A male Yellow-headed Blackbird was an especially rare find in Vermont.

There were several rare birds sighted in or near major cities last week, including a Tropical Kingbird in Boston, a Least Tern in Minneapolis, a Mississippi Kite in Las Vegas, a Purple Gallinule in New York (Long Island), and a Swainson’s Warbler east of Pittsburgh. There were some exceptional rare bird records too, with a First State Record Terek Sandpiper in Rhode Island, a First Provincial Record Gray Heron in Nova Scotia, and a First State Record Cassin’s Kingbird in North Carolina – plus an Oriental Greenfinch in Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and more!

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Terek Sandpiper – Napatree Beach, Rhode Island

First Provincial Record Gray Heron – Kentville, Nova Scotia

First State Record Cassin’s Kingbird – Moncure, North Carolina

Fourth State Record Fork-tailed Flycatcher – Ocracoke, North Carolina

Fourth Provincial Record Rufous Hummingbird – Renews, Newfoundland

Fifth State Record Hudsonian Godwit – near Kalispell, Montana

REALLY RARE SIGHTINGS

Oriental Greenfinch – Dutch Harbor, Alaska

Tropical Kingbird – Boston, Massachusetts

Least Tern – Minneapolis, Minnesota

Mississippi Kite – Las Vegas, Nevada

White-winged Dove – Haute-Cote-Nord, Quebec

Yellow-headed Blackbird – Rutland, Vermont

Purple Gallinule – Long Island, New York

Swainson’s Warbler – east of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

CONTINUING RARE BIRDS

Continuing rare birds in Arizona reported by diligent birders include the Eared Quetzal near Portal and the Berylline Hummingbird in Madera Canyon. The Crescent-chested Warbler is still being reported near Sierra Vista, the Streak-backed Oriole is nesting with a Bullock’s Oriole near Palm Lake, and the Common Crane remains at Mormon Lake. Beyond Arizona, the Black-faced Grassquit is still being observed in Everglades National Park in southern Florida, and the Little Egret continues near Portland, Maine. There were several very rare birds sighted last week in or near major cities, as well as feeding stations, and locales distant from any town or village, emphasizing the fact that anyone anywhere has the potential of finding a rare bird.

For more information, see the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at https://www.aba.org/rare-bird-alert-july-3-2020/ 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/