Things are a happening

Here are a few recent reports from around the Great Lakes....

Lesser Goldfinch in Pennsylvania (first state record)


Brown Pelican in Minnesota (third state record)


Eastern Kingbird  from Kitchener yesterday. They normally don't show up until the last couple days of April at the very earliest...this may be one of the earliest ever for Ontario?

Red-headed Woodpecker from Guelph...another super early migrant

Henslow's Sparrow from Point Pelee

Yellow-throated Vireo from Point Pelee

Magee Marsh, Ohio (April 15):
 -Hooded Warbler
-Ovenbird
-Yellow-throated Warbler
-White-eyed Vireo
-American White Pelican
-American Avocet

elsewhere in Ohio...
-9! Prothonotary Warblers on territory found by one observer in the middle of the state
-Cattle Egret in the northern third of the state
-Say's Phoebe present for several days now on Lake Erie
-White-winged Dove, same deal
-Black-necked Stilt, southwest Ohio
-Ibis sp., northern Ohio

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So yeah, things are really starting to happen, especially just across the lake in Ohio. Ohio starts getting the first wave of rarities usually a week or so before us, so expect a similar list of rarities in Ontario a week or so from now (hopefully)! 

Some predictions of mine between now and the end of April...

*disclaimer: I am in no way held responsible if none of these birds actually show up. It's a complete guess*

 

-Swallow-tailed Kite

-Townsend's Warbler

-Cinnamon Teal

-Ruff

-Snowy Egret

-Say's Phoebe

-Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

-Western Grebe

Hopefully we'll get a good dose of "lesser" rarities (most of these I have categorized as code 3).

-Yellow-throated and Worm-eating Warblers

-American Avocet, Marbled Godwit, Willet

-Eared Grebe

-Le Conte's and Henslow's Sparrows

-Summer Tanager

-Glossy Ibis

-Laughing Gull

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It's been kind of frustrating so far while doing this big year because I have been stuck being a full-time student. While it hasn't really prevented me yet from chasing a rarity (you gotta have priorities), it has limited the amount of time I could be away. I would have loved to spend more days in the north for instance, but exams were calling me back! Additionally, I have been out of the province for 25 out of the 107 days this year. I've really lucked out that I haven't really missed anything while I have been gone! But, as of tomorrow morning, I will be done with school. That means that I can FINALLY go all out on this big year.

My last exam is tomorrow morning at 8:30. Hopefully by Friday I will be all moved out of my house in Guelph, all packed, and heading to Essex County. Unless there is a pressing rarity elsewhere, I will probably head to the island for a few days to find all the rarities before Kenny gets there ;).