Blackpoll Warbler (24)

Dendroica striata

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 14 2023

Details: male, adult

Point Pelee National Park

Date uploaded: May 28 2023

Comments (4):
Sue Bishop: Great find and capture, Brian! We didn't see or hear any at Long Point this year.
Ahmad Shah: Excellent find, nicely captured.

Black-throated Blue Warbler (43)

Dendroica caerulescens

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 11 2023

Details: male, adult

Point Pelee National Park - All dressed up for a night out.

Date uploaded: May 27 2023

Comments (4):
Ahmad Shah: That is a beauty.
BrianMorin: He sure was and it was the only individual I was able to capture of the numerous Black-throated Blues that were present.

Whip-poor-will (4)

Caprimulgus vociferus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 8 2023

Details: adult

Point Pelee National Park - What a treat to have a chance to see this night bird at close range and only 18" off the ground.

Date uploaded: May 23 2023

Comments (6):
Chris: Stunning colour pattern, even more so against the backdrop of the greenery
BrianMorin: The camouflage this bird has is amazing. While we can clearly see it up close, its appearance is that of a bump on a log.

Mississippi Kite (1)

Ictinia mississippiensis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 13 2023

Details: immature, outside normal range

Point Pelee National Park - One or two birds appear each spring around mid-May, sometimes hanging around for a couple of days before returning south. This is a second year bird showing adult features like whitish head and gray underparts but still having mottled underwing.

Date uploaded: May 19 2023

Comments (4):
Chris: Congratulations not only on the sighting and great picture, but the first upload of the species!
BrianMorin: This was a target bird for me on the trip. I was fortunate to have one of the best looks at the species that people have had in years.

Willow Ptarmigan (8)

Lagopus lagopus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 8 2023

Details: molting, outside normal range

Point Pelee National Park - This is the most unlikely bird to ever visit the southernmost point of mainland Canada and a record for this Arctic wanderer. Hundreds of observers saw the bird within its five hour visit before it flew off towards a destination even further south, Pelee Island, 16km away. In typical ptarmigan fashion it paid no attention to its admirers, at times approaching to within a few feet of them.

Date uploaded: May 19 2023

Comments (3):
Chris: That is indeed incredible. While at Long Point I overheard talk of this occurrence. Glad you caught up with him!
Sue Bishop: Amazing to see in this location!!!! Great catch

Winter Wren (10)

Troglodytes troglodytes

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

Date taken: Apr 21 2023

Ottawa - The lively extended song of this tiny mite is remarkable, a welcome sound on a spring day.

Date uploaded: Apr 23 2023

Comments (4):
Ahmad Shah: Marvelous capture Brian !
BrianMorin: He was being very vocal with his bubbly song. It was worth the effort to try for some shots.

Eastern Meadowlark (64)

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Details: adult

Ingleside - These birds returned about a week ago and are a welcome sight in the fields. As expected, it was a very difficult subject to work with.

Date uploaded: Apr 13 2023

Comments (6):
Sue Bishop: Wonderful find and capture,Brian!!
BrianMorin: I went looking for them and found a pair where there was a pair last year. This time I had one bird closer than before.

Ring-necked Duck (29)

Aythya collaris

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Details: male, adult

Long Sault - There are still a few hundred diving ducks in the river, with Ring-necked being the most numerous.

Date uploaded: Apr 13 2023

Comments (6):
Sue Bishop: A beauty!
BrianMorin: He sure is and in good light.

Western Grebe (64)

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Details: adult, outside normal range

Port Credit - This bird has put in an annual appearance for four years. It usually sticks around for a few weeks then moves about Lake Ontario and eventually heads to the Prairies. I went to see it last year but it was 150 metres out in the lake. Needless to say the speck in the middle of the shot was not very convincing. I spent the entire morning hoping for a close approach and had success a couple of times as it moved from far out to shore. It was always on the move and usually that was underwater. It can easily swim beneath the waves for several minutes and cover a great distance. It prefers underwater to flight or even swimming. It never flew.

Date uploaded: Mar 30 2023

Comments (4):
Sue Bishop: Wonderful find and capture Brian!!
BrianMorin: It was worth the trip and the delay of a year to have it at less than 8 metres.

Evening Grosbeak (19)

Hesperiphona vespertina

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

  📍 Map

Details: male, adult

Limoges - A flock was coming to a feeder. The birds were very skittish despite me being covered in camo mesh. It took two hours before they dropped down and I wasn't too close.

Date uploaded: Mar 24 2023

Comments (2):
Ahmad Shah: Gorgeous bird, superb work to get it. Well done Brian !
BrianMorin: He was a real beauty and for a couple of seconds was in the right place at the right time. I made an observation about the difference between males and females in my last two occasions with these birds. It is the females that will come in first, not the males but both are nervous. Pine Grosbeaks, on the other hand, are very obliging and are not only less skittish, they will allow closer approach. Unfortunately I haven't come across them this winter.