Thirteenth Report OF THE ALBERTA BIRD RECORD COMMITTEE APRIL 2021 By Jocelyn Hudon, Richard Klauke, M. Ross Lein, John Riddell, Brian Ritchie, Gerald Romanchuk and Ray Wershler Since publication of its Twelfth and Red-headed Woodpecker from nine-primaried oscines, the genera Report (Hudon et al. 2017), the its review list. in Rallidae, Accipitridae, Alberta Bird Record Committee, Tyrannidae, Fringillidae and Sadly, over the period of this report hereafter the Committee, Icteridae, and the species in we lost our esteemed colleague and considered 89 records of rare birds Phasianidae, Scolopacidae, friend Brian Ritchie to a heart in the province spanning about 6 Hirundinidae, Passerellidae, Anser, attack. Over his 20 years on the years of bird observations. With this Anas, Charadrius, and Selasphorus Committee, Brian always review, the Official List of the Birds resulting from new phylogenetic approached its work seriously and of Alberta grows by 8 species: data. New information also resulted scientifically. He was meticulous in Tundra Bean-Goose, Vaux’s Swift, in the creation of two new families his adjudications, thoroughly Broad-tailed Hummingbird, (Passerellidae, Icteriidae), the researching each and every record Western Gull, Ash-throated introduction of additional genera sent his way, including considering Flycatcher, Eastern Yellow Wagtail, (Spatula, Mareca, Leiothlypis, vagrancy in adjacent jurisdictions. Sagebrush Sparrow and Blue Ammospiza, Centronyx, and Richard Klauke has left the Grosbeak. Finally, we add Vaux’s Dryobates) from splits of existing Committee, and we thank him for Swift to the List based on two sets genera, the lumping of Chen with his many (over 20) years of service of good photographs. That this is Anser, changes in scientific names to the Committee. Caroline Lambert the Chaetura swift that occurs in as a result of splits (Circus and David Scott have agreed to join Alberta has never really been in hudsonius, Lanius borealis, and the Committee. doubt, because the species breeds Melanitta deglandi), and a change in British Columbia and south of the The provincial list is also amended in the English name from Gray Jay Canadian border in Montana, but to bring it in line with the 58th, 59th, to Canada Jay. we required undisputed physical 60th and 61st evidence. We still hope for a supplements to the recording of the birds’ vocalizations AOS’s “Check-list of to turn up. The provincial list now North American stands at 433 species, with the loss Birds” (Chesser et al. of one species (Thayer’s Gull) to the 2017, 2018, 2019 Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) and 2020) which resulting from lumping of the two have appeared since forms (see the complete list at publication of our https://royalalbertamuseum.ca/coll Twelfth Report. ections/life-sciences/ornithology/bi These supplements rds-list/taxonomy). The Committee included changes to now drops Anna’s Hummingbird, the linear sequence Iceland Gull, Lewis’s Woodpecker of families in the PROTHONOTARY WARBLER, CANMORE CAROLINE LAMBERT T h i r t e e n th Report of the ABRC | 1 RECORDS ACCEPTED Tundra Bean-Goose (Anser Common Eider (Somateria RECORD. First accepted serrirostris): Peenaquim Park, mollissima): Horseshoe Bay, Cold occurrence in the province. Three Lethbridge, with Canada Geese; Lake; 23 November–3 December at Exshaw Sewage Ponds, 9–10 January 2019; written 2017; images (Richard Klauke [1]; Exshaw; 21 May 2020; written report with 3 images (David Gerald Romanchuk [3], including report with several (4) images, Scott). CODE 1 RECORD. First video at also report on eBird (S69432798 documented occurrence in the https://vimeo.com/244761711). Ethan and Neil Denton). CODE 1 province. CODE 1 RECORD. RECORD. Brant (Branta bernicla): family Black Scoter (Melanitta americana): group of 4, Pale-bellied, along Astotin Lake, Elk Island NP; 12 Hwy 23 NE of Frank Lake; 1–9 October 2014; image on pBase November 2016. Then 2 adults at (Gerald Romanchuk). CODE 1 Frank Lake; 9–19 November RECORD. Lower Kananaskis Lake 2016; brief description on eBird (Peter Lougheed Provincial Park); (Bruce Anderson and Sheila Clark) 13–14 October 2014; 1 image and 1 image (Greg Wagner). (Rob Worona). CODE 1 RECORD. CODE 1 RECORD. 2, Pale-bellied, Seebe near the Dam (E of White-winged Dove (Zenaida Exshaw); 20 November 2016; asiatica): Cardston; from 15 May brief description (Malcolm and 2016 for a few days; written Joan McDonald) and images report with 1 image (more VAUX’S SWIFT, EXSHAW posted on eBird (checklist images available on Flickr; Bob ETHAN DENTON S32637991 Michael Sveen). CODE and Emilie Pruner). CODE 1 RECORD. Fort McMurray; 2 1 RECORD. 1, Black. W of Black-chinned Hummingbird December 2016; written report Byemoor (E of Big Valley); 9 April (Archilochus alexandri): feeder in with 1 image (more taken; 2017; 3 images, also posted on Beaver Mines; 2 September Christine Godwin, Ken Foster and Albertabird (Aidan and Allison 2013; image (Malcolm Christine Sparling). CODE 1 Vidal). CODE 1 RECORD. Near McDonald). CODE 1 RECORD. RECORD. Canyon Meadows, SW Tofield; 3 September 2017; image Mountain View; 21 May 2015; Calgary; 10 May 2017; written (Ted McKen). CODE 1 RECORD. brief description of behaviour report (John Shelford). CODE 3 and 2 images (Nancy West). RECORD. CODE 1 RECORD. Hillcrest Mines; 30 July 2016; written report with Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus 2 images (Pat and Jim Lucas). americanus): Suncor’s Fort Hill’s CODE 1 RECORD. Hillcrest Mines; facility (N of Fort Mckay); found 8 August 2018; 1 image (Gerry dead on 4 October 2017; picture Fox) and correspondence with taken of dead bird (Christine Sheri Williamson (James Fox); Gardham Dennis); museum image posted on eBird specimen (PMA Z21.1.2). CODE 1 (S47785876 & S47739287). CODE RECORD. 1 RECORD. Willow Creek; 30 May 2019; 1 image (Jeanne Burnham). Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi): Gap CODE 1 RECORD. Hillcrest Mines; Lake, W of Exshaw; 16 May 2019; June 2019, apparently there for TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE, LETHBRIDGE written report and 9 images several weeks; 1 image (Pat DAVID SCOTT (Caroline Lambert). CODE 1 T h i r t e e n th Report of the ABRC | 2 Beaver Mines; 26 May 2016; 3 CODE 1 RECORD. Juvenile at images (Gord Petersen). CODE 1 Chestermere Lake, E of Calgary; RECORD. 26 September 2016; 3 images on eBird (S31777309 Terry Korolyk). Common Crane (Grus grus); W of CODE 1 RECORD. Veteran; 11 April 2017; written report and 1 image (Azusa, Hana, Western Gull (Larus occidentalis): Mena and Tiger Watson). CODE 1 Bear Lake, near Grande Prairie; 5 RECORD. May 2020; 6 images (Sylvain Bourdages and Joan Kerr), also Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus): posted on personal Facebook and Chip Lake; 30 May 2015; image recorded on eBird (S68474538). posted on ABA Rare Bird Alert CODE 1 RECORD. First Facebook (Alex Woods). CODE 1 documented occurrence in the RECORD. Two near Chauvin; 27 province. May 2019; written report and 3 images (David Duncan). CODE 1 Slaty-backed Gull (Larus RECORD. schistisagus): Glenmore Reservoir, Calgary; 7, 12 to 14 Red Phalarope (Phalaropus May 2014; brief description (Greg fulicarius): at Irricana slough, E of Wagner), 21 images, including on Keoma; 10 August 2017; written Flickr (Daniel Arndt). CODE 1 report and 4 images (Caroline RECORD. Ryley landfill near Lambert). CODE 1 RECORD. Keho Tofield; 29 April 2018; brief Lake, Lethbridge; 19 October description and 2 images (Gerald LITTLE BLUE HERON, CLEARWATER COUNTY 2017; written report and 1 image Romanchuk). CODE 1 RECORD. DON AUTEN (Ken Orich). CODE 1 RECORD. Little Blue Heron (Egretta Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa Lucas); several other images on caerulea): Medicine Lake, N of tridactyla): Keho Lake, eBird. CODE 1 RECORD. Rocky Mountain House; 2 Oct Lethbridge; 18–19 October 2017; 2015; several images on Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte written report and 7 images, also Albertabird and a video (Don costae): subadult male at feeder posted on eBird (S40014852 Ken Auten). CODE 1 RECORD. in Beaver Mines; 18–24 July Orich); 1 image (Michael 2014; brief description and 2 Sveen). CODE 1 RECORD. images (Peter Sherrington). CODE Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus 1 RECORD. Subadult male at an minutus): juvenile at acreage outside Sherwood Park; Langdon (Dalemead) 16–21 November 2015; written Reservoir; 24 September report and 4 images (Vincent 2013; written report and 2 Cottrell); 5 images posted on images; images also posted Albertabird (Steve Knight). CODE on eBird (S48599937 Ray 1 RECORD. Wershler). CODE 1 RECORD. Broad-tailed Hummingbird Chestermere Lake; 18–20 (Selasphorus platycercus): female October 2014; brief at bird feeder in Beaver Mines, description (Mark Conboy), 2 21 July 2015; 2 images (Cornell images, also posted on eBird (S20276793 Ken Burton). Van Ryk). CODE 1 RECORD. First WESTERN GULL, COUNTY OF GRANDE PRAIRIE Brief description on eBird documented occurrence in the SYLVAIN BOURDAGES province. Male at feeder in (S20292666 Terry Poulton). T h i r t e e n th Report of the ABRC | 3 Barn Owl (Tyto alba): at a farm near at least late February 2016, Cardston (between Kimball and possibly the same bird as del Bonita); from early previous. Images on eBird September, found dead on 11 (S27167198 Anne Belton; December 2013; written report S27028022 & S27028672 Lorrie with 4 images (Bob Pruner); Anderson), along with various museum specimen (PMA reports. CODE 1 RECORD. At a Z18.1.9). CODE 1 RECORD. feeder in Ardrossan east of Caught on barbwire fence near Sherwood Park; from mid- Edberg, subsequently perished; 8 October 2017 to at least early October 2013; museum specimen April 2018; images on Flickr (Don (PMA Z17.1.7). CODE 1 RECORD. Delaney, Ludo Bogaert, Keith Found dead at 30-50110 Rge Rd Huang), also images on eBird 231, Leduc County; 9 November (S44230907 Edward McKen; 2016; museum specimen (PMA S43699603 Chris Rees). CODE 1 Z18.1.2). CODE 1 RECORD.