While Suffolk County has had its fair share of exciting rarities, Boston birders were treated to three MARC review list species in three days this past week, including a county-first White-faced Ibis and county-second records of Black-necked Stilt and Mississippi Kite.
A Mississippi Kite in Boston Harbor. Photograph by Sebastian Jones
It all began mid-afternoon on Wednesday, May 28, when a Mississippi Kite passed through Boston Harbor, flying southwest over Thompson Island, Dorchester Bay and beyond. The sighting marked the second documented record of the species in the county after a bird was photographed circling the Arnold Arboretum in June 2021.
Less than 48 hours later, Vivian Yu discovered a Black-necked Stilt at Belle Isle Marsh, a second record for the county and the hotspot after one was observed there in April 2006. While the 2025 bird ended up sticking around for several days and was seen by many, it appeared to depart after only a few hours, flying north and out of sight with a Greater Yellowlegs.
As word spread, birders en route had to decide whether to stake out Belle Isle in the hopes the bird would return or check nearby spots with similar habitat. This led Marshall Iliff to the pannes at the south end of Rumney Marsh; while the Black-necked Stilt was not there (it was relocated in a different section of Belle Isle pretty quickly), Marshall found a White-faced Ibis, securing an overdue first record of this species in the county.
A White-faced Ibis in Rumney Marsh. Photograph by Sebastian Jones
While the Mississippi Kite was not seen again, both the Black-necked Stilt and White-faced Ibis were present for several days after being found. As an added bonus, birders seeking them out also turned up some fun, locally rare birds like a Clapper Rail, Wilson’s Phalarope, Seaside Sparrow, and Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.