Rare Bird Alert

Continuing rarities in the ABA Area into this last week of October include a continuation of the ongoing Red-legged Honeycreeper (ABA Code 5) invasion, with the Texas bird continuing and more individuals showing up in multiple Florida counties.  The Variegated Flycatcher (5) in Michigan is also continuing though increasingly cold weather.  The Texas Social Flycatcher (5), present in the Valley for most of the year, was discovered again this week, and California is still hosting both Willow Warbler (4) and Wood Warbler (5), as well as a Little Stint (4). 

We have one 1st record to report for the period, in Virginia, where a Tropical Kingbird in Northampton is a long-awaited addition to the state list. This puts Virginia ever closer to 500, a noteworthy milestone for any state in the east. 

Next door in the District of Columbia, which has seen quite a run of rare birds lately, an Anhinga is only the district’s 4th. 

Georgia’s 2nd record of Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) was seen near the town of Edison this week. 

Pennsylvania hosted its 3rd record of Hammond’s Flycatcher this week in Schuylkill. 

In Connecticut, a LeConte’s Sparrow in Southbury is notable. 

Massachusetts had a great week with a Purple Gallinule in Hampden, a Frigatebird sp, likely Magnificent, in Essex, and the state’s 4th Vermilion Flycatcher in Barnstable. 

Ontario had a Tropical Kingbird this week in Windsor, one of only a few for the province. 

Michigan also had a Tropical/Couch’s Kingbird in Macomb, there are fewer than 5 records of both put together. The state’s 12th Vermilion Flycatcher and 2nd Sagebrush Sparrow was seen in Marquette this week. 

Indiana’s 3rd Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) was seen this week in Porter. 

Iowa’s 4th Limpkin was in Polk this week. Notably all four records of this species in Iowa have come just since this summer. 

British Columbia had a Eurasian Skylark in Ucluelet, notably for likely being an east Asian vagrant rather than one of the increasingly scare introduced population in the province. 

Washington also had Eurasian Skylark this week, in Clallam, further suggesting wild origin for the birds. 

And in Hawaii, the state’s 15th Northern Harrier came from Honolulu 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.