N. American Rarity Round-Up for May 2001
By Cin-Ty Lee
If you enjoy reading the monthly round-ups please help us out by posting interesting reports from your state on the Community Board. That way, we'll be sure to include your reports in the monthly round-up and will credit you accordingly.
Also check out the latest rarity photos from around the states on our stop press pages
The following informal round-up is just the highlights from the various national RBA transcripts. Apologies if you feel there are any ommisions but do feel free to e-mail us with any feedback, particularly if there any howlers!
Star of the month was this Eye-browed Thrush, Kern Co, California 28th May 2001 © Linda Terrill
A remarkable bird in a remarkable location at a remarkable time of year.
Found late on a Memorial Day Monday by some very lucky birders, birding the desert oases in search of spring vagrants. Unfortunately, the bird was on sensitive property and not very cooperative so was only seen by a lucky few. It was a one day wonder. This will be a first for California and a first for the lower 48 states.
Check out Joe Morlan's California Birding Gallery for more shots and even video of this bird!
Strong NE-E winds off the coast of Florida earlier in the month yielded an unprecedented event of pelagic species. Interesting sightings included 17 LEACH’S STORM-PETRELS, 115 BAND-RUMPED STORM-PETRELS, 2 POMARINE JAEGERS, 2 ARCTIC TERNS, and 1 SABINE’S GULL, along with numerous WILSON’S STORM-PETRELS, ROSEATE, COMMON, and SOOTY TERNS, MASKED and BROWN BOOBIES, and NORTHERN GANNETS. In California, the following were seen on a pelagic trip from Bodega Head on the 11th: MURPHY'S PETREL, ASHY STORM PETREL, SABINE'S GULL, BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE, LAYSAN ALBATROSS, and FLESH-FOOTED SHEARWATER. Also from California was a LAYSAN ALBATROSS in Santa Barbara Channel on the 16th. A MANX SHEARWATER and 5000 RED-NECKED PHALAROPES were at Boiler Bay, OR on the 10th. A SOOTY SHEARWATER was seen the 21st from the beach at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA.
Unusually far north was a TRICOLOURED HERON in Ontario (11th). Extremely rare in California was an adult YELLOW-CROWNED NIGHT HERON on the 17th at Famosa Slough in San Diego. A LITTLE BLUE HERON was at the San Pedro House on the 14th in Arizona. A GLOSSY IBIS in Alviso, CA on the 14th was California’s only second record, following closely on the heels of the first record, established only last year. Another extralimital GLOSSY IBIS record came from Maricopa county, AZ on the 19th. A possible GLOSSY IBIS was reported from Baker sewage ponds in California at the end of the month. Out-of-range WHITE-FACED IBISES graced the east coast. A breeding plumaged individual was in Scarborough, ME on the 5th. Three WHITE-FACED IBISES were in New Jersey on the 12th, and one continued to be seen at Chincoteague NWR, Accomack Co, VA. Georgia’s only third record of a LIMPKIN was at Harris Neck NWR on April 29 but was not relocated on May 1, despite extensive searching by many birders.
A WILSON’S PLOVER was at Whitefish Point, Michigan during the first week of May and represented the state’s 2nd record of this species. A LITTLE CURLEW was seen at Leadbetter Pt., OR on the 6th. A CURLEW SANDPIPER was seen at the salt pannes at Plum Island, MA (weekend of 12th) (see photo below and another photo on the photo pages) and another was seen near Bombay Hook, NJ. No doubt the most exciting find in New England this month was a LONG-TOED STINT at the salt pannes on Plum Island, MA (May 3). A WHIMBREL of the Eurasian nominate race, was found at Morien Bar, Cape Breton, on the 9th and was still there on the 13th. On the 9th, an adult SHARP-TAILED SANDPIPER was seen in a flock of PECTORAL and LEAST SANDPIPERS in Seward, AK. A SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER was in Tucson, AZ on the 5th and a SANDERLING was there on the 12th.
Two FRANKLIN’S GULLS were in a mixed gull flock at McGrath State Beach/Santa Clara River Mouth, CA on the 12th. A SABINE'S GULL was found feeding with LAUGHING GULLS on the 9th at Cape May, NJ. A HEERMANN’S GULL was seen on the 8th Florida. From Cape Breton came a report of a BLACK-TAILED GULL on the 6th (seen through at least the 12th). An ELEGANT TERN made an appearance at Burn Lake in Las Cruces, NM on the 7th. Also on the 7th was a report of a SLATY-BACKED GULL in second winter plumage at Metrobeach Metropark in Michigan. There is also only one previous accepted record for this species in Michigan. (see more photos of the WI Black-headed Gull on the photo pages)
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVES were reported numerous times across the country. Reports came from as far north as Mitchell, Nebraska and as far west as Wilcox, AZ. In western Nebraska in Scotts Bluff County on the 13th, a WHITE-WINGED DOVE was still being seen in a yard. A pair of WHITE-WINGED DOVES were seen in Pueblo, CO. A CAVE SWALLOW was seen on the 8th at Cape May, NJ. A BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in the state forest on Martha's Vineyard, MA (12th) was unusual.
At least three WHITE-EARED HUMMINGBIRDS and 2 BERYLLINE HUMMINGBIRDS were reported from the Huachucas in SE Arizona. A possible PLAIN-CAPPED STARTHROAT was reported from Miller Canyon, AZ on the 4th. In south Texas two GREEN VIOLET-EARS were reported: one was found in a yard in Corpus Christi (last reported on the 12th) and another was found in Guadalupe County (Near Garden Ridge, TX) at a private residence (last seen the 10th).
TAMAULIPAS CROWS were nesting at the Brownsville National Weather Station in south Texas. In the Rio Grande Valley a SULPHER-BELLIED FLYCATCHER was seen at the South Padre Island Convention center on the 15th. A SAY'S PHOEBE was at Montrose Beach, IL in a cottonwood on the 11th. A FORK-TAILED FLYCATCHER was at Cape Sable Island (May 5).
A WESTERN BLUEBIRD was reported from North Dakota. Two NORTHERN WHEATEARS were reported from Massachusetts this month: one in Petersham and one at Race Point in Provinceton. CLAY-COLORED ROBINS were being seen at Bentsen State Park, but arguably the most exciting find this month was a brief occurrence of an EYE-BROWED THRUSH at Galileo Hill, CA on Memorial Day. If accepted, this would represent the first record for the lower 48 states.
At least 4 YELLOW-THROATED VIREOS were found in California this month. Although extremely rare in California, two WHITE-EYED VIREOS were reported this month. One was at Andrew Molera State Park on the 16th and another was in the Cajon Pass area on the 15th. A GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER was at Cabrillo National Monument, CA mid-May. A SWAINSON'S WARBLER was discovered on Naushon Island off Falmouth during the Mass Audubon Birdathon on the 20th. Two RUFOUS-CAPPED WARBLERS continued at French Joe Canyon, AZ through the end of the month. A RED-FACED WARBLER in South Texas on the 5th was unusual. A GOLDEN-CROWNED WARBLER found at Packery Channel, TX late last month was unfortunately not seen after the 1st of May.
FLAME-COLORED TANAGERS were reported from SE Arizona: one (hybrid?) at Cave Creek (5th), two at Miller Canyon (through the end of the month), and one (hybrid) at Carr Canyon near the end of the month. A SCARLET TANGER was seen on the 11th in California City, CA. A LAZULI BUNTING was near Craig, in northern Holt County, Missouri (May 2). A PAINTED BUNTING was at Cabrillo NM, CA, and a VARIED BUNTING was reported earlier this month from the south end of the Salton Sea. Last year’s BLACK-BACKED ORIOLE apparently returned to Smuggler’s Gulch (end of April thru end of May). At Big Bend National Park a well described BLACK-VENTED ORIOLE was reported from the junction of the Windows Trail and Oak Springs Trail on May. A GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE was in Kelowna, British Columbia. SHINY COWBIRDS continued to be reported from south Florida. A GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW was in North Dakota mid-May.
