Hardly worth noting three years on, but a continental rarity nonetheless, the Steller’s Sea-Eagle (ABA Code 4) is still being seen regularly in Newfoundland.
Alaska is king when it comes to Asian vagrants, for obvious reasons, but every year something very exciting tends to trickle down the West Coast of North America. This year that exceptional rarity is a Dark-sided Flycatcher (4), seen this week in Santa Clara Co, California. This represents a first record for the state and the first occurrence of this species in the ABA Area away from Alaska.
Dark-sided Flycatcher is widespread across eastern Asia, and all North American records are represented by the the highly migratory sibirica subspecies. Despite their extreme rarity away from the extremes of the ABA Area, a 1980 record from Bermuda suggests that this species has some truly extreme vagrancy potential.
Also notable for California, a Common Ringed Plover was seen in San Francisco Co.
While Common Ringed Plover is nearly annual in Atlantic Canada, a recent record from St. Pierre et Miquelon represents a first record for the French collectivity in the region; the species is generally quite common in elsewhere in France.
One of the more exciting records of the year comes from Texas, where a Double-striped Thick-Knee (5) was briefly present in Wilson Co. This is a second record for both Texas and the ABA Area, the previous also coming from Texas in 1961. More on this sighting, including historical perspective, can be found in Tom Ford-Hutchinson’s analysis in the ABA’s Field Ornithology column.
Fall is the season for austral migrants, and a Variegated Flycatcher (4) in Palm Beach Co., Florida, is the latest record of this South American species in the ABA. Most occurrences of Variegated Flycatchers in the ABA Area have come from Florida—this is the state’s fourth—but this species has a scattershot pattern with previous records from Texas, Washington, Maine, Tennessee, Michigan, and two from Ontario.
And passerine migration in Alaska is reaching its peak, with the ABA’s second record of Yellow-browed Bunting (5) on Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, the highlight so far. Gambell also hosted the ABA’s first record of Yellow-browed Bunting. Other birds of note include Common Chiffchaff (4) and Siberian Accentor (4) also on Gambell, along with a Red-flanked Bluetail (4) on St. Paul Island in the Pribilofs.
South to Washington, notable birds include an Upland Sandpiper and the state’s tenth Red-necked Stint (3), both from King Co.
Alberta had a very nice week, with the province’s ninth Ancient Murrelet at Banff National Park, its fourth Blue-winged Warbler in Calgary, and sixth Little Blue Heron near Redwater, all within a few days of each other.
Québec’s 2nd record of Black-tailed Gull (4) was photographed this week at Chaudière-Appalaches, and a Gray Kingbird at Manicouagan is one of fewer than 10 records for the province.
A Broad-winged Hawk at Goose Bay, Labrador, is only the second record for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Both records have come from the mainland.
In New Jersey, a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) was a nice discovery at Cape May.
And Bell’s Vireos were seen in both Carolinas this week, in Dare Co. in the north and in Horry Co. in the South.
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.
