77 White-collared Swift: New to Ontario and Canada Tristan ap Rheinallt On 10 June 2002, a White-collared sun rose, it soon warmed up and Swift (Streptoprocne zonaris) was became a bright, though somewhat seen briefly from the Marsh Trail at hazy, morning. I spent three very Rondeau Provincial Park. The pleasant hours pottering along the record, which has been accepted by first part of the trail, enjoying the the Ontario Bird Records sight of old friends such as Indigo Committee (Crins 2003), becomes Bunting (Passerina cyanea), Rose­ the first for Ontario and Canada. breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), Northern Cardinal Circumstances (Cardinalis cardinalis) and Orchard On the afternoon of 9 June 2002, I Oriole (Icterus spurius). I was arrived in Toronto from the UK at enjoying myself immensely and, for the start of a week-long birding trip. once, rarities were the last thing on It was my first visit to Canada since my mind. 1987 and my first to North America At 0800h, as I stood listening to since 1993. Although I knew that the birdsong and debating whether spring migration would be more or or not to attempt a photograph of a less over, there were several species superbly lit male Red-winged of breeding warblers that I hoped to Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) add to my life list. One of these, perched on a nearby branch, I Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria noticed what appeared to be a swift citrea), was the reason I decided to flying directly towards me from the make Rondeau my first destination. direction of the lake. As I thought I spent the evening of 9 June bird­ "swift", I simultaneously thought ing around the Tulip Tree Trail, "impossible" because this was renewing my acquaintance with clearly a very large bird. I was well birds I used to know very well, hav­ aware that the only common swift ing lived in Quebec from 1982 to species in eastern North America is 1985. I was pleased to discover that the Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelag­ many field characters, and quite a ica), although I had not yet seen any few calls and songs, were still stored on my trip. in my memory. Various other unlikely possibil­ On 10 June, I was up well ities flashed through my mind, before dawn, and I started walking including Black Tern (Chlidonias the Marsh Trail at around 0500h. niger) and Eurasian Hobby (Falco The sky was clear and there was subbuteo). But despite these stray very little breeze, if any. Once the thoughts, I knew that it was a swift, VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2 78 even in an almost head-on view, and species of swift in the West that had its appearance as it came closer white as well as black in the confirmed my initial instinctive plumage. I had seen that species in identification. It also clearly was not California in 1993, and although I a Chimney Swift. With the sun more could not remember its name or its or less behind me and the bird exact appearance, I imagined that it approaching from the west, the light might turn up as a vagrant in the conditions were excellent. The bird East from time to time. However, continued to fly straight towards when I opened the book and me and passed directly overhead at looked at the paintings of White­ a height of perhaps 10 metres, throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatal­ before continuing inland. Its is), I realized that it did not match plumage was amazing: entirely dark the appearance of my bird at all. with a gleaming white band across Nor did Vaux's Swift (Chaetura the upper breast. I had an excellent vauxi) or Black Swift (Cypseloides view of the underparts but I did not niger). see the upperparts at all. At this point, I tried to convince My first reaction was to reach myself that I was imagining things. for my copy of Sibley (2000), the But I knew that, however brief the only field guide I had with me. I view, I had seen this bird very well remembered that there was a indeed. It seemed that I had finally succumbed to the "it isn't in the book" syndrome that I myself had derided on several occasions in the past. Given that it certainly wasn't in the book, what could I do? I con­ tented myself with drawing a quick sketch in my field notebook (Figure 1) and adding some notes as I returned to the car. By this time I birdwatch had unearthed a vague memory of a unique birding & nature products swift I saw in Venezuela in 1999. I even thought I could remember its 1907 Avenue Road name-White-collared Swift-but I Toronto, Canada M5,\It 3Z9 (1 km. south of Hwy. 401) had no reason to suppose that it ever occurred in North America. As Phone (416) 785-9222 Fax (416) 785-3125 I walked back towards my car, I had toll free 1-877-785-9222 plenty of opportunity to study [email protected] Chimney Swifts, several of which www.shopbirdwatch.com appeared very soon after the large David Renaud swift and may well have arrived with it. Also present were Purple ONTARIO BIRDS AUGUST 2003 79 v.J1-\~"V" Ol\-\~'RWIS~ ON vl'l',,"a... BR~t\~\ r'-\JC1'\~~ ~LL "PA'lZ.K. WI NG-S <:lv I~ "&'"-~C¥:.. <rRE. '( BR~fU> B"\..J"\ .s'-\~R¥LJ PO\NT~~ +' LL\)Ne.-) T~(L~H~"'­ 54AL\..~w F=O~ 5 Iz.t- a F W14 (,Eo - -n..fR. NE.E::Dl.k--'AI\_ ~ 6R B 16-~Q. '"? Figure 1: Field sketch ofWhite-collared Swift at Marsh Trail, Rondeau Provincial Park, on 10 June 2002. Drawing by Tristan ap Rheinallt. Martins (Progne subis), Tree identify, seen for only about a Swallows (Tachyeineta bieolor), minute. Nevertheless, I did stop at Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustiea) the park visitor centre, only to find and Bank Swallows (Riparia that it was closed for the day. At this riparia). Needless to say, none of point I decided that I would try to them bore any resemblance to the forget the whole event. bird I had seen. Later that afternoon, having The experience left me feeling arrived at Point Pelee, I visited the unsettled. Although in the normal Pelee Wings bookshop. On impulse, course of events I am a keen rarity­ I picked up a copy of the National hunter, I knew that having been in Geographic field guide (Dickinson the country for less than 24 hours, I 1999) and found the swifts page. was out of my element. Had I had Staring out at me was the bird I had the opportunity to study the bird seen. When I read the notes on its for a lengthy period, I might have status, I was stunned. At the same felt driven to report it to someone. time, I felt obliged to report the As it was, I knew that although I sighting just in case the bird might had clearly seen something very still be around. I therefore unusual, no local birder would be approached the people who ran the impressed by an unknown observer shop. They put me in touch with reporting something he couldn't Alan Wormington, whom I met the VOLUME 21 NUMBER 2 80 next day and who encouraged me register anything else. In retrospect, to submit the record to the Ontario I cannot be certain whether the Bird Records Committee. greyish-black colour was the true colour (as opposed to pure black) Description or merely an effect of the strong General impression: A very large light coming from behind me. swift with an exceptionally striking A pure white neck band stood plumage pattern: all dark except for out from the rest of the a narrow pure white "V" on the plumage-indeed, it positively upper breast. "shone" in the light. This band was narrow and largely uniform in width Size and structure: Unfortunately, I but came to a point in the centre of was unable to compare the bird the breast, where it may have been directly with any others. However, slightly broader. It reached the edge my initial reaction was that it was of the body on either side just in enormous for a swift: the Common front of the base of the wing. I could Swift (Apus apus) found in the UK see no other pale areas whatsoever, (itself considerably larger than the not even on the throat. Chimney Swift) was my instinctive yardstick for this comparison. I Flight: The bird flew directly thought the bird was comparable in towards me in a straight line. Its wingspan to an Alpine Swift (Apus wing beats were stiff and shallow, melba) orWhite-throated Needletail with the wingtips well below the (Hirundapus caudacutus), both of body on the downstroke. This, I which I am familiar with from visits believe, is why I immediately decid­ to continental Europe and Australia, ed it was a swift based on an initial respectively. Like an Alpine Swift, it head-on view, before I could see the appeared bulky, with relatively shape of the wings and tail. I cannot broad-based wings. However, the remember whether it changed the wings were also long, sharply point­ angle of its body relative to the ed and characteristically crescent- or ground as it flew. However, it did scimitar-shaped. The tail, on the not give the "flickering" impression other hand, was short and had a of Chimney Swift or a swiftlet such shallow fork. as Australian Swiftlet (Aerodramus terraereginae).