American Wigeon (Mereca americana) - 22Nov2017 & 22Nov2018

American Wigeons are plentiful but somehow I only have a handful of pics saved.  Here is a nice moody pic from the Fort Fisher Aquarium pond.

These are from the Mill Pond in Setauket NY where I grew up.

Here are some from Pea Island, NC in 2018.

The above bird was a "Storm Wigeon" which is an interesting color variant.

Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) - 19Nov2017 & 29Sep2018

I am not sure why this species eluded me for so long, but that all ended in November 2017 when visiting my parents in New York and then again finally at Pea Island in NC in 2018.

Photographed at Jones Beach, NY.

Pea Island.

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) - 11Nov2017

Usually Pintails are pretty shy and getting close for a pic is not easy.  These were probably in the triangle area in NC as I was birding around there that day but forgot to document the specific location.

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) - 04Nov2017

I love the beach in NC in the winter!  Nothing better than the crunch of sand under your feet, a crisp bite in the air and best of all, hardly any people.  Semipalmated Plovers join me in this love, although they have to contend with Merlins and Falcons. This one was a prime target as it was alone on the beach on the north end of Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Here is one from my 2018 big year taken at Fort Fisher.

Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirosris) - 01Nov2017

My buddy Jeff's girlfriend was hosting this beauty from way out of town for a could months before it succumbed to a harsh winter night shortly before the new year.  Per the below graphic (credit the Cornell website) they usually are found in Mexico and small corners of AZ and NM.  So to have one in Duck, NC is truly amazing.

The bright orange wide bill is best seen from below.

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) - 31Oct2017

Cave Swallows in NC are overlooked and careful study of swallows in late October to November will turn them up fairly regularly especially on the coast.  These were photographed feeding over the Shell Island Resort on the north end of Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Yellow-headed Parrot (Amazona oratirix) - 24Oct2017

Here is another species of non-countable parrot in the ABA region.  I have seen them in TX and CA.  I am posting this in the hopes they eventually make them countable.  I also hope to see them in Mexico.  These were in Oliveira Park in Brownsville, TX.

Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona viridigenalis) - 24Oct2017

Here is one of the few countable Parrot species in the ABA region.  I guess it was made countable not only because there are sustainable populations, but also because it is unknown how many of them from naturally occurring populations in Mexico versus released cage birds.  These were in Oliveira Park in Brownsville, TX.

White-fronted Parrot (Amazona albifrons) - 24Oct2017 & 18Apr2019

So far this is a species that is not countable in the ABA region despite having an introduced population in TX.  This first picture is from my trip to the Yucatan in April 2019.

And here is my TX picture from Oliveira Park in Brownsville in 2017 in case they do make it countable.

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) - 24Oct2017

These large Blackbirds do sometimes mix in with Red-winged flocks in NC but I still lack a decent picture from NC.  This one was photographed near Brownsville TX.

Audubon's Oriole (Icterus graduacauda) - 24Oct2017

This poor Oriole has the dubious distinction of being the favorite host for Bronze Cowbird nest parasitism.  In the ABA region, it is restricted to the LRGV in TX.  This one was at Roma Bluffs, TX.  It prefers dense wooded areas compared to other oriole species.

Morelet's Seedeater (Sporophila morelleti) - 24Oct2017 & 16Apr2019

The only true seedeater we get in the ABA region, Morelet's Seedeaters can be found in the LRGV in TX.  I have also seen a ton of these in my trip to the Yucatan. This first photo of a female or young bird is from Salineno in TX.

This photo of a male is from the Yucatan.  They almost look like two different species.

Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) - 23Oct2017 & 30Jul2022

It was good to finally get some decent photos of this species which I had previously seen far off.  These were at Edinburg Scenic Wetlands in TX.

Here is a pic of the second record in NC found by Trevor Sleight and photographed myself the same day on 30Jul2022:

Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris) - 23-24Oct2017

These little woodpeckers are a Southwestern US speciality at least in the ABA area.  This one was seen in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX.

And here is one from Roma Bluffs on the same trip.

Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula) - 23Oct2017

According to the Cornell website: "The Plain Chachalaca is the only member of the family of guans, currasows, and chachalacas to reach the United States. The family contains approximately 50 species, ranging from Mexico to southern South America, many of which are endangered by over-hunting."

These were seen at the National Butterfly Center in Hidalgo County, TX.

Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis) - 23Oct2017 & 13Apr2019

I ended up seeing tons of these when I recently went to the Yucatan, however at the time this sighting in the LRGV in TX was one of the highlights of the trip.  This one was seen at the National Butterfly Center.

Here is one from that 2019 Yucatan trip.

White-tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi) - 23Oct2017 & 07Apr2024

Just one more of the predominately Mexican species that can be found only in one corner of the US, down in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, TX.  This one was at Resaca de la Palma State Park showing off its beautiful axillaries (armpit feathers).

This one was photographed at the National Butterfly Center in Hidalgo County, TX.

Bronzed Cowbird (Molothrus aeneus) - 22Oct2017 & 17Feb2020

Although this nest parasite is probably not good to have in Texas, I was happy to tick one off my ABA area list in Progreso, TX.  The red eye makes ID easy.

And here is one from NC in 2020, seen at a private home in Morehead City.