ABA Area rarities continuing into the end of October include Mottled Owl (ABA Code 5), Roadside Hawk (4), and Yellow-headed Caracara (5) in Texas, and the ABA 1st record Gray Gull (5) in Florida.
Late October means the start of rarity season across much of the continent. We start in New York, which has had a impressive run of Eurasian vagrants in 2025, with the highlight so far the state’s 1st Common Cuckoo (3) in Suffolk Co. This species is annual in the vagrant outposts of western Alaska, but is significantly rarer anywhere else on the continent. This is, surprisingly, the third record for the Mid-Atlantic, adding to a cluster of records from Massachusetts (1981) and Rhode Island (2021). Additional records come from Quebec (2013) and California (2012), and four Caribbean records split evenly between Guadeloupe and Barbados.
The bird has been showing well to delighted birders all week.
Other notable records in New York this week include a Broad-billed Hummingbird in Erie Co, a Varied Thrush in Kings Co, and the season’s first Pink-footed Goose (3) in Suffolk Co.
Down to Virginia where a European Golden-Plover (4) was seen by many in Accomack Co represents a state 1st. This species frequently turns up in Atlantic Canada, sometimes in significant numbers, but this is the farthest south record on the east coast.
A Newfoundland & Labrador 1st California Gull is now the 23rd species of gull found in St. John’s (including the recent Herring Gull split). This might put the city at number one for gull diversity in the world, though Chicago, Toronto, and San Francisco might make strong arguments as well.
In Minnesota, a Black Phoebe in Lake Co is a state 1st and especially noteworthy as this mostly sedentary southwestern flycatcher is extremely rare even a few hundred miles from its range, let alone thousands.
And British Columbia continues its exceptional run of east Asian vagrants highlighted by a 1st provincial record of Little Bunting (4) at Roberts Creek, BC’s second new record this month after Olive-backed Pipit. Also, the province’s 7th Rustic Bunting (3) and 6th Siberian Pipit (3) were seen on Haida Gwaii. This phenomenon isn’t just limited to passerines, the province’s 3rd Spotted Redshank (4) was seen this week in Delta.
In Washington, a Little Blue Heron in Skamania Co is the state’s 8th record.
California had vagrants coming from all directions this week, with the state’s 3rd Olive-backed Pipit (3) in Orange Co and its 2nd Oriental Greenfinch (4) on Southeast Farallon Island. A Rufous-backed Robin (3), increasingly common in the southwest, was seen in Riverside Co.
In Nebraska, a Costa’s Hummingbird, the state’s 4th, was visiting a feeder in Lincoln.
Florida’s second Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher of the month was discovered in Miami-Dade Co.
In Quebec, the province’s 7th Gray Kingbird was seen in Rimouski.
Ontario also had a Gray Kingbird this week, the province’s 10th in Chatham-Kent Co (more on the Gray Kingbird phenomenon at aba.org), along with the province’s 2nd Grace’s Warbler at Algonquin Provincial Park.
Omissions and errors are not intended, but if you find any, please message blog AT aba.org and we 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 installments of the ABA Rare Bird Alert. Readers should note that most of these reports have not yet been vetted by a records committee. All birders are urged to submit documentation of rare sightings to the appropriate state or provincial records 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.
