Ontario | 
Alan Wormington 
I t was a dismal and very cold winter across 
Ontario, and the spring was similarly cold 
(and late) just about everywhere — espe- 
cially in the north. But as usual there were 
short periods of above-average temperatures 
associated with strong weather systems, re- 
sulting in excellent migration. One such peri- 
od was in early March, when across southern 
Ontario record-high temperatures of around 
66° F were widespread. This sparked a mas- 
sive flight of expected migrants into the area, 
particularly waterfowl, blackbirds, Killdeer, 
and others. But the most interesting period 
was the last week in April (starting on the 
24th), when a blast of warm air swept 
through southern Ontario; in the extreme 
southwest at Windsor, the daily high exceed- 
ed 85° F on four consecutive days 24-27 
April, inclusive. This early heatwave resulted 
in a surge of Neotropical migrants across 
southern Ontario, when record-early arrivals 
were established at numerous locations. A di- 
versity of warblers characterized this event, 
and by the end of the month seven species 
were found in Manitoulin District and a 
record 14 species at Presqu’ile Provincial 
Park. Even more remarkable, the warbler to- 
tal at Point Pelee was 34 species, easily an all- 
time record there for the month of April. Re- 
fer to Table 1 for a summary of early dates for 
the season. In northern Ontario, however, 
significant numbers of Neotropical migrants 
did not arrive until the last week of May, and 
this late migration set the stage for a very de- 
layed nesting season. 
On 9 May, a visible reverse migration of 
birds flying south off Fish Point at Pelee Is- 
land, Essex County, included 350 Nashville 
Warblers, 50 Scarlet Tanagers, 190 Indigo 
Buntings, a single Dickcissel, and 280 Balti- 
more Orioles (MVAB,JGB, KGB). 
Exceptional rarities found during the peri- 
od included Snowy Plover, Black Swift, Bell’s 
Vireo, Townsend’s Warbler, Chestnut-collared 
Longspur, and Lazuli Bunting. There was a 
surprising number of occurrences for species 
that just a few decades ago would have been 
considered quite exceptional — Western 
Grebe, Black Vulture, Mississippi Kite, Amer- 
ican Avocet, White-winged Dove, Fish Crow, 
Kirtland’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Lark 
Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak, and Painted Bunting 
are species that are now being found much 
more frequently in Ontario. 
Abbreviations: H.S.A. (Hamilton Study Area), 
K.FN. (Kingston Field Naturalists), L.P.B.O. 
(Long Point B.O.), N.L.B. (North Leeds Bird- 
ers), Point Pelee (Point Pelee Birding Area, a 
standard C.B.C. circle centred just n. of Point 
Pelee N.R). Mentioned often are Thunder Bay 
and Thunder Cape (Thunder Cape B.O.), both 
of which are in Thunder Bay District. Ontario 
is divided into “north” and “south” regions 
along the 47° N latitude. A place name in ital- 
ics refers to a county, district, or regional 
municipality. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH 
WILD TURKEY 
Numerous Greater White-fronted Goose sight- 
ings in the south included 9 at Erieau, 
Chatham-Kent 1 Mar QTB, KJB), 2 at Hillman 
Marsh, Essex 6-14 Mar (DjW), one at Etobi- 
coke, Toronto 13 Mar (GLKJ), and at the Kaiser 
Crossroad Wetland, Prince Edward, 4 birds 17 
Mar increased to 5 birds 18-24 Mar, with one 
lingering through 15 Apr (PSt et al). On 20 
Mar, a single was at Peters Corners, Hamilton 
(DRS, LSF). Birds in Ottawa were one at Carls- 
bad Springs 19 Mar, increasing to 2 birds 21 
Mar (WB, NVM), and singles at Bells Corners 
2 Apr (RC), at Carp 5 Apr (FH), and again at 
Bells Corners 11 May (TFMB). A Greater 
White-fronted Goose shot 14 Apr just sw. of 
Moosonee on the Kwataboahegan R., Cochrane 
QT) was a rare sighting for the Hudson Bay 
Lowlands. The 198 Snow Geese at Hillman 
Marsh 10-17 Mar (AW et al.) made a record- 
high spring count for Point Pelee. Greater 
Snow Goose continues to increase as a spring 
migrant through e. Ontario, with the first 250 
birds detected 7 Mar at Ingleside, Stonnont, 
Dimdas and Glengany. Some select counts in- 
clude 10,000 at Williamstown 22 Mar and 
8000 e. of Bainsville on 30 Mar, both Stormo?it, 
Dimdas and Glengarry, and 40,000 at Bourget 
10 Apr and 20,000 at Alfred 22 Apr, both 
Prescott and Russell (fide BLM); finally, an aeri- 
al survey over ten e. Ontario sites 4 May tallied 
61,000 birds (Canadian Wildlife Service). 
A single Brant inland in a farm field with 
Canada Geese at Peters Corners 21 Mar (RZD 
et al.) was certainly unusual, and the early 
date suggests local wintering somewhere 
nearby. Peak Brant numbers at Kingston, 
Frontenac were 1800 on 12 May and 1600 on 
24 May (both JHE, AKBR). The 52 Wood 
Ducks at Point Pelee 6 Mar was an exception- 
al count for the early date, which included 19 
flying southward off the Tip in apparent re- 
verse migration (AW, MBR). On 14 May, a 
Gadwall was at Rainy River, Rainy River 
(DHE), a local rarity. Ten Eurasian Wigeons 
are probably more than any previous spring 
season; singles (all males) were found at Point 
Pelee 15-19 Mar (AW et al.) and a different 
bird there 16 Mar (AW), at Presqu’ile PR, 
Northumberland 17-23 Mar (KW et al), at 
Bourget, Prescott and Russell 30 Mar-3 Apr 
Q A Ross's Goose numbers exploded this spring across s. Ontario, remarkable for a species that was recorded for the first 
time in the south only in 1970. Throughout its range, there are perhaps several reasons why Ross's Goose is increas- 
ing, but in s. Ontario specifically, it is probable that the widespread adoption of no-till farming in recent decades — when 
waste corn and stubble remain in farm fields through spring — has facilitated an eastward expansion of migration patterns 
for both this and other prairie geese. 
In s. Ontario, the epicenter was Hillman Marsh at Point Pelee, where first arrivals were 6 birds 5-8 Mar (AW) with an ad- 
ditional 4 birds 8 Mar (DJW), then increasing to a total of 22 birds 9 Mar (DJW), and finally an impressive 44 birds 1 0-1 5 Mar 
(AW et al.). Point Pelee recorded its first Ross's Goose in 1994! Concentrations elsewhere included 12 birds at Grand Bend, 
Lambton 20 Mar, 2 of which were of the blue morph (MPA); 8 at Northville, Lambton 10-26 Mar (AHR et al.); 4 at Des- 
barats-Echo Bay area, Algowa 9-15 Apr (KAM et al.); 3 at Townsend, Haldimand on 14 Mar (NCM, 1C); 2 birds 11-12 Mar, in- 
creasing to 3 on the last date, at Rockton, Hamilton (CEE et al.), and probably one of these remaining through 19 Mar at 
Sheffield (JEH, RWS, GDB); and 2 at long Point Inner Bay 14 Mar (NCM, 1C). Single Ross's were found in Ottawa 3-10 Apr at 
Richmond (JMT et al.), 18 Apr at Carlsbad Springs (RAB, RJC et al), 18 Apr at Corkery (RMP), and 11 May at Nepean (TFMB), 
and 14 Mar at Whitby, Durham (GCo et al.), 18 Mar at Townsend, Norfolk (KGB), 31 Mar at Reesor Pond, York (SI et al.), and 
28 Apr at Russell, Prescott and Russell (PS). 
Excluding the Hudson Bay shoreline, where Ross's Goose is a common spring migrant and breeder in small but increasing 
numbers, the species is normally scarce elsewhere in the north, and this spring the only reports were singles at Dryden, Keno- 
ra 15-16 Apr (AMM et al.) and one very late at Thunder Bay 18-24 May (BJM et al). 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
417 
