While searching for Brown Jays at Santa Margarita Ranch near Cotulla, Texas, birders identified a Third North American Record Bare-throated Tiger Heron, which also established a Third State Record for Texas (photo by Michael Gladysz).

Weekly Rare Bird Highlights

A super-rare Bare-throated Tiger Heron was sighted at Santa Margarita Ranch in southwest Texas, creating a Third North American Record and a Third State Record! Birders also established a number of state records including a First State Record Broad-tailed Hummingbird in Illinois, a First State Record Eastern Towhee in California, a Third State Record MacGillivray’s Warbler in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a Sixth State Record Groove-billed Ani in Nevada, and a Sixth State Record Limpkin in Nashville, Tennessee. And there are many other exciting rare bird sightings to report.

NORTH AMERICAN RECORD

Third North American Record Bare-throated Tiger Heron – Santa Margarita Ranch, Texas

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Broad-tailed Hummingbird – Champaign, Illinois

First State Record Eastern Towhee – Jacumba, California

Third State Record Bare-throated Tiger Heron – Santa Margarita Ranch, Texas

Third State Record MacGillivray’s Warbler – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sixth State Record Groove-billed Ani – Henderson, Nevada

Sixth State Record Limpkin – Nashville, Tennessee

Ninth State Record Black-throated Gray Warbler – Accokeek, Maryland

REALLY RARE BIRDS

Roadside Hawk – Resaca de la Palma Park, Texas

Roadside Hawk – Bentsen Rio Grande Valley Park, Texas

Fork-tailed Flycatcher – near Langdon, Kansas

Great Skuas (2) – offshore Nauset, Massachusetts

Curlew Sandpiper – Baltimore, Maryland

Pomarine Jaeger – Green Valley, Arizona

Swainson’s Hawk – New Haven, Connecticut

White-tailed Kite – near Glencoe, Oklahoma

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch – near London, Ontario

Brown Booby – Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia

CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS

American Flamingos – Florida, Louisiana, Texas

Large-billed Tern – Florida

Blue Bunting – Texas

Nutting’s Flycatcher –Texas

LaSagra’s Flycatcher – Florida

Brown Jays – Texas

Golden-crowned Warbler – Texas

You can often find more info 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