Rare Bird Alert

American Flamingos (ABA Code 3) continue this week in Florida,  Texas, and North Carolina. One Large-billed Tern (5) has been in Florida since the summer, and a few Golden-crowned Warblers (4) continue in Texas.

Washington has boasted a nice run of rare birds this week, including a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Tokeland and the state’s 7th record of Painted Bunting at Neah Bay. But the big prize was a Little Bunting (3), the state’s 2nd, also in Clallam Co. The bird was showing well for the birders that made the trek until it was, unfortunately, the victim of a Merlin attack. Why the Merlin took the rare bunting and not the Savannah Sparrow it was associating with is anyone’s guess. Knowing Merlins, however, it was probably intentional.

It’s been quite the month for rare flycatchers in the east, and Quebec joins the fray with the province’s 1st record of Gray Flycatcher at Tadoussac. Quebec’s 5th Townsend’s Warbler was also seen nearby making for a nice rarity pair for lucky birders.

The 1st record of White Wagtail for the Hawaiian Islands was photographed at Midway. Midway is technically not part of the state of Hawaii, as it is classified as an unincorporated US territory, but still remains part of the ABA Area.

A nice find in interior Alaska was a Nashville Warbler in Fairbanks.

In Alberta, a Brambling (3) was visiting a feeder in Mountainview Co.

A young Northern Jacana (4) was a nice find in Arizona, especially one as far north as Maricopa Co.

Iowa has had a number of Limpkins this summer and fall, but a Limpkin in Sioux City this week is noteworthy for being within a few miles of South Dakota, which has yet to record the species.

Wisconsin’s 7th record of Clark’s Nutcracker in Dane Co this week suggests that this might be an interesting fall for interior west vagrants.

Texas had not one, but two Nutting’s Flycatchers (3) at Big Bend NP this week, and the state’s 2nd record of Wedge-tailed Shearwater from a pelagic out of Port Aransas. This is only the 5th record of this species in the Atlantic Basin.

Georgia’s 2nd record of Neotropical Cormorant was seen my many in Clayton Co.

Louisiana had a Sage Thrasher in St. Tammany Parish.

Still noteworthy for Pennsylvania was another Limpkin at King of Prussia near Philadelphia and ever closer to New Jersey, which has yet to record this species.

In New York, a Northern Wheatear has been showing very well in Westchester.

And Connecticut’s 4th record of Bell’s Vireo was seen this week in Stamford.

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.