Rare Bird Alert: November 22, 2019

Continuing rare birds in the ABA Area include the long-staying Antillean Palm-Swift (ABA Code 5) in Florida, still being seen by birders into the last part of November.  Multiple Red-footed Boobies (4) are still being reported in California, making for one of the most impressive incursions of this species in recent memory, and a Blue-footed Booby (4) is still being seen on a lake in Arizona.

One of the more interesting birds of the fall so far is the recent discovery of a Greylag Goose (5) in Groves Point, Nova Scotia, this week. Records of Greylag Goose in the ABA Area are complicated by the fact that this is one of the most common varieties of domestic goose in the world, but it also shouldn’t be unexpected that wild individuals could show up on this continent as Pink-footed and Barnacle Goose now do regularly. The fact that this bird showed up at the right time of year in the right part of the continent is a mark in its favor for sure.

We’ll stay in Canada for a 1st record this week, as a Great-tailed Grackle in Nokomis, Saskatchewan, represents a provincial 1st. The expansion of Great-tailed Grackles northward into the middle of the continent has been one of the more fascinating range expansions in the last few decades. It stands to reason that these incredibly adaptable birds would be continuing to push northward.

California continues to cement its reputation as Sulid Central with the recent discovery of a Nazca Booby (4) in Los Angeles. 

Noteworthy for Wyoming were two young Glaucous Gulls near Casper.

Idaho had a Brant near Boise.

Always good in the Lower 48, a Yellow-billed Loon has been seen by many in Arapahoe, Colorado.

Arizona also had Brant, two in face, in Graham. 

Tennessee’s 9th record of Black-chinned Hummingbird was visiting a feeder in McMinn. 

In South Carolina, an Ash-throated Flycatcher was seen in Georgetown. 

Pennsylvania also had an Ash-throated Flycatcher, this one in Lehigh. 

Cape May, New Jersey, had quite the pair of birds with both a Golden-crowned Sparrow and a Wood Stork discovered by birders this week.

New York also had a Golden-crowned Sparrow, visiting a feeder in Suffolk. On the other side of the states, a Tufted Duck (3) was seen in Buffalo.

Massachusetts’s first Pink-footed Goose (4) of the season was seen in Longmeadow.

And always good for the eastern part of the continent, a Varied Thrush was seen in Laurentides, Quebec.

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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, the richly illustrated journal of ornithological record published by the ABA.

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