BBC Extreme Pelagic: This trip, held every August, is now renowned for its pelagic rarities and the trip August 28-29 2010 was no exception. How about White-faced Storm-Petrel, Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, Great Skua? Check out photos from Luke Seitz, Ian Davies, Jim Hully, Jeremiah Trimble, Matt Garvey (video at youtube, mobileme1, mobileme2, mobileme3), Steve Mirick (map1, map2, map3, photo gallery)

Bar-tailed Godwit: Francois Grenon was checking out the godwits on South Beach in Chatham on August 27 when he noticed one that was different, and identified it as a Bar-tailed Godwit. The following day Daniel Mitev and Erik Nielsen were able to relocate this bird and photograph it. Erik reports "In the strong light the rump looked quite whitish at times and one observer reported seeing a white wedge on the lower back. Those two field marks would indicate it being of the nominate subspecies - lapponica; but the photos (especially Daniel Mitev's) indicate that it's the even rarer bauri!"

White-tailed Tropicbird: Eric Savetsky found and photographed a White-tailed Tropicbird at the north end of Welker Canyon on the Continental Shelf edge (between Hydrographer and Oceanographer Canyons) at 8:30am on 22 August! Although there are about 8 previous records of this species in the state, this represents the second confirmed "natural" at sea observation.  The remainder records involve grounded birds during storms/hurricanes except for one bird observed well during a storm from shore on 27 September 1985 in Chatham.

Brown Pelican: On August 5 Rachel Farrell was astonished to watch a Brown Pelican flying south over Buzzards Bay, then land on the water for just enough time to let Rachel grab a couple of photographs!

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: Siobhan Basile was looking for Piping Plovers at Sandy Point Reservation on Plum Island on July 22, when he happened upon a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher and captured some photos. Oh, and he saw the Piping Plovers too. Despite birders searching, it was not seen again till July 25, when it was photographed by Jeremiah Trimble, on July 26 by Ryan Schain, and on July 31 by Ian Davies. On August 2 by Bruce deGraaf, on August 9 by Phil Brown.

Red-necked Stint: If you want to find a shorebird rarity, try South Beach in Chatham. On June 27, Blair Nikula discovered and photographed this handsome specimen. Other folks on the beach got word quickly and were able to relocate the bird and it was photographed by Luke Seitz and Jeremiah Trimble. Still there on June 29, Ryan Schain got photos, and on July 1 Alex Burdo photographed it.

Gull-billed Tern: Another nice Nantucket bird. On June 10 Blair Perkins found a Gull-billed Tern at Bartlett Farm. He contacted Edie Ray and Vern Laux, and Vern got these photos.

Black-necked Stilts: On June 4 Paul Champlin reported two (two!) Black-necked Stilts at Mass Audubon's Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary and rushed out word in the middle of his sparrow census. Erik Nielsen got these terrific photos on June 6.

Sedge Wren: But who found it? We still don't know, but it was initially reported May 24 at Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary in Marshfield, and subsequently enjoyed by many, including Bob Stymeist, who took these terrific photos on May 26. On May 28 Ian Davies and Jeremiah Trimble captured some photos, and Mary Keleher got video (and audio!). Check out photos by Erik Nielsen and Joe Vincent from May 29.

Purple Gallinule: On May 26 6-year-old Rachel Mumford and her mom Sarah saw and photographed another (?) Purple Gallinule on Great Pond in Eastham. Hmmm, the Gloucester bird hasn't been reported since May 23.

Purple Gallinule: On Birdathon Saturday on May 15, Steve and Jane Mirick were astonished (and pleased) to see an adult Purple Gallinule perching in a Norway Maple in Gloucester, chowing down on winter moth caterpillars. See Steve's photos here (one, two, three, four).Rick Heil got the word and was able to get more photos. It continued until May 23 so Mary Keleher could get a photo and video.

Cave Swallow: When Vern Laux got a call on May 12 from Steve Langer about a Cliff Swallow on Nantucket, he went to verify that it wasn't a Cave Swallow - except it was! For photos of this first spring record for Massachusetts, see Vern's photos from May 13 here and here (with details from Jeremiah Trimble). 

White-faced Ibis: On May 10 Bob Murphy discovered two White-faced Ibis in the "Pikul's Pans" in Rowley. Phil Brown went to check it out and grabbed these terrific photos. Despite being very rare in Massachusetts, one or more of these birds have been seen in this area of Essex County almost annually since 2003, including an individual photographed in the ibis nesting colony on Kettle Island in Magnolia in 2009.

Wilson's Plover: On March 28 Edie Ray and Trish Pastuszak discovered a Wilson's Plover on the beach at the end of North Cambridge in Madaket, Nantucket. Vern Laux got down there in the late afternoon and photographed it.

Sage Thrasher: The Sage Thrasher at Salisbury Beach State Reservation was last seen on January 16 - who would imagine it could remain undetected at the popular spot for over two months. But on March 27 Sandy Selesky and Jon Saperia rediscovered it and Jon got some photographs. On March 28 it continued and Ian Davies and Erik Nielsen captured some images.

Barnacle Goose: Mark Lynch and Sheila Carroll discovered a Barnacle Goose on February 20, 2010 at Mill Pond in South Egremont, and Sheila got these photographs.

Tufted Duck: Mike Mastropasqua says he's not a birder, but he got a terrific photograph of a male Tufted Duck in Waltham on February 19.

Slaty-backed Gull: Marshall Iliff was hoping to relocate the Mew Gull at Niles Pond in Gloucester on January 25, but instead discovered an adult Slaty-backed Gull. This is only the fourth record of this species in the state, the first three being in December 2007, two of them in Gloucester! Oh, and by the way, he also saw the Thayer's gull.

Ivory Gull: On January 23 Dan Zimberlin and his father discovered an Ivory Gull near Richmond Pond in Westport. Later in the day Geoff Dennis saw and photographed an Ivory Bill a scant quarter-mile away at Quicksand Pond in Little Compton, RI. No one has seen the Provincetown gull since - same bird?

Thayer's Gull: Tim Spahr reported a Thayer's Gull at Niles Pond in Gloucester on January 17. On January 20 James P. Smith got photographs of a first cycle bird there. Marshall Iliff also so it on January 25.

Ivory Gull: On January 14 Bennet Porter reported "Thanks to some birders whose names I forgot to ask, I got some great looks at an adult Ivory Gull at Race Point in Provincetown." Mark Faherty finally discovered the mystery birders: Ivan Ace and Ed Yargeau, volunteers at WBWS. On January 15 Mary Keleher got video and Blair Nikula got photos. Check out photos from Peter Trull and Bob Stymeist from January 16. Myer Bornstein, Peter Bono and James P. Smith on January 17. Alex Hildenbrandt on January 21. 

Townsend's Solitaire: Yard bird for Peter Bono in Yarmouthport on January 12! Peter says: "I was sitting at my kitchen table eating breakfast and looking out the window. At the top of a distant bare tree (say, 150 feet away), I could see this grayish, fairly upright bird perched. I thought it might be a waxwing or female bluebird, but it had a relatively long tail. I put my binoculars on it--and immediately noticed the complete eye-ring and the buffy wing marking with white pale edgings." Check out his photos. Mary Keleher made a visit on January 22 and got lucky - captured video and photographs.

Sage Thrasher: Brian Parker discovered this bird in Salisbury on January 11. Photos from Mike Thompson and Lee Hansche and Rick Heil on January 11. On January 12,  Jim Fenton, Peter Trimble, Tom Murray, and Peter Trull. On January 13 David Jones. It was still there on January 16 for Julie Waters.

Eared Grebe: On January 2 Mary Keleher discovered an Eared Grebe on Mill Pond, in Marstons Mills and managed some photos and video in the snow. This is a very rare inland record of this species. Jeremiah Trimble dropped by later in the day (between snow flurries?) and managed some photos.