Southern Ontario - 45 New Province Birds, July 2012

I’ve never really made Canada birding and province listing one of my priorities since my principal birding goal is to reach the ABA threshold in each US state.  But the province lists do count as part of the ABA Total Tick category.  So when a trip to Buffalo, NY came up, I figured why not take a day to bird across the line into Ontario and add to my province list.  And since my ON list was just 102, there was lots of potential.  Though mid-July isn’t exactly the best time of year for birding – too late for most passerine song, and too early for most shorebird migrants.  Undeterred, I contacted a couple local ABA birders for birdfinding advice, and one graciously offered to spend the day taking me around. 

I birded with five very knowledgeable and friendly Ontario birders from 6 AM to 3 PM, hitting varied habitats from Fort Erie to Port Colburne, stopping in woodlands, wetlands, farm fields, and along the north shore of Lake Erie.  We ended up with 96 species, including 45 new species for my Ontario list.  Highlights were many including –

·         13 species of shorebirds (12 were new), including a breeding plumage Stilt Sandpiper.  Most stops were at rocky shorelines of Lake Erie.  Shorebirds that normally are seen on mudflats were attracted to rocky pools with algae and other smelly organic matter.

·         A Red-headed Woodpecker family coming to a feeder – they're stunning birds at normal distances let alone when they’re only 15 feet away!

·         4 Empids – Willow, Alder Least, Acadian

·         8 species of sparrows including two calling Henslow’s which are apparently quite a rarity locally

I can’t say enough about the excellent help from the local Ontario birders.  They sure knew the area well, and were great to bird with.

That raises my ON province list all the way up to 147, with a Canada list of 185.  And of my 12,327 total ticks, just 230 are in Canada.  Like I said – Canada listing hasn’t exactly been a priority.