Creating a First North American Record, the documentation of an Oriental Honey Buzzard on Shemya Island in the Aleutians also established a First State Record for Alaska (photo by Brad Benter).

Word of a First North American Record Oriental Honey Buzzard on the far western Aleutian Island of Shemya, complete with photos, thrilled many in the American realm and it also created a First State Record for Alaska! Other firsts included a First State Record Snail Kite in coastal Louisiana and a First State Record Roseate Tern in Ohio, photographed on the south shore of Lake Erie. There was also a Second State Record Heermann’s Gull in Idaho, and 2 Fourth State Records – a White Ibis in Wyoming, and an Eastern Wood Pewee in Arizona – and there’s more!

NORTH AMERICAN RECORD

First North American Record Oriental Honey Buzzard – Shemya Island, Aleutians, Alaska

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Oriental Honey Buzzard – Shemya Island, Aleutians, Alaska

First State Record Snail Kite – near Sorrento, Louisiana

First State Record Roseate Tern – Huron, Ohio

Second State Record Heermann’s Gull – Henrys Lake, Idaho

Fourth State Record White Ibis – Hutton Lake Refuge, Wyoming

Fourth State Record Eastern Wood Pewee – Agua Caliente Canyon, Arizona

REALLY RARE BIRDS

Gray Buntings – Shemya Island, Alutians, Alaska

Steller’s Sea Eagle – Shemya Island, Alutians, Alaska

Yellow-green Vireo – San Diego, California

Sooty Tern – Pickwick Lake, Tennessee

Bridled Tern – Metinic Island, Maine

Great Shearwater – offshore Neah Bay, Washington

House Wren – Forteau, Labrador

Curve-billed Thrasher – near Broadview, Saskatchewan

Pacific Golden Plover – Baie-des-Sables, Quebec

Black-bellied Whistling Ducks (3) – West Haven, Connecticut

Brown Booby – Haldimand, Ontario

CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS

Steller’s Sea Eagle – Newfoundland

Yellow-headed Caracara – California

Mottled Owl – Texas

Large-billed Tern – Florida

American Flamingos – Florida, Texas, New York

Berylline Hummingbird – Arizona

Brown Jays – Texas

For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at ABA Rare Bird Alert: July 12, 2024 - American Birding Association 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 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