PRAIRIE PROVINCES 
Alberta's third Pygmy Nuthatch lingered at Mountain View 2-13 (here 3) 
October 2008. The province's first and second records came in September 
2007 and August 2008. Photograph by Terry Korolyk. 
This Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, present at Blackstrap Lake, Saskatchewan 
2-10 (here 8) November 2008, provided the province's twelfth record. 
Photograph by Nick Saunders. 
Short-eared Owls; 30-h were counted 30 Nov 
(GR et al.). During the season, 256 Northern 
Saw-whet Owls were banded at Nisbet Forest, 
ne. of Prince Albert, SK (FIF). 
Peak counts of Common Nighthawk in 
Aug were 50-t- at Pinawa, MB (PT, RZ), 70 at 
Eastend, SK (KH), and 90 at Val Marie, SK 
QC). A northerly Chimney Swift roost at The 
Pas, MB, attracted 34-i- birds 5-9 Aug (BWa et 
al.), while 4 at Morden, MB 22 Aug were lo- 
cally rare (P63:VG). Rare in Manitoba were a 
Rufous Hummingbird at Steinbach 17 Oct 
(AL, ph.) and a Red-bellied Wood- 
pecker at Headingley 26-28 Oct 
(LN). A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 
lingered at Winnipeg 5 Nov (RP). 
PASSERINES 
A Hammond’s Flycatcher banded at 
Calgary 27 Aug was a local rarity 
(fide TK). Rarer still was 
Saskatchewan’s 12th Scissor-tailed 
Flycatcher at Blackstrap L. 2-10 Nov 
(MHa, MW, ph.). A Yellow-throated 
Vireo at Regina, SK 29 Sep was rare 
and late (DS, BL), and a Red-eyed 
Vireo at Winnipeg 2 Nov was record 
late QW). A Violet-green Swallow 
was seen al L.M.B.O. 22 Aug (fide 
AS). Red-breasted Nuthatches had a 
poor night in s. Manitoba but a 
strong movement at P.S.L., with 
2000+ noted in the first half of Sep 
there (PSh). Following Alberta’s first 
record in fall 2007, 2 Pygmy 
Nuthatches were found this season: 
one was near Frank 5 Aug (PSh), 
while another delighted observers at 
Mountain View 2-13 Oct (NW, 
m.ob., ph.). A Carolina Wren at 
Winnipeg 11 Oct proved elusive 
(RK, m.ob.). Both Saskatchewan and 
Manitoba had 2 Townsend’s Soli- 
taires, well down from last year’s in- 
cursion. Record numbers of Gray-cheeked, 
Swainson's, and Hermit Thrushes were banded 
at L.M.B.O. (fide AS). Otherwise, Catharus 
thrush migration was subdued, except for 
strong movements of Swainson’s Thrushes at 
Winnipeg 28 Aug and 6 Sep (RK). A Brown 
Thrasher at a Churchill feeder 8 Nov was rare 
and late (DH, BSu el al). 
Warbler migration was steady in se. Mani- 
toba, with one major wave 27-28 Aug. Late 
Orange-crowned Warblers were at Banff N.P 
9 Nov (DE) and at Calgary 16 Nov (CCo). 
The usefulness of the Internet was 
shown when an unusual bird, ini- 
tially identified as a Virginia’s War- 
bler, visited Ft McMurray, AB 8-10 
Nov (CM). Photographs were circu- 
lated, and eventually the bird was 
identified by David Sibley as Cana- 
da’s first Lucy’s Warbler. A tardy 
Northern Parula at Saskatoon, SK 
13 Oct was rare (GW). Two Black- 
throated Blue Warblers were band- 
ed at L.M.B.O. 20 & 21 Sep (RDi, 
AS), while singles were noted at 
Winnipeg 14 (CA, LV) & 25 Sep 
(RP) and at Lundar, MB 7 Nov 
(BEy). Lone Yellow-rumped War- 
blers lingered at Calgary 23 Nov 
OM) and at Regina 25 Nov (DS). Alberta’s 
2nd Yellow-throated Warbler was a one-day 1 
wonder at Medicine Hat 7 Nov (ph. PH). I 
American Redstarts were particularly promi- 
nent at Winnipeg, with 55 noted 5 Sep (RK) 
and 30+ in less than one hour 7 Sep (GWz). | 
A Kentucky Warbler sighting at Winnipeg 9 ( 
Sep was not documented (AM). A Western 1 
Tanager was banded at L.M.B.O. 28 Aug (fide - 
AS), and one was seen at Whiteshell PR, MB 
1 Sep QT)- Seven Snow Buntings at Forget- 
me-not Ridge, AB 6 Sep were very early (RC). | 
A female Northern Cardinal in Calgary 18 ' 
Aug (BED may have been the individual that 
wintered in the city. A straggling imm. Rose- 
breasted Grosbeak was at Medicine Hat 24 
Nov (BV). Recently fledged but unattended 
Brown-headed Cowbirds were still quite com- 
mon in Manitoba’s Interlake region through „ 
Aug, indicating late breeding by host species 
(KG, RK, PT). There were strong movements 
of White-winged Crossbills at P.S.L. (PSh, 
m.ob.) and a small incursion in Saskatch- 
ewan, especially at Regina (fide GK). Pine 
Siskins were prominent in Saskatoon in Aug, 
e.g., 55 were banded on the 9th, with only 
three repeats from birds caught a week earlier 
(MH). They also featured strongly at P.S.L. 
(PSh, m.ob.). 
Observers (subregional compiler in bold- 
face): C. Artuso, B. Baker, R. Barclay, L. 
Blanchette, E. Bouvier, S. Brew, J. Christie 
QCh), J. Clarke, R. Clarke, M. Coughlin, C. 
Coulter (CCo), C. Cuthbert, L. de March 
(LdM), R. Dickson (RDi), N. Duckworth, L. 
Dudragne, M. Dudragne, R. Dudragne, B. Eld- 
er (BEl), D. Elphinstone, B. Ewart, B. Eyolf- ' 
son (BEy), D. Fast, K. Gardner, P. & V. , 
Goossen, G. Grieef, H. Fisher, M. Haga | 
(MHa), D. Hanna, P Harding, M. Harrison, K. jj 
Hedegard, M. Houston, R. Koes, T. Korolyk, ! 
G. Kratzig, A. Loewen, B. Luterbach, J. Mac- ;• 
Donald, M. MacDonald, V. Mattson, A. Mick- I 
ey, R. Mooi, C. Mountain, L. Nelson, R. Par- f 
sons, D. Pedersen,]. Pilny, Q. Plett, R. Porte- | 
ous (RPo), M. Reid, V. Reimer, G. Ro- I 
manchuk, F Roy, D. Sawatzky, P. Sherrington 
(PSh), B. Shettler (BSh), E. Sinclair, A. Slater j 
(ASl), A. Smith, P Smith, D. Stirling (DSt), B. |j 
Storms, B. Sundstrom (BSu), G. & R. Taylor, j! 
P Taylor, J. Tyson, L. Veelma, B. Velner, B, | 
Walley (BWa), G. Walz (GWz), R. Wang, G. ! 
Wapple, S. Weir, N. West, J. Whitelaw, M. 
Williams, B. Willy, B. Wilson (BWn), R. | 
Worona (RWo), M. Yorke, R. Zach. 1$ 
Rudolf F Koes, 135 Rossmere Crescent 
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2K 0G1, (rkoes@mts.net) 
Peter Taylor, P. 0. Box 597 
Pinawa, Manitoba ROE 1L0, (taylorp@granite.mb.ca) 
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS 
One of several outstanding rarities in the Prairie Provinces during early No- 
vember 2008 was Alberta's second Yellow-throated Warbler (of the albilora 
subspecies) at Medicine Hat 7 November 2008. Photograph by Pat Harding. 
110 
