ONTARIO 
ara Falls 1 Nov QMP, BW). Cave Swallows 
staged a minor passage along the n. shores of 
L. Erie and L. Ontario, with 8 in three small 
groups at the Tip of Point Pelee 8 Nov (AW, 
KAM, BAM) and 2 singles there the next day 
(RPC, STP AW, GTH); 3 were at Pt. Edward 8 
Nov (TS); and 2 juvs. were at Erieau 9 Nov 
(IW): one was taken by a feral cat, but the 
survivor was still present and photographed 
the next day (MJN). At the Tip of Long Point, 
there were 12 birds 9 Nov, with 2 banded that 
day and 4 more banded 10 Nov (L.P.B.O.); on 
9 Nov, there were 3 at Turkey Pt., Noifolk 
QGB, KGB) and one at Old Cut (YSA). A 
Cave Swallow was above Niagara Palls 10 
Nov OEh, DRS), with 3 later that day (BP), 
and one at Prince Edward Pt. 10 & 17 Nov 
(BER), the hrst for the Kingston region, occa- 
sionally rested in abandoned Cliff Swallow 
nests under the eaves of the lighthouse where 
it was foraging; down the St. Lawrence R., 3 
Cave Swallows flew around and entered large 
grain elevators at Johnstown, Leeds & 
Grenville 13 Nov (BDL). A late imm. Barn 
Swallow flew off the Tip of Point Pelee 8 Nov 
(AW, BAM, KAM). 
A Rock Wren at Wolf Camp L., w. of 
Marathon, Thunder Bay 15 Nov (GS, MA, CV) 
This Cave Swallow took shelter in abandoned Cliff Swallow nests on the 
lighthouse at Prince Edward Point, Prince Edward County 10 and (here) 
1 7 November 2008 — the first for the Kingston, Ontario birding area. 
Photograph by Bruce Ripley. 
could not be relocated the next day. A Caroli- 
na Wren was unexpected at Pumpkin Pt., s. of 
Echo Bay, Algoma 13 Oct (RZD). Two Sedge 
Wrens were found in a field on Mission 1., 
Thunder Bay 3 Aug (BM). In Algoma. single 
Townsends Solitaires were at Elliot L. 15 Nov 
Nov (RWW). A Boreal 
Owl was found in Alta 
Vista, Ottawa 6 Nov 
(S&ED, RAB, CAL), and 
one was on the L.S.S. 9- 
12 Nov (m.ob.) . At 
Hilliardton Marsh, 
Timiskaming, 15 Boreal 
Owls were banded in ear- 
ly Nov (BDM), the hrst 
seen there since fall 2004. 
There was a light passage 
of Northern Saw-whet 
Owls, with Prince Ed- 
ward Point B.O. banding 
a total of 715 birds 20 
Sep-31 Oct (DO) com- 
pared with their record 
1519 in fall 2007. 
One of two first-year Fork-tailed Flycatchers straying to southern Ontario in October 
2008, this bird delighted many observers in the Onion Fields at Point Pelee 22 October 
2008. Photograph by Steve Pike. 
SWIFTS THROUGH 
THRUSHES 
The annual Chimney 
ad. was at Kettle Pt. 28 Oct (AHR); the Tip of 
Point Pelee had individual juvs. on 5 (AW), 
20 (AW,JMT), & 30 Sep (AW, MBR). A total 
of 27 jaegers off VW.B. 25 Aug-7 Oct (BRH, 
m.ob.) could not be assigned to species. 
A White-winged Dove visited feeders in St. 
Catharines, Niagara 21 Jul-18 Oct (PEC, 
SJHC, m.ob.). A late Mourning Dove nest at 
Oliphant produced 2 newly fledged young 5 
Oct OWJ). An imm. female Common 
Ground-Dove was discovered and pho- 
tographed in a remote area on Long Point 1 
Nov (SAM, RWW), the hrst record for the 
L.RB.O. and s. Ontario and only the 3rd for 
the province. A Barn Owl, probably a migrant, 
called three times as it hew w. over Holiday 
Beach 12 Oct (GTH). A large influx of Snowy 
Owls into s. Ontario began mid-Oct, the hrst 
at Cobourg harbor 19 Oct (MJCB), the second 
earliest for Northumberland. A good vole pop- 
ulation on Amherst I. nourished several 
Snowies (m.ob.), but elsewhere, some were 
emaciated or found dead, suggesting ad- 
vanced starvation, perhaps from a crash of ro- 
dent prey on breeding grounds following an 
unusually successful breeding season, A 
Northern Hawk Owl was actively hunting at 
Oxford Station, Leeds & Grenville 5 Nov (RP), 
one was near Shirley’s Bay, Ottawa 7 Nov (fide 
LN), and one was on the L.S.S, 8-9 Nov (ALA, 
m.ob.). There was a peak count of 26 Short- 
eared Owls on Amherst I, 2 Nov (BDL). A Bo- 
real Owl was banded at Innis Point B.O., 
Shirley’s Bay 29 Sep {fide DB); a hatch-year fe- 
male was banded at the Tip of Long Point 1 
Nov, the hrst ever Boreal Owl for L.RB.O. , and 
one was also seen at Old Cut, Long Roint 29 
Swift watch in London, 
Middlesex yielded a high count of 285 birds 
coming in to roost in one chimney late Sep 
(PAR); the 100 swifts over downtown 
Cobourg 4 Aug (CEG) made the highest 
count since 1995. A late imm. Red- 
headed Woodpecker was at Cabot 
Head, Bruce through at least 5 Nov 
(SM), one was at the Tip of Long 
Point through the end of the period 
(YSA, SAM), and another was in 
Kingston 26-30 Nov (VPM, JHE). 
Lingering Red-bellied Woodpeckers 
were n. to Sault Ste. Marie, where 
there were four sightings in Nov (fide 
KMl), and Wawa, Algoma in late Nov 
(fide NGE). 
A molting ad. Western Kingbird 
was photographed at Port Colborne 
30 Aug (ALA), and one was at Stoney 
Creek 1 Sep (GL). A hrst-year Fork- 
tailed Flycatcher caused a sensation 
at Prince Edward Pt. 5 Oct (DO, 
m.ob.) as it hawked from treetops for 
wasps and moths; another first-year 
Pork-tailed was a one-day wonder at 
the Onion Pields at Point Pelee 22 
Oct (BMO, m.ob.). These birds were 
the 10th and 11th for Ontario, and 
both appeared to be of the expected 
nominate subspecies. A White-eyed 
Vireo at Bronte Creek PR, Halton 22 
Nov (MWJ) was record late for the Hamilton 
Birding Area. There was a late Blue-headed 
Vireo at Chippawa, Niagara 30 Nov (BDL). 
Two Purple Martins lingered at Hillman 
Marsh through 4 Oct (NR), There were 21 
Northern Rough-winged Swallows over Niag- 
VOLUME 63 (2009) 
NUMBER 1 
73 
