Black Scoter (1)

Melanitta nigra

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Nov 10 2023

Details: female

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.

Date uploaded: Nov 11 2023

Views: 0

Comments (2):
Sue Bishop: Great find and capture,Brian!
Brian Morin: What was exceptionally good was the distance. She was as close as I could have hoped for.

Fieldfare (1)

Turdus pilaris

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Nov 30 2023

Details: outside normal range

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.

Date uploaded: Dec 3 2023

Views: 0

Comments (4):
Sue Bishop: Wow! Fantastic! You got a beautiful photo as well!
Ahmad Shah: Wow ! That is an amazing find, well captured, I have seen this bird in Germany, but I couldn't expect to see it here. Well done.

Hooded Warbler (1)

Wilsonia citrina

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 8 2024

Details: male, adult

Point Pelee National Park

Date uploaded: May 17 2024

Views: 0

Comments (5):
Chris: Stunning photo of an equally stunning species
Brian Morin: The Hooded is one of the warblers we hope to find on trips south in the spring. It was a tough task this year as there were few reports in the park and the birds tended to stay out of sight. On top of that, the light was very bad when this individual was spotted, mainly backlight. I managed to get a couple of opportunities to capture the moment.

Acadian Flycatcher (1)

Empidonax virescens

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jun 11 2024

Details: male, adult, outside normal range

Murphys Point Provincial Park - Much farther east and north of the normal breeding range. This is certainly the same bird that was present singing for weeks at the exact same location last June. The song is unique and the plumage is greener than similar looking flycatchers like Willow and Alder.

Date uploaded: Jun 26 2024

Views: 0

Comments (1):
Chris: Only the third upload of this species. Terrific photo

Black-billed Magpie (1)

Pica hudsonia

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 14 2024

Details: adult, outside normal range

Shrewsbury - A pair of Magpies were building a nest in the cedars. They are well out of range, with the closest territory near the Manitoba border, about 1200 km northwest. Last year a pair, likely the same birds, bred 90 km further east.

Date uploaded: Jul 8 2024

Views: 2

Western Grebe (1)

Aechmophorus occidentalis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Details: adult, outside normal range

Toronto- a provincial rarity.

Date uploaded: Oct 17 2024

Views: 1

Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (1)

Leucosticte tephrocotis

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Jan 19 2025

Details: adult, outside normal range

Matachewan - Well out of its Western mountain range. A new bird for me and one I had long wanted to see.

Date uploaded: Jan 23 2025

Views: 0

Comments (5):
Ahmad Shah: Excellent find.
Brian Morin: This was a long haul in very cold conditions but the trip's success made it all worthwhile.

Painted Bunting (1)

Passerina ciris

(Near-threatened)

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: May 3 2021

Details: female, adult, outside normal range

Ottawa - I had forgotten to post this individual, well out of range but a pleasant surprise.

Date uploaded: Feb 27 2025

Views: 1

Blue Grosbeak (1)

Passerina caerulea

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Apr 27 2025

Details: male, adult, outside normal range

Sibbald Point Provincial Park - I waited years to finally see an adult male. Previously I had seen a few females and an immature male. I saw the bird off and on for three hours. This was the last shot I took and it was the best of the day.

Date uploaded: Jun 17 2025

Views: 0

Comments (3):
Ahmad Shah: That is a beauty, nicely captured.
Brian Morin: This was a 45 minute detour on my way south but it was well worth it – a great way to start a trip on a beautiful spring day.

Kentucky Warbler (1)

Oporornis formosus

Brian Morin

Canada (Ontario)

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Date taken: Apr 28 2025

Details: male, adult

Point Pelee National Park - Rare but regular spring visitor.

Date uploaded: Jun 29 2025

Views: 0

Comments (2):
Sue Bishop: Great find and capture, Brian!!
Brian Morin: I had seen this species a number of years ago but I got my first shots on this trip. At one point it walked right towards us and was just over two metres away.