2007 Annual Report
– Bird Records
In 2007 a total of 254 species were reported from Thunder Bay District by members and friends of the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists. Three new species were added to the list this year, bringing out total for the District to 355 species. These new species are listed below.Regular Species
We have 235 regular species, of which 230 were reported in 2007. The five species missed were Greater White-fronted Goose, Wilson’s Phalarope, Black Tern, Thayer’s Gull, and Boreal Owl. Wilson’s Phalarope hasn’t been seen since 2003, and this is the second year in a row that we have missed Greater White-fronted Goose and Black Tern. If anyone saw any of these species in 2007, please inform the writer.Rare Species
Twenty-four rare species were recorded in Thunder Bay District in 2007. These included the additions to our list, Eurasian Collared-dove, Long-tailed Jaeger and Bell’s Vireo. A list of these rarities is to be found in the separate table. As usual, many of them are from the Thunder Cape Bird Observatory, with photographic documentation for those that were netted and banded. The highlight of the year was the apparent nesting of a pair of Black-crowned Night-herons along the McIntyre River at Thunder Bay’s new hospital, with the first sighting of an adult on July 2, two adults together seen on July 15, and a juvenile seen on several occasions in August in the ponds below the hospital.Exotic Species
Once again in 2007 Ring-necked Pheasants spread out from local releases and several were reported by TBFN members. The Ring-necked Pheasant is on our checklist as an extirpated species, and thus is considered an exotic now until it can be confirmed that they can survive the winter unaided by human intervention. “Wild” Turkeys are still being seen in the Mountain Road area, and there was still a female in Kakabeka Falls.I wish to extend my thanks to all those who submit their bird records. Without these sightings the current compilation would be incomplete. Any interesting or unusual bird sightings can be transmitted to me by mail, or, preferably, e-mail at ngescott@shaw.ca
Respectfully submitted,
Nick Escott, Bird Records Chairman
650 Alice Avenue, R.R. #14, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 5E5List of Rare Species Observed in Thunder Bay District in 2007
Harlequin Duck, TCBO, October 16
Pacific Loon, TCBO, August 4
Yellow-Billed Loon, Lake Superior off Rossport, November 9,
Green Heron, Silver Harbour Conservation Area shore, May 18
Black-crowned Night-heron, Thunder Bay Health Sciences Centre, August 7
Willet, Richardson's elevator beach, August 6
Long-tailed Jaeger, Frazer Lake near Nipigon, September 1
Great Black-backed Gull, Mission Island, April 30
Eurasian Collared-dove, Pass Lake, November 4-9
White-winged Dove, Manitouwadge, November 15-28
Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Chippewa landfill, September 26
Rufous Hummingbird, White Lake feeder, August 30
Red-headed Woodpecker, Farm Road, May 19
Red-bellied Woodpecker, North Fowl Lake Road, October 12
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Thunder Bay Airport, June 9
Bell's Vireo, TCBO, September 7
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, TCBO, May 26
Golden-winged Warbler, TCBO, May 8
Yellow-throated Warbler, TCBO, May 18
Green-tailed Towhee, TCBO, September 19-22
Lark Sparrow, TCBO, June 1
Grasshopper Sparrow, TCBO, June 2
Smith's Longspur, Pool 6 site, September 13
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch, Red Roack Road feeder, January 29
