pecker was at Thunder Cape 4-5 Jun QMW et 
al), and 2 ads and a juv. made a nice record 
for the Bala area in Muskoka 22 Jul QF)- A 
male Red-bellied Woodpecker was at Thun- 
der Cape 5 Jun (SLS et al.), with another in 
the town of Rainy River 26 Jun (DHE). The 
species seems to be increasing in the Rainy 
River area. 
FLYCATCHERS THROUGH PIPITS 
An Acadian Flycatcher at Skunk’s Misery, 
Middlesex 8 Jun was an excellent find for the 
area (GCP, RR). Eastern Kingbirds reached 
the James Bay shore, with one at Otterhead 
Cr. near Moosonee 10 Jul (DAS) and one at 
Longridge Ft. 22 Jul (RDM et al.). A Yellow- 
throated Vireo was near Gravenhurst 13 Jun 
(D&RG). Three juv. Northern Shrikes were 
seen at Longridge Ft. 27 Jul (DPS, GB, JI). 
Three Common Ravens flew over Richmond- 
hill, G.T.A. 21 Jun (FP), another sign of the 
continuing southward range expansion of the 
species. On 3 Jun, a Black-billed Magpie made 
an appearance at Thunder Cape QMW et al.). 
A male Horned Lark of the subspecies hoyti 
(“Hoyt’s Horned Lark”) was a late migrant at 
Thunder Bay 2 Jun (AW). Apparently un- 
precedented was a Tree Swallow x Barn 
Swallow hybrid found at Thunder Bay 1-2 
Jun (AW et al.). An early Red-breasted 
Nuthatch was at Point Pelee N.P. 4 Jul (AW). 
A territorial male Sedge Wren at The Shoals 
PR, Sudbury 4 Jun (AW) was an excellent 
record for the e. part of L. Superior. A singing 
Marsh Wren was an unexpected find at Otter- 
head Cr. near Moosonee 10 Jul (DAS). Total- 
ly unexpected was a male Northern Wheatear 
found at Redbridge, Nipissing 4 Jun (CTH, 
EMH). Very rare for Essex in summer, a 
singing Hermit Thrush was found at Pelee 1. 
18 Jun (ACP). A singing Wood Thrush in wil- 
low thickets s. of Fort Albany on the James 
Bay coast 3-10 Jul (PH et al.) was far n. of its 
usual range in the province. Also unusually 
far n. were a singing Gray Catbird at the Har- 
ricanaw R. mouth 5 Jul (WJC, MJO) and a 
Northern Mockingbird at Moosonee 15 Jul 
(MKP et al). Another mockingbird at Point 
Pelee N.P 22 Jul (AW) was locally a record- 
early fall migrant. A very late American Pipit 
was at Longlac, Thunder Bay 9 Jun (FJ). 
WARBLERS THROUGH FINCHES 
A Yellow-throated Warbler singing near 
Gravely Bay on Long Pt. 22 Jun (RWW) was 
most unexpected for the date. A pair of Yellow 
Palm Warblers (subspecies hypochrysea) bred 
successfully at Mer Bleue Bog in the Mer 
Bleue C.A. near Ottawa, where 3 juvs. were 
noted 11 Jul (LS). A first-year Connecticut 
Warbler at Skunk’s Misery 3 Jun (PSB) was a 
tardy migrant. A late Hooded Warbler was in 
downtown Toronto 3-4 Jun (LF); another was 
at the Tip of Point Pelee N.P. 9 Jun (AW). 
Numbers of Yellow-breasted Chat continue to 
be depressed. Only one pair was found at 
Point Pelee N.P. (AW), and only two pairs 
were at Pelee 1. (ACP). A single chat banded 
at the Tip of Long Pt. 18 Jun (YA) was cer- 
tainly at a bizarre location for the date. A ter- 
ritorial Prairie Warbler at Westover 5 Jun 
(RZD) was the first found in the Hamilton 
area since 2002. 
Golden-winged Warblers are found in cen. and s. 
Ontario, with a small population in the Rainy Riv- 
er area. The warblers in cen. and s. Ontario have been in- 
terbreeding with Blue-winged Warblers, and it is suspect- 
ed there may no longer be any pure Golden-winged War- 
blers in that part of the province. A multi-agency study is 
underway in Manitoba and the Rainy River area to ascer- 
tain the status of the species in that area where Blue- 
winged Warblers are not present. Golden-winged War- 
blers were found in surprising numbers in the Rainy River 
area, with birds being found on 15.7% of 428 point 
counts, much higher than numbers found in Manitoba. It 
is suspected that recent timber harvesting activities in the 
area during the past 10 years have created an abundance 
of suitable habitat for Golden-wingeds. 
A first-year male Summer Tanager was 
singing in the Hepburn Tract near Long Pt. 6 
Jul (SAM). A male Eastern Towhee at 
Marathon, Thunder Bay 16 Jun (FJM) was 
well out of its usual range. A surprise for ob- 
servers was the widespread occurrence of 
singing Clay-colored Sparrows along the 
James Bay coast 1-30 Jul (MKP et al.). A Lark 
Bunting was present near Lake on the Moun- 
tain 4 Jun (PS), a very unusual find. Two 
Lark Sparrows appeared at Thunder Cape, 
with one present 31 May-5 Jun (JMW et al.) 
and another 25 Jun QMW, MEW). The 
Northumberland Summer Bird Count locat- 
ed 83 Grasshopper Sparrows 14 Jun, a sur- 
prising and very encouraging number for 
this declining species (fide CEG). A singing 
Henslow’s Sparrow was a complete surprise 
in a coastal graminoid marsh at Paskwachi 
Pt. on James Bay 27-29 Jul (RDM, MKP, AWh 
et al.), a first record for n. Ontario and pre- 
sumably the most northerly record anywhere 
for the species. A White-crowned Sparrow at 
Point Pelee N.P. 21 Jun (AW, HTO) provided 
a first-ever summer record locally. A Dark- 
eyed Junco also at Point Pelee N.P 13 Jun 
was very late if indeed a migrant (HTO). Two 
very late Lapland Longspurs were at Thun- 
der Bay 2 Jun (AW, NGE). A Northern Car- 
dinal visited feeders at Harris Hill Lodge n. 
ONTARIO 
of Rainy River 15-17 Jul (CG, GG). A male 
Blue Grosbeak made a remarkable record for 
the Sault Ste. Marie area 26 May-7 Jun 
(WHE). Ontario’s 9th Lazuli Bunting re- 
mained at Crooks, Thunder Bay 31 May-3 
Jun (SEI, RIl et al.). Two Western Mead- 
owlarks were noted 14 Jun near Strathroy 
(PAR, IP) the only record for the period. An 
unidentified meadowlark was flushed from 
the train tracks just s. of Moosonee 11 Jun 
(MWJ), well n. of any meadowlark habitat. 
After last winter’s invasion. Pine Siskins were 
noted breeding in numerous locations across 
s. Ontario (m.ob.). 
Subregional editors (boldface) and cited ob- 
servers: Ken E Abraham, Yousif Attia, Brian 
P. Bailey, Tony EM. Beck, Chris T. Bell, Gerry 
Binsfeld, Michael G. Bryan, Susan C. Bryan, 
Jo-Anne Bridgewater, Peter S. Burke, Mary 
Carnahan, Richard P Carr, Robert Cermak, 
Cherise A Charron, William J Crins, Connie 
Denyes, Bruce M. Di Labio, Karl Dix, Rob Z. 
Dobos, David R. Don, Carolle D. Eady, 
Cheryl E. Edgecombe, David H. Elder, 
William H. Elgie, Nicholas G. Escott, Blayne 
E. & Jean M. Farnan, Steven M. Favier, Lynne 
Freeman, Stacy Gan, Cheryl Gauthier, Gary 
Gauthier, Ron & Lynda Goodridge, Clive E. 
Goodwin, David & Regan Goodyear, Jeffrey J. 
Haffner, Dan Harvey, Sandra Hawkins, Fred 
M. Helleiner, Leo Heyens, Patrick Hodgson, 
Brandon R. Holden, Ernie Hunter, Craig T. 
Hurst, Elaine M. Hurst, Robert 1. Illingworth, 
Sharon E. Illingworth, Stuart Immomen, Jean 
Iron, Marcie L. Jacklin, Anita Jacobsen, Fred 
Jennings, Mark W. Jennings, Colin D. Jones, 
Lon Leeson, Chris Lewis, Daniel J. Loncke, 
Stu A. Mackenzie, Sandra I. Manderstrom, 
Blake A. Mann, Angela M. Massey, Kevin A. 
McLaughlin, R. Doug McRae, Stephane 
Menu, Frederick J. Michano, Dan Miller, Sara 
Miller, Brian J. Moore, R.l.G. Morrison, Mike 
Nelson, Owen Novoselac, Michael J. Oldham, 
Henrietta T. O’Neill, Mark K. Peck, Gerard 
Phillips, Adam C. Pinch, Frank Pinilla, 
Robert Pinilla, Gavin C. Platt, Ian Platt, Peter 
A. Read, Rob Read, Marianne B. Reid, Mau- 
reen Riggs, R. Ken Ross, Michael WE Runtz, 
Darken J.M. Salter, Sachi L. Schott, Donald P. 
Shanahan, Langis Sirois, Dave Skinner, Roy B. 
H. Smith, R. Terry Sprague, Pamela Stagg, 
Donald A. Sutherland, Barbara Taylor, Eve D. 
Ticknor, Kim Toews, Ronald G. Tozer, Rob 
Turner, Stuart R. Williams, Amy Whitear 
(AWh), Ross W. Wood, John M. Woodcock, 
Maureen E. Woodcock, Brad K. Woodworth, 
Alan Wormington. © 
David H. Elder, Box 252, 23 Birch Road 
Atikokan, Ontario POT ICO, (mdelder@shaw.ca) 
VOLUME 63 (2009) • NUMBER 4 
591 
