Among 6 First State Records documented over the holiday season, a White Wagtail was observed by many birders in Mobile, Alabama (photo by Collin Stempien).
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During the holiday period, active birders established First State Records for a White Wagtail in Alabama, a Whooper Swan in Nebraska, a Hepatic Tanager in Maine, an Ash-throated Flycatcher in Vermont, and a Lesser Nighthawk and Couch’s Kingbird in Georgia! Birders also established Second State Records of a Hammond’s Flycatcher in Michigan and an Ancient Murrelet in Ohio, plus a Second Provincial Record Pinyon Jay in British Columbia. Many other exciting rare birds included a Common Crane, Red-legged Honeycreeper, and more.
STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS
First State Record White Wagtail – Mobile, Alabama
First State Record Whooper Swan – Two Rivers Rec Area, Nebraska
First State Record Hepatic Tanager – Stockton Springs, Maine
First State Record Lesser Nighthawk – Sea Island, Georgia
First State Record Couch’s Kingbird – Augusta, Georgia
First State Record Ash-throated Flycatcher – Middlebury, Vermont
Second State Record Hammond’s Flycatcher – Warren Woods, Michigan
Second Provincial Record Pinyon Jay – West Vancouver, British Columbia
Second State Record Ancient Murrelet – Lorain Harbor, Ohio
Fourth State Record Western Flycatcher – Durham, North Carolina
Fourth State Record MacGillivray’s Warbler – Bronx, New York
REALLY RARE BIRDS
Red-legged Honeycreeper – greater Miami, Florida
Common Crane – near Dimmitt, Texas
Tufted Duck – East Haven, Connecticut
Thick-billed Murre – Stonington, Connecticut
Ancient Murrelet – Thunder Bay, Ontario
Limpkin – Wheatley, Ontario
Western Tanager – Kent, Delaware
Sage Thrasher – Olathe, Kansas
Bell’s Vireo – Sachuest, Rhode Island
Townsend’s Warbler – Bronx, New York
Townsend’s Warbler – Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
Black-throated Gray Warbler – Barrington, Nova Scotia
MacGillivray’s Warbler – Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia
Harris’s Sparrow – Swannanoa, North Carolina
Spotted Towhee – Kittery, Maine
Say’s Phoebe – near Lonoke, Arkansas
Townsend’s Solitaire – Mount Magazine, Arkansas
ONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS
Steller’s Sea Eagle – Newfoundland
Bare-throated Tiger Heron – Texas
Mottled Owl – Texas
Gray-collared Becard – Texas
Red-flanked Bluetail – New Jersey
Roadside Hawk – Texas
American Flamingos – Florida, Alabama
Gray Heron – Nova Scotia
Brown Jays – Texas
Golden-crowned Warbler – Texas
Crimson-collared Grosbeak –Texas
Nutting’s Flycatcher – New Mexico
La Sagra’s Flycatcher – Florida
For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at Rare Bird Alert: January 5, 2024 - American Birding Association (aba.org) and Rare Bird Alert: December 22, 2023 - American Birding Association (aba.org) 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 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