After a bit of a dry spell in the rare birds arena, spring sightings really broke through last week, with a First State Record Pileated Woodpecker photographed in Utah, and 2 First Provincial Records in Alberta – a Ross's Gull and a female Vermillion Flycatcher. There was also a Second State Record Vermillion Flycatcher, a male, in Montana; and a Third State Record Swainson's Warbler in rural Iowa. And to top it off there was also a Seventh Provincial Record White Ibis in Quebec, and Seventh State Record Harlequin Duck in Colorado (a colorful male), and there's more!
STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS
First State Record Pileated Woodpecker – near Provo, Utah
First Provincial Record Ross's Gull – near Henderson Lake, Alberta
First Provincial Record Vermillion Flycatcher – Banff, Alberta
Second State Record Vermillion Flycatcher – near Whitefish, Montana
Third State Record Swainson's Warbler – near St Marys, Iowa
Seventh Provincial Record White Ibis – St Blaise sur Richelieu, Quebec
Seventh Provincial Record Slaty-backed Gull – Fort McMurray, Alberta
Seventh State Record Harlequin Duck – Cherry Creek, Colorado
Eighth State Record Western Gull – Clear Creek Reservoir, Colorado
Tenth State Record Least Tern – McNary Refuge, Washington
REALLY RARE BIRDS
European Golden Plovers (2) – Goose Bay, Labrador
European Golden Plover – Marystown, Newfoundland
Eurasian Whimbrel – Nantucket, Massachusetts
Ruff – near Sisseton, South Dakota
Garganey – near Redwood City, California
White Wagtail – Tofino, British Columbia
Hooded Oriole – Merrit, British Columbia
Crested Caracara – Pasadena, Maryland
Snail Kite – Butler Island, Georgia
White-faced Ibis – Newbury, Massachusetts
CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS
Steller's Sea Eagle – Newfoundland
Mottled Owl – Texas
Baikal Teal – Ontario
Taiga Bean Goose – British Columbia
Tundra Bean Goose – Quebec
Whooper Swan – Alaska
Cuban Pewee – Florida
Cattle Tyrant – Texas
Brown Jays – Texas
Crimson-collared Grosbeak – Texas
Flame-colored Tanager – Arizona
American Flamingos – Florida, Texas
For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association's Rare Bird Alert at Rare Bird Alert: May 1, 2026 - American Birding Association. Special Thanks to the ABA for permitting us to use the Rare Bird Alert as the basis to prepare this replay.
You can often find more information about individual rare bird sightings from the ABA regional and 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