Two different Pacific Golden Plovers were reported by birders last week, providing a First State Record in Pennsylvania, and a Second State Record for North Carolina.

Just north of the Rio Grande in Texas, a very astute birder recognized a First American Record Blue-and-White Swallow near Progresso, Texas! Individual Pacific Golden Plovers reported by birders provided a First State Record in Pennsylvania, and a Second State Record for North Carolina. Nectar feeders attracted two rare hummingbirds last week, including a Second State Record Mexican Violetear in Tennessee, and a Plain-capped Starthroat in Arizona. Pretty exciting, and that’s not all!

AMERICAN RECORD!

First American Record Blue-and-White Swallow – near Progresso, Texas

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Pacific Golden Plover – Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

First State Record Blue-and-White Swallow – near Progresso, Texas

Second State Record Mexican Violetear – Clarksville, Tennessee

Second State Record Pacific Golden Plover – Cape Hatteras, North Carolina

REALLY RARE SIGHTINGS

Plain-capped Starthroat – Patagonia, Arizona

Ruff – Orange, California

Snowy Plovers (2) – Chaplin Lake, Saskatchewan

Arctic Tern – Westerly, Rhode Island

Long-tailed Jaeger – Jackson Lake, Colorado

American Flamingo – Harris Neck Refuge, Georgia

Indigo Bunting – Darfield, British Columbia

Neotropic Cormorant – St. Louis, Missouri

Limpkin – Dauphin Island, Alabama

CONTINUING RARE BIRDS

A Gray Heron is still being monitored by birders in Nova Scotia, in south Florida the Black-faced Grassquit is still being observed in Everglades National Park, and the Little Egret continues to be documented near Portland, Maine; but the only continuing rare bird in Arizona last week was the Common Crane at Mormon Lake. Last week’s rare bird reports were particularly exciting – in people’s yards and in a variety of habitats across the nation. Be alert, stay alert, and enjoy all your birding opportunities!

For more information, see the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at https://www.aba.org/rare-bird-alert-july-24-2020/ 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/