In New Jersey, a brief visit by a Mexican Violetear to a feeder in an Atlantic City yard established a Second State Record for this beautiful hummingbird species (photo by Carlos Funes).

Last week Florida birders found a South American flycatcher – a Small-billed Elaenia – that created a First State Record and a Sixth North American Record! A Second Provincial Record Shiny Cowbird was photographed at a feeder in Quebec, which also established a Second Canadian Record. Another exciting feeder visitor created a Second State Record of a Mexican Violetear in New Jersey, and 2 Fifth State Records were also created when birders documented a Snail Kite in Texas and a Red-footed Booby offshore Washington – and there’s more:

NORTH AMERICAN RECORD

Sixth North American Record Small-billed Elaenia – Estero, Florida

CANADIAN RECORD

Second Canadian Record Shiny Cowbird – Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Small-billed Elaenia – Estero, Florida

Second State Record Mexican Violetear – Atlantic City, New Jersey

Second Provincial Record Shiny Cowbird – Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Quebec

Fifth State Record Red-footed Booby – offshore Smith Island, Washington

Fifth State Record Snail Kite – Sugar Land, Texas

REALLY RARE BIRDS

Siberian Pipit – Gambell Island, Alaska

Pechora Pipit – Gambell Island, Alaska

Willow Warbler – Gambell Island, Alaska

Common Rosefinch – Gambell Island, Alaska

Taiga Flycatcher – St. Paul Island, Pribilofs, Alaska

By the way, on Saturday individual Ruffs were reported in Ontario, Quebec, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, and Illinois, plus another in Virginia last Thursday!

CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS

Steller’s Sea Eagle – Newfoundland

Gray Gull – Florida

Kelp Gull – Wisconsin

Little Stint – California

Berylline Hummingbird – Arizona

American Flamingos – Florida, Texas

For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at Rare Bird Alert: Aug. 30–Sept. 5, 2025 - American Birding Association (aba.org) Special Thanks to the ABA for permitting us to use the Rare Bird Alert as the basis to prepare this weekly or bi-weekly replay.

You can often find more information about individual rare bird sightings from the ABA 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