Greenland.

It was a good week for 1sts in the ABA Area, as New York also boasted a new bird for the state list. A Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher in the Bronx was present this week, appropriately, on Sycamore Avenue.

District of Columbia also had a recent 1st, and a flycatcher as well in this season of vagrant Tyrannids, in the form of a Say’s Phoebe. 

And in Louisiana, a pair of Red-legged Honeycreepers (5) in Jefferson would represent a 1st for that state. Previous ABA Area records for this species come from Texas and Florida.

And to perhaps add some credibility to the Louisiana records, Florida also hosted at least two Red-legged Honeycreepers (5) in Monroe. 

Up to Georgia, where the state’s 3rd record of Townsend’s Warbler was photographed in Glynn. 

New Jersey had what appears to be its 4th record of Garganey (4), its second in 2022, in Ocean. 

Connecticut’s 3rd record of Gray Kingbird was found near the town of Madison this week.

In Indiana, a young Wood Stork in Greene is the state’s 7th.

Ohio’s 9th record of Townsend’s Solitaire was seen in Lucas. 

Always exciting away from Alaska, a Brambling (3) in Mackinac, Michigan, is that state’s 6th.

Good for Alabama was a Groove-billed Ani in Baldwin. 

California boasted one of the rarer eastern vagrant warblers this week, a Yellow-throated Warbler, in San Mateo. 

In British Columbia, a Acorn Woodpecker in Ladner is one of fewer than 20 records for the province.

And Alaska continues to produce, with both Eyebrowed Thrush (3) , and Olive-backed Pipit (3) on St Paul 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.