Rare Bird Alert: March 24, 2017

If you haven’t been paying attention to Cornell’s exceptional Birdcast site in preparation of the coming spring migration, let me just be the first to suggest you do so. Birdcast takes data from eBird and combines it with meteorological predictions to essentially create migration forecasts, telling you where adn when birds will be moving into your area. It’s fantastic, and constantly improving. Consider this recommendation a public service announcement, though one without the storm sirens for inclement weather. Though sirens for inclement migration sounds like something we should work on…

Continuing rarities in the ABA Area include the Black-backed Oriole in Pennsylvania, the Hawfinch (ABA Code 4) in Alaska, and the Yellow-legged Gull (4) in Newfoundland has been easier of late. The Redwing (4) continues in British Columbia, as does the very long-staying Streak-backed Oriole (4) in Arizona. One of the Florida Bananaquits (4) is still around, and there continue to be multiple Pink-footed Geese (4) and Barnacle Geese (4) in the northeast.

Last week I mentioned the apparent return of the Tufted Flycatchers (5) that had spent the last two years in Upper Ramsey Canyon in southeast Arizona. This weeks sees two additional Tufted Flycatchers discovered to the north in Carr Canyon, Cochise. So there are at least 3 and potentially 4 Tufted Flycatchers in the ABA Area right now, and at least one pair is likely to nest.