Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) - 14Sep2015 & 29Sep2017

We get a smattering of these coming through during fall migration in NC but it is not a sure thing.  In fact on my 2018 big year its one of the few birds I missed a photograph of.

Here is one from 2017 at Cape Lookout, NC.

This one is from Carolina Beach, NC.

Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) - 14Aug2015 & 27Mar2018

My best photos are from my March 2018 Colorado trip.  This one is from Red Rocks in Colorado Springs.

Here is a horrible photo from Grandfather, NC.  This rarity was very difficult to see and only popped up for a few seconds to eat some Mountain Ash berries.

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) - 2May2015

I have better quality photos for Vespers but something about this photo back from when I had my old loaner camera makes me hold onto it.  This one was photographed up near Elk Knob in NC where these breed.

Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) - 18&20Mar2015

I used to travel more for work, but unfortunately I was not birding for most of my travels.  For this particular trip to Nebraska I did manage to bird a bit and strangely this was one of the only times I have seen this species. Seen at Branched Oak SRA in Lancaster County, NE.

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) - 11Mar2015

Rufous Hummingbirds in NC are hard to ID because usually they are not in breeding adult plumage and Allen's Hummingbird is possible too.  However, I am fairly certain this particular hummer was banded by a local expert and was deemed to be a Rufous. Photographed in the Sweet Breath of Spring at the Coker Arboretum in Chapel Hill, NC.

Short-billed Gull (Larus canus) - 14Jan2015

This species will be found in NC and then I will crush it.  Until then, here is one from Ocean Beach outside of San Fran in CA.

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) - 13Jan2015 & 05Dec2020

The Golden Gate Park in San Fran is gorgeous!  And the birds are pretty good too.  

This is not one I was expecting for NC and I was surprised to learn that there had been 4 previous records. This one showed up in Cary, NC at the home of a truly gracious man named Tony that opened his yard up to countless visitors during a pandemic. I like to think if I had a rare bird in my yard that I would do the same.