Swallow-tailed Kite at Wasaga Beach

The birding in southern Ontario has been pretty good over the last month or so, especially for those among us who enjoying seeing unusual birds for the province, or adding to our respective lists. A string of species with affinities to the southern United States have appeared within the province with many sticking around for quite some time, enabling hundreds of people to observe them. Among the more regular rarities have been a few Yellow-crowned Night-Herons (Hamilton, Cambridge, Manitoulin), a Little Blue Heron (Oxford Co.) and a Snowy Egret (near Rondeau). In addition to these birds there have been a trio of species typically associated with the southeastern United States. An adult Purple Gallinule was found near Kingsville several weeks ago, and it has been observed daily at the John R. Park Homestead.There are only 20 previous records of Purple Gallinule in Ontario and it had been seven years since the last "twitchable" one. Then there was the provincial first Reddish Egret that was found in Oliphant, and which is still present as of the time of this writing.

Reddish Egret - Oliphant, Bruce County (August 22, 2018)

The latest rare bird to be discovered within Ontario's borders was a Swallow-tailed Kite. This large and unmistakable raptor is a familiar species to anyone who has birded the tropics of Central or South America, or who has explored in the southeastern United States. Swallow-tailed Kites will spend many hours each day soaring above the forests and wetlands to forage on insects, but also lizards, tree frogs and other small vertebrates that they pluck from the treetops.

On August 25, a guy by the name of Matt Stuart was mowing his lawn - he's located in the country south of Wasaga Beach - when he looked up and noticed the distinctive bird, flying above the yard and nearby pine plantation. He contacted Scott Gibson, a birder, and Scott put the word out later that evening. The following day, Matt observed the Swallow-tailed Kite again and this time was able to take a cell phone snap, helping to confirm its identity. A few birders were out looking in the afternoon but the bird was not seen again.

I decided later that evening that I was going to drive up and try for the bird. Swallow-tailed Kite was one of my most wanted birds for Ontario and all the items on my agenda for the next day could be postponed...the decision was made.

I drove through Toronto before rush hour began in earnest, making good time during the pre-dawn hours. I detoured briefly to check out the sod farms in Beeton at dawn. Fortuitously, the Willet that had been found the previous day was still present (an excellent record for Simcoe), while I added three other species to my Simcoe County list.

By 9:00 AM or so I positioned myself in the general area where the bird had been seen. Three other birders were lined up alongside the roadway so I decided to drive some nearby concessions instead. After all, Swallow-tailed Kites are typically quite wide-ranging in their daily habits.  At around 9:45 AM I passed by a hedgerow on one of the concessions and I happened to turn and quickly look down it while I drove past. A big black and white raptor was sitting on one of the dead snags! My heart skipped a beat and my hands trembled as I stopped the vehicle and reached for my bins. It was the kite!

Swallow-tailed Kite - Wasaga Beach, Simcoe County

I quickly posted to Ontbirds and set up my scope to take a video of the bird. Suddenly it began to preen and within 60 seconds was airborne. It performed incredible acrobatics in flight over the nearby soybean field and I struggled to follow it with my car before it lifted up higher in the air and disappeared just over the treeline.

Swallow-tailed Kite - Wasaga Beach, Simcoe County

Lucky for the other birders present, Dan MacNeal was able to re-discover the kite almost two hours later in the same field. Along with dozens of other birders I enjoyed excellent views of the kite sitting in the tree, and in flight, foraging for insects low over the soybeans. For the next half hour I soaked in the views with the others, while it was great to catch up with many familiar faces. This bird was particularly notable for Garth Riley as it represented his 400th species for his Ontario list. Congrats Garth!

Swallow-tailed Kite - Wasaga Beach, Simcoe County

In the days since the Swallow-tailed Kite remained in the same general area, though it played hard to get with some observers. I believe the last sighting was mid-day on August 29. That evening, a cold front passed through, and the bird has not been seen since.

Swallow-tailed Kite - Wasaga Beach, Simcoe County

It sure has been an exciting few weeks here in Ontario. What will be next? Roseate Spoonbills are showing up all over the place far to the north of their range and maybe Ontario is next.