Rare Bird Alert: October 28, 2016

Continuing rarities in the ABA Area include Lesser Sand-Plover (ABA Code 3) in California, the Tufted Flycatcher (5) in Arizona, refound after several weeks, and a pair of birds that those heading to the Lower Rio Grande Valley Festival next week will be salivating over, a Crimson-collared Grosbeak (4) and at least 2 Northern Jacana (4) in south Texas.

Most notable bird this week is arguably the 1st record for Connecticut. A very abiding Sprague’s Pipit was in Westport for much of the week, and was confiding in a way that the species infrequently is.

Staying in the northeast, a Townsend’s Warbler was found in Red Cliff, Newfoundland.

Good birds in Nova Scotia include a Calliope Hummingbird in Pubnico and a Bell’s Vireo in Dartmouth.

Quebec had a Northern Wheatear photographed at La Haute Cote Nord.

In New Hampshire, a Western Kingbird was found near Rye.

A trio of noteworthy birds in Massachusetts highlighted by the state’s 4th Gray Kingbird in Hyannisport, along with a Townsend’s Solitaire in Essex, and a Harris’s Sparrow in Worcester.

In New Jersey, a Purple Gallinule was a great bird in Cape May.

In Florida, a Townsend’s Warbler was found in Monroe and a Buff-bellied Hummingbird in Miami-Dade.

Rose-throated Becard (3) is always a good bird in Texas, particularly away from the border counties, as one in Tom Greene was.

Oklahoma had a Brown Pelican in Tulsa.

Great for Colorado was an Iceland Gull in Adams.

Nevada’s 5th Philadelphia Vireo and 9th Black-legged Kittiwake were both in Clark this week.

Idaho had a Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (3) found in Bingham.

Though most birders have left the Bering Sea, a Little Bunting (4) was still found in Gambell this week, and a Tropical Kingbird, Alaska’s 5th, was in Sitka.

In British Columbia, a Ross’s Goose in Victoria was a good find.

Lesser Black-backed Gulls were found in both Washington and Oregon this week. The former in Asotin
and the latter in Lane.

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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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