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Well, the 2006 fall migration monitoring season wrapped up on November 15th, leaving us a little sad to see it end after such a fun season. We finished off one of the best seasons on record with 12,950 birds banded. Though this past week was rather slow, there were a few unusual birds seen. Abundance and diversity both seem to be dropping off as most migrants have moved on to other areas.
Common Loons continue to trickle out of the area while Pied-billed Grebes are still regular on the Inner Bay. While there has only been one Sandhill Crane sighted at Old Cut (on the 11th), 92 were seen on a quick survey on the mainland on the 15th. Great Blue Herons are still around in appreciable numbers. Waterfowl still abound in the area, with lots of dabbling and diving ducks on both sides of the Point. Tundra Swan numbers appear to be down from last week's high but they are still quite easy to find and can be heard almost everywhere. A possible hybrid Eurasian x American Wigeon was reported in the bay behind Bird Studies Canada on the 15th. Red-tailed and Red-shouldered hawks are passing through on a daily basis with quite a few Northern Harriers around. A golden Eagle was seen at St. Williams on the 11th and a Northern Goshawk was seen on the 14th at Old Cut. Large numbers of Bonaparte’s Gulls are still around and Little Gulls have become a regular sight flying with them past Old Cut in the mornings.
Northern Saw-whet Owls have increased in the area over the last week. Quite a few being caught almost every night with a high catch of 24 caught on the 9th. Eastern Screech and Long-eared owls have also been quite vocal in the woods behind Old Cut and are likely settling in for the winter. At least two, possibly three, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are still hanging around the Old Cut area and are easy to find if you listen for their raucous call. Possibly the last Eastern Phoebe for the area was seen at Old Cut on the 11th. There are still swallows in the area with one Cave Swallow seen trying to roost under a porch in Clear Creek, just west of Long Point, on the 12th. On the 9th, a Tree Swallow was seen at Old Cut while a few were seen on the mainland on the 12th. A few hardy late fall migrants such as Winter Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, and Hermit Thrushes are still in the area with several of each being seen every day. There are two Gray Catbirds still hanging around the back of Old Cut near the berry patches.
Northern Shrikes have been present at the back of the Old Cut woodlot for the past week though they have been passing through fairly quickly. The last of the Blue-headed Vireos are still migrating with birds seen on the 9th, 10th and 15th. Warblers banded this past week included Nashvilles on the 9th and 14th and Yellow-rumpeds on several days.
Sparrow diversity is still going strong here. A Clay-colored Sparrow was observed several times on the 9th. American Tree Sparrows, a sure sign of the winter season, have gradually filtered into the area, with 80 seen on the 12th. We have also been catching several that were banded in previous winters. These are presumably returning to winter in this area again. The ‘river of blackbirds’ has been diminishing daily to flocks of 'only' a few hundred thousand now. This is certainly a sight to be seen. Purple Finches and Pine Siskins have increased.
The field stations are now closed for the season. We thank all of the visitors who stopped by this year and look forward to seeing you early in April.

This past week has seen warm, south winds and rainy weather. It appears to have kept many migrants that would have normally moved on in the area. The Tip station closed Tuesday after a very successful season.
Migrating Common Loons were joined by two Red-throateds on the 5th and 7th. Horned Grebes are passing through in good numbers while Pied-billeds can be found reguarly on the Inner Bay. Sandhill Cranes have been increasing with up to 80+ birds counted in the fields west of Port Rowan. At least one Virginia Rail was still at the Tip when the crew left this week.
Tundra Swans were noticeably less common later in the week though Big Creek and the Inner Bay still have a fair number. Another Trumpeter Swan flew over Old Cut on the 6th and a Snow Goose has been hanging around the Hwy 59 and Front Rd area since the 4th. A good diversity of waterfowl is present in the area with large numbers of American Wigeon and American Coots on the Inner Bay. Old Cut was surprised by Little Gulls, with six seen on the 6th and one on the 7th.
There were a few raptor sightings this week Up to 30 Rough-Legged and Red-shouldered hawks were counted at the Tip on the 4th. The most interesting recovery of the week was a foreign banded Sharp-shinned Hawk captured on the 6th at Old Cut. What made it even more unusual was the American Tree Sparrow it had just caught in the net that had been banded last winter at Old Cut. Old Cut banded its first Eastern Screech-Owl of the year and the fourth for Long Point on the 4th. Northern Saw-whet Owls are being caught on a regular basis now with a high of 10 banded and two recaptured on the 6th. Numbers are lower than expected at this point in the season. This has also been the case at stations south of Lake Erie though there is still hope that we will see a big push in the last few days before we close.
Up to three quite vocal Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been seen at Old Cut recently. Several Eastern Phoebes are hanging around, no doubt enjoying the abundance of insects brought out by the warm weather. Possibly the last Tree Swallow was seen on the 9th. Northern Shrikes are being seen on a regular basis now; however, all are flybys or birds that don’t stick around for long.
Both species of kinglets are still about. The abundance of Ruby-crowned Kinglets is quite surprising. At this time of year there are usually scattered individuals however 10 were banded on the 7th. Berry-eating species still abound with Eastern Bluebirds, Hermit Thrushes, and Gray Catbirds seen daily.
American Pipits migrated in numbers on November 9th. Blue-headed Vireos are now down to single digits though individuals were seen and banded almost daily. There were four species of warbler over the past week, with low numbers of Yellow-rumpeds, the occasional Orange-crowned and Palm warbler and single Nashvilles banded.
We are still expecting another wave of sparrows with the next big cold front. Lots of White-throated, White-crowneds, Chipping and Swamp sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and Eastern Towhees can be found in the area. A Clay-colored Sparrow eluded us for several days before being caught on the 6th. It remained in the vicinity until the 9th. Snow Buntings have been present most days in low numbers at the Tip. The ‘river of blackbirds’ continues every night with about one million birds over Old Cut. Rusty Blackbirds continue to be seen every day.
Finches are trickling into the area with the occasional Pine Siskin and Purple Finch observed along with, surprisingly, two Red Crossbills on the 6th.

Signs of winter and the end of migration are beginning to appear. Old Cut has experienced its first frosts of the season and snow has begun to fall as well. Tundra Swans, American Tree Sparrows, and Common Redpolls have been arriving, indicating that we are down to the home stretch.
Common Loons made a big push this past week, the 28th had the biggest movement with 395 migrating past the Tip. Red-throated Loons have been seen periodically at both stations as well. Horned Grebes also made a decent push with a high of 18 seen at the Tip on the 28th along with a Red-necked Grebe. A very late Least Bittern was seen at the Tip on the 29th and Great Blue Herons are still being routinely seen around the area. Virginia Rails are still toughing out the cold weather at the Tip. Many Sandhill Cranes are now present on the mainland north of the Big Creek NWA. Tundra Swans arrived in force on the evening of the 1st. One of the best spots for viewing is along the causeway and from the towers in the Big Creek NWA. Two Trumpeter Swans flew over Old Cut on the 2nd; while these birds can be common in certain areas of southern Ontario, they are still an unusual sighting here at Long Point. Waterfowl diversity and abundance still remains high with the Inner Bay and local marshes full of ducks. Many diving ducks, including three species of scoter, can see off the the Tip daily.
Shorebirds migration is on its last legs, though large numbers of Dunlin have been seen at the Tip, as well as a Pectoral Sandpiper on the 31st and both species of yellowlegs on the 2nd. Thousands of Bonaparte’s Gulls have been seen regularly off of the Tip, along with a few Little Gulls mixed in as well. That said, lower numbers than would normally be expected of the larger gull species are being seen at the Tip. Common Terns are still being observed at both stations along with the odd Forster’s. Jaegers are becoming almost regular for the crew at the Tip, with a jaeger sp. seen on the 28th and a Parasitic on the 2nd.
Four species of owls were seen or heard in the area over the past week, with a Short-eared Owl seen at the Tip on the 29th while Old Cut’s regular Long-eared Owl was heard screeching eerily on the night of the 1st. An amazing third Eastern Screech-Owl was banded at the Tip on the 1st. LPBO usually bands only one or two in a season, and those are almost always caught at Old Cut, so three banded at the Tip is very unusual. Northern Saw-whet Owls have begun to push through albeit in lower numbers than what we are used to. This reflects what is being found across southern Ontario with fewer owls captured at most stations. However, it seems that eastern and western Ontario have both seen decent owl flights. It is thought, by some, that a good rodent population in central Ontario has kept birds from moving south. It will be interesting to see if and when birds do move south through the Long Point area this fall.
Woodpecker diversity still remains good, with a Red-headed Woodpecker seen on the 2nd at Old Cut. Red-bellieds are now more frequent around Old Cut with another one banded this week and possibly the same bird being seen every day in the back woodlot. A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was seen at the Tip on the 2nd. Eastern Phoebes continue to hold on in low numbers, despite the colder temperatures. A few Tree Swallows are still moving through the area.
There are still plenty of kinglets and creepers though they have passed their peak. Hermit Thrushes continue to pass through in low numbers while a Wood Thrush at Old Cut on the 1st was record late for Long Point. No further sightings of the Varied Thrush have been made since the 27th. Eastern Bluebirds are migrating through the area in reasonable numbers with flocks of up to several dozen being seen, or more frequently, heard flying overhead. A few Gray Catbirds are hanging on at both stations and, like the Hermit Thrushes, will probably linger for a little while longer.
American Pipits are being seen or heard daily while a few Blue-headed Vireos continue to linger. Five species of warbler were seen at Long Point this week with Orange-crowned Warblers on most days. The last Nashville Warblers are trickling through. What was probably the last minor push of Yellow-rumped Warblers occurred on the 31st with 30 seen at Old Cut. A Pine Warbler was banded at the Tip on the 31st and a late Cape May Warbler was seen hopping around a garden near Old Cut on the 2nd.
Sparrows diversity remains high on the Point. A Clay-colored Sparrow was seen around the parking lot of Old Cut on the 2nd while one of the last Lincoln’s Sparrows was seen at Old Cut on the 29th. Dark-eyed Juncos, Chipping, White-throated and White-crowned sparrows are all being seen in large numbers around the area. American Tree Sparrows made their first big movement on the 1st with 100 at Old Cut, including a recaptured bird that spent last winter here. The ‘river of blackbirds’ continues at Old Cut every night. The estimated flock size is up to a million birds, most of which are grackles though there are cowbirds, Red-winged and a few Rusty Blackbirds as well. The Tip recorded 3 Yellow-headed Blackbirds on the 2nd.
A very good cone crop across Ontario has meant that most finches have not migrated south though a few Pine Siskins and Purple Finches are being seen most days. Four Common Redpolls seen at the Tip on the 2nd must be a sure sign of winter.

Over 500 Common Loons were observed flying past the Tip this past week as they took advantage of the north-west winds. Red-throated Loons were a daily observation at the Tip while one flew over Old Cut on the 26th. American and Least Bitterns were hanging out at the Tip all last week accompanied by as many as three Virginia Rails. Tundra Swans have begun to move through the area though numbering no more than 500.
There was a consistent movement of raptors with Northern Harriers, Sharp-shinned and Red-tailed hawks predominate. Northern Goshawks were also present in low numbers along with Red-shouldered Hawks. A Golden Eagle was observed at the Tip on the 24th. Northern Saw-whet Owl migration is still slow in the Long Point area though gradually increasing with about 50 Owls banded at Old Cut.
Bonaparte’s Gulls have been busy with approximately 7500 feeding off the Tip accompanied by 6 Little Gulls on the 23rd. Little Gulls were also seen off Turkey Point and the lakeshore at the Long Point Provincial Park this past week. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was also at the Tip on the 22nd. A Parasitic Jaeger buzzed the Tip on the 22nd followed by two on the 23rd and two more unidentified jaegers flying far out over the lake. A Pomarine Jaeger was observed off of Bluff Bar during a boat trip on the 26th. A Forster’s Tern was observed at the Tip on the 22nd while a Black Tern was observed there on the 24th. Another Forster's was observed at Turkey Pt. on the 24th.
A Ruby-throated Hummingbird was captured at Old Cut on the 24th and an unidentified hummingbird was observed at the Tip. Red-headed Woodpeckers have slowly been moving through Old Cut while there has been a resident hanging around the Tip. Red-bellieds, on the other hand, have become a regular occurrence at Old Cut while only a few individuals have been observed at the Tip. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers are still moving through in small numbers.
Brown Creepers moved through in large numbers along with Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned kinglets this past week. Hermit Thrushes also moved en masse. Around 200 individuals were at the Tip on the 23rd and 24th. A Wood Thrush was at Old Cut on the 26th along with the bird of the fall, and a new bird banded for LPBO! A hatch-year male Varied Thrush was captured and banded at Old Cut on the 26th. The bird was re-sighted on Lighthouse Crescent near Old Cut on the morning of the 27th. Also on the 27th at Old Cut a Bohemian Waxwing flew over with a flock of 30 Cedars. There have also been impressive movements of American Robins this past week. A total of 3241 flew over Old Cut on the 24th with another 1500 on the 25th. American Pipits have also been moving in good numbers over Old Cut and the Tip with over 200 totalled at both sites on the 25th and 26th.
What was probably the last rush of Yellow-rumped Warblers passed through accompanied by the odd Nashville and Palm. An Orange-crowned Warbler was banded at Old Cut on the 26th.
American Tree Sparrows have arrived in small numbers as have Fox Sparrows. There were around 20 at the Tip on the 24th and a dozen at Old Cut. Dark-eyed Juncos have been accumulating in the area and on the 24th a beautiful male Oregon Junco was observed at the Tip. White-throated and White-crowned sparrows are still moving through in good numbers. Vesper and Savannah sparrows have been observed regularly at the Tip and a LeConte’s Sparrow was present on the 22nd.
The blackbird flocks at Old Cut are starting to build. The highest count so far has been only about 350,000 on the 24th. Rusty Blackbirds have been found regularly at the Tip and can be carefully picked out by sight and sound in the monster blackbird flocks at Old Cut.

Large number of birds continued to move through the area this week, mostly the regular fall migrants for this time of the year, though there were a few surprises.
Loons and grebes continue to pass through in low numbers; the highlight this week was an Eared Grebe that was seen floating just off of the Tip on the 20th. Five species of heron were seen around Long Point with highlights of one Great Egret seen at the Tip on the 13th and four seen at Old Cut on the 14th, and Least and American bitterns seen at the Tip on the 17th. Plegadis ibis continue to be reported in the area, with two reported just north of Big Creek on the 14th. Birders should continue to keep an eye open for these rarities, particularly around Big Creek.
Waterfowl are around in large numbers, mostly on the north side of the Point. Tundra Swans have made an appearance at the Tip already, the first Common Goldeneyes were seen at Old Cut on the 15th, and Surf Scoters have been regularly seen flying by the Tip.
Raptors are passing through in lower numbers compared with the last couple of weeks though the Tip has been getting regular movements. At least two Osprey are still hanging around Old Cut, with one regularly roosting in a large cottonwood in the woodlot at the back.
A Ruffed Grouse surprised people out at the Tip on the 20th when it blasted through the side of the Heligoland trap during a run. The origin of the bird is a mystery as very few individuals have been seen on the Point. Virginia Rails continue to been heard at the Tip and American Coot numbers continue to build on the Inner Bay. Sandhill Cranes are also being seen frequently at the Big Creek marshes and feeding in the fields on the mainland.
Personnel at LPBO are still wondering where all of the Saw-whet Owls are. Few have been caught at either station over the past week. However, it is likely that, once favourable weather returns to the area, the floodgates may open and we will be inundated. An Eastern Screech-Owl was heard calling at the back of Old Cut on the 15th and one has been seen poking its head out of a Wood Duck nest box on Concession A. A Long-eared Owl was also present at the back of Old Cut on the 18th.
An amazingly high number of Yellow-billed Cuckoos were seen at the Tip on the 13th. A cold looking Ruby-throated Hummingbird visited a feeder at Old Cut on the 17th while a late Chimney Swift was at the Tip on the 15th. Woodpecker diversity continues with five species seen almost daily. A Red-bellied that was banded on the 15th continues to hang around the area, announcing its presence with a raucous call, while both adult and young Red-headed Woodpeckers continue to impress observers at both stations.
Another push of Blue Jays occurred on the 15th with 250 seen at the Tip and 510 at Old Cut. What was probably the last big push of Tree Swallows happened on the 17th with at least 250 seen at Old Cut and many more seen over the marshes of Long Point. Birders should keep an eye on weather maps over the coming weeks and watch for any long cold fronts stretching down into northern Mexico from the Great Lakes region. Such an situation may bring a movement of Cave Swallows, which have become almost a regular rarity here at Long Point toward the beginning of November.
This time of the year means that the armies of Brown Creepers and Ruby and Golden-crowned kinglets have descended upon the Long Point area and our nets are filled with them when the weather is favourable. Hermit Thrushes are still here in large numbers and there was one Gray-cheeked Thrush on the 16th.
Two species of vireo were observed this week, with the expected Blue-headed and a late Red-eyed Vireo banded on the 18th. Yellow-rumped Warblers comprise the bulk of the warblers in the area now though a total of eight species were seen over the past week. The highlight was a Yellow Palm Warbler, the eastern subspecies which usually migrates to the east of the Appalachian Mountains, banded at Old Cut on the 14th.
White-crowned Sparrows now appear to be outnumbering White-throated Sparrows while Dark-eyed Juncos made a big push into the area on the 20th. A LeConte’s Sparrow surprised personnel at the Tip on the 20th.
Finally, a sure sign of late fall is the ‘river of blackbirds’ flying over Old Cut in the evenings. A total of 20,000 were seen on the 17th. This number will surely climb over the next two weeks, as last year's high number was around one million birds.

Fall migration was certainly in full swing this week, with both stations seeing large movements of typical mid-fall migrants. Kinglets and sparrows came through in large numbers, as well as increased numbers of waterfowl and another wave of raptors. Most of the birds appeared to have moved over the Thanksgiving weekend, before a large front moved through on the 11th bringing rain, snow and strong winds.
Common Loons have been seen migrating most days, with Horned Grebes being seen periodically on the north shore. Double-crested Cormorants peaked on the 11th this week with 5800 seen at the Tip. Three species of heron were found at Long Point over the past week with American Bitterns seen at the Tip on the 9th and 13th; Black-crowned Night-Herons were found at Big Creek on the 11th and 12th and Great Blue Herons have been seen daily in small numbers across the area. Waterfowl continue to increase in the area, with most of the birds seen on the north shore between Old Cut and the Tip. Surf and White-winged scoters have been seen at the Tip on several occasions and up to 20 Mute Swans have been seen on the Inner Bay just off of the Causeway.
   Raptors staged another movement this week, peaking over last weekend despite the southerly winds. Northern Harriers finally came through in good numbers with 50 seen at the Tip on the 6th. The highest count of Sharp-shinned Hawks was on the 9th with 75 seen with two banded. Single Cooper’s Hawks were banded at the Tip on the 7th and 9th with a high count of ten on the 7th. Also on the 7th, the first Northern Goshawks of the season was seen both stations, followed on the 8th by the first Red-shouldered Hawks at both stations. Ospreys have been seen regularly at Old Cut with a high count of three. Peregrine Falcons have been regular at the Tip and seen periodically at Old Cut as well. An American Kestrel was banded near Old Cut on the 6th.
   Plegadis ibis were seen at both stations this week. Six were seen flying over Old Cut on the 6th while two, followed by a lone individual, for a total of three, were seen at the Tip on the 9th. The Tip still has at least two Virginia Rails calling daily. Dunlin have started to move into the area with one seen on the 12th at the Tip while a few Sanderling and Black-bellied Plovers are still in the area. Four Greater Yellowlegs were at Old Cut on the 13th. An adult Little Gull was seen just west of the Tip on the 6th and six Forster’s Terns were seen off of the north shore on the 9th along with 500 Common Terns. Caspian Terns are still around though in low numbers with two seen at Old Cut on the 12th.
   Yellow-billed Cuckoos surprised the Tip twice this week, with one banded on the 9th and two on the 13th along with a few others observed. Another Eastern Screech-Owl was banded at the Tip on the 8th but that was the only owl banded over the past week. A Long-eared Owl pleased many at Old Cut on the 6th as it hung around the banding lab for a while. A Wild Turkey was an interesting find at Old Cut on the 7th.
   The last of the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds probably passed through this week with birds seen on the 7th, 8th and 11th. Any hummingbirds seen after this date should to be carefully scrutinized for the possibility of a western vagrant. A few more Tree Swallows were seen at both stations this week as well.
Blue Jays moved in large numbers this week, with several hundred seen at both stations on the 8th and up to a 1000 at both stations on the 9th. There is the possibility that there may have been some duplication of counts as the birds at Old Cut were seen moving east and the birds at the Tip typically appeared a few hours later.
   A total of five wren species were seen this week with a Sedge Wren seen on the 10th at the Tip along with a few House and Marsh Wrens that are still hanging around. Brown Creepers and both species of kinglets, in about equal numbers, made big movements this week, although they were more prevalent at the Tip than at Old Cut.
Gray-cheeked and Swainson’s thrushes continue to trickle through, while Hermit Thrushes are now the most common thrush species. The last Wood Thrushes were likely the birds seen early in the week, with some banded at the Tip on the 6th and the 7th.
   Most of the vireos around now are Blue-headeds although a few Red-eyeds are still present. Yellow-rumped Warblers are now the most common warbler although there were 14 other species around this week. Several Orange-crowned Warblers were banded at each station, a Tennessee Warbler was banded at Old Cut on the 10th, two Magnolias were banded on the 7th at Old Cut, on the 9th a Bay-breasted and a Blackpoll Warbler were banded at the Tip, and a Northern Waterthrush was banded at the Tip on the 10th as well.
   Sparrows are now here in good numbers with lots of Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated and White-crowned sparrows, as well as a mixture of other species seen at both stations. The highlight was a Lapland Longspur that was banded at the Tip on the 12th. Blackbirds have been increasing in numbers, with several flocks of Rusty Blackbirds seen among the Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles.

A flock of 11 plegadis ibis was discovered along the A Concession just west of Big Creek on the afternoon of the 2nd. While 10 of the birds were Glossys, close examination of the 11th bird revealed that it was an adult White-faced Ibis. Detailed photographs revealed the bird's ruby red eye along with pinkish facial skin, a paler head and a golden-rosy cast to the gloss on the bird's back and wing feathers. This represents the first record for the Long Point area.

Fall has begun! There were great movements of warblers and thrushes mixed with the beginnings of the temperate migrant sparrows and kinglets this past week.
Common Loons are migrating along the lake daily while 6800 Double-crested Cormorants were at the Tip on the 27th along with 5000 Common Terns. A Cackling Goose was present at the Tip on the 23rd and 24th.
Duck numbers continue to increase with many Mallards, Blue-winged Teal and American Wigeons scattered throughout the Inner Bay accompanied by good numbers of Pied-billed Grebes and American Coots. Divers have also begun to show up. Common and Red-breasted Mergansers have been observed at both stations as have scaup. The Tip had 6 Greater Scaup on the 25th and 40 Lesser Scaup on the 26th.
Raptors have also been quite active this past week. Peregrine Falcons and Bald Eagles are regular at both the Tip and Old Cut. Northern Saw-whet Owl monitoring began on the 26th of September and the first bird of the season was banded at Old Cut on the evening of the 28th. Also on the 28th, a Long-eared Owl was in the Old Cut woodlot along with the regular Eastern Screech-Owls.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are still moving through in small numbers. The Northern Flicker migration was absolutely phenomenal at Old Cut last week. Numbers had slowly been building until we saw a major push on the 25th when 719 were estimated to fly through the census area. There was a constant stream of flickers coming in off the Point and it was not uncommon to have 20 or 30 in the sky at once. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have also been increasing this past week.
Eastern Wood-Pewees continue to move through along with the odd straggling Least Flycather while Eastern Phoebe’s have just begun. Blue-headed Vireos have become more numerous though Red-eyeds are the still the dominant vireo. Surprisingly, we’ve had quite a number of lingering Philadelphia Vireos as well. We’ve started to see a few more Tree Swallows flying high along with the odd remaining Barn and Cliff swallow. On the 24th, the Tip had 2 Northern Rough-winged Swallows.
Red-breasted Nuthatches and Brown Creepers have been increasing at both stations as have House and Winter wrens. Kinglets have been getting more numerous and vocal by the day. Ruby-crowned Kinglets, mostly young females, are the dominant specie though there are still a good number of Golden-crowned Kinglets calling in the Old Cut woodlot.
Gray-cheeked Thrushes picked up this past week as did Hermit and Wood thrushes though there are still a few Swainson’s around. Eastern Bluebirds, Horned Larks and American Pipits have all started to move through the Long Point area, usually high overhead in the morning.
Warbler diversity continues to be high but it is quickly dwindling to a mix of Yellow-rumpeds, Western Palm and Nashvilles. A Pine Warbler was present at Old Cut on the 22nd. Northern Parulas have been moving through this past week as well. On the 24th, one was banded at Old Cut with another on the 26th while a few others have been observed in the area. An Orange-crowned Warbler was banded at the Tip on the 22nd and two were banded at Old Cut on the 25th.
Sparrow numbers have increased with fair but not large movements of White-throated Sparrows mixed with the odd While-crowned, Lincolns’ Song and Dark-eyed Junco. A Grasshopper Sparrow was banded at the Tip on the 25th and a Clay-coloured Sparrow was observed there the same day. Blackbirds have just begun migrating. Rusty Blackbirds have been observed periodically. Three were at the Tip on the 21st, nine on the 25th and 40 on the 27th.
This next week will likely see a mass movement of Yellow-rumped Warblers, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, the last of the thrushes and the beginning of the sparrows.

This past week at Long Point had a slow and steady stream of migrants. Breakwater was officially closed on the 21st leaving the Tip and Old Cut to finish off the fall.
Common Loons were observed daily while Double-crested Cormorants continue to pile up. Over 10,000 were at the Tip on the 15th and over 4000 on the 16th. Black-crowned Night Herons were observed at Old Cut on the 20th and 22nd.
Canada Geese have continued to increase as have duck numbers and diversity. Long-tailed Ducks still frequent the Tip in very small numbers.
Raptors took advantage of strong northerlies earlier in the week and many of them got blown onto the Point. All three stations documented great movements of Sharp-shinned Hawks. On the 15th, 910 were counted at the Tip, 13 of which were banded. On the 16th, 650 were observed and 7 were banded. Breakwater had around 250 on each of those days. Merlins and American Kestrels have also been on the move, and the Tip was lucky enough to band one of each on the 16th and 18th. An immature Broad-winged Hawk was banded at the Tip on the 19th. Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons have also been a regular at all stations.
Black-bellied Plover have been the most numerous shorebird this past week with almost daily observations at the Tip and 22 on the 15th. On the 19th, a Buff-breasted Sandpiper was at the Tip and was banded the following day. Also at the Tip that day were a number of Sanderlings and Semipalmated Sandpipers along with one Baird's. A 1st winter Little Gull was at the Tip on the 18th along with a single Forster's Tern.
Chimney Swifts have been trickling through along with fairly good movements of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. Red-headed Woodpeckers have been putting on a good show at Old Cut this past week. Two were observed on the 15th, one on the 19th and three on the 20th. Most of these birds have been flying over with large numbers of Northern Flickers - 161 flew by Old Cut on the 20th. The season's first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker was at Old Cut on the 16th and the first one was banded at the Tip on the 21st.
Least Flycatchers are pretty much all that is left of the Empidonax flycatchers though a Yellow-bellied was banded at the Tip on the 17th. Eastern Wood-Pewees are still being observed daily. An Eastern Kingbird was also at the Tip on the 16th. Swallows are few and far between though there has been the odd group of Barns and Trees. The Tip had a Purple Martin on the 16th and a Cliff Swallow on the 18th.
Red-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers and Winter Wrens have become more regular as have both Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned kinglets. Gray-cheeked Thrushes have taken over from Swainson's as the dominant Catharus thrush and there are still a few Veerys around. Brown Thrashers have been slowly increasing, and there has been a consistent though small movement of American Pipits.
Red-eyed Vireos are still the numerous vireo though Blue-headeds are slowly becoming more abundant. A Yellow-throated Vireo was banded at Breakwater on the 20th. Warbler diversity is still high though the numbers of most species have dwindled with the exception of Blackpolls, Yellow-rumpeds, Nashvilles and Western Palms, which have been more numerous. Three Northern Parulas were at Old Cut on the 20th.
There have been no major movements of sparrows so far but White-throated Sparrows are around daily and Lincoln's and Swamps are slowly building. The first White-crowned Sparrow of the season was observed at the Tip on the 22nd. There have still been no major movements of blackbirds though 6 Rusty Blackbirds were at the Tip on the 16th, 12 on the 20th and 3 on the 21st.
Strong west and southwest winds along with wet weather will most likely put a large damper on any movement this coming week. As soon as the wind dies and shifts slightly north we expect to see a huge push of the last neotropical bound thrushes and warblers mixed with the first temperate migrant sparrows and kinglets.

Double-crested Cormorants have begun to move in decent numbers this past week with over 10,000 observed flying by the Tip on the 12th. Duck diversity is still relatively low but a few new species such as American Wigeon, Northern Pintail and Northern Shoveler have been observed . Long-tailed Ducks and all three merganser species have been observed in small numbers on the lake. Virginia Rails are still being observed daily at the Tip while Old Cut had one on the 10th as well as a Sora and a Black-crowned Night Heron on the 9th.
Despite the wet weather, raptor migration was in full swing. Sharp-shinned Hawks made up the bulk of the movement. Over 250 were observed at Breakwater on the 14th and over 600 at the Tip on the 15th. Bald Eagles and Ospreys have been moving in small numbers. On the 10th, we had the season's first Northern Goshawk and Red-shouldered Hawk at Old Cut.
Shorebird migration has slowed right down. A Whimbrel flew by the Tip on the 9th and an American Golden Plover was at Breakwater on the 13th. Black-bellied Plovers have been the most numerous shorebird next to Greater Yellowlegs which have been observed flying over regularly. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was at the Tip on the 9th and 10th.
Common Nighthawks are pretty much finished. Two were observed at Old Cut on the 10th with 5 at the Tip on the 14th.
Northern Flickers have picked up in the past few days with 51 observed at Old Cut on the 14th and over 30 a day at all three stations. A flicker intergrade was observed at Old Cut on the 10th. Red-headed Woodpeckers, mostly hatch-year birds, have also been observed fairly regularly at all three stations.
Surprisingly, there are still a few Yellow-bellied Flycatchers kicking around with 8 at Old Cut on the 10th. The last of the Leasts and Traill's, along with Eastern Wood Pewees, are also trickling through . An Acadian Flycatcher was banded at Old Cut on the 10th. Yet another Olive-sided Flycatcher was at Old Cut on the 9th.
The first two Winter Wrens of the season were observed at Old Cut on the 10th along with 14 Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Blue-headed Vireos have been observed regularly. Red-breasted Nuthatches have also become an almost daily visitor.
Red-eyed and Philadelphia vireos are in full swing. Warbler diversity hasn't slowed down much at all. Twenty species were observed at Old Cut on the 10th including Northern Parula and Orange-crowned Warbler. Magnolias are still the dominant warbler followed closely by Blackpoll, Yellow-rumped, Nashville and American Redstart. Connecticut Warblers were observed on census at the Tip on the 8th and 13th with one banded on the 9th. One was observed on the morning census at Old Cut on the 9th while one was banded on the 15th.
The first two Lincoln's Sparrows of the season were banded at Old Cut on the 10th and White-throated Sparrows having been showing up in ones and twos over the past week.
Blackbird flocks are starting to head out to the Long Point marshes, but only by the hundreds. Two Rusty Blackbirds were observed at the Tip on the 14th.

Waterfowl continue to build slowly in the Long Point region with Mallards, Blue-winged Teal, and American Black Ducks still dominating the flight. Small numbers of Long-tailed Ducks continue to be observed at the Tip. A young Least Bittern was skillfully captured and banded at the Tip on 4th. A Great Egret flew over Old Cut on the 5th.
Raptors livened up this past week. Bald Eagles and Ospreys have been majestically scouring the shallow ponds and shorelines. On most days, eight species have been observed at all three stations.
Shorebird numbers and diversity have dropped in the past week. A Ruddy Turnstone was at the Tip on the 3rd. A young Red-necked Phalarope stopped by the Tip briefly on the 4th and, on the 5th, an adult was observed foraging about 200m offshore of the Long Point Provincial Park. Wilson’s Snipe are beginning to move in small numbers as are American Woodcocks.
Bonaparte’s Gulls have been more numerous in the last week and two adult Little Gulls flew over Old Cut on the 2nd. A second winter Lesser Black-backed Gull was at the Tip on the 3rd. Common Terns have begun to fly by the Tip in high numbers. The peak so far was on the 3rd when 6070 flew by the Tip. Caspian Terns are still quite common but their numbers are dwindling.
Northern Flickers have just begun to move and a few Red-headed and Red-bellied woodpeckers have been present at all three stations. Flycatchers haven’t quite finished yet. Least Flycatchers are still moving through in good numbers with the odd Yellow-bellied and Traill’s. On the 7th, two Olive-sided Flycatchers were still present at Old Cut.
A few Red-breasted Nuthatches have begun to show up and the season's first Brown Creeper was banded at Old Cut on the 7th. The first Ruby-crowned Kinglet of the season was observed at Breakwater on the 5th. Thrushes have finally begun to show signs of life. Swainson’s Thrushes have been pushing through with more than 30 a day estimated at Old Cut for most of the past week. Veerys continue to move in small numbers as do Gray-cheeked Thrushes. Very few Wood Thrushes have been recorded thus far, but the woodlots north of Long Point have had substantial flocks moving through the under story. The first Blue-headed Vireo of the season was observed at the Tip on the 3rd.
Warbler diversity has been spectacular this past week. Magnolias have recently dominated but they are starting to be overtaken by Blackpolls and the odd rush of Yellow-rumpeds. Northern Parulas were banded at both Breakwater and Old Cut on the 7th. The season's first Connecticut Warbler, a hatch-year female, was banded at Old Cut on the 5th. Another was on the morning census at the Tip on the 6th, 7th and was finally banded on the 8th. Old Cut also banded its second Connecticut on the 8th.
Sparrow movement has been slow though Chipping Sparrow numbers continue to increase and there have been a few Savannah Sparrows around. The first two Lincoln’s Sparrows of the season were at Old Cut on the 8th.
Bobolinks continue to fly over in small numbers. Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackle flocks are building in the Long Point marshes but there numbers have not yet broken 10,000. A Rusty Blackbird was at the Tip on the 6th.

Strong winds put a damper on migration for most of the last week though there were still a few good passerine movements and interesting birds.
The first Red-necked Grebe of the season was swimming in the pond at the Tip on the 30^th. Double-crested Cormorants have begun to accumulate with up to 5000 off the Tip on good days and equal numbers have been observed flying by Breakwater. Duck numbers continue to increase but diversity is still low. Blue-winged Teal are swarming the Long Point marshes and flocks of up to 600 have been observed at Breakwater. Mallards are the second most numerous duck and a few Black Ducks have worked their way into the mix in the past few days. The season’s first five Long-tailed Ducks flew by Old Cut on the 29^th while the first White-winged Scoter flew by the Tip on the 2^nd.
Migrant raptors are slowly starting to appear. Turkey Vultures, Northern Harriers, Sharp-shinned Hawks, American Kestrels and Merlins have all been present in small numbers. The first two migrant Peregrine Falcons of the fall were observed at Old Cut on the 31^st.
The second Marbled Godwit of the season flew over Old Cut the evening of the 29^th. Seven Whimbrel were at the Tip on the 25^th accompanied by 6 Baird’s Sandpiper. Another seven Baird’s were at the Tip on the 26^th and 12 on the 28^th. Two Buff-breasted Sandpipers took up residence at the Tip on the 29^th along with the season's first White-rumped Sandpiper. Semipalmated and Black-bellied plovers have also been moving through in good numbers. Strong east winds on the 29^th also kicked up a few jaegers on Lake Erie. Two unidentified jaegers were first observed off the Tip followed by a young Long-tailed Jaeger.
The 29^th was not just productive for shorebirds and jaegers. A spectacular migration of Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Eastern Kingbirds took place as they took advantage of lift created by the strong east winds. Old Cut observed 175 Kingbirds and 84 Hummingbirds all heading east. The Tip on the other hand only had 37 Kingbirds but observed over 400 Hummingbirds taking off the Tip. A flicker intergrade was at Breakwater on the 30^th.
Least Flycatchers have continued to be the dominant flycatcher with lingering Traill’s and Yellow-bellieds still present. Olive-sided Flycatchers were also present daily at Old Cut until September 1^st.
Cedar Waxwings have been numerous this past week. 1141 were observed at Old Cut on the 29^th, 500 on the 30^th and 577 on the 31^st. Warbling Vireos have been moving in small numbers and the season's second Philadelphia Vireo was at Old Cut on the 3^rd. Red-eyed Vireos have also begun to move.
The second Prothonotary Warbler of the season was observed at the Tip on the 30^th. Eighteen warbler species were at Old Cut on the 3^rd including the season's first Yellow-breasted Chat. The warbler diversity of late has been dominated by Magnolias, Wilson’s, Yellow-rumpeds and American Redstarts.

New species continue to arrive at Long Point. While migration has generally been slow, the diversity has certainly been impressive.
Common Loons have been observed in very small numbers migrating over the Point. Duck diversity has been low with Mallards Blue and Green-winged teal and Wood Duck being the dominant species. Breakwater has started to pick up a few more species namely Northern Pintail and Gadwall while the Tip has had daily observations of both Common and Red-breasted merganser.
Raptors have been showing small signs of movement with Northern Harriers, American Kestrels, Merlins, and Red-tailed Hawks observed high over Old Cut. Bald Eagles and Osprey have also been regularly observed.
There have been three exciting shorebird species this past week. On the 23rd, four Long-billed Dowitchers were observed and heard flying over the Tip. A Red Knot was at the Tip on the 18th with another on the 24th. Also on the 24th, a Willet flew over Old Cut. Baird's Sandpipers continue to be a somewhat regular visitor to the Long Point area with birds at Breakwater on the 18th and at the Tip on the 18th, 20th, 23rd and 24th. On the 18th an American Golden Plover stayed at the Tip for most of the day and on the 19th four flew by. Semipalmated Plover have also been moving through in good numbers.
While some cuckoos are starting to migrate, many are just finishing to breed. Breakwater has been the cuckoo hot spot with 5 Yellow-billed and 3 Black-billed banded to date. Chimney Swifts have slowly started to move through with a few observed daily with the first fair movement of 25 at Breakwater on the 23rd. On the 22nd, a Red-headed Woodpecker was at Old Cut. Common Nighthawks took advantage of slight north breezes earlier in the week and were observed at all stations. The volunteers at Old Cut witnessed a fantastic migration on the evening of the 19th when 80 were observed flying east along the Point.
Empidonax flycatchers have been pushing through this past week with Leasts leading the rush followed by a fair number of Traill's and lingering Yellow-bellieds. It has been a great year for Olive-sided Flycatchers with ten more observed and three banded in the last week. Eastern Kingbirds have been moving through in small numbers as have Great-crested Flycatchers.
The swallows migration has begun to slow down with the Long Point Company marsh roost numbering only 25 to 30,000 on most evenings. This swarm has typically been made up of 60 % Bank, 15% Barn, 10% Tree, and 10% Purple Martin with Northern Rough-winged and Cliff making up the other 5%.
Thrushes are becoming more regular with Veerys accompanying mostly moulting adult Swainson's. Gray Catbirds are still numerous and a number of Northern Mockingbirds have been observed at Breakwater and Old Cut where they are usually uncommon. Flocks of Cedar Waxwings are consistently moving along the Point numbering anywhere from 1 to 500 daily.
Local movements of Warbling Vireos are making up the bulk of the vireo movement but Red-eyeds have been observed and banded in small numbers. The first Philadelphia of the season was observed and later banded at Old Cut on the 21st.
Twenty-eight warbler species have been recorded to date. New arrivals for this past week include Blackpoll and Orange-crowned warbler at Breakwater on the 22nd. The season's first Pine and Prairie warblers were observed at Breakwater and the Tip on the 24th, respectively. A male Prothonotary Warbler was observed on the morning census at Old Cut on the 20th. Canada, Magnolia and Yellow warblers have been the dominant species while Northern Waterthrushes have also been calling in just about every bush.
A Grasshopper Sparrow was observed in the dunes at Breakwater on the 18th. Bobolinks have continued to move in small numbers and the blackbirds flocks are numbering in the 10 to 20,000 range. An extremely early female Rusty Blackbird was observed at Breakwater on the 21st. Baltimore Orioles are much more abundant than in weeks previous while four Orchard Orioles have been observed at Breakwater this past week.

LPBO’s 47th fall migration monitoring season is underway. The Tip and Breakwater field stations have been up and running since the 13th and the Old Cut field station started on the 15th. The first fall migrants started to arrive in mid-July so migration was well underway by the time the nets were set.
The first Common Loon was observed flying over Old Cut on the 16th. There has been very little water bird activity except for the accumulation of some ducks such as Blue-winged Teal, Wood Ducks, and Common and Red-breasted merganser. A pair of Least Bittern has been frequenting the Tip as have numerous Virginia Rails. A big surprise for the Tip was a fledgling Northern Saw-whet Owl found on the 19th on the morning census.
Shorebird migration began some time ago but there is still quite a bit of activity on the Point. On August 3rd, the season's first Baird’s Sandpiper arrived at the Tip. Three were at the Tip on 17th and two on the beach of the Provincial Park on the 18th. The first two Whimbrel of the season flew over Breakwater on the 17th. Many Black-bellied and Semipalmated plovers have been frequenting Breakwater and the Tip along with good numbers of Least and Semipalmated sandpipers. Other shorebird species in the area include Greater and Lesser yellowlegs, Pectoral Sandpiper, Sanderling, Short-billed Dowitcher, and Solitary Sandpiper, while the season's first Dunlin stopped by the Tip on the 16th.
Flycatchers have also been on the move. Yellow-bellied Flycatchers first arrived in July followed shortly thereafter by Least and Traill’s. Eastern Kingbirds have been following the Point steadily and the season's first Olive-sided was observed at Old Cut on the 16th and subsequently banded. The Tip had another on the morning of the 19th. Aerial foragers have been moving in very large numbers over the Long Point marshes and heading south-east off the Tip. Purple Martins have been particuarly numerous. On the 12th a flock of 1100 were observed over the Long Point Company marsh followed by 950 gathering around Breakwater the following evening. The largest accumulation of swallows was at Breakwater on the 17th when 5000 Bank, 800 Tree, 200 Barn, and 20 Northern Rough-winged swallows flew over the census area. A conservative estimate of 100,000 swallows were observed flocking over the Company marshes and many of them stayed to roost. An additional 2500 Purple Martins were observed flying off the Tip on the 18th.
The season’s first Tufted Titmouse was banded at Breakwater on the 17th. The first official bird of the season at Old Cut was a moulting adult Swainson’s Thrush. A few have been observed at all stations since then. Gray Catbirds have been keeping the nets at Old Cut busy mostly due to post-breeding dispersal with just a few migrants. There hasn’t been much of a vireo movement to speak of yet. Moulting adults and migrating young Warbling Vireos have been regular visitors. A few Red-eyed Vireos have also begun to move.
Seventeen warbler species have been recorded to date on Long Point. Yellow Warblers have been the most abundant local and migrant warbler but are starting to slow down as most of their migration took place in late July and early August. Canada Warblers have been the second most numerous migrant followed by Mournings. The first boreal breeders have arrived with Cape May, Nashville and Tennessee warblers recorded in small numbers. The first Yellow-rumped Warbler of the season was banded at Old Cut on the 16th. Other species present include American Redstart, Black-and-White, Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia, Northern Waterthrush and Ovenbird.
There have been small movements of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Indigo Buntings. Song and Swamp sparrows have been the dominant sparrows at Breakwater and Old Cut while Chipping Sparrows, mostly juveniles, are crawling all over the meadows at the Tip. The odd Bobolink has been heard flying over Breakwater and Old Cut Blackbird flocks are slowly starting to grow with numbers reaching about 5000 around the Big Creek Marsh and flying by the Bird Studies Canada Headquarters in the evening. Baltimore Orioles have also started to move in small numbers but enjoy them while you can because they will certainly push through in the next few weeks.

17 November 2006