Rare Bird Alert: February 5, 2016

The suite of continuing rare birds in the ABA Area is mostly unchanged into February, though many of the following were seen only into last weekend and may have moved one. The Brambling (3) in Ohio remains through the week, as does the Northern Jacana (4), Golden-crowned Warbler (4), and Crimson-collared Grosbeak (4) in Texas. British Columbia’s Fieldfare (4) remains though the accentor has not been seen in several days. In Arizona, the Streak-backed Oriole (4) and Sinaloa Wren (5) were both reported this week. The Common Pochard (4) in Alaska is still present, as is the Western Spindalis (3) in Florida, and a Barnacle Goose (4) in New York, the latter only through last weekend, however.

We rarely get to mention Saint Pierre et Miquelon in this space, and the little French controlled island southwest of Newfoundland is notable in the ABA Are mostly for being an outlier when describing the area (continental United States and Canada, with Saint Pierre et Miquelon). However, there are a number of noteworthy ABA Area records from SPM, and we get to add to that list this week with the discovery of a Fieldfare (4) on the island. Interestingly, this is not the first record of the Eurasian thrush for SPM, an island of less than 100 square miles.

One potential 1st record in the ABA Area this week, an apparent Yellow-legged Gull (4) was well-photographed in Franklin, Massachusetts. The species is rare but regular only in Newfoundland in the ABA Area. Also in the state, a Painted Bunting was photographed in Nantucket.

Saint Pierre was not the only place in the eastern half of the continent to get a Fieldfare (4) this week, as one in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia puts an individual on each side of Canada.

In Newfoundland, a Varied Thrush was the notable extralimital thrush  in the province. One was seen at Rocky Harbour.

Increasingly creeping northward but still worth noting, a Black Vulture was seen in Exeter, New Hampshire.

In Vermont, a Tufted Duck (3) was seen at Chimney Point. The species is fairly reliable in the northeast every year, but generally closer to the coast.

In Maryland, a Thayer’s Gull was photographed in Cecil.

A Townsend’s Solitaire in Gibson, Tennessee, is that state’s 5th record.

A Cassin’s Kingbird was discovered in Flagler, Florida, on the east side of the peninsula.

In Louisiana, a White-tailed Hawk was seen in Calcasieu and a Tropical Kingbird in Plaquemines.

Texas had a reliable male Blue Bunting (4) show up in Hidalgo. A Rufous-capped Warbler was also foundin Bandera.

In Nevada, a Lesser Black-backed Gull is a nice, but increasingly reliable, find in Washoe.

A putative subadult Nazca Booby (5) was photographed this week in Monterey, though it’s unknown whether Masked Booby, or even a hybrid, can be ruled out. Birders in California are still determining the expected variation among the two, and subadults are notoriously difficult to differentiate.

In Washington, a nice Black-headed Gull (3) was found in Snohomish, just behind last week’s bird from British Columbia.

Yest another Slaty-backed Gull (3) was found in the upper Midwest, this one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

And in Michigan, a Western Grebe was photographed in Leelenau.

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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 aba.org/nab>, the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA.

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