[| Ontario 
1 - 
Margaret J. C. Bain 
T he weather over most of the province 
was pleasantly unremarkable this fall, 
with few extreme events except in the 
southwest, where in mid-September the rem- 
nants of Hurricane Ike passed directly over 
Point Pelee, bringing torrential rain and high 
winds but no hurricane-related birds. In the 
first half of November, also in the southwest 
of the province, a strong low-pressure system 
originating in the Central Plains brought in 
several western species, including American 
Avocets, Franklins Gulls, Cave Swallows, and 
a Spotted Towhee. Temperatures remained 
somewhat above average in most areas until 
mid-November, though Ottawa experienced a 
brief, early snowstorm in the last days of Oc- 
tober. The second half of November, however, 
brought bitterly cold north winds and the ear- 
ly arrival of significant snow depth in many 
areas. As usual in recent years, some bird 
species were recorded later than ever before. 
Water levels in Lake Ontario and the Ot- 
tawa River remained high until late in the sea- 
son, forcing migrant shorebirds to seek suit- 
able feeding areas elsewhere. Avian botulism 
claimed a number of victims among ducks, 
loons, grebes, and cormorants on the Great 
Lakes but was not nearly as devastating as 
during the fall of 2007. 
Raptor migration was mainly notable for 
good numbers of Broad-winged Hawks and 
an excellent, unprecedented flight of Golden 
Eagles. Hundreds of Golden Eagles must have 
passed through southern Ontario in October 
and November. A remarkable day at Prince 
Edward Point on eastern Lake Ontario, far 
from the usual flight paths, saw an amazing 
61 Golden Eagles fly through in one day in 
late October, 
Flocks of White-winged Crossbills, easily 
seen and heard by early October, were indica- 
tive of a large movement through southern 
Ontario. Redpolls and Pine Siskins followed 
but were not as numerous. Pine Grosbeaks, 
Red Crossbills, and Evening Grosbeaks 
seemed in short supply in most areas of the 
province. 
Outstanding rarities included Ontario’s 
third Manx Shearwater, fifth frigatebird, 
eighth Ferruginous Hawk, and third Com- 
mon Ground-Dove, as well as northern On- 
tario’s first Townsend’s Warbler. Additional 
significant rarities included a Great Cor- 
morant, two Mississippi Kites, a Curlew 
Sandpiper, a White-winged Dove, two Fork- 
tailed Flycatchers, several Cave Swallows, a 
Rock Wren, a Black-throated Gray Warbler, 
and a Spotted Towhee. 
Abbreviations: H.B.M.O. (Holiday Beach Mi- 
gration Observatory, Essex): H.C.H, (Hawk 
Cliff Hawkwatch, Port Stanley, Elgin): K.FN. 
(Kingston Field Naturalists); L.PB.O. (Long 
Point B.O., Noifolk): L.S.S. (Leslie Street Spit, 
Toronto); T.C.B.O. (Thunder Cape B.O., 
Thunder Bay): V.W.B. (Van Wagners Beach, 
Hamilton). Place names in italics refer to coun- 
ties, districts, and regional municipalities. 
WATERFOWL THROUGH GREBES 
Only a few Greater White-fronted Geese were 
reported, all singles, including an ad. in the 
Moodie Drive quarry pond, Nepean, Ottawa 
18-24 Sep (RC, m.ob.), one at Prince Edward 
Pt., Prince Edward 3 Oct (fide RTS), one at 
Cranberry Marsh, Whitby, Durham 17 Oct 
(JHF), an ad. in Andrew Haydon Park, Ot- 
tawa 18-26 Oct (RW, m.ob.), and another in 
Wilfrid Bog, Durham 6-10 Nov (MLH, ALK). 
The number of Ross’s Geese was much more 
remarkable, with the largest group a family of 
5 (2 ads., 3 juvs.) at Wildwood L., Oxford 28 
Sep-23 Oct (PM, m.ob.). These birds repre- 
sented only the 3rd record of the species for 
the county, the first two both in fall 2007. Sin- 
gle ad. Ross’s Geese were at Reesor Rd. pond, 
York 13 Oct 00. River Canard, Essex 14 
Oct-30 Nov (RAH, m.ob.), in Thunder Bay 
city 17 Oct (AE), at Alfred, Prescott-Russell 24 
Oct (PWH, JH), and on Wolfe 1., Frontenac 30 
Nov (K.F.N.); a juv. was at Pinehurst, 
Chatham-Kent 27 Nov (IW), joined by 2 ads. 
the next day (CA). A lone Brant at the Tip of 
Point Pelee 9 Nov was very unusual for the 
area (AW, RPC). Cackling Geese were widely 
reported in the s., mostly in small numbers, 
but there were 10 at Reesor Rd. pond 4 Oct 
(WP, RBHS), 10 at Sturgeon Creek, Essex 7-8 
Oct (KAM et al), and 11 on the Ottawa R. at 
Andrew Haydon Park 26 Oct (TFMB). 
Single male Eurasian Wigeons were at 
Long Sauk, Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry 
22-27 Oct (HvdZ) and Kingston 18 Oct-30 
Nov+ (K.FN.). A female King Eider was at 
Kettle Pt., Lambton 23-30 Nov+ (AHR, ph.), 
another was on L. Ontario off Stoney Cr., 
Hamilton 8-28 Nov (BRH), and there were 3 
there 29-30 Nov+ (BSC, m.ob). A female Har- 
lequin Duck was off Stoney Cr. 20 Oct (RZD), 
and 2 were observed briefly at T.C.B.O. 22 
Oct QMW et al.); on 18 Nov, there was a male 
at Humber Bay Park, Toronto (AK) and a fe- 
male at Ben Machree Park, Peel QC, GC); and 
a female lingered at Kettle Pt., Lambton 8-28 
Nov (AHR). Fifty Black Scoters at Fort Erie, 
Niagara 25 Oct (MLJ, TAS) was a good count. 
Barrow’s Goldeneyes are annual in late fall 
and winter in the Ottawa area: a male was on 
the Remic Rapids on the Ottawa R. 19-30 
Oct+ (m.ob.), a male was on the nearby 
Rideau R. 18-20 Nov (NvM, SB), and there 
were 2 there 27 Nov (NvM). 
There was a good fall passage of Red- 
throated Loons on L. Erie and L. Ontario, 
with high counts of 54 at the Tip of Long Pt. 
8 Nov (L.P.B.O.) and 95 off VW.B. 15 Nov 
(KAM, BRH). Single Pacific Loons were re- 
ported off Pinery P.P., Lambton 1 Nov (MPA) 
and at Prince Edward Pt. 2 Nov (K.FN.). A 
breeding-plumaged Horned Grebe at Embrun 
sewage lagoon, Prescott-Russell 24 May-31 
Aug m.ob.) was most unusual for the 
Ottawa area. There were 150 Red-necked 
This family group of two adult and three juvenile Ross's Geese, an unusually high number for southern Ontario, was enjoyed 
by many at Wildwood Lake, Oxford County 28 September (here) through 23 October 2008. Photograph by Peeter Miista. 
70 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
