Manitoulin Island - This was a very long trip but since the last time this species was reported in Ontario was 2011 and earlier reports were way back, I decided to make the extended journey. It was worth the effort
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.
London - A long haul but this species has eluded me in Canada so I decided to make the run and was successful. Sightings in the East are rare but they occasionally show up in the Southwest.
Leamington – An exceptionally rare bird in the province with only a few prior records for this Southwestern U.S. species. Thankfully I was in the region at the time and saw the bird the day after many others had seen it. It was not found the following day so timing was perfect.
Aylmer - A rare flight of spoonbills brought birds to Ontario and Quebec. Ontario's first was in a conservation area being enjoyed by numerous birders, photographers and locals out for a walk. This was a real treat for us all. Most of the time it was at a distance but once it came within range.
Long Sault - This is an uncommon fall migrant. She swam very close to a bridge and thankfully there was a pull off on the bridge. I was able to safely crouch down and wait until she swam closer.
Sturgeon Falls - This bird has been high on my wish list for decades but being a Eurasian species the chances of seeing one here were slim. The last one to appear in Ontario was 42 years ago. After our success we almost added a second bird the next day in far eastern Quebec while watching a wayward Painted Bunting at a feeder. We didn't know that a bird showed up nearby the day before and we were told that it had been seen that morning a few hundred metres away from where we were. We missed it by an hour. It was not seen again unfortunately so we missed seeing two birds in two days in two months in two provinces. What are the odds of that? Both individuals likely came over from Iceland.
Canada (Ontario)
