Rare Bird Alert: April 8, 2016

Numbers of notable species across the ABA Area are starting to creep up this week, after a relatively slow early spring. This week sees a number of spring overshoots and misdirected migrants of the sort you might expect once zugunruhe really starts to take hold.

So far as continuing rarities are concerned, Arizona is trying to make a play to surpass Texas in the low-stakes, completely meaningless competition of top 2016 rarity hotspot, as a number of the notable birds from last week have remained in place, including Rose-throated Becard (3), Tufted Flycatcher (5), Flame-colored Tanager (4), and the always on Sinaloa Wren (5).  Texas is no slouch though, as continuing Blue Bunting (4), Flame-colored Tanager (4), and Crimson-collared Grosbeak (4), the latter representing the return of the Frontera individual rather than the Atascosa bird. Elsewhere, the Zenaida Dove (5) is still hanging tight in Florida and the Redwing (1) is still being seen in British Columbia.

The most notable new ABA Area vagrant this week was in south Florida, where a Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) was discovered in Homestead, Miami-Dade. The bird was adjacent to a military installation, so observing it was a challenge at best and a threat to homeland security at worst. In any case, the bird did not remain in place long, as is often the case with Fork-tails in the ABA Area.

Also in Florida, a Black Noddy (3) was seen among the noddy tern flocks at the Dry Tortugas in Monroe
this week.

In Alabama, a Ruff (3) was found and photographed at Fort Morgan.

And a second Ruff (3) was discovered in Fulton, Kentucky, as well, the second individual in as many weeks in the state.

A nice bird for South Carolina, a Yellow-headed Blackbird was photographed at a feeder in Simpsonville.

Connecticut had a Tricolored Heron at Barn Island, this week.

Quebec hosted yet another Euro goose this week with a Pink-footed Goose (4) at Montérégie.

In Nova Scotia, a Lousiana Waterthrush was a fine overshooting migrant at Crystal Crescent Beach.

Michigan, becomes the second upper midwestern state in two weeks to host a Say’s Phoebe, this one in Manistee.

A Golden-crowned Sparrow  is a noteworthy bird in Texas, particularly so in the panhandle in Randall.

Always a nice bird inland, a Brown Pelican was found this week in Pueblo, Colorado.

In Idaho, a Lesser Black-backed Gull was among the gull flocks at the landfill in Ada

And in British Columbia, a Loggerhead Shrike was photographed in Creston.

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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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