The ABA Rare Bird Alert's Highlights - Birding Wire

A surprising First State Record South Polar Skua was photographed at Grindstone Lake, New Mexico by Charles Hathcock.

Two different North American Record birds were reported this month, a Fourth North American Record Chinese Pond Heron in far north Alaska, and a Fifth North American Record Spotted Rail in Tennessee! There were also 5 First State Record birds documented, including a South Polar Skua in New Mexico, a Common Ringed Plover in Minnesota, another Common Ringed Plover in Arizona, the Spotted Rail in Tennessee, and a Golden-cheeked Warbler in Alabama! And there are more really rare birds to report.

NORTH AMERICAN RECORD

Fourth North American Record Chinese Pond Heron – Utqiakvik, Alaska

Fifth North American Record Spotted Rail – north Tennessee

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record South Polar Skua – Grindstone Lake, New Mexico

First State Record Common Ringed Plover – Circle Pines, Minnesota

First State Record Common Ringed Plover – Willcox, Arizona

First State Record Spotted Rail – north Tennessee

First State Record Golden-cheeked Warbler – Fort Morgan, Alabama

REALLY RARE BIRDS

Eurasian Hobby – St. George Island, the Pribilofs, Alaska

Swallow-tailed Kite – Lyons (Chicago), Illinois

The South Polar Skua and a Great Blue Heron were photographed interacting by Charles Hathcock.

Crested Caracara – Pugwash, Nova Scotia

Crested Caracara – Gaspe, Quebec

Crested Caracara – near Eliot, Maine

Crested Caracaras (2) – near Dorion, Ontario

Clark's Nutcracker – Ames, Iowa

Acorn Woodpecker – Comox, British Columbia

Phainopepla – near Two Buttes, Colorado

CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS

Steller's Sea Eagle – Newfoundland

Yellow-headed Caracara – Florida

Tufted Flycatcher – Arizona

Flame-colored Tanager – Arizona

Taiga Bean-Goose – British Columbia

For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association's Rare Bird Alert at Rare Bird Alert: August 21, 2026 - American Birding Association. Special Thanks to the ABA for permitting us to use the Rare Bird Alert as the basis to prepare this replay.

You can often find more information about individual rare bird sightings from the ABA regional and state rare bird alert listserves that you can access at Birding News brought to you by American Birding Association - (aba.org) or at ABA Rare Bird Alert | Facebook.