Observed a few days apart in adjacent states, photos of 2 striking Blue Rock Thrushes documented First and Second North American Records, along with First State Records for Oregon and California (photo by Jason Talbott).

Sightings of 2 beautiful Blue Rock Thrushes last week established First and Second North American Records, plus First State Records for Oregon and California! A White Wagtail documented in Ohio also created a First State Record, while 2 Second State Records were documented for a Crescent-chested Warbler in Texas and a Mottled Duck in Pennsylvania. Many birders photographed a Garganey in Minnesota that created a Third State Record, while a European Golden Plover recorded in Nova Scotia added a Fifth Provincial Record, and a

Seventh State Record Swallow-tailed Gull was documented in California – and there’s more.

NORTH AMERICAN RECORDS

First North American Record Blue Rock Thrush – Cannon Beach, Oregon

Second North American Record Blue Rock Thrush – Farallon Islands Refuge, California

STATE & PROVINCIAL RECORDS

First State Record Blue Rock Thrush – Cannon Beach, Oregon

First State Record Blue Rock Thrush – Farallon Islands Refuge, California

First State Record White Wagtail – Dayton, Ohio

Second State Record Crescent-chested Warbler – Big Bend National Park, Texas

Second State Record Mottled Duck – Breinigsville, Pennsylvania

Third State Record Garganey – Long Lake, Minnesota

Fifth Provincial Record European Golden Plover – Cape Sable Island, Nova Scotia

Seventh State Record Swallow-tailed Gull – Farallon Islands Refuge, California

REALLY RARE BIRDS

Garganey – near Ipswich, Massachusetts

Tufted Flycatcher – Ramsey Canyon Preserve, Arizona

Lazuli Bunting – Flanders, New York

Painted Bunting – Les Saules, Quebec

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher – near McAlisterville, Pennsylvania

Vaux’s Swift – Pueblo, Colorado

CONTINUING REALLY RARE BIRDS

Gray Gull – Alabama

Southern Lapwing – Texas

Yellow-headed Caracara – Florida

Mottled Owl – Texas

Cattle Tyrant – Texas

Piratic Flycatcher – Florida

Berylline Hummingbird – Arizona

American Flamingos – Florida, Texas, and Mississippi

Common Shelduck – Newfoundland

Brown Jays – Texas

Golden-crowned Warbler – Texas

Crimson-collared Grosbeak – Texas

Flame-colored Tanager – Texas

For more information, you can refer to the American Birding Association’s Rare Bird Alert at Rare Bird Alert: April 26, 2024 - American Birding Association (aba.org) 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