Next 15 additions to the Bruce County list

Rare birds were on my mind this past weekend (like usual), so I decided to put my thoughts into a quick blog post.

On eBird, the all time Bruce County list sits at 336 species.. which is pretty good for an Ontario county (Bruce is #14 for Ontario counties, by species) however there are some weird gaps in our checklist.  Below is a list I made of my predictions for the next 15 county firsts. Bruce has already had 2 county firsts this year;  Neotropic Cormorant and Cinnamon Teal.. both found in the last few weeks, so we're off to a good start! What will be next I wonder? 

Hopefully the weather improves soon and I can start finding rare birds.. not just daydreaming about them.

1 - Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 

I was really hoping Bruce would get one last summer (2019), as there was a decent invasion of whistling-ducks into Southern Ontario (I think 6 or 7 counties had them). I'm sure we'll get one eventually...

Where? Chalmer's Pond, Kincardine Lagoons and Isaac Lake come to mind.

When? BBWD are mainly a summer vagrant, so probably June-August

2 - Tufted Duck

Semi overdue, Simcoe, Lambton and Parry Sound all have records, so it's only a matter of time until we get one. Bruce doesn't get the massive aythya numbers like Lake Erie & Ontario, but we do get the occasional congregation. 

Where? Stokes Bay, Baie Du Dore and Kincardine Lagoons maybe

When? Probably mid winter, if there's any open water.

3 - Western Grebe 

Lambton and Simcoe have multiple records, so it's another overdue bird.. I think I had one at Baie Due Dore this past winter, but I couldn't get a good enough view. It was on a day with very strong west wind, so scoping the lake wasn't an easy task. I got a brief look at a long black & white neck and what appeared to be a light yellowish bill, but then it disappeared behind a wave.. and I never saw it again. I'll have to redeem myself with a "real one" soon.

Where? Anywhere along the Lake Huron shoreline really.. Baie Du Dore, Inverhuron/Kincardine area is where it will probably show up.

When? Late Fall - May

4 - Eurasian Collared-Dove

They are showing up in far northern Ontario and Huron County has a few records.. I know there are at least two old sight records in Bruce, but they were never eBirded/submitted to OBRC, so we just need a #legit one now. 

Where? Basically anywhere, but likely some random feeder in Tobermory 

When? One could show up any time of year, but I'd guess May.

5 - Black-necked Stilt 

Huron and Perth have records, so maybe they don't go farther north than that? False! Nipissing and Cochrane both have records too! We have no excuse not to have it.. 

Where? Chalmer's Pond, Brown's Pond or Oliphant are my best guesses

When? Probably in May

6 - Pomarine Jaeger 

Most Lake Huron jaegers are parasitic, but the odd long-tailed and pomarine do pass through occasionally. Huron had a pom last fall and Lambton has had over 10, so it's rather overdue.

Where? Point Clark, Inverhuron, Southampton..

When? October - November 

7 - Laughing Gull

Grey has a record and  Lambton has already had two this spring... Laughing Gull is one of those (can I say nicer?) gulls that's more likely to show up in a field or on the lake, vs the whole "dump loving" larus genus.

Where? Hard to say, some random farm field or sewage lagoon, maybe Lake Huron.

When? Could show up any time, but probably May-September 

8 - three Larus gulls

I'm lumping these three species into one # here,  simply because I think it's almost equally likely that we get any one of them. The three are;  Slaty-backed, Mew and Californa Gull. They all have shown up in Lambton before (like most birds in this post) and we have some decent dumps, so it's only a matter of time until all three show up. I think Californa is the most likely of the three...

Where? My money is on Armow or Southampton Dump, but it could be anywhere that gulls congregate.

When? Winter or spring. Probably May for CAGU & MEGU

9 - Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  

In 2018 one was seen on Manitoulin Island directly north of Bruce.. we'll probably get a juvenile bird (most of the birds Ontario get are juvs), so scrutinize those young night-herons in late summer!

Where? Any wetland are really, but maybe Isaac Lake simply because it is covered frequently.

When? May-October

10 - White-faced Ibis

Huron had one just south of Bruce County line one year. Hopefully we get a good views of a nice adult, not some distant ibis sp..

Where? Some random field, Chalmer's Pond, Isaac Lake..

When? May-October

11 - Swallow-tailed Kite

A STKI in Bruce would be crazy, but I think it'll happen one day. Simcoe got it's first one a few years ago.. 

Where? Could show up anywhere, but maybe from the tower at BPNP? How about My yard?!? 

When? Probably 

12 - Fish Crow

They are popping up more frequently in southern Ontario in recent years, seems like only a matter of time before we get one. I mean Algonquin has records, so come on...

Where? Somewhere along Lake Huron

When? Spring or fall

13 - Green-tailed Towhee

Another feeder loving mega, hopefully it decides to show up at a twitcher welcoming house🙂.

Where? Some feeder in Tobermory 

When? Winter 

14 - Worm-eating Warbler 

Worm-eaters tend to show up in the Lake Erie/Ontario counties, but the odd bird shows up in Lambton or even Simcoe.. Just have to get Bruce birders trained to pick out that Chipping Sparrow like song.

Where? Kincardine Lagoons maybe? But any good migrant trap could get it.

When? May

* Edit. A worm-eater was banded at BPBO in 2010.. there still needs to be one for eBird though🙂

15 - Kentucky Warbler 

Basically the same as Worm-eating Warb, like the more southern counties, but also has records in Lambton and Simcoe. A real skulker, it would be nice if it decided to sing.

Where? Kincardine Lagoons, random migrant trap..

When? May

Anyway that's it for my rambling ~ for now anyways😉. I saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird while writing this, so I guess it is actually May..

Also worth a mention that Bruce has 3 "frigatebird sp" records, but none of Magnificent Frigatebird... so a legit MAFR would be sweet.