CONTINENTAL ANALYSIS The Nesting Season June 1-July 31, 1986 NORTHEASTERN MARITIME REGION We regretthat at presstime, we had not receivedthe NortheasternMaritime RegionalRepOrt. QUEBEC REGION Richard Yank and Yves Aubry ince.hissummer June saw was especiallycool and changeablewet throughout weather, theprov- with periodsof extreme cold and heavy precipitation that may have had somenegative effect on nestingbirds, particularly passerines. LOONS THROUGH WATERFOWL- The descriptionof a breeding-plumagedPacific Loon at Sainte-LuceJune 8 (AV) did not eliminateArctic Loon,and no detailswere provided on two seen at nearby Pointe-au-P•reJuly 27 {YG). Although neverrecorded in the East,th6 ArcticLoon could conceivably strayinto the St. LawrenceEstuary from Europe; according to current literature, the only character that may prove nsefu] in separatingthese species in the field in summeris the paler nape and hindneck of the Pacific Loon. Pied-billed Grebes nestedat Bergeronnesfor the 2nd bonsecutiveyear {BD, AB, JI},.anda pair with two youngat Cap-d'EspoirJuly 7 (PP}pro- SingleSnowy Egretswere presentat M•tabetchouanJune videda rare nestingrecord for the Gasl• Peninsula.The pop- 12 (NT) and L'Isle-VerteJuly 8-21 (GGe et al.), and a Little ulationof N. Gannetson BonaventureI. hasincreased by sev- Blue Heron reachedthe MadeleineIs., June27 (SD,SA, CBe}. eral thousandfrom the 1984 censusof 21,000pairs, with ex- A Green-backedHeron observedalong the Matone R., June27 cellentbreeding success reported again this year {GCh}. A Great (GGe, DR} was at the e. limit of its range. A visiting birder Cormorantwas notableat Rivi•re-du-LoupJuly 4 {GGe}. found Quebec's 5th Yellow-crowned Night-Heron at Cap 1180 American Birds, Winter 1986 Tourmente June4 (MJ) The b•rd was last seen June 23, when wile May 28 (FS,GGr, VL), there•s only one unpubhshed xnland two Fulvous Whistling-Ducks were d•scoveredat the same nestingrecord away from the St. Lawrence--from L. Waya- location (MLv), representinga 6th record for the Regionand gamac,Champlain Co., in 1980 (fide MGo). The speciesis not the first since 1973. A • Mallard was seen at Inukjuak June 6 known to nest along Hudson Bay either, but a pair seen at (GB), where a dead male had been found the previous day, Inukjuak June24+ (GB) was possiblynesting in the area. Cas- furnishingour mostnortherly sighting from HudsonBay. The pian Terns were reported much more frequently than usual province's2nd Garganey was a male at CacounaJune 18 (DR, with one eachat KatevaleJune 3 (PBo),Desbiens June 16 (MAB, GGe)--could this have been the same individual as the one RSm), L'Isle-Verte July 8 (GGe, JPO), and Gatineau July 11 found nearby in 19837 A concentration of 54 Gadwalls was (RSc,RStJ), three at Saint-G•d•onJuly 12 (MM, BC, PMi et al ), unprecedentedat CacounaJuly 12 (JLr,YG). Noteworthy was two at Pointe-au-P•re July 18 (YG), and four on I. aux Fermiers a • Buffleheadthat nestedon L. Chicobi(fide DDe), near Amos; July 23 (GD).Saint-G•d•on's White-winged Tern againmated other breedingsites found since 1982 are well n. of this area. with a Black Tern this year and fledged one young hybrid The RuddyDuck is a waterfowlspecies that hasremained rare (RBo, m.ob.). m the Region.This summer, singleswere noted at Baie-du- Singleextralimital Black-billed Cuckooswere at Tadoussac Febvre until July 15 (DJu,DJa) and Saint-G•d•on July 3 & 12 June 21 (YD) and GodboutJuly 18 (CV, DB1),while a Whip- (NT, PS et al.). poor-will at L. Rouyn June I (JLp) was at the n. limit of its range.An E. Wood-Peweenest containing three youngat Port- Daniel July 9 (PP) may.have representeda first nesting record VULTURES THRO UGH SHOREBIRDS -- Although con- for the Gasp• Peninsula. Singleswere also seen at Baie-des- firmation of breedinghas yet to be obtained,Turkey Vultures RochersJune 24 (IM) and Baie-ComeauJuly 12 (MDi, GCy) are now consideredregular in s. Quebecas indicatedby counts Three Willow Flycatchersthat remained at Cap Tourmente of 15 around Grenville June 14 (PBa et al.) and 12 at Saint- June 23+ (YA) may have presageda further breeding range Cl•ophasJune 25 {LB,CDu, DDu). An individual alsowandered extension.The 7 Great CrestedFlycatcher sightings from the to BergeronnesJune 30 (YD, AB). Well n. of its breedingrange Rimouski area, where this bird was first discovered in 1976, was an Osprey at Inukjuak June 28 (GB). A pair of banded indicated that the speciesis now well establishedas a local PeregrineFalcons successfully fledged two young in the Que- breeder.Extralimital individualswere alsoat MiguashaJune bec City region,while a pair (ofunknown origin)was observed 22 (RC) and SainteoAnne-de-PortneufJuly 24 (HP, AGa). A W feeding a recently-fledgedbird at another suitable site in s. Kingbirdshowed up at Saint-Thomas-de-JolietteJune 16 (SBr) Quebec. In addition, an unbanded juvenile appeared at a while a Barn Swallow was unusuallyfar n. at Inukjuak June Montreal hacking site, raisingthe possibilityof local nesting 30 (GB).A family of White-breastedNuthatches at Laniel July (fide DBi). A Yellow Rail was heard June13+ at Cacouna(YG, 10 (YA, AGi) extended the n. limit of this species'breeding mob.), an area where the specieshad not been found for many range. years,and one at Pointe-aux-OutardesJuly 16 (fide RO) pro- wded only the 3rd recordfor the N. Shore.At least five birds also called at Saint-FulgenceJuly 1-29 (JI et al.). A Sandhill THRUSHES THROUGH FINCHES--A N. Wheatear Crane was present at Villemontel (DBo) in early June, where the specieshad summered during the past 2 years, and an paused at Forestville May 31 (AP). Again well reported th•s •mmature wanderedto Longue-Pointeon the N. ShoreJuly 23 seasonwere E. Bluebirds:worthy of mention were pairs that (RStG, SL). bredat Villemontel(YA), Saint-F•licien(BN, DA, MAB), Alma A LesserGolden-Plover at Pointe-au-P•re July 2 (YG) may (DG, MGa, MC), Mont-Joli (DR), Pabos(RG), and Moisie (RLg, have been a lingering non-breeder.A pair of Piping Plovers MT)--the latter representingthe easternmostrecord from the w•th three youngwere photographednear CheveryJuly 7 (CDr, N. Shore. A Gray Catbird seen near Havre-Saint-PierreJuly KB, WH); this furnishedonly the 2nd recentbreeding record 13 (VL) provided one of very few recordsfrom the N. Shore from the N. Shorefor this endangeredspecies. Slightly s. of The N. Mockingbirdappears to be doingwell at the n. edgeof thmr breedingrange were Solitary Sandpipersexhibiting de- its range:it was reportedmore oftenthan the Gray Catbirdin fensebehavior in the Labrieville area in late Juneand at God- the Saguenay,one reachedBonaventure I., June 21 (fide AD) bout July 20 (CV, DB1,SB, SM). Lone Willets appearedat L'As- and, along the N. Shore, it was seen at Labrieville June 24, somptionMay 25 (PMa)and La Pocati•re June3 & 5 (CA). Four GodboutJuly 20 (CV, DB1),and SheldrakeJuly 11 (VL).A Brown Upland Sandpiperswere local rarities at Cap-d'EspoirJuly 7 Thrasherat Labrieville June14 (CV) was alsonoteworthy. A (PP),as were 10 Whimbrels at La Bale July 20 (GS).A Baird's groupof 10 BohemianWaxwings at Micoua July 6 was quite Sandpiperat Pointe-au-P•reJune 5 (YG, JLr,CG) added a rare surprising(CV, DB1,SB, SM) and a bird transportingnesting "spring"record for this species,and an ad. Long-billedDow- material at Noranda June10 (CBr)provided our bestevidence •tcher was identified by call at CacounaJuly 21 (JPO, MLf). to datethat the speciesbreeds in the Region.An imm. N. Shrike At leastthree Corn.Snipes were sightedat Inukjuak May 31- at Sainte-Anne-de-PortneufJuly 23 (HP, AGa) was early for a June 3 (GB),n. of their known breedingrange along Hudson young of the year but could have been a non-breeding2nd- Bay The behavior of two • Wilson's Phalaropesindicated summer bird. A LoggerheadShrike was observedon I. aux nestingon I. aux Oies off MontmagnyJuly 8 (fide RO), and a CoudresJuly 2 (FB). Red Phalaropewas unusual inland at Saint-G•d•on June 27 The confirmedbreeding of SolitaryVireos near Huntingdon (NT, MS, RBd). (PBa)was a first for the Montreal area, and Warbling Vireos were nesting at Sainte-Marie July 23 (YA), extending thmr breedingrange into T6miscamingueCounty. Exceptional was GULLS THROUGH NUTHATCHES -- Two ad. Laughing a • Blue-wingedWarbler at Cap Tourmente June 12 (JPO).A Gulls were observednear Chevery July 9 (PBr, GCh). For the pair of ScarletTanagers at Sacrb-CoeurJune 27 (AB) confirmed 5th consecutivesummer, a pair of Little Gulls attempted,un- that this speciesnow breedse. of the SaguenayRiver. Singing successfully,to nestat LaSalle(PBa). The speciesis obviously males at Huntingdon May 24-31 (PBa), Pigeon-Hill June 16 hawng better luck somewhere else, as three immatures re- (MDa), SherbrookeJune 20 (VL et al.), and Mansonville June mamedat Aylmer June2-Aug. 20 (fideDDa), onewas on I. du 26 (YB)suggested that Clay-coloredSparrows may be increasing Mome June7 (GM et al.), and two arrived with the adult pair in s. Quebec. A GrasshopperSparrow at Notre-Dame-de-la- at LaSalle. The breedingpopulation of Com. Black-headed Dorb June 15 & 21 (MAB, HL et al.) was Unprecedentedfor L Gulls in the MadeleineIs. appearedto be stable,with 6 pairs Saint-Jean,and a pair with two young at Melbourne July 6 nestingat Havre aux Basquesthis year (fide PF), comparedto (DJa)provided a rare nestingrecord. Single Le Conte'sSparrows the 5 originallyfound there in 1981.Of interestwas a pair of were e. of their c. Quebecbreeding range on I. d'OrlbansJuly apparentlyterritorial Great Black-backedGulls at Brompton- 3 (RBr, m.ob.) and at Saint-Paul-du-NordJuly 18 (fide RO) Volume 40, Number 5 1181 Two Sharp-tailedSparrows were on I. aux Fermiers July 23 (PBa),S. Barrette,M.-A. B61anger,C. Bergeron(CBe), D.