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Ontario Bird Records Committee Report for 1992 by Margaret Bain

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Ontario Bird Records Committee Report for 1992 by Margaret Bain 46 Ontario Bird Records Committee Report for 1992 by Margaret Bain This is the eleventh annual report of year. The Committee found that most the Ontario Bird Records Committee were of an excellent standard, (OBRC) of the Ontario Field thoroughly covering all salient points Ornithologists. A total of 172 records of the observation and often was reviewed by the Committee in meticulously detailed. There were 1992. Of these, 129 (75.0%) were fewer reports with very brief or non­ accepted, five were deferred awaiting existent descriptions. It must be photographic evidence which was emphasized again that non­ available but not yet received, and 38 acceptance of a report does not imply were not accepted. disbelief, only that the details actually Five new species were added to written on the piece of paper the Ontario list: Slaty-backed Gull, received by the Committee were not Inca Dove, Violet-green Swallow, sufficient to identify the bird with Black-throated Sparrow and Hooded certainty and eliminate all similar Oriole, bringing the provincial total to species. Yes, the Committee does 454. Two of these, Inca Dove and accept some Bell's Vireo reports Hooded Oriole, were also firsts for -when the documentation is sufficient Canada. No new provincial breeding to exclude all other similar species! species were added in 1992. Because Reports of species far out of range, of its increasingly precarious and for example the Red-naped Sapsucker poorly understood status, Henslow's at Sault Ste. Marie, are often Sparrow was added to the Review circulated to several authorities List. outside the province for expert Members of the OBRC in 1992 opinions which are then reviewed on were Ronald J. Pittaway (Chairman), a second circulation. Margaret J. C. Bain (non-voting Fears that the Committee would Secretary), Robert H. Curry, Nicholas be swamped by reports of the G. Escott, Richard W. Knapton, Recognizable Forms added to the Kevin A. McLaughlin, Michael W.P. Review List in 1992 proved to be Runtz and Ronald G. Tozer. Ross D. unfounded. Only six such reports James acted as Royal Ontario were received: one of "Black" Brant, Museum Liaison. The Committee one of "Eurasian" Green-winged held two meetings in 1992, as in 1991 Teal, two of Lawrence's Warbler and - the November meeting to discuss two of "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Policy, and the March meeting to Warbler. We hope that there will be review records still requiring final increased interest in documenting the decisions. occurrence of rare recognizable forms Almost 50 more reports were across the province. For a full list, received in 1992 than in the previous refer to Ontario Birds 9: 49-55. ONTARIO BIRDS AUGUST 1993 47 At the November OBRC Policy 1991 (Bain 1992). For each record, meeting, after years of deliberation, information on age, sex and plumage the Committee finally agreed upon a is included if it can be reliably definition of a Historical Record, ascertained. Place names in italics which will now form a separate refer to counties, regional category in OBRC publications. A municipalities or districts in Ontario. Historical Record is defined as an All contributors who have provided acceptable record occurring before written descriptions or photographs, 1981, which has been previously videotapes or any other form of published, but which does not meet documentation have been credited. current documentation requirements Contributors who discovered a bird (Curry 1993). Ross James will search and also submitted documentation all previous OBRC Annual Reports have their names underlined, and for non-accepted pre-1981 records for finders of birds, where known, are possible Historical designation; back also acknowledged, even if they have issues of American Birds and its not contributed a report. After the predecessor Audubon Field Notes will name of each species, there is a be searched for recorded rarities for summary number in three parts. This which brief reports may still be follows the system used in British obtainable from the original Birds (Rogers 1988): the first number observers, and any of our readers is the total of accepted records in who may be able to produce a Ontario before the first OBRC Report suitable report for a hitherto for 1981/ the second is the total since undocumented sighting of a Review 1981 excluding the current year, and List species seen before 1981 are the third is the number of records for urged to do so. the current year. Thanks go to all the observers Every effort is made to verify who took the time to record and dates, locations and observers' submit their observations of rare names, but our data are bound to birds from across the province. All include some inaccuracies, and we these submissions, whether accepted welcome corrections or updates to or not, are deposited in the make records more complete. Where Ornithology Department of the Royal dates or other details in original Ontario Museum in Toronto. The reports differ from those quoted in votes and remarks of committee other sources, for example the members are attached to all the American Birds Seasonal Summaries, reports, and may be reviewed on we have used the information which request to Ross James at the ROM. seems most accurate from our own The format of this report follows documentation. that used in the OBRC Report for VOLUME 11 NUMBER 2 48 Accepted Records Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) South Only (3/10 I 1) 1992 - one summer adult, 13 June - 19 August, Tiny Marsh, Simcoe IMargaret Bain). 1991 - one winter adult, 1 December, Cook's Bay, Lake Simcoe, York (Rolp'h Davis, Theo Hofmann, Jim Macey, Sean Macey). The bird at Tiny Marsh was presumably the same individual returning for its second summer in this unlikely location. Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) North Only (O/1/1) 1992 - two adults, 29 May, and eight adults, 5, 6 June, Rainy River Sewage Lagoons IS.L.), Rainy River (Dave Elder, Don Graham; found by Rob Parsons). A most remarkable number of Eared Grebes for Ontario. Hopes that these birds might stay to breed were unfortunately dashed when the level of the lagoons was lowered drastically shortly after the second observation. American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) South Only (2/23/6) 1992 - one adult, 16, 17 April, Hamilton Harbour - Hamilton- Wentworth (Rob Z. Dobos) - two, 15 May, Cook's Bay, Lake Simcoe, York (Theo Hofmann) - six adults, 15 May - 2 June, Long Point, Haldimand-Norfolk (Jon McCracken). - one adult, 21 May, Evansville, Manitoulin (Alan Worming!on) - photo on file. - one adult, 28 September, Hawk Cliff, Elgin (Barry Cherriere, Bruce Duncan, Marvin Smout). - one juvenile, 2-15 October, Frenchman's Bay, Durham and 17 October, over Whitby, Durham (Ron Pittaway; found by Ariel Shamir). 1988 - one, 12 September, Seagrave, Durham ICarol Shepherd) - photos on file. Sightings of this species in the south of the province continue to increase slowly. Great Egret (Casmerodius alba) North Only (2/3/1) 1992 - one, 9-12 August, Finlayson Lake, Rainy River (Tom Nash, Dave Elder, Don Graham) - photos on file. Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) (l/8/4) -'North Only until 1991) 1992 - one, 8 April, McLaughlin Bay Wildlife Reserve, Durham (Jim Richards) - two, first summer, 2 May, Hillman Marsh, Essex (Rob Z. Dobos). - one adult, 6 May, Long Point, Haldimand-Norfolk (Paul N. Prior). - one, 17 May, Hillman Marsh, Essex IRobert R. Taylor). 1991 - one juvenile, 2-11 August, Hillman Marsh, Essex (Alan Wormington). Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) (7117I2) 1992 - one adult, 1 May, Normandale Fish Hatchery, Haldimand-Norfolk (Rohan vanTwest, Richard Knapton). - one, second summer, 13 May, Point Pelee, Essex (Alan Worming!on). Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) (2/14/1) 1992 - one adult, 4, 5 June, Long Point, Haldimand-Norfolk (Richard Mundy). Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) North Only (4/8/0) 1991 - one, 29 October, Whitefish Lake, Thunder Bay (Ted Armstrong, Jean Hall-Armstrong; found by Ray Drew) - photos on file. This was another northerly stray from the Cattle Egret influx into Ontario in the fall of 1991. It was found by a trapper, and brought in to the Ministry of Natural Resources at Thunder Bay in a weak and emaciated state. It was taken to the Chip­ pewa Zoo for rehabilitation, but it did not survive. ONTARIO BIRDS AUGUST 1993 49 Figure 1: Great Egret at Finlayson Lake, Rainy River from 9-12 August 1992. Photo by Tom Nash. Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) (5/16/1) 1992 - one, 21·23 April, Sarnia, Lambton lJohn Haselmayer; found by Bob Killey) . photo on file. A backyard spruce tree is not where one expects to find this species! Glossy Ibis (plegadis falcinellus) (2/14/2) 1992 - three, 2, 3 May, Leslie Street Spit, Metropolitan Toronto (Martin K. McNicholl). - one adult, 7 May, Smithville S.L., Niagara (Rob Z. Dobos, Wilf Yusek; found by Jim Dowall) - photo on file. Ibis (plegadis sp. ) (3/12/0) 1991 - one adult, 20 August, Holiday Beach, Essex (Will Weber). The pressure is on Ontario birders to produce the first acceptable record of White­ faced Ibis (P. chihi). This has already resulted in much more detailed documentation of most dark ibises in the province, but some individual birds will still be seen in poor light or at too great a distance for specific identification. Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) South Only (2/23/1) 1992 - one adult, 25, 26 March, Strathroy, Middlesex (William G. Lindley; found by Ariel McLean). VOLUME 11 NUMBER 2 50 Ross' Goose (Chen rossii) South Only (0/1/0) 1991 - one juvenile, 4-10 November, Port Rowan, Haldimand-Norfolk (peter Burke) - photos on file. This record is the first accepted for southern Ontario as a wild bird. It arrived with and associated with the hundreds of migrant Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) in the Long Point marshes.
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