ONTARIO 
This immature Mississippi Kite on 22 May 2009 was one of four birds 
recorded this spring at Point Pelee, Ontario, a locality that is the pre- 
miere site for this species in the Great Lakes Region. Photograph by 
Robert Curry. 
and a male at Britannia through 22 Apr 
(m.ob.); the only other reports were of single 
males at Muscote Bay, Prince Edward 16 Apr 
(HG) and at Lakefield, Peterborough 15-TI 
Apr (WJC et al), both very late occurrences. 
For the first time ever, 1+ Wild Turkeys suc- 
cessfully wintered at Algonquin RR, Nipissing, 
feeding mostly on natural foods and not de- 
pendent on feeders; the species was first 
recorded there in 2002 (fide RGT). 
LOONS THROUGH IBISES 
The 99 Red-throated Loons that passed Thun- 
der Cape 4 May QMW, MEW,JRB, SLS) made 
quite a significant count for a species that is 
normally rare on L. Superior. Away from the 
lower Great Lakes, one Eared Grebe was 
found 11 Apr at Southampton, Bruce (BW); 
another in Bruce at Ripley 17-18 May was 
thought to be the same bird as seen about 12 
km away at Kincardine 20-28 May QAT et 
al). Tbe wintering Western Grebe at Ash- 
bridge’s Bay, Toronto since 13 Feb (EO et al.) 
was last reported 28 Mar. What was presum- 
ably a different bird was present at Etobicoke 
17-24 Apr (MVAB et al.); the only other re- 
port was one at Rrince Edward Ft. 23 May 
(DO, MJCB, EAM, AC), the Kingston Area’s 
2nd ever. American White Felicans seen at 
non-breeding locations were 50-1- birds late 
Apr-late May at Sault Ste. Marie, Algoma 
(KAM); 5 at Atikokan, Rainy River 23 Apr 
(DHE); 5 at Dundas Marsh, Hamilton 14-17 
May, with one remaining through 23 May 
(MDaly et al.); 2 flying northward over e. 
Hamilton 9 Apr (TK); 2 at Guelph L., Welling- 
ton 10 Apr (RC et al); and one at Rattray 
Marsh, Peel 25 May (DER, MHC). An 
ad. Great Cormorant 20 May flying 
eastward past Fifty Ft., Hamilton/Nia- 
gara (GEH) provided only the 4th 
spring record for Ontario. 
An early Great Egret was at Point 
Pelee 19-24 Mar (DJW et al), and 
one in Billings Township 8 May (RF) 
was rare for Manitoulin. The only 
Snowy Egret observations were single 
birds at Holland Marsh, Simcoe 28 
Apr (RDM), at Big Creek Marsh, Es- 
sex 2-16 May (DJW et al), and at Eto- 
bicoke 6 May (LSF). There was a 
scattering of Little Blue Herons, with 
an ad. at Point Pelee 4-5 May (RBF, 
DCMF et al), a first-year imm. at 
Kingston 13 May (ELF), a first-year 
imm. at Point Pelee 15 May OHS, 
JMT et al.), an ad. at Strathroy, Mid- 
dlesex 16 May (TB), and an ad. at Ket- 
tle Pt., Lambton 19 May (AHR). Cat- 
tle Egret reports were limited to just 
two singles — at Red Rock, Thunder 
Bay 11 May (LAS, VES et al.) and another at 
Hamilton Harbour 18 May (SC). An early and 
northerly Green Heron was present at South 
Baymouth, Manitoulin 26 Apr-5 May (DR et 
al.). An unidentified Plegadis ibis 11 May at 
Point Pelee (BSC et al.) was the only report of 
this genus. 
RAPTORS THROUGH SHOREBIRDS 
A total of seven Black Vulture sightings was 
certainly unexpected. One at Rondeau Park 
townsite, Chatham-Kent 13-16 Mar (DC et 
al.) was reported by local residents to have 
been present for a week prior, while the oth- 
ers were noted s. of Glen Morris, Brant 21 
Mar (WGS); at Kingston 23 Mar (VPM); in 
Norfolk at Turkey Point Marsh 28 Mar (KK et 
al.) and the next day at St. Williams; at Point 
Pelee 11 Apr (CES, SJC et al.); at New Scot- 
land, York 27 Apr (CC); and at Ferndale, 
Bruce 17 May (VEM, GS, MG). The 3100 
Turkey Vultures at Grimsby 2 Apr (BRH) 
made a record-high count for H.S.A. A very 
early Osprey was at Hamilton Harbour 19 
Mar (GCh, NC). Multiple sightings of Missis- 
sippi Kite at Point Pelee were thought to in- 
volve 4 birds, with an ad. 11 May (GTH et al.) 
and single first-year imms. 11 Ok RJP et al.), 
13 (EWH et al), & 22 May (RCu, GJS et al.). 
A nesting pair of Bald Eagles at Dundas Marsh 
was not successful, but it did provide the first 
modern breeding attempt for w. L. Ontario 
(fide RZD). The wintering ad. Red-shouldered 
Hawk at Kanata, Ottawa was last seen 13 Mar 
(m.ob.) and was probably the same bird that 
wintered there 2007-2008. One seen flying 
eastward (and high) over Brighton, Northum- 
berland 4 Mar (RDM) was locally an early 
spring migrant. Fifty-seven Broad-winged 
Hawks were counted in one hour fiying east- 
ward along L. St. Clair at Puce, Essex 21 Apr 
(AW); this area is known for spring raptors, 
even though flights there are rarely reported. 
The 4316 Broad-wingeds tallied at Grimsby 
24 Apr (m.ob.) provided a record-higb spring 
count for H.S.A. At Amherst I., Lennox and 
Addington. Rough-legged Hawks peaked 12 
Apr, with 80 birds (MB, DO), while one at 
Blackheath, Hamilton 31 May (BRH) was pre- 
sumably a non-breeder. A nesting pair of Mer- 
lins returned to London, Middlesex (PSB et 
al.), the southernmost in the province. The 
ad. gray-morph Gyrfalcon originally found 21 
Feb at Thunder Bay (BJM et al.) was last seen 
1 Mar, and a wbite-morph ad. was present 3- 
14 Mar at Wolfe I., Frontenac (BME et al). 
The endangered King Rail was reported 
only once, a single bird at Stone Road Alvar, 
Pelee Island 8-11 May OKing et al). A flock 
of 54 “northern” Sandhill Cranes flying 
northward at Atikokan 20 Apr (DHE) was lo- 
cally significant. Very unexpected was a 
Snowy Plover on the n. shore of L. Superior 
at the Wolf R. mouth. Thunder Bay 22-23 May 
(SJF et al), the 8th provincial record but the 
first ever in the north. Single migrant Piping 
Plovers included a color-banded male at the 
Tip of Long Point 30 Apr-6 May (L.RB.O.) 
and another marked bird at Darlington PR, 
Durham 27-29 May (TH et al). It was anoth- 
er banner spring for American Avocets, with 
Snowy Plover is not a species one expects to see on Lake 
Superior, but this individual was present 22-23 (here 22) 
May 2009 at the Wolf River mouth, Thunder Bay District, to 
provide a first record for northern Ontario. Photograph by 
Susan J. Fagan. 
42 at Erieau 30 Apr QTB); 20 s. of Morpeth 3 
May, then shortly thereafter at Rondeau PR 
(DP et al); 11 at Point Pelee 25 Apr (DJW et 
al.) and another 14 there 2 May (AW); and 2 
at Rondeau RR 7-8 May (B. Yott et al). The 27 
avocets at Wheatley Harbour, Chatham-Kent 
3 May (GAH, GLH et al.) departed at 3:15 
p.m. and were then seen at 5:45 p.m. some 55 
km due w. at Lakewood Beach, Essex (AW); 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
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