Kingbird thoughts

Way back in June, Brandon and I met up for some birding on the 1st near Wheatley. The weather had set-up nicely, with a strong cold front, with cool temps. and a decent north/northeast wind.

We were hoping for Kites or whatever else might be in the area, as the previous few days had been hit by a large southwesterly system with high temps and strong SW winds. I wasn't able to get to the lake until closer to 9am, so missed a few Dickcissel's that Brandon had before me.

Arriving around 9am, decent numbers of landbirds were still passing through, particularly when you factor in the date. Within the first hour, we had 3 Dickcissel's, a pair of Pine Siskins, and a late Northern Parula.

Shortly after 11am a yellow-bellied-type Kingbird flew by, which Brandon was able to photograph. I called Mike shortly after to get some figures from Pyle, while my initial immediate thought to Mike was a Cassin's, we quickly concluded that Western was obviously way more likely and that we'd wait to look at the photos on the computer to confirm.

[Getting back to town I honestly don't know why we didn't look more into it but we didn't. (the only thing I can think of is I had just moved days earlier and was still getting unpacked, while Brandon was just starting a new job and in the process of selling/buying a house). Anyways, long story short, we are now getting back to the bird and were hoping for your thoughts on it. I've sent it out to quite a number of west coast and American birders who are familiar with both Western and Cassin's and I have my thoughts/suspicions.]

Here are the pics that Brandon was able to get of it:

Brandon and I kept birding and had a bunch more interesting birds, including Red-throated Loon and Pied-billed Grebe, while the hawk flight finally started, we ended up with a remarkable 11 Broad-winged Hawks and most bizarre of all a light morph Rough-legged Hawk!!!

Getting a MIKI or even STKI has got to be much more likely than a June Roughie...

All in all a great day! Here's a link to my eBird checklist (note the checklist hasn't been updated since the day of): https://ebird.org/canada/view/checklist/S46221355

What's up with Henslow's???!!

Things are undeniably slow, from a birding perspective, here in southern Ontario, however, you're probably wondering what I'm talking about....but, really, what's up with Henslow's Sparrow in Ontario?!

April 29, 2017 -- PPNP

Take a look at eBird and the last 10 years over the June/July period and it's crazy the difference between Ontario and the immediate surrounding breeding range. Take a look:

Literally a stone's throw into Michigan and there are birds. Throw a rock south, across Lake Erie and there are more birds. While I am being dramatic in saying this, the frequency of observations does warrant me in saying that we must be missing birds on the breeding grounds in extreme southwestern Ontario, specifically in Essex, western Chatham-Kent, and southern Lambton counties.

I do understand that the species is very difficult to pick out, while singing; how many birders could say that they are specifically looking for Henslow's as breeders in Ontario, and extreme southwestern Ontario?? I doubt any. Myself included.

It would be interesting if someone took it upon themselves to look for them. I think if I had the time, I'd try Essex, particularly SW Essex, as that area seems to have a bit more natural cover left, including some restored grasslands. Listening for them in the evening too, would be best.

One additional thing is that the species, from what I understand, isn't that picky in it's breeding habitat. Smaller fields (~5ha) could be good for the species. With that being said, maybe some will be found during the next breeding bird atlas (2021-2026). Time will tell!

Henslow's -- PPNP May 3, 2015

Henslow's -- Pelee Island - May 5, 2011

2018 BBS Blitz

After the excitement from the day previous (June 27th) with the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Nathan and I met up with my Dad on the 28th, just south of Sudbury. I bid farewell to Nathan and my Dad and I headed northeast to Cochrane to start our annual (6th year running...) Breeding Bird Survey blitz in northeastern Ontario.

After getting into Cochrane in good time (~5pm), and gassing up, we drove another hour and half towards the Detour Lake Gold Mine on Hwy. 652 - about 150km north. We proceeded to set up camp quickly with the bugs swarming, before making a quick dinner and a leisurely drive on the Chabbie Lake logging road. We scored some Common Nighthawks, our only Olive-sided Flycatcher of the weekend, and a few Rusty Blackbirds, including one bird carrying food, however, the Northern Hawk Owls from 2016 were a no-show.

The next morning, dark and early, had us starting the Lower Tweed Lake BBS at 04:44. For the next four hours we completed the standard 50, 3-minute point counts along a roughly 40km stretch.  This year, we were pretty right on, in terms of species and individuals, with 52 species (ave. 53.25) and 633 individuals (ave. 693 individuals). We had 3 new species for the route: Canada Goose, Black-billed Cuckoo, and a somewhat over-due Connecticut Warbler. Asides from the Connecticut, we had some other good boreal highlights too: 1 Bonaparte's Gull, 4 Yellow-bellied Flycatchers, 7 Gray Jays, 3 Boreal Chickadees, 3 Fox Sparrows, 1 Rusty Blackbird, and 1 Orange-crowned Warbler. Check out our eBird list for a complete totals breakdown: https://ebird.org/canada/view/checklist/S46876577

Orange-crowned from last year. Interestingly, we've had a bird at the same point count on the last 3 years.

Based on what I know, Fox Sparrows and Orange-crowned Warbler are at pretty much the furthest south part of there range, which is pretty neat.

After finishing up the Lower Tweed route, we headed back to Cochrane and then west to Kapuskasing, where we'd spend the night, ahead of completing the Pearce Lake BBS (running at km 30 north of Kapuskasing towards the Ontario Hydro dam, about 90km north of Kap) route the next morning (June 30th). My Dad and I were really looking forward to running this route, as last year (our inaugural year) we had to cut the route short because of bad weather and still had a Connecticut Warbler and a Great Gray Owl.

Luckily on the morning of the 30th, the weather was quite good, and after quickly getting a coffee in Kapuskasing, we drove up the logging road 30km to our starting point. We had a great count, with 61 species and 650 individuals, with several excellent boreal species: 3 Greater Yellowlegs, 4 Bonaparte's Gulls (including one bird on a nest), 1 Black-backed Woodpecker, 1 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, 2 Boreal Chickadees, and our top highlights: 3(!) Connecticut's and 4 Pine Grosbeak's (!!). Check out our eBird list for a complete totals breakdown: https://ebird.org/canada/view/checklist/S46901191

Young male Pine Grosbeak singing away.

We were really surprised by the Pine Grosbeaks -- the day previous, I had literally told my Dad that if we got a Pine Grosbeak or a Bohemian Waxwing that the trip would automatically be a great trip, not thinking that was really a possibility. With the Pine Grosbeaks (a single bird and a group of 3 birds), the 3 Connecticut's were an added bonus. Seeing one of the birds briefly was the icing on the cake.

Finishing up the Kapuskasing route, we decided that instead of driving back the way we came, we'd try to see if we could drive a few kilometres north and then over the Ontario hydro dams and then along the private hydro road to Fraserdale. No one was around, so we just drove on through, and is something I'd definitely recommend doing, if you can. The road was surprisingly great, with no issues and a bonus was a female Spruce Grouse along the way.

Once in Fraserdale, we continued south to Smooth Rock Falls to have lunch, before driving the 2.5hrs to Elk Lake, where our next BBS (Matachewan) awaited us on the 1st.

Again, dark and early, on the 1st we started our 3rd and last BBS of our northern Ontario adventure, just west of Matachewan. This is a uniquely different BBS from the previous 2 routes, as it follows the Montreal River, and is seemingly much more 'southern' in its bird diversity. Weather was not as conducive to doing the BBS as our previous two days (a bit windy), and as a result we had a bit lower species total and individual bird count of 56 species (ave. is 59.33) and 752 individuals (ave. is 885.5).

Nevertheless, we had some good highlights, including 5 Pileated Woodpecker, 11 Northern Parula's, 1 Black-throated Green Warbler, 1 Indigo Bunting, and 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We also had a single new species for the route: an American Woodcock. Check out our eBird list for a complete totals breakdown: https://ebird.org/canada/view/checklist/S46939458

Afterwards, we booked it home, and were back into Kitchener-Waterloo for 4pm! A great way to spend the long weekend!

**If interested in running a northern Ontario BBS route, Bird Studies Canada provides grants of a few hundred dollars per route for surveyors to complete them. In return, you must sign up to complete the route a minimum of 3 years in a row and be proficient in auditory songbird identification. https://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/bbs/

Thunder Bay dreaming...

After Nathan and did our best attempt at blitzing Rainy River (R and R...) in 30 degree heat, we motored east to Thunder Bay, where we met up with my brother, Mike and his colleague Colin Jones  on June 24th.

The four of us were doing some surveys for Rapids Clubtail, an endangered species that Nathan and I (more like Nathan...) had just written the updated status report on for COSEWIC. Nathan and I had successfully applied for a species at risk stewardship grant with the MNRF and were completing a week of surveys just south of Thunder Bay.

We spent an awesome 4 days walking parts of the Arrow, Pine, Whitefish and Pigeon Rivers. No dice on Rapids Clubtail, but we did find a few interesting species, including Riffle Snaketail.  While not an Ode and not a native species, we also saw a Sea Lamprey that Mike found.

Birding was mostly on the back-burner, but we managed to see A. White Pelican's every day, as well as a small group of Evening Grosbeaks and a territorial Vesper Sparrow (somewhat rare up there).

On the Wednesday (June 27th), Nathan, Mike and I dropped Colin at the airport and started making our way back to southern Ontario. We were making good time driving along the north shore, when just outside of Terrace Bay, I saw a bird perched on the hydro lines up ahead. My first thought was American Kestrel, but as we got closer the bird had an auspiciously long tail!! Fork-tailed Flycatcher immediately raced to mind. I quickly sat-up from the steering wheel and as we drove by, I could see the light back colouring -- HOLY FUCK! It was the real deal -- SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER!

I couldn't believe it! Without getting in an accident I pulled the truck over, pulled a U-turn and raced back. Nathan and I got great looks, and quickly called Mike to come back (he was just ahead of us). The three of us got some great looks from the side of the TransCanada hwy. before watching it fly over us, land in a spruce for a few moments, before disappearing to the northwest!!

From here, we kept continuing to Sault Ste. Marie, and then met up with my Dad outside of Sudbury, where I was to head up to do our annual Breeding Bird Survey routes in northeastern Ontario -- stay-tuned!

A little R and R is all that's needed...

On the weekend I returned from a whirlwind northern Ontario adventure that saw me travel from Waterloo on June 20th up to Rainy River (R and R...) for a day and a bit with Nathan Miller ahead of some dragonfly work we had secured with the MNRF near Thunder Bay.

With not too much time, Nathan and I traveled through the US, making it to Marquette, Michigan on our first night (June 20th), before arriving into Rainy River (R and R...) around 2pm on the Thursday (June 21st).

We quickly set about driving the 'good' areas around the area and were able to net pretty much all the expected prairie species that are typical to this area over the afternoon of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. We had some really interesting highlights:

- exceptional numbers of LeConte's Sparrows and Sedge Wrens, with cumulative trip totals of 67 and 108 individuals, respectively!!!

Sedge Wren briefly along the fenceline.

- good numbers of Clay-colored Sparrows (84) and Brewer's Blackbirds (88)
- Franklin's Gulls (500+), Yellow-headed Blackbirds (3) and American White Pelican's (110+) were also around, primarily near Lake of the Woods, by Harris Hill

- 3 Marbled Godwits including one at a new location (per eBird)
- 3 Sharp-tailed Grouse and 11 Western Meadowlarks throughout -- I love hearing these guys!

We also managed some decent rarities for the area too:
- the first Meadowlark we heard was an Eastern! I couldn't believe it! I got a really crappy shot of it here: https://ebird.org/canada/view/checklist/S46703582

Best of all was a male Dickcissel that we found nearby! https://ebird.org/canada/view/checklist/S46709291

With our whirlwind trip to Rainy River (R and R...) we motored onto Thunder Bay for close to a week conducting dragonfly surveys (I'll post about this in a few days).