ABA Blog

#ABArare - Common House-Martin - Alaska

On August 18, Doug Gochfeld found an apparent Common House-Martin (Code 4) on St. Paul Island while he was on his way to refill a hummingbird feeder. (No, there are no hummingbirds on the island, but these guys are prepared.) I say "apparent" because another species, Asian House-Martin, is very similar in appearance, and its normal range is not much further from St. Paul than that of the Common House-Martin. However, it has not been documented in the ABA Area. To the best of my knowledge, Asian House-Martin has not definitely been eliminated as a possibility yet.

photos by Doug Gochfeld

Usually you have to search for the bird that you're looking for, but Gochfeld and the other St. Paul guides didn't have that problem with this bird after the initial sighting. Gochfeld says that everytime he moved or stopped looking at it, the House-Martin would buzz his head, nearly hitting him about a dozen times. Several times he lost sight of it, only to refind it as it flew up behind him at point-blank range. Fellow guide Cameron Cox got to share the experience as well.

Cameron Cox's close encounter with a Common House-Martin. Photo by Doug Gochfeld

The Bering Sea region, particularly St. Paul, is the best place in the ABA Area to find Common House-Martin. There are about 13 records for the ABA Area, with seven coming from St. Paul. I know of only two records from outside this region: one near the mouth of the Colville River on the north slope of Alaska in 1983 and one at Saint-Pierre (yes, of Saint-Pierre et Miquelon fame) in 1989.

Other goodies at St. Paul on the 18th included the long-staying White-tailed Eagle, Common Snipe, and a Red-necked Stint. A few participants of the ABA's rarity-hunting trips are already expressing their hopes on the ABA Rare Bird Alert Facebook group that the House-Martin sticks around for at least another month. For information on how to visit the island on your own, check out St. Paul Island Tours website here.

#ABArare - Blue-footed Booby - Arizona

Richard Wilson found a Blue-footed Booby (Code 4) at Patagonia Lake State Park near Nogales on Aug 15. This is the first photo-documented record for southeast Arizona and the ABA Area's second in as many weeks. Last week's Blue-footed, which was in New Mexico, was taken to a rehabber several days ago, so this latest report is certainly a different individual.

photos by Andrew Core

The Blue-footed Booby was seen again on Aug 16 and 17. On the 16th, it was seen flying by the beach area on the east side of the lake and also near the dam on the west side (map here). On the morning of the 17th, it was on the west side. Watch the Arizona/New Mexico listserv for updates.

Patagonia Lake State Park is about 10 miles northeast of Nogales. There is a fee to enter ($10 for one person). Camp sites are available for an additional fee.

photo by Andrew Core

 

#ABArare - Neotropic Cormorant - New York

New York has its first Neotropic Cormorant (pending acceptance, of course) thanks to Andy Guthrie. On Aug 14, he noticed a smaller cormorant in a flock of about 25 Double-crested Cormorants that was flying by him at Hamlin Beach State Park. Guthrie was able to take several photos that showed several key field marks, such as a gular patch that forms a sharp point at the base of the bill, small size, and a longer tail.

Neotropic Cormorant on left. Double-crested in foreground on right. Photo by Andy Guthrie

There have not been any subsequent sightings, which is not surprising considering the circumstances under which it was seen.

Hamlin Beach State Park is located on the shores of Lake Ontario in the town of Hamlin. It is about 10 miles northwest of Rochester.

#ABArare - Blue-footed Booby - New Mexico

New Mexico's second Blue-footed Booby (Code 4) was found at Chaparral Park in Lovington on Aug 11. Found by Ree Hoyl, it was on the only lake in the park.

photo by Ree Hoyl

Lovington is on the eastern plains of New Mexico. The state's first Blue-footed Booby was also on the eastern plains at Conchas Lake in August 2009. This species sporadically disperses in the Southwest from the Gulf of California. In the ABA Area, it's most frequently found at the Salton Sea in California. (I use the term "frequently" loosely. Years can go by without any records.) It's also been found inland in Arizona. For example, one was found at a small lake, similar to the one at Chaparral Park, near Phoenix in 1996. There are also some coastal records.

To get to Chaparral Park, located on the east side of Lovington, take South Commercial Street south from Highway 83. Go approximately 0.3 miles and then turn left (east) into Chaparral Park. The park road ends at a parking area next to the lake. The lake is small and it should be easy to find the booby if it's still present. (Map available here.)

Blue-footed Booby is a resident of the eastern Pacific Ocean where it breeds on islands of the Gulf of California south to Peruvian waters.  It has been a sporadic visitor to SoCal (Salton Sea) and even inland California, and as far north as Washington.  It has also shown up in southern Nevada and in southwestern Arizona, and one was at Lake Lyndon B. Johnson, TX,  from 2 June 1993 - 6 October 1994 (ABA Checklist, Seventh Edition, Pranty, et. al.).  This species makes periodic movements into the ABA Area, "with only one flight year (1990) since 1977". (ABA Checklist).

#ABArare - South Polar Skua - Oklahoma

This year has seen a slew of mind-blowing records in the ABA Area, from the unexpected Alaska Lesser White-fronted Goose to the ridiculous New Mexico Rufous-necked Wood-Rail. Add to that short list the ABA code 3 South Polar Skua found earlier this week on Lake Overholser by Tony and Jim Solorio in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, earlier this week. Pending acceptance, this is a first state record for Oklahoma.

 

photos by Joe Grzybowski, used with permission

 

The bird was initially found on 8/6 and ID'd as a jaeger species based on photos taken of the bird from an odd angle. Subsequent photos revealed the bird's true identity, helped no doubt by reports that it was attacking, drowning, and consuming the area's many Cattle Egrets.

Lake Overholser lies within the city limits of Oklahoma City, to the west of the city proper. The bird has primarily been seen from the boathouse and police station off of Overholser Drive on the east side of the lake, which offers an expansive view of the lake.

South Polar Skua is an uncommon, but regular, visitor to the waters of the ABA area and is almost exclusively seen well offshore. Records of this Antarctic breeder are far less common in the interior of the continent with a very small handful noted, most of which are associated with hurricanes or tropical storms. Those records include include two from the interior of North Carolina in 1984 (after Hurricane Diana) and 2006 (after Tropical Storm Ernesto), North Dakota (1989), Tennessee (2005, following Hurricane Katrina), and Georgia (2007).

An outlier is an odd record from Little Soda Lake, Nevada, from the 1980s of a recovered bird's leg with a band that returned as a South Polar Skua. So far as I can tell, that record was unpublished and the documentation lost (fide Christopher Wood, Oklahoma listserv).

In any case, observers of the uncontroversial record have seen the bird on every day since the initial report, assaulting and occasionally depredating the resident terns, gulls, and herons. Truly a remarkable record and bird.

 

#ABArare - Berylline Hummingbird - Arizona

Ed Dunn discovered a Berylline Hummingbird (Code 3) visiting the feeders at the Madera Kubo Bed and Breakfast in Madera Canyon on July 21. Since it was first found, it’s been reported on July 22, 28, 29, and 31. This species usually occurs in Southeast Arizona in very small numbers, but there were apparently none reported in 2012, making this sighting a little more noteworthy.

photo by Laurens Halsey

The Berylline mostly has been using the top right feeder on the front balcony.  Observe the feeders from the road. Except for guests of the Madera Kubo, parking is NOT available here. The closest parking area is at the amphitheater.

A White-eared Hummingbird was reported from this spot on July 20 and 22, but I’m unaware of any subsequent sightings. Elsewhere in Madera Canyon, a Lucifer Hummingbird is visiting the feeders at Santa Rita Lodge. It has been coming to the lone feeder that’s close to the bench in the bird viewing area. A Violet-crowned Hummingbird is also being seen here.

Berylline Hummingbird is species whose range extends from Honduras north into northern Mexico. In Mexico, it is found in oak-dominated foothills, but it is also found in temperate forests in parts of its range.  In the U.S., it has been found in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, where it has shown preference for mountain canyons. Berylline Hummingbird has been documented breeding in Arizona, and is known to hybridize with other hummingbird species.

A map of all locations mentioned above is available here.

#ABArare - Slate-throated Redstart - Arizona - UPDATE

On July 24, Melody Kehl found an ABA Code 4 Slate-throated Redstart at Huachuca Canyon, on Fort Huachuca near Sierra Vista, Cochise County, Arizona. 

Photo by Laurens Halsey, used with permission. More photos available at the link.

 

The main gate of Fort Huachuca is located off of Hwy 90 at Sierra Vista, Arizona. From the gate, bear right onto Squier Avenue, then right onto Winrow Rd. Then turn left onto Christy Ave, which eventually becomes Hines Rd and then Huachuca Canyon Rd.

The bird was originally reported about 0.6 mile above the 1.7 mile picnic area, 70 yards above the concrete dam, just above the native rock and concrete dam.

Note that Fort Huachuca has traditionally been open to the public during daylight hours, but security concerns have tightened access requirements. Civilian visitors who are U.S. citizens must provide photo identification, vehicle registration and/or car rental contract, and proof of insurance. Foreign nationals are allowed to visit only in the company of a U.S. citizen with a military identification card. Additionally, all or parts of the post may be closed to civilians for indefinite periods of time for reasons of public safety and/or national security.  All visitors are subject to random inspections by military police.

Slate-throated Redstart is a common, variable, and widespread neotropical species ranging from northern Mexico south to southern Bolivia. The subspecies from northern Mexico has red on its breast and belly.  In Guatemala the red is replaced by orange-red underparts grading to yellow in Panama south (Warblers, Dunn and Garrett).

Records of this species in the ABA Area are mostly from Southeast Arizona and Texas. There is one additional record from New Mexico. (ABA Checklist, Pranty et al.).

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UPDATE 7/29: The redstart has been present daily as of 7/29, but Huachuca Canyon is closed until further notice due to bear activity. 

#ABArare - Lesser Sand-Plover and Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - California

On July 19, Matt Sadowski discovered a Lesser Sand-Plover (Code 3) at the South San Diego Bay Unit of the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Imperial Beach, CA. A day earlier, he found an adult Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (Code 3), which was seen again on the 19th, at the same location.

While these birds have the same ABA Checklist Code, the plover is generally much more difficult to see, as Sharp-tailed Sandpipers are regularly found during fall migration in parts of Alaska and the West Coast. However, usually only immatures are seen, so when you take into account its age, this Sharp-tailed is about equally as rare as the plover.

photos by Matt Sadowski

Both birds are in a restricted area (threatened Snowy Plovers and endangered Least Terns are nesting here) but were visible from an accessible bike path on the 19th (map here). The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, along with a locally-rare Stilt Sandpiper, was visible in the area to the northeast of the north end of 13th Street. The Lesser Sand-Plover was initially located in an area not visible from the bike path but was then refound in the afternoon to the west of the north end of 7th Street by Lea Squires. Paul Lehman reports that the plover flew far off to the northwest at 7:50 PM and the Sharp-tailed was not seen in the early evening.

Both viewing locations are accessible from Palm Avenue in Imperial Beach. Take I-5 to the Palm Avenue/Hwy 75 exit and go west. Turn right either on 13th Street or 7th Street. Parking is available on the streets.

Keep in mind that the shorebirds here move around a lot in response to tides. If they are not around when you arrive, it sometimes pays to wait. Check SD Birds and the ABA Rare Bird Alert group on Facebook [you must be logged onto Facebook for this link to work] to see if either bird is refound on the 20th.

photo by Gary Nunn

Meet Matt Daw, the Guy Who Found the New Mexico Rufous-necked Wood-Rail

Matt Daw at Bosque del Apache on July 7, 2013, a day he won't soon forget! Photo ©Jeffrey A. Gordon

Word has been spreading quickly of a truly remarkable birding event: Matt Daw's discovery of a Rufous-necked Wood-Rail at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, New Mexico. Whatever the official ruling on this bird's provenance, there can be no doubt that Matt just experienced a red-letter birding day.

I met Matt a couple of years ago at a Colorado Field Ornithologists' convention in Grand Junction, CO. Now, at the age of 19, he's attending college and working this summer studying Willow Flycatchers for the Bureau of Reclamation. Getting to hang out with Matt a bit was a terrific bonus of our hurried trip down to see the wood-rail.

Though Matt's skills and his find are entirely his own, I'd be remiss if I didn't say how proud we all are that Matt honed those skills in part by participating in the ABA's Young Birder programs. It's just wonderful to see him doing good work for conservation and bringing his talents to bear in finding and identifying and sharing news of this amazing bird. 

I asked Matt to tell me a little bit of the story of finding the rail and recording what is already surely North American birding's most famous photobomb. 

    

Finally, here's a shot I took yesterday of the rail. What a neat, neat bird. Thanks, Matt!

Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Bosque del Apache, July 8, 2013, digiscoped with a Swarovski ATX 85mm + Canon 60D. Photo ©Jeffrey A. Gordon

 

#ABArare - Rufous-necked Wood-Rail - New Mexico UPDATED

***BREAKING NEWS***

A Rufous-necked Wood-Rail has been reported from Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (fee) near San Antonio, New Mexico. Matt Daw obtained video of this bird in the morning of July 7 when it walked through the frame as he was videoing a Least Bittern. It was about 25 meters past the "1" sign on the Marsh Overlook Trail. (Click here for a map showing what I believe is the Marsh Overlook trailhead. That is not confirmed right now, so use with caution.)

UPDATE: Other birders are on-site and confirming the identification.

The video will probably be released tonight (July 7). At least until then, this should be regarded as an unverified report. After that, I'm sure there will be questions of provenance.

Video by Matt Daw. The rail comes in towards the end. 

There are no previous records of Rufous-necked Wood-Rail in the ABA Area, and it is not shown in the popular field guides to the US and Canada. (Click here for a Google image search for the species.) It is a species of mangrove swamps from Mexico to northern South America. The closest it occurs to the ABA Area is Sinaloa on the Pacific coast of Mexico.

This isn't the first completely unexpected report from Bosque del Apache. In 2008, a Sungrebe was found here. That bird was photograped and seen by several observers. It was accepted as the first ABA Area record for that species.