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The following informal round-up is just the highlights from the various national RBA transcripts. Apologies if you feel there are any ommisions but do feel free to e-mail us with any feedback, particularly if there any howlers!

By Andy Birch

Photos by John Idzikowski

It seemed like a fairly quiet month generally for the rarity chasers. A number of the winter's star birds still stuck it out but many of them checked their calendars in March and had re-orientated themselves by mid month.

In San Miguel County, NM at Conchas Lake the YELLOW-BILLED LOON continued through the month. In Oregon, the Yaquina Bay YELLOW-BILLED LOON was also seen in March.

Pelagic birders out of Newport, Oregon on March 24th were not doubt delighted to find an immature SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS at Perpetua Bank.

Just outside the month, a probable MANX SHEARWATER was seen off Sabin's Point in East Providence, Rhode Island on the 1st April

The WHOOPER SWAN remained at Lower Klamath NWR, OR through the month. Another WHOOPER SWAN was reported near Sommers on Flathead Lake, Montana early in the month.

The MN, BARROW'S GOLDENEYE continued in Canal Park, Duluth. From the Niagara River, WNY on March 18th, a female KING EIDER was reported at Beaver Island State Park on Grand Island with a flock of MALLARDS near the shore.

One of the stars of the winter, the adult male SMEW first seen at Riverlands Environmental Demonstration Area, St. Charles Co on13th January, 2001, disappeared at the beginning of the month (see photos on Surfbirds here).

However, the Durango, Colorado: female HARLEQUIN DUCK was a little more reliable and was seen through March (see a photo on Surfbirds here).

The northern California GREATER SANDPLOVER was trapped and its identification confirmed by an in-hand examination mid month.

MEW GULLS were widely reported this month. An adult Mew Gull was seen on 29 March and again on 30 March by an observer on Mt. Baldy in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

A YELLOW-LEGGED GULL was seen again on March 25 at the St. John's landfill,NF

At Fort DeSoto County Park, FL, the HEERMANN’S GULL was reported at the end of the month.

From PA, about 60 LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS were seen at Peace Valley Park’s Lake Galena on the 7th.

In the Texas Coastal Bend area, a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL was seen in Corpus Christi at the Elliot Landfill. Also in the landfill, were an adult THAYER'S GULL, an adult and first summer CALIFORNIA GULLS. From Kentucky, a CALIFORNIA GULL, in adult breeding plumage was located on Lake Barkley.on the15th

The KELP GULL is still a regular down in St. Marys County, MD.

A THICK-BILLED MURRE was seen in the Sakonnet River, RI from Tiverton on the 17th.

Montauk Point, NY had at least 2 THICK-BILLED MURRES fairly close to shore on March 24-25 (see a photo on Surfbirds here)

A SNOWY OWL was reported briefly on March 14th at the Madras Airport, OR

A THREE-TOED WOODPECKER was reported from La Cite Collegiale, .Ontario.

An extremely early sighting of a TROPICAL KINGBIRD was reported from
Kino Springs, AZ on the 26th.

In the Rio Grande Valley the DUSKY-CAPPED continued at Sabal Palms all month.

The NUTTING'S FLYCATCHER, another star bird of the winter, was believed to have departed mid month and then popped up again and is still present at the time of writing at Mason Regional Park, Irvine, CA (see photo on Surfbirds here)

In Kentucky, a male VARIED THRUSH was seen mid month. The downtown Phoenix RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN was regular. It was heard singing on the 9th and found again on the 12th of March.

The overwintering NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD of Calgary AB is still surviving there.

A BLACK-BACKED WAGTAIL was reported several times at a private loaction in Northern California and was reported as looking quite handsome towards the end of the month.

From MO, the TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE has been observed by many birders on the campus of William Jewell College, Liberty (Clay Co.). Currently, this bird represents the latest occurrence in Missouri (the previous latest date was 6th March).

Another TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE was still present mid month at Acacia Cemetery in Mendota Heights, Dakota County,.MN and another was at the Hitchcock Nature Area, Iowa.

A YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER was sighted in San Diego, CA. Whereas from that same state, the overwintering GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER in Lompoc, CA checked out at the beginning of the month. A CAPE MAY WARBLER entertained Sandplover chasers in northern California all month.

The permanent RUFOUS-CAPPED WARBLER continued to add itself to many a life list and was reported several times during the month in French Joe Cyn, AZ

There was an unconfirmed early report of a LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH in the east side of CT on March 24th.

The overwintering SUMMER TANAGER just west of Portland remained.

The female RUSTY BLACKBIRD wintering in the Costco parking lot in
Goleta, CA was last reported on March 11th

At Brigg’s Nature Center, up to six SHINY COWBIRDS were seen at the feeders in front of the building at this traditional Florida wintering site.

The female EURASIAN BULLFINCH continued at feeders all month in Alaska and attracted a few admirers.

The MA PAINTED BUNTING was visiting a feeding station in Malden all month.

The HARRIS'S SPARROW was becoming a less reliable visitor to the feeders in Putney Vermont as the month progressed.

"A Swarovski Scope with an 800mm photo adaptor was used along with a Minolta Camera. Taken at a distance of about 50 yards. Seeing an Eider trying to hop out of the water onto a rock was a sight." Eric Howe

"Interesting lighter bird, not "classic" THGU with darker mantle, iris and legs- rather large." John Idzikowski

"Our third earliest arrival on 3/17; rare but regular in Wisc." John Idzikowski