All the way cross-country from its West Coast range, astute birders found the Second State Record Pacific Slope Flycatcher in Queens, New York last week.

In addition to many birds found from other continents and regions, birders reported 13 record-breaking birds, including 3 Firsts and 3 Second State Records. They included a First State Record Common Cuckoo in Rhode Island, which probably originated from Europe, creating only the Third Record for the Lower 48 States. Also, a First State Record Yellow-eyed Junco was found in Kansas, and a First Sate Record Pacific Golden Plover was documented in Connecticut. Plus, a Eurasian Skylark that likely originated in Asia provided a Third State Record for California.

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Common Cuckoo – near Johnston, Rhode Island

First State Record Yellow-eyed Junco – Lake Scott State Park, Kansas

First State Record Pacific Golden Plover – near Fairfield, Connecticut

Second State Record Magnificent Frigatebird – Boulder, Colorado

Second State Record Anna’s Hummingbird – Highland, Indiana

Second State Record Pacific Slope Flycatcher – Queens, New York

Third State Record Eurasian Skylark – Lake Tolowa, California

Fourth State Record Ash-throated Flycatcher – Alaska, Wisconsin

Fourth Provincial Record Golden-crowned Sparrow – Parc Lapage, Quebec

Fifth Provincial Record Prairie Warbler – Vernon, British Columbia

Seventh State Record Sage Thrasher – Ooms Conservation Area, New York

Tenth State Record Yellow-eyed Junco – El Paso, Texas

Tenth State Record Yellow-billed Loon – Balmorhea Lake, Texas

REALLY RARE SIGHTINGS

Red-throated Pipit – San Clemente, California

Blue Bunting – South Padre Island, Texas

Magnificent Frigatebird – Lemington, Ontario

Magnificent Frigatebird – Indianapolis, Indiana

Yellow-billed Loon – Sylvan Lake, Colorado

Calliope Hummingbird – New Cumberland, Pennsylvania

Green-tailed Towhee – near Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Canada Jay – Berkshire, Massachusetts

Red-shouldered Hawk – Bosque del Apache Refuge, New Mexico

CONTINUING RARE BIRDS

Northern Jacana – southern Arizona

Eared Quetzals (2) – southeast Arizona

Plain-capped Starthroat – southeast Arizona

Red-legged Thrush – Florida Keys

Black-faced Grassquit – Florida Keys

Red-footed Booby – San Diego, California

Garganey – Salton Sea, California

For more information, see the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at https://www.aba.org/rare-bird-alert-november-6-2020/ Special Thanks to the ABA, and Nate Swick, who does such a great job of compiling the ABA’s Rare Bird Alert, which we use to prepare this weekly replay.

You can often find more information about individual rare bird sightings from the state rare bird alert listserves that you can access at http://birding.aba.org/ or at https://www.facebook.com/groups/ABArare/