ONTARIO 
This female Orchard Oriole on 29 May 2009 at Terrace Bay, Ontario was one 
of five birds found this spring in Thunder Bay District, an area that previ- 
ously had only two known occurrences. Photograph by Alan Wormington. 
Smith’s Longspur at the Wolf R. mouth 20 
May (NGE, SCB, MGB) was the only report. A 
definitive male Chestnut-collared Longspur 
caught and banded at Thunder Cape 30 May 
QMW, MEW, SLS, ARS) made the 6th record 
for Ontario. 
An isolated population of Northern Cardi- 
nal (one or two pairs) continues to be present 
at Marathon, Thunder Bay, confirmed by a 
male singing there 28 May (AW); a female at 
Lerome Lake, Rainy River 7 May (MK) was 
also well north. On 27 Apr, an early Rose- 
breasted Grosbeak was at South Baymouth, 
Manitoulin (DR). The 7 Blue Grosbeaks 
found in s. Ontario were far more than usual: 
a female at Point Pelee 27 Apr (BRH, LFR), 
female at Long Point’s Courtright Ridge 28 
Apr (AA, HMJ), first-spring male at Deal- 
town, Chatham-Kent 6 May (AW), a defini- 
tive male at Wyoming, Lambton 10 May 
(DMF), a first-spring male at Point Pelee 14 
May (MWH, JAH et al.), a female at Point 
Pelee 19 May (DJM et al.), and a definitive 
male at Sault Ste. Marie 26-31 May-r (WHE). 
Of greater significance was a definitive female 
banded at Thunder Cape 19-20 May QMW 
MEW, SLS, ARS, REB), one of few records for 
n. Ontario. A first-spring male Lazuli 
Bunting at Crooks, Thunder Bay 31 May-i- 
(SEI, Rll et al.) was the 9th Ontario record; 
all records pertain to spring migrants, with 
the exception of a previously unpublished 
summer record of a territorial definitive male 
Jul-Aug 2008 at Candy Mt., Thunder Bay 
(RLZ). Flashy male Painted Buntings were 
found at Brantford, Brant 28-30 Apr (DAF) 
and at Clarksburg, Grey 17 May (PN), the 
former a first record for H.S.A. Other than the 
single Dickcissel at Pelee Island (see intro- 
duction), a male at Atikokan 12-13 May (FK, 
JKim) was, surprisingly, the only other report 
for the whole province. 
BLACKBIRDS THROUGH FINCHES 
In the s., the only reported Western Mead- 
owlarks were singles at the Tip of Long Point 
6 Apr and 18 Apr (L.P.B.O.) and at Point Pelee 
5 May (KAMcL, RLW, GBM). Five male Yel- 
low-headed Blackbirds at Mitchell’s Bay, 
Chatham-Kent 13 May QRC, VLC) almost 
certainly indicates local breeding in the adja- 
cent marshes of Lake St. Clair. In the n., out- 
of-range singles were found in Thunder Bay at 
Rossport 24-25 May (DJS), at Manitouwadge 
24-26 May (TBH), at Otter Cove in Pukaskwa 
N.P. 26 May QWH, MLA), at Longlac in mid- 
May (2; FJJ), while in Kenora, singles were 
found at Sioux Lookout 23 Apr (ML) and at 
Waldhof 15 May QAB). A Rusty Blackbird 
successfully wintered in the n. at Heron Bay, 
Thunder Bay (WM). The 5250 Rusties over 
the Richmond Fen, Ottawa 30 Apr 
OHS) was a very high count for 
this species. In the extreme s., 
sightings of Brewer’s Blackbirds 
were few, with singles at Erieau 5 
Apr 0Tb. KJB) and also Long 
Point Tip 3 Apr, 6-7 Apr, and 4 
May (L.PB.O.). With just two pri- 
or Orchard Oriole records for 
Thunder Bay (1986 and 1994), 5 
there this spring is indicative of 
the ongoing northward expansion 
of the species; singles were found 
at Nipigon 14-15 May (GC), at 
Thunder Cape 20 May (SLS, JMW, 
MEW, ARS), at Geraldton 21-25 
May (LEZ), at Thunder Cape 23 
May (ARS, JMW, MEW, SLS), and at Terrace 
Bay 29 May (AW). 
Two Pine Grosbeaks at Hillman Marsh 17 
Mar (PSB, IMR) was a locally rare sighting for 
Point Pelee in the deep s. of the province. On 
24 Apr, there were still 36 White-winged 
Crossbills at Stratford, Perth (AMJ), and 2 were 
at Long Point (Gravelly Bay) 14 May (SAM), 
which suggests local nesting. The 2+ Common 
Redpolls flying over Wilson Tract, Norfolk 22 
May (RR) were extremely tardy and record late 
for the Long Point Area. Lingering Hoary Red- 
polls in the s. included one at Kingston 13 Mar 
(MC), one at Presqu’ile PR 21 Mar (FMH), 2 at 
Constance Bay, Ottawa 24 Mar OHS), one at 
Algonquin PR Visitor Centre 11 Apr (CMH et 
al.), and one particularly late bird at Wallace- 
burg, Chatham-Kent 15-16 Apr (BAM). On 2 
Apr, a rare Greenland Hoary Redpoll (nomi- 
nate homemanni subspecies) was at Fonthill, 
Niagara (KJR, DRoy). Pine Siskin was abun- 
dant at many locations, but their movements 
were complex. In the s., many lingered after 
the huge, peculiar influx that materialized in 
Jan, and these were supplemented by spring 
migrants that began arriving in late Apr. Nest- 
ing birds were detected at numerous locations 
(s. to London), presumably derived from win- 
tering birds that had been present for months. 
In n. Ontario, spring migrants passed through 
in massive numbers, peaking late in the sea- 
son. In late May, hundreds were visiting bird 
feeders at every town along the n. shore of L. 
Superior in Thunder Bay (AW), and Thunder 
Cape B.O. banded an astounding 4732 siskins 
during their spring session (more than 50% of 
all birds banded). Evening Grosbeak continues 
to be remarkably scarce across the province, 
for reasons that are largely unknown. Only a 
single bird (16 Apr) was reported in the 
Kingston Area, and a visit across the entire n. 
shore of L. Superior 26 May-5 Jun (AW) failed 
to record the species; on 1 May, a single female 
was at Long Point’s Old Cut (YSA, JBF). 
Exotics and escapees: A male Common 
Chaffinch was at Thunder Cape 4 May QMW 
JRB, MEW, SLS). Single European Goldfinch- 
es were found at West Lome, Elgin 10 Mar-12 
Apr (CM, PM), at Marathon 15 Apr (CCV), at 
Gore Bay, Manitoulin 5-6 May (LT), and at 
Long Point’s Courtright Ridge 22 May, with a 
different bird there 30 May (EP, AE, MKa). A 
photographed Harris’s Hawk 25 Mar at Bass 
Lake PR, Sirncoe (TW) is problematic, as the 
species is regularly kept in captivity but birds 
considered wild have been recorded as far n. 
as Ohio. 
Corrigenda: The Blue Grosbeak at Longlac 
23 May 2007 (North American Birds 61: 436- 
437) was actually present 22-23 May. The 
Western Tanager sightings last spring at Pass 
Lake, Thunder Bay (North American Birds 62: 
401) were later determined to be 2 different 
birds (both first-spring males) as follows: one 
24-27 Apr 2008 (Douglas D. Thomas) and 
the other 27 Apr-6 May 2008 (Julie Welsh 
et al.). 
Subregional editors (boldface) and cited ob- 
servers: Alfred L. Adamo, Martha L. Allen, 
Alex Anctil, Alex J. Anstice, Maris R Apse, Ed- 
ward R. Armstrong, Jean Hall-Armstrong, 
Yousif S. Attia, Brian R Bailey, Margaret J.C. 
Bain, James R. Barber, Erica Barkley (EBk), 
John Barro, Dan N. Bascello, Erwin Batalla 
(EBa), David D. Beadle, Serge Beaudette 
(SBeau), Tony EM. Beck, Christopher T. Bell, 
David M. Bell, Bernard Beneteau, Alison J. 
Bentley, Stewart Bentley, Peter J. Birkner, Al- 
bert Boisvert, Tom Bolohan, William Bow- 
man, Jacques M. Bouvier, Robert A. Bracken, 
Erik Branten, Mark Breaks, Jo-Anne Bridgwa- 
ter, John E. Van den Broeck, Peter Brunner, 
Michael G. Bryan, Rachel E. Bryan, Susan C. 
Bryan, George D. Bryant, Mike Burge 
(MBurge), James T. Burk, KeithJ. Burk, Peter 
S. Burke, Michael V.A. Burrell, James G. Bur- 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
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