Rare Bird Alert: January 17, 2020

Continuing rare birds in the ABA Area include the La Sagra’s Flycatcher (ABA Code 4) in Florida and a female Garganey (4) in California.

Florida’s 3rd record of Hammond’s Flycatcher had been masquerading as a Least Flycatcher in Collier for several weeks before someone noticed that the wings were a little too long.

And that wasn’t the only Hammond’s seen in the eastern part of the US this week, as in Massachusetts a Hammond’s Flycatcher was seen on Martha’s Vineyard.

Tis the season for Euro thrushes in the northeast part of the ABA Area and Newfoundland had a Redwing (4) in Lumsden this week.

Noteworthy for California, a Slaty-backed Gull was seen by many in San Mateo. 

Texas adds to its already impressive run of Fork-tailed Flycatcher (3) this fall/winter with a bird seen recently in Hidalgo. The state also boasted a Red-necked Grebe near Breckenridge and a young Mew Gull at Port Aransas.

In Pennsylvania, individual Pink-footed Geese (4) were seen in Lehigh and Montgomery.

Connecticut also had a Pink-footed Goose, in Orange. 

And in South Carolina, a nice male Bullock’s Oriole was visiting a feeder in Pineville.

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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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