Diane LeBlanc found and photographed this male Garganey in breeding plumage near her home in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This Old World duck proved to be only the Fifth Provincial Record for the species.

Last week, a beautiful male Garganey, an Old World duck species was photographed at Sambro Marsh in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and proved to be only the Fifth Provincial Record. Another Old World species, a Ruff, was documented from Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware. Three Neotropical Cormorants were found near Columbus, Ohio; and two California Gulls were sighted south of St. Paul, Minnesota, one in Dakota County, and one in Scott County.

PROVINCIAL RECORD

Fifth Provincial Record Garganey – Halifax, Nova Scotia

REALLY RARE SIGHTINGS

Ruff – Bombay Hook Refuge, Delaware

Neotropical Cormorants (3) – near Dublin, Ohio

California Gulls (2) – south of St. Paul, Minnesota

CONTINUING RARE BIRD

The only remaining previously reported rare bird that continues to be monitored by birders is the Siberian Accentor, which is still being sighted in Woodland, Washington. Be vigilant with the prospect of finding a rare bird this spring.

For more information, see the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at https://www.aba.org/rare-bird-alert-march-27-2020/ 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/