NORTHERN CANADA & GREENLAND 
A second for the territory, this Western Kingbird was a nice find at the Watson 
Lake airport, Yukon 28-29 (here 29) May 2009. Photograph by Jukka Jantunen. 
h dramatic fallout of Lapland Longspurs across southern Yukon in mid-May 2009 
saw flocks such as this one in Whitehorse 13 May blanketing backyards and open 
fields. Photograph by Cameron Eckert. 
fous Hummingbird is rare but regular in s. 
Yukon; singles were seen in Whitehorse 14 
OSt) & 19 May (KS). An Eastern Phoebe was 
seen near the edge of its range at Hay River, 
NWT 18 May (ph. GV). A Western Kingbird, 
the Yukon’s 2nd, was at Watson Lake airport 
28-29 May (ph. JJ, JB). Two Northern 
Wheatears, the season’s first, 
were at Arctic Bay, NU 28 May 
(ph. CK). 
Migration monitoring at Al- 
bert Creek B.O., se. Yukon 
found that warblers dominated 
the totals for the 1582 individ- 
uals banded this season (TMK, 
JJ); leading the way were Yel- 
low-rumped Warbler (505), 
Wilson’s Warbler (274), Or- 
ange-crowned Warbler (170), 
Northern Waterthrush (113), 
Yellow Warbler (96), and 
Blackpoll Warbler (66). A 
Canada Warbler, an uncom- 
mon breeder in the extreme se. 
Yukon and unheard of any- 
where else in the territory, was 
about 900 km nw. of its range 
at Beaver Creek, sw. Yukon 21 
May (PS). Swamp Sparrow is 
common in se. Yukon but rare 
elsewhere in the territory; one 
singing at McIntyre Cr. wet- 
lands 27 May-3 Jun provided 
the first Whitehorse area 
record (ph. PS; ph. CE). Har- 
ris’s Sparrow is a rare migrant 
in the Region; 3 were at Hay 
River, NWT 22 & 24 May 
(GV), one was at Norman 
Wells, NWT 27 May (DW), 
and another was seen at Ft. 
Simpson, NWT 29 May (DT). A sensational 
fallout of Lapland Longspurs across s. Yukon 
in mid-May delighted birders, as flocks in the 
hundreds descended on backyard birdfeeders. 
A small flock of 3 Smith’s Longspurs, a first 
record for se. Yukon, visited the Watson Lake 
airport 26-27 May (ph. JJ). The first Snow 
Bunting of spring was at Rankin Inlet, NU 25 
Mar (BZ); 300 were at Yellowknife, NWT 19 
Apr (MH). A Western Meadowlark, casual in 
the Region, was at Ft. Simpson, NWT 12 May 
(ph. DT). Declining populations of Rusty 
Blackbirds heighten interest in reports of mi- 
gratory concentrations; a flock of 100 was at 
Norman Wells, NWT 6 May (DW). A Gray- 
crowned Rosy-Finch of the interior sub- 
species, an uncommon alpine breeder and 
rare lowland migrant, was seen near L. 
Laberge, s. Yukon 11 Apr (KO). Early spring 
saw the redpolls suffering from some kind of 
respiratory illness, with many sick and dead 
birds reported in s. and cen. Yukon. A Hoary 
Redpoll lingered at Hay River, NWT until 16 
May (ph. GV). It seems that Evening Gros- 
beaks have become increasingly rare around 
Watson Lake, se. Yukon in the past decade; a 
male seen there 12 May was exciting (ph. 
JSk). A female Evening Grosbeak that win- 
tered in Whitehorse, s. Yukon was last seen 31 
Mar (RE). 
Contributors (subregional editors in bold- 
face): Julie Bauer, Judy Dabbs, Paul Dabbs, 
Cameron Eckert, Robb Ellwood, Fran Etzel, 
Kent Forrest, Helmut Griinberg, Mike Gill, 
Martin Haefele, Tami Hamilton (TaH), Tiarel- 
la Hanna (TiH), Todd Heakes (ToH), Jukka 
Jantunen, Clare Kines, Craig Machtans, John 
Meikle, Ted Murphy-Kelly, Henry Nukon, 
Katie Ostrom, Richard Popko, Ben Schonewil- 
le, Kirstie Simpson, Pam Sinclair, Jenny Skel- 
ton OSk), Jennifer Staniforth QSt), Yammy 
Stote, Douglas Tate (Northwest Territories), 
Gary Vizniowski, Gerry Whitley, Mary Whit- 
ley, Dave Wilderspin, Brian Zawadski. ij^ 
Cameron D. Eckert, 1402 Elm Street 
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1 A 4B6, (cdeckert@northwestel.net) 
North American Birds 
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VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 3 
455 
