It Was Worth The Drive To Brampton (Tolls and All)

November 14

Since November 11, I had received e-mail reports from the Ontbirds report, informing of a rare bird observed in Brampton (north of Toronto). With the passing of each day I hoped that the accidental visitor would stay for the weekend. The bird (closely related to the waxwings) was a Phainopepla, a member of the Silky-flycatcher family. Phainopeplas can be found in the southwestern United States and Mexico so why was it feeding on berries from bushes in a residential neighbourhood, north of Lake Ontario? In November no less!

There was no way Jean and I could let the opportunity slide by without trying to observe it. I demonstrated great restraint the previous day. On Friday I passed by the exit for the bird (Dixie Road) while travelling on the 407 to attend the Science Teachers Association of Ontario annual conference being held at the Double Tree International Plaza on Dixon Road. I was working a booth for my employer, a science education supply company, and the Phainopepla was within reach (mere kilometres). But without Jean I could not tick this as a lifer bird. Other birders we talked to today would not have been as kind.


Travelling time was a little more than an hour and we arrived in the neighbourhood at 11:30 AM (last reported sighting was at 8:35 AM). We found a small group of birders in search of the Phainopepla. No where near as many that flocked to observe an Eastern Crowned Warbler in the northeast of England 3 weeks ago. We picked the right time to arrive. When exiting our car, birders down the street ran in the opposite direction. They had seen it! Upon joining the group we were told of the bird's location. From the sidewalk and boulevard, all (24 birders and some local residents) could see the Phainopepla in a back yard tree. Moments later the bird flew to the front yard of a neighbouring residence where we were all treated to some great views as it moved between the trees and bushes.

Before it moved up the street (across from our parked car) Jean was able to capture some digiscoped images.

Lifer #288 and #191 for the Ontario year list, Phainopepla nitens. Only the second record in Ontario.

Jean and I were able to observe the Phainopepla for approximately 40 minutes before it disappeared into a bush. Satisfied with our observations we left the bird (as it remained hidden) to charm any additional birders arriving in the afternoon.

Looking at the Top 100 eBirders in Ontario (for 2009), 8 birders including myself, have the Phainopepla listed as their most recent addition. I'm currently tied for 15th with a birding friend Jean and I car pooled with on the Long Point OFO trip. She will most likely be attending the Niagara River Gull Watch so I predict the tie will remain by the end of the year. Right Anne?

It's been an interesting week in Ontario. In a matter of days, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher and the Phainopepla were reported on Ontbirds. The Ash-throated Flycatcher was found at Point Pelee NP in southwestern ON. The Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher flew into a window of a residence in Oakville and was taken to the Toronto Wildlife Centre. Sadly, it died two days later and was delivered to the Royal Ontario Museum. A more respectable way of collecting specimens. The warm front experienced earlier in the week most likely brought these birds (and possibly others) to southern Ontario. Here's hoping for a couple more. Sightings in the Niagara Region would be preferred.

Ruffing it in Oakville

I awoke Tuesday morning with plans on finally getting out on the road bike that evening but a report on the Ontbirds listserve early in the morning had changed my mind.

A male Ruff, in breeding plumage, was reported in a flooded field between Milton and Oakville. I entered the location using a well known search engine and found it was just under an hour's drive from my home. This was doable, especially for a very rare spring transient.

Upon reaching the field on Brittania Road we parked on the opposite shoulder, waiting patiently, as traffic raced by, to join 2 birders present on the north shoulder of the regional road. They did not have a scope but they were sure that the large shorebird 200 metres away was indeed the Ruff. As soon as I had the bird in view it flew eastward and I was able to follow it with the scope until it dropped out of sight behind a line of grass separating two fields. We stayed a short time in hopes of the Ruff rejoining the mixture of Lesser (#120 for the year list) and Greater Yellowlegs (#121). Seeing these two very similar species together was worthwhile. Alone they can sometimes be difficult to identify. A pair of Wood Duck (#122) were also found in the flooded field.

The shoulders of the road, as posted on the listserve, were very narrow and vehicles passing at 80 km/hr+ intimidating. Another birder with a scope had joined our small group but all would soon leave, including Jean and I , leaving one birder by the road side. We thought we should try further east, possibly walking down a railway line. This would not be possible. We returned to the field, this time within the safety of our car on the north shoulder, approximately 150 metres east of the lone birder. We still could not spot the Ruff. I drove towards the patient birder and he waved slightly. Did he have it? Yes, it had returned to the open, flooded field! We obtained some great views of an amazing male Ruff with a black crown, rufous ruff, orange bill and black breast. We stayed for some time taking in this rare visitor to the Great Lakes region and I noticed more birders, 100 metres east of our location, enjoying the view as well. Traffic would slow down and curious commuters would stop and ask what we were looking at and appeared excited as we described the bird and showed them images from our shorebird guide.

Content with our time spent on a narrow gravel shoulder, as cars sped by, we bid our fellow birder a good day and headed home with another lifer ticked (#258). One hell of a lifer I might add.

Sorry there are no images to accompany this posting. The Ruff was too far away and in the excitement we did not capture any images of the flooded field. You've seen one, you've seen them all. For those non-birders reading this post, including mother-in-laws, click here for some information on the Eurasian species and here for an image of a male in breeding plumage.

That guilty feeling of choosing to chase a reported bird rather than ride my bike, which grew stronger with every cyclist we passed en route to the location, was nonexistent during the drive home. The bike is still hanging in the garage and will be there tomorrow. The Ruff on the other hand may not. I think the right choice was made.