Blue Grosbeak

Status Uncommon vagrant. The first recorded bird was collected at Bedford, Halifax County, in the spring, about 1880 (Piers' notes). It was not reported again until 1961, when individuals appeared between 13 and 15 April at bird feeders in Waverley, Halifax County, and in Lydgate and West Middle Sable, Shelburne County. Since then there have been over 70 reports of this bird from all parts of the province, mostly from the southwestern counties and the Halifax area. Some 70 of these birds were seen in spring: about 30 in 1983, 12 in 1984 and the rest scattered among 10 different years.

They often first appear in April (average 29 April, earliest 7 April) and latest spring sightings may extend into June (average 26 May, latest 4 June). Some 50 reverse fall migrants have been evenly distributed over the years since 1961. These have first appeared almost equally in September and October (average 22 September, earliest 1 September) and latest sightings have generally occurred in October (average 9 October, latest 3 December). Individuals have lingered around bird feeders in Halifax until mid-December 1980 and in Dartmouth until 5 January 1984, and a female was seen by Wickerson Lent at Deep Brook, Digby County, on 23 January 1975.

Remarks This species summers in the southern half of the United States, breeding north to New Jersey in the east. However, it continues to expand its range northward. In appearance, both sexes are like overgrown Indigo Buntings but with broad tan or buff wing bars.