Rare Bird Alert

There are a handful of continuing rarities in the ABA Area this week, including Nazca Booby (4) and Little Stint (4) in California, Eurasian Bullfinch (4), Taiga Flycatcher (4), and Marsh Sandpiper (4) in Alaska, and the return of the very long-staying Social Flycatcher (5) in south Texas.

The passage of Hurricane Fiona is still scattering seabirds across the northeast, the latest in Massachusetts, where a Red-footed Booby (4) photographed off Essex represents a 1st record of the pantropical sulid for the state, and one of very few north of Florida in the western Atlantic.

Vagrant flycatcher season in the east begins in earnest as well, with a well-documented Hammond’s Flycatcher in Glynn, Georgia, representing a 1st for that state.

North Carolina also enjoyed a vagrant flycatcher, with a one-hour wonder Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) in Wake, the state’s 3rd.

In Maryland, a California Gull was notable in Calvert. 

Quebec’s 4th record of Townsend’s Warbler was well-photographed in Ste-Catherine this week.

On St Pierre et Miquelon, a Blue Grosbeak was a nice find.

Newfoundland also had a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) this week, in Biscay Bay.

Alabama’s 2nd record of Mexican Violetear (3) was banded near Eufala.

Up to Saskatchewan, where a Common Crane (3) was noted among migrating Sandhills near Saskatoon.

In Idaho, a Blackburnian Warbler was seen in Jefferson. 

Utah’s 2nd Thick-billed Kingbird was seen in Salt Lake, not more than couple weeks after Colorado’s 2nd.

A really nice find in Arizona, a Yellow Grosbeak (4) was seen in Tempe.

California has had an exceptional run of pelagics in the last few weeks, highlighted by a Streaked Shearwater (4) in Santa Barbara waters.

In British Columbia, a Eurasian Skylark on Haida Gwaii was particularly noteworthy for being away from the established introduced population on Vancouver Island.

And to Alaska, where St Paul Island continues to produce exceptional birds, with the ABA Area’s 10th Wood Warbler (5) and the ABA’s 3rd (and Alaska’s 2nd) Song Thrush (5) in recent days.

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.