Rare Bird Alert

Continuing rarities in the ABA Area come from the south, with the European Golden-Plover (ABA Code 4) in New Mexico still hanging on, and Northern Jacana (4) and Eared Quetzal (4) still being seen in Arizona, at least through the beginning of the week. Florida birders are also keeping tabs on the Red-legged Thrush (5) and Black-faced Grassquit (4) in the Keys.

Fall is peak vagrant time for the west coast, and Oregon is coming on strong as they have for the last couple weeks. Most exciting is the potential state 1st Oriental Greenfinch seen in the coastal part of Lane. This represents only the 3rd record of this widespread Asian finch away from Alaska, where it has been recorded a number of times. And that wasn’t all for Oregon, and not even all for Lane county, as the state’s 2nd Cassin’s Sparrow was seen near Eugene, further inland, making for a nice double for Oregon birders.

Southwestern species moving northward has been a theme this year summer and fall, and Colorado gets into the game with a state 1st Ruddy Ground-Dove in San Miguel, in the southwest part of the state.

Alaska hosted its second Steller’s Sea-Eagle (4) of the month, in Kotzebue, marking a remarkable fall for an inland sea-eagles.

Notable for Washington was a Little Gull (3) in Hansville.

Good birds for California include a female Garganey (4) in Riverside and a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (3) in Ventura. 

Arizona had a couple visitors from the east this week in a Blackburnian Warbler at Grand Canyon NP and an Eastern Wood-Pewee in La Paz. 

Up to Manitoba where a Varied Thrush was seen in Winnipeg.

Minnesota’s 2nd record of Painted Redstart was very accommodating to birders in Saint Paul.

In Tennessee, a Say’s Phoebe was discovered in Williamson.

Louisiana had a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) in Calcasieu. 

Good for Florida was a Lazuli Bunting in Miami-Dade. 

New York also had a Painted Redstart this week, in Kings, the state’s 2nd record, and a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) was seen upstate in Ulster. 

Connecticut’s 3rd record of Bell’s Vireo turned up in Milford this week.

In Maine, a Golden-crowned Sparrow at a feeder in Abbot is one of very few records for the state.

Quebec had a southwestern pair in a Vermilion Flycatcher at Lac-Saint-jean and a White-winged Dove at La Haute-Côte-Nord.

New Brunswick’s 2nd record of Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher was seen very well by many birders near Riverview.

And in Nova Scotia, a Little Egret (4) was seen and photographed at Pictou.

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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.