Great rare bird finds can even be found in such large metro areas as Chicago, where the Second State Record of a Broad-billed Hummingbird was documented last week by lucky birders (photo by Kyle Blaney).

The south end of South Padre Island has been a hotspot this spring, and recently Texas birders turned up two exciting rare birds including a Flame-colored Tanager and a Black-whiskered Vireo. Birders also found a First State Record Virginia’s Warbler in New Hampshire and a Second State Record Broad-billed Hummingbird for Illinois in northwest Chicago metro area. Birds that normally range beyond our borders included a Yellow-green Vireo in Louisiana, a Common Crane in New Mexico, a Tundra Bean Goose in Pennsylvania, and a Garganey in New Brunswick.

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Virginia’s Warbler – Hampton, New Hampshire

Second State Record Broad-billed Hummingbird – Chicago, Illinois

REALLY RARE SIGHTINGS

Flame-colored Tanager – South Padre Island, Texas

Black-whiskered Vireo – South Padre Island, Texas

Yellow-green Vireo – near Cameron, Louisiana

Common Crane – near Socorro, New Mexico

Tundra Bean Goose – Clarke Lake, Pennsylvania

Garganey – Neguac, New Brunswick

Western Tanager – Simsbury, Connecticut

Golden-crowned Sparrow – Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

Fish Crow– Estrie, Quebec

Swainson’s Hawk – Ottawa Refuge, Ohio

Swainson’s Warbler – near Philipsburg, Pennsylvania

King Eider – offshore Erie, Pennsylvania

Anhinga – near Cleveland, Ohio

California Gull – Hawkeye Wildlife Area, Iowa

CONTINUING RARE BIRDS

Northern Jacana – Arizona

Little Stint – California

Black-faced Grassquit – Florida

For more information, refer to the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at https://www.aba.org/rare-bird-alert-may-7-2021/ 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/