Hi Ontario birding community, Around lunch time today Tim Arthur and I found a Pacific Loon (immature/nonbreeding type) flying south past The Tip at least a few hundred metres east of us, and naturally it kept heading south. About half an hour later we found a Cave Swallow flying around erratically, attempting to hunt over the east beach very close to The Tip. Our time with this rarity was swiftly cut short when a Merlin dropped in and nearly snatched it. Unfortunately we have not seen either of these birds again. The Pacific Loon is likely long gone across the lake but the Cave Swallow is almost surely still around.
Point Pelee National Park is at the end of Point Pelee Dr. southeast of Leamington in Essex County. The Tip is at the southernmost end of the road that goes through Point Pelee, about 8.5km south of the park entrance. Good birding! Jere Jeremy Bensette - Leamington, ON I'm doing an Ontario Big Year in 2017! Misfortunate Cave Swallow is 334!! Big Year notes: My 2017 Ontario year list total sits at 334 bird species, just 9 short of the current record of 343, set in 2012 by my good friend Josh Vandermeulen. I have seen every expected common or uncommon species including all of Ontario's breeding owls, songbirds, woodpeckers, grouse, etc. and am now in search of a very limited list of species. The remaining somewhat likely species I am in search for this fall season include Black-legged Kittiwake, Purple Sandpiper, Red Phalarope, Gyrfalcon, Pink-footed Goose (or Barnacle or Bean Goose I guess), Common Eider, Smew, Mountain Bluebird, Yellow-throated Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Say's Phoebe, Eurasian Tree Sparrow, or any other fairly notable rarities. Gull species that are worth crossing my fingers for include California, Laughing, Mew, Ross's, and Ivory, though some of these are very tricky identifications so if possible I would feel much more comfortable driving very far after seeing photos. I would appreciate info as soon as possible on any hummingbird whatsoever between now and the end of the year, hopefully with photos too. Naturally I subscribe to many ebird alerts and other bird alert services within our province, so I ask that people refrain from contacting me about species that are already being posted to alerts. Thanks so much in advance for any information, and I give my sincerest thanks again to anyone who has given me a hand this year. I especially want to recognize Tim Arthur for being a great travel companion for an unmentionable number of kilometres, for keeping me focused on what's important through difficult situations, and for being a great friend in general. This huge quest is a team effort, and I could not have possibly done so well up to this point if it was not for the support of so many great people and great friends. I apologize if I do not reply promptly to anyone who contacts me. It will be a pretty crazy couple months of driving and birding, but I will continue to try to get back to anyone who reaches out as soon as I am able to. I hope everyone is having a great fall season, and thanks again for being so supportive. It is beyond humbling to feel like I have extended family anywhere I go in our vast beautiful province. Nine very hardcore weeks left, and nine species to go! Jere _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
