A Tufted Flycatcher found in a city park in southern New Mexico last week turned out to be the First State Record (photo by Benjamin Guo).

Birders documented 3 impressive rare birds that created 2 First State Records and a First Provincial Record, including a Tufted Flycatcher in New Mexico, a Lawrence’s Goldfinch in Kansas, and a Pink-footed Goose in Alberta! There was also a Fourth State Record Sage Thrasher recorded in North Carolina. Other exceptional birds included not-so-common Common Cranes in Nebraska, a Common Shelduck in Quebec, a Great Gray Owl in South Dakota, a Rock Ptarmigan in Ontario, a Bullock’s Oriole in West Virginia, a White-winged Dove in British Columbia, and more:

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Tufted Flycatcher – Las Cruces, New Mexico

First Provincial Record Pink-footed Goose – Frank Lake, Alberta

First State Record Lawrence’s Goldfinch – Garden City, Kansas

Fourth State Record Sage Thrasher – Kure Beach, North Carolina

REALLY RARE BIRDS

Common Cranes (3) – central Nebraska

Common Shelduck – Monteregie, Quebec

Great Gray Owl – Pierre, South Dakota

Rock Ptarmigan – near Fort Severin, Ontario

Bullock’s Oriole – Charleston, West Virginia

White-winged Dove – Vancouver, British Columbia

CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS

Asian Stonechat – Texas

Yellow Grosbeak – Arkansas

Eurasian Sparrowhawk – Alaska

Gray Gull – Alabama

Mottled Owl – Texas

Brown Jays – Texas

Yellow-headed Caracaras – Florida, Texas

Berylline Hummingbirds – Arizona, Texas

Cattle Tyrant – Texas

American Flamingos – Florida

For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at Rare Bird Alert: March 28, 2025 - American Birding Association (aba.org) Special Thanks to the ABA for permitting us to use the ABA’s Rare Bird Alert as the basis to prepare this weekly replay.

You can often find more information 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