Ontario Floatingtire (GE)

Home , Rainy River District

Ontario floatingtire (GE). They had rebuilttheir nest by the end of Jul (GE, m. ob.).A total of 18 Red-necked Grebes was in the area of Bronte Harbour,Halton during the greaterpart of the period (GE), and 42 were at RattrayMarsh, Peel 20 Jul (CSAM, fide ONTBIRDS). Altogetherthis indicates a significants. expan- sionof their range.A flock of 7 Red-necked Grebesat Nym L., RainyRiver 22 Julwere early fall migrants(SP). AmericanWhite Pelicanswere seen regular- ly on L. Superior at Black Bay (AE) and MissionI., both ThunderBay (BR et al.). There were 3000 imm. Double-crested Cormorantsalong with 20 ads.at KettlePoint, Lambton30 Jun (AR), providingevidence for the increasein thepopulation of thisspecies in the Great Lakes Region. A good place to observeLeast Bittern this year was the St.Clair N.W.R., Kent;,at least9 wereseen flying above the cattails in one hour 22 Jul (BAM). An apparentlyactive nest of LeastBittern was at Miller Creek C.A., Peterborough(EN). At HorseshoeBay on LakeHuron, Bruce, 3 Glossy Ibiswere present until 1 Jun(CC). Threepairs of GreatEgrets returned to neston High Bluff I. at Presqu'ilefor the 2nd year (C.W.S.,fide MR). Otherwisethere were few reports of Theo Hofmann Point Bird Observatory,Haldimand-Norfolk); GreatEgrets from the Provinceexcept for 4 199 ^mold ^venue M. N. R. (Ministry of Natural Resources, individualsat the LeslieStreet Spit, Toronto2 Thornhill,Ontario /4J 1C1 Ontario); Pelee (Pt. PeleeN.P. and vicinity, Jul(ISm) and oneat High Park,Toronto, 7 Jul ([email protected]) Essex);W. T. P. (Water Treatment Plant). (RBHS),as well as the usualcongregation of Algonquinand Presqu'ile are Provincial Parks. imm. birdsin Essex:184+ at Big Creek (KK, ntariobirders were heavily involved incol- Place names in italics refer to counties, fide ONTBIRDS)and 200+ at HolidayBeach lecting data for the second Ontario districts,or regionalmunicipalities. in June (FU, fide ONTBIRDS). A Black- BreedingBird Atlas.It wasexpected therefore crowned Night-Heron, a rarity for the that a largernumber of interestingsightings LOONS THROUGH WATERFOWL PeterboroughArea, was on a raft on the would be available for this report.. Single Red-throatedLoons at Pickering, OtonabeeRiver 14 Jul (BT). A recordhigh Unfortunately,the deadline for submissionfor Durham 1 Jun (GC), at Burlington,Halton 2 number of 12 Mute Swans were in the Pelee the Atlas data was too late for the results to Jun(KAM), and at Bluffer's Park, Toront• 8-10 Area 10 Jun (DW). A Brant lingered at reachthe subregionaleditors in time for this Jun(CH, TC,fwle ONTBIRDS) were late strag- CobourgHarbour, Northumberland until 26 report,and thusmany could not be induded. glers,as were 2 CommonLoons at Pelee3 Jun Jun (CEG), and anotherwas at Driftwood P.P., The seasonwas significantlywarmer than (KS). On the other hand, a Common Loon at Renfrew5 Jul(BK, fide ONTBIRDS). Five fam- usual.There was very litfie rainfall in July,cre- Kettle Point, Lambton4 Jul (AR) and 2 at ilies of Wood Duck at the Grand Bend W.T.P., ating droughtconditions that changedthe Bronte Harbour, Halton 14 Jul (GE) were Lambtonwere an unusualsight (AR). The habitatat stopoversites for migratingshore- probablysummering nonbreeders, as were sin- Canvasbackat the LeslieStreet Spit, Toronto birds. Extensive mudflats were created in some gle Horned Grebesin HamiltonHarbour 24 that provided the first nesting record for marshyareas, and many of theusual mudflats Jun(BCh) and at RattrayMarsh, Peel 21-24 Jul Ontariolast year had abandonedthe onlynest dried up completely.The droughtalso pre- (CSAM, CH, fide ONTBIRDS).At the Rainy with fiveeggs by 8 Julthis year (RBHS). Single ventedfarmers from makinga secondcut of River S.T.P., 4 Eared Grebes were observed 1 LesserScaup at Hillman Marsh,Pelee 7 Jun-24 hay,which resulted in increasedabundance of Jun(DE, m. ob.).Apair was nesting at theEmo Jul (AW, et al.), at Cobourg Harbour, field breeders like Bobolinks. Among the S.T.E,Rainy River, 7 Jun(DE, BR, GCo) and Northumberland1 Jun-3 Jul (CEG), and at unusual rarities were a mid-summer Boreal photographed10 Jun (G&MP, RBHS). The DarlingtonP.E, Durham15 Jul (THo) were Chickadee near Hamilton, a Barn Owl near nest subsequentlyfailed owing to lowered dearly out-of-season,as were singleGreater Sarnia, and a Northern Wheatear at Long water levels(DE). Of severalpairs of Red- Scaupat TavistockW.T.P., Oxford 1-8 Jun(JH) Point. neckedGrebes attempting to nestin theBronte and MineralSprings, Hamilton 18 Jul (AW). Harbour Marina, Halton, only one pair had Other lingeringor summeringnonbreeding Abbreviations: C.A. (Conservation Area); somesuccess. By the endof Jul,it had2 fledg- duckswere a Ring-neckedDuck at Humber C.W.S. (Canadian Wildlife Service); K.EN. lingsand some eggs still to hatch.Another pair BayPark, Toronto27 Jun (BY), a Long-tailed (KingstonField Naturalists); Long Point (Long lostall seveneggs when the nestslipped off the Duck at Prince Edward Pt., Prince Edward 27

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Jun (RTS), and a Common Goldeneyeat (JT,BF). An all-timerecord high countat Pelee grounds.South of theirregular breeding range DarlingtonEP., Durham 2 Jul(THo). A female was establishedby 579 Killdeer 16 Jul (AW). were nestingBonaparte's Gulls near Dryden, Common Eider on Amherst I., Prince Edward SingleAmerican Avocets were at Aylmer,Elgin Rainy River (PRa, BM). A colony of Black 1-30 Jun was helpingfemale CanadaGeese 29-30 Jun (DMa, LW, fide ONTBIRDS), at Terns has been discoveredon the Matawin R, tend a nurserycontaining a largenumber of Bond Head, Durham 1 lul (ML, m. ob.), and at ThunderBay (KMc), and 124 werecounted at goslings(K. E N.). the TollgatePonds in Hamilton 22 Jul (MCr). the Kingsville,Essex waterfront 7 Jul (DW) Whereasa GreaterYellowlegs 2 Jun and one RAPTORS THROUGHTERNS LesserYellowlegs 8 Jun (JH) at Tavistock, DOVES THROUGHCHICKADEES Therewere three occupied Osprey nests in the Oxfordwere considered late spring migrants, a A White-wingedDove at Lappc,Thunder Bay s Bruce Peninsula,Bruce during the period Greaterand a LesserYellowlegs at Pelee22 Jun 28-30 Junwas a rare vagrant (D&AC, mob ) (JJ),more than in the last 40 years.A pair of werelikely early fall migrants(AW). All-time The observation of a Barn Owl in Lambton 28 Bald Eaglesreturned to nest at the Trent R. recordhigh numbersof fall migrantswere set Julwas a veryrare event for s.Ontario (AR) A nearHavelock, Peterborough and raisedyoung at Hillmarshand SturgeonCreek, Pelee, by 44 SnowyOwl at ErieauHarbour, Kent 13-15 Jun (M N. R., fide DS). YoungBald Eaglesalso Solitary Sandpipers,91 SpottedSandpipers, (m. oh.) was extraordinarilylate. Northern fledgedfrom two nestsin the Kingstonarea, and 278 LeastSandpipers 16 Jul (AW). Short- Hawk Owls nestedand raised3 youngin e Frontenac(K. F. N.). This representsa steadily billed Dowitcherswere early fall migrantsat Ontario near Alfred, Prescott-Russell,repre- improving situation in areas where nesting Hillman Marsh, Pelee,with 4 on 29 Jun and 48 sentingonly the 2nd nesting record for thearea endedsome 50 yearsago (RW). Rough-legged on 1 Jul(AW, DW). ThreeWillets at Cranberry (JB, m. oh., fide ONTBIRDS) Another pair Hawks were much in the news. Two sum- Marsh 9 lun (DL) were highly unusual.A • nestednear Verner, Nipissingand raised 4 mered near the Alfred W. T. P., Prescottand MarbledGodwit was at LongPoint 31 Jul (JA young(RT, m. oh.), and six nestingpairs were Russell(lB, GP,fide ONTBIRDS),while a sin- et al.) Flocksof 250 Ruddy Turnstonesat recordednear Raith and BlackSturgeon L, gle was at AmherstI., PrinceEdward 15 Jun Cobourg Harbour, Northumberland5 Jun both ThunderBay, this spring (NE). All of (KF,AS). In theThunder Bay area, several were (CEG) and 600 at Prince Edward Pt., Prince thesenestings are presumably the resultof the noted,very unusualfor Jun and Jul (CE, RS, Edward 7 Jun (RTS) were marginallylate recordwinter irruption of the species.Short- NE), aswere 3 the RainyRiver District during migrantsfor those areas,as were 15 White- earedOwls were found at threenew breeding the period (DE). Urban PeregrineFalcons rumped Sandpipersat Cranberry Marsh, locationsin the ThunderBay District (NE) A nestedin nine places,three pairs in Toronto, Durham8 Jun(MB) and 3 for the Tip of Long pair near Binbrook, Hamilton provided the two in Mississauga,PeN, and one each in Point 16 Jun (MH). A PectoralSandpiper 25 firstbreeding record for Hamilton(PT) At Hamilton, St. Catherines,Niagara, London, Jun was Long Point'searliest fall recordby SelkirkEP., Haldimand,a juv. Northern Saw- and Ottawa.Unfortunately of the total of at almost three weeks (JA, MH). A flock of 38 whet Owl wasbanded 17 Jul (JBM) and may least27 eggg,only 13young fledged and 9 sur- Dunlin at RyderPonds in Whitby,Durham 8 well representthe firstbreeding record for the vivedto independence,a considerably reduced Jun wasremarkable (MB). A Dunlin in breed- county.A surprisingnumber of Whip-poor- successrate comparedto that of the 2000sea- ingplumage at Presqu'ile8-11 lul (JT,m. ob.) wills•15•was countedat Wainfleet,N•agara son(MG, fide www. peregrine-foundation.ca). wasprobably the earliestfall migrantfor the 2 Jul(YH). At the n. edgeof theirrange, Whip- A femaleRing-necked Pheasant with 8-10 Park. An ad. female Ruff at Hillman Marsh, poor-willswere found n. of KakabekaFalls youngwas seen in the UpperHumber Valley in Pelee 28 Jul was the 1 lth recorded in the last 12 (KM) and nearArmstrong, both ThunderBay Toronto,where this specieshad been thought years(AW). An out-of-seasonParasitic Jaeger (AH). to havedied out 3-4 yearsago (JI, fide SE).A was restingon the water near Port Dover, Red-headedWoodpeckers have suffered a rareNorthern Bobwhite was singing in breed- Haldimand3 Jul(GR, fide ONTBIRDS). severedecline in s. Ontario during recent inghabitat in Middlesexduring mid-Jun (PR). A LaughingGull wasat the Tip, LongPoint years.It is encouraging,therefore, that reports A Yellow Rail was heard calling in the 15 Jun (MH). A Franklin'sGull at Wildwood of sightingsand breedinghave come from KabitotikwiaR. marshon L. Nipigon,Thunder Lake,Oxford 9 Jul wasthe 2nd recordfor the many differentpartõ of the area.Thus most Bay21 Jul (NE). A rare King Rail wasat Long county (JH). SingleLittle Gulls were at Long encouraging were 11 Red-headed Point 25 Jun-31 Jul+ (RR, m. ob.). A s. exten- Point 1-2 Jun (IR), at Kingsville,Essex 7 Jul Woodpeckersin the Rainy River Area 6 Jun sionof the breedingrange of SandhillCranes (DW), and up to 3 wereat Hillman Marsh, (DE, BR), aswell asprobable nesting pairs at is suggestedby severalbirds seen and heard in Pelee,in mid-Jul (AW). Little Gulls are found Darlington Park Road, Durham 14-29 Jul threeplaces in the Peterborougharea; 2 wereat regularlyat PortBurwell P.E, Elgin from Julto (ML, m. oh.), at a site near Cobourg, the mouthof the OtonabeeR. flyingand call- Oct,but 14 individuals19 Julwere the largest Northumberlandin mid-Jun (CEG, SB), at ing 7 Jun (MT); at GooseL., 3 were seenin number at this site (DMa, LW, fide ONT- PineryP.P., Lambton, at Antrim, Ottawa8 Jul earlyJul (MBa); and another 3 wereflying near BIRDS).A highlyunusual nesting site of three (fide ONTBIRDS), and near Kleinburg,York PigeonL. 18 Jul (BL, DS). Elsewhere2 wereat pairs of Ring-billedGulls was found in an duringthe period(JL). Four individuals were CranberryMarsh, Durham 6 Jun (DL). Two openfleld•a bisonpasture--in the Thunder in Marcy'sWood' at AbidonPoint, Niagara 14 ads were at SturgeonCreek, Pelee4 Jun-31 Bay Area 10 Jun (GCo, M&GP, RBHS). The Jun (MT), and a familyof 2 ads.and 2 juvs Jul+ (AW), wherethey were joined by another nestswere on low pilesof straw.A California were at Humber Marsh, Toronto21 Jul (GCo) 22 Jun(AW, et al.) and 2 more 5 Jul (AW). All Gull at Long Point 30 Jun was only the 4th All indicatorsof an ongoingincrease in the 5 stayedpast 31 Jul. recordthere (IR). Whereasa singleForster's population,at least7 AcadianFlycatchers were Latespring migrants were 15 Black-bellied Tern at Presqu'ileon 2 & 6 Jun was unusual notedmigrating through Pelee 4-23 jun (AW), Ploversat CranberryMarsh, Durham 7 Jun (D&IS, TB), a flock of 215 Forster'sTerns 1 Jul 5 territorialmales were in the LongPoint Area (FP) A PipingPlover was at LongPoint 10-15 at SturgeonCreek, Pelee (AW) wasexception- (IR), 4 pairs bred successfullyat Skunk's Jun (IR) and anotherat Presqu'ile2 Junonly ally high,although it wasclose to the breeding Misery near Newbury,Middlesex (PR), and a

VOLUME 55 (2001), NUMBER 4 431 singingmale was at HaltonRegion Forest 8 Jun Thunder Bay Area (m. ob.); the maleswere Cited observers(subregional editors in bold- (JO, m. ob.) A pair of EasternPhoebes at the singingdaily. Another bird was on the Sibley face): Jody Aliaire, Robert Andrle, Ted De LaurierHouse, Pelee fledged 3 young5 Jul, Peninsula, Thunder Bay (PC). A male Armstrong,Charmaine Anderson, Margaret the first breedingrecord for Peleein many Brewster'sWarbler was in Kanata, Ottawa 8 Jul Bain,Mike Barker(MBa), TonyBeck, Siegrnar decades(AW). A pair of WesternKingbirds (CL, fide ONTBIRDS). A rarer female Bodach,Jacques Bouvier, Dave Brown, Evelyn nestedon a microwavetower at RainyRiver 14 Lawrence'sWarbler was at Dundas Valley, Brown, Geoff Carpentier,Cindy Cartwright, Jun-6 Jul (GCo, RBHS, G&MP, DE). Single Hamilton 24 Jun (JO, m. ob.). An ad. male Barry Cherriere(BCh), D. & A. Christianson, vagrant Scissor-tailedFlycatchers were at Northern Parula at Pelee 16 Jul was a record Glenn Coady(GCo), E Colby,Rob Copeland, Whitby,Durham 15 Jul (CA et al.) and at the early fall migrant (AW, HTO). A male Mark Cranford (MCr), Thomas Crooks, Bob Embrun W.T.P., Prescott-Russell25-26 Jul (JS, BlackburnianWarbler at Woodstock,Oxford 20 Curry, Robert Dobos, SandraEadie, Carolle m. ob.,fide ONTBIRDS).A s.breeding expan- Junwas a latespring migrant (JH), whereas one Eady,Dave Elder, GavinEdmondstone, Aarre sionof Blue-headedVireos is indicatedby the at Pelee21 Jul(PR, DMa) and anotherat Long Ertolahti, Nick Escort, Bob Falconer, Dave observationof ads.with fledglingson CanoeL. Point30 Jul(IR) wereearly fall migrants.More Fidler,J. Fisher,K. Fleming,Marcel Gahbauer, 15 Jul and Perth Road 21 Jul;both locationsare than 12pairs of CeruleanWarblers were found D. Gardiner (DG), Clive Goodwin (CEG), A1 n. of Kingston,Frontenac (RW). N. of typical at Skunks Misery near Newbury,Middlesex Harris,Y. Henderson,Matt Hindle,Tyler Hoar breedingrange was a pair of WarblingVireos duringthe season(PR). Singlemale Louisiana (THo), Theo Holmann, James Holdsworth, buildinga nestat the waterfrontat Thunder Waterthrushes in the Ganaraska Forest, Carol Horner, Jean Iron, Joe Johnson, Karl Bay 10 Jun (BM, NE). CommonRavens are Durham2 Jun(RP) and at the BoydC.A-, York Konze, Burke Korol, Bob Lemon, Chris Lewis, expandingtheir range in s.Ontario. One was at in mid-Jul(LN) wereunusual. A singingmale MarkusLise, Doug Lockrey, Joan Love, Blake A. Grafton, Northumberland 5 Jun (CEG) and Kentucky Warbler was at Dundas Valley, Mann (BAM), Dave Martin (DMa), Sheldon anotherat LongPoint 5 Jun(JF), the 7th Long Hamilton 28 Jun-mid-Jul (SMcG), and 2 were McGregor (SMcG), Craig S.A- McLauchlan Point area record. A Saskatchewan Horned at Long Point 13 Jun (IR). The populationof (CSAM), KevinMcLaughlin (KAM), JohnB. Lark (subspeciesenth?mia) at the WestBeach, HoodedWarblers may be increasing:10 were Miles, Alex Mills, Kimberly McNaughton, Pelee5 Junhas not previouslybeen recorded in found at Marcy's Wood near Abidon Pt., Brian Moore, Erica Nol, Lionel Normand, John Ontario(AW). An unusualevent took place on Niagara 14 Jun (MT); 12 birds were reported Olmsted, Henrietta T. O'Neill (HTO), ONT- PeleeI., Essex30 Junwhen a Bullfrogswallowed from the GreaterToronto area; 12 breeding BIRDS (an email listservby Ontario Field a newly-fledgedTree Swallow (DW, fide ONT- pairswere at DundasValley, Hamilton, for the Ornithologists;for information:www. inter- BIRDS).A flyby of 13,000Bank Swallowsin period (BC, AW, SMcG);and at least50 terri- 1og.comdNofo),George & Mark Peck,Shirley two hoursat the Tip at Pelee29 Jul(AW) may toralmales and 35 nestswere recorded at Long Peruniak, Frank Pinilia, Gordon Pringle, have been an unprecedentedspectade. A Point (IR). Male Yellow-breasted Chats near RayfieldPye, Brian Ratcliff, Penny Ratushniak Northern Wheatear was at HastingsDrive, Inverhuron, Bruce6 Jun (DF) and at Ancaster, (PRa), Peter Read, Ian Richards, Alf Rider, LongPoint on 8 Jun(RC, AM, et aL) andwas a Hamilton 16-17 Jun (JH) were most unusual.A Ron Ridout, Maureen Riggs, Garth Riley, first for the Long Point Area;this bird could male SummerTanager was present at W'fison Bruce Rodrigues(BRod), Doug Sadler, J. havebeen part of a late springpush of the Tractat LongPoint during Jun and Jul (m. oh.). Slumkowski,A- Scott,Keith Sealy,Don & Ian speciesthrough e. Canada.A BorealChickadee Only oneHenslow's Sparrow at Roblin,Lennox Shanahan,Roy Smith (RBHS), JakeSmythe at BeverleySwamp, Hamilton 10-11 Jun(AW, (• Addington1 Jun(RW) wasreported for the (JSm),R.T. Sprague,Mike Street,Rick Stronks DG et al.) wasthe firstsince 1976 in thisgener- wholeprovince. A White-crownedSparrow was (RSt), Rob Swainson,Richard Tafel, Monika al area (AW). at St. Robert School, Markham, York 29 Jul Tan,Ben Taylor, Peter Thoem, John Thomson, (WY), the first summer record for the Greater Ron Tozer, Michael Turisk, Fred Urie, Dean WRENS THROUGH FINCHES Toronto area. Single Clay-coloredSparrows Ware, Ron Weir, Linda Wlardaski, Alan A SedgeWren at Fullerton,Oxford 1 Junwas weresinging at the Headquartersof LongPoint the firstreported in the areain 16 years(DB). for most of Jun (IR) and near Sauble Beach, Wormington,BobYukich, WinnieYung. A An ad.Blue-gray Gnatcatcher with 3 youngwas Bruce20 Jul(JJ). A LarkSparrow was banded at nearWiarton, Bruce 26 Junat the n. edgeof its ThunderCape, Thunder Bay 8 Jun(BRod). usualbreeding range (JJ). Numerous sightings A singingWestern Meadowlark, first heard of Northern Mockingbirds,especially in the in earlyApr, was present at ClappisonsCorner, Visit the GreaterToronto area, attest to a largeincrease Hamilton to the end of Jul+ (RD, m. ob.). website: in thepopulation, although more effort due to OrchardOrioles were successfullynesting in atlasingmay account for someof the increase. bothtraditional •nd newlocations. One pair A genuineincrease in the populationseems wasat Cobourg,Northumberland 21 Jun,along likelyand can be accountedby a high rate of with a singlebird (CEG).Single Orchards were fiedging,thanks to thedry summer.Confirmed bandedat SelkirkP.P., Norfolk 17 & 26 Juland 3 breedingwas reported from two sitesin Peel,11 on 29 Jul(JBM), which suggested a good breed- sitesin York,and eightsites in Toronto(RBHS, ing season.Male Yellow-headedBlackbirds at T.O.C.Newsletter, Sep 2001). In one 10x 10km the Port DarlingtonMarina, Durham 8 Jun squarein theYork Region alone, six active nests (MB) and in Bond Head, Durham, 1 Jul were wereconfirmed and two more wereprobable well outsidetheir usualsw. Ontario range. The (TH). As well, there was a numberof single only noteworthyrecord from Algonquinfor birds reported(TH, RBHS, WY). At least 3 this seasonwas a pair of RedCrossbills with 2 www.americanbirdin .org NorthernMockingbirds were as far n. as the fledgedyoung at BasinLake Road 17 Jun (RSt).

432 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS