Ash-throated Flycatcher banded on April 26, 2006
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A Parade of Rarities at
Thunder Cape Bird Observatory

Numerous sightings of bird species rare to the Thunder Bay District have been recorded at Thunder Cape Bird Observatory since migration monitoring commenced there in the fall of 1991. Some species previously considered rare in the District have been seen at the Cape so often that they are now listed as regularly occurring species.

In 1994, largely due to the number of sightings at Thunder Cape, it was decided to reclassify Red-throated Loon, Surf Scoter and Golden Eagle from rare to regular in the Thunder Bay District. As well, several species new to Thunder Bay District have been recorded at Thunder Cape:

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Townsend's Warbler banded on August 3, 2008 is new to the Thunder Bay District.

Bell's Vireo banded on September 21, 2007 is a Thunder Bay District first.

Sabine's Gull observed on October 20, 2006 is a first for the Thunder Bay District.

Yellow-billed Loon observed flying past on October 14, 2006 is new to the Thunder Bay District.

Green-tailed Towhee banded on June 10, 2006 is a first for the Thunder Bay District.

Ash-throated Flycatcher banded on April 26, 2006 is a new species for the Thunder Bay District.

Kentucky Warbler male banded on May 29, 2003 is a first for the Thunder Bay District.

Brewer's Sparrow banded on May 27, 2003 is the first record for all of Ontario.

Pomarine Jaeger (imm.) seen October 9, 2001, new Thunder Bay District record.

Virginia's Warbler banded on August 29, 2001 is the first record for Northern Ontario.

Red Phalarope photographed on October 22, 1999 is new to the Thunder Bay District.

Little Gull adult seen on October 14, 1999 is a new District record from Thunder Cape.

Sprague's Pipit, May 29, 1998 is a new District record.

Painted Bunting (male), May 15, 1998 is a new District record.

Bewick's Wren, netted and banded on May 2, 1998, new Northern Ontario record.

Grasshopper Sparrow banded on June 4, 1997 was added to the District checklist.

Prairie Warbler, an immature female banded on September 26, 1993,
was a first for the Thunder Bay District as well as Northern Ontario.

Swainson's Hawk, a light-phased immature seen on September 7, 1993,
was a District first.

Violet-green Swallow, from October 28, 1992, was a first for all of Ontario.

In addition to these firsts for the Thunder Bay District, there are some others indirectly attributable to the operations at Thunder Cape:

In 1993 Thunder Cape Bird Observatory banders Dave Shepherd and his wife Julie Cappleman spent a few days at Point Porphyry, east of Thunder Cape. On September 14th, 1993 they netted Ontario's first Dusky Flycatcher as well as the fourth district Yellow-breasted Chat.

Ontario's first Black-throated Sparrow was found on October 2, 1992 at Camp Bay, Silver Islet by Thunder Cape Bird Observatory staff during a trip to obtain supplies for the Cape.

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Spring 2008
White-winged Dove - banded on May 27
Three-toed Woodpecker - banded on May 17
Red-bellied Woodpecker - banded on June 3rd, observed June 8th
White-breasted Nuthatch - banded on May 1st, 14th, 29th
Prairie Warbler - banded on May 29th
LeConte's Sparrow - banded on May 7th
Field Sparrow - banded on May 12th
Lark Sparrow - banded on May 13th and 24th
Vesper Sparrow - banded on May 14th
Oregon Junco - banded on May 18th

Fall 2007
Pacific Loon - observed on Aug. 4
Harlequin Duck - 2 on Oct. 16
Sandhill Crane - 5 on Sept. 12
Red-necked Phalarope - 2 on Aug. 17
Red-headed Woodpecker - Oct. 1
Bell's Vireo - banded on Sept. 21
Golden-winged Warbler - banded on Aug. 24
The following species were banded for the first time ever at the Cape in the fall:
Herring Gull, Peregrine Falcon, Green-tailed Towhee, Bell's Vireo, House Wren.

Spring 2007
Red-bellied Woodpecker - observed on May 16
Yellow-throated Warbler - Observed on May 18
Western Kingbird - banded on May 20th
Grasshopper Sparrow - banded on June 2nd
Lark Sparrow - banded on June 1
Northern Cardinal - banded on May 9
Golden-winged Warbler - banded on May 8
Marsh Wren - banded May on 31

Fall 2006
Sabine's Gull - observed on Oct. 20
Red-bellied Woodpecker - observed on Oct. 19
yellow-billed Loon - observed on Oct. 14
White-winged Dove - observed on Oct. 13

Spring 2006
Ash-throated Flycatcher - banded on April 26, District first
Harlequin Duck - 2 observed on May 8
Coopers Hawk - May 12 and May 23
Green-tailed Towhee - banded on June 10, District first
Prairie Warbler - banded on June 20

Fall 2005
Pacific Loon - Aug. 22-23, Sept. 20
Bonaparte's Gull - 3 on Aug. 6
Caspian Tern - Aug. 6 and 12
Western Tanager - Aug. 24
Great Black-backed Gull - Oct. 26
Harlequin Duck - Oct. 11, 15
Red-bellied Woodpecker - Oct. 10
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - Oct. 23-27
Townsend's Solitaire - Oct. 20
Western Kingbird - Oct. 13-15
Storm Petrel sp. - Oct. 19

Spring 2005
Pine Warbler - first ever banded at the Cape in the spring, May 5 and May 10
Eartern Meadowlark - Banded on May 12
Grasshopper Sparrows - banded on May 19, May 28 and May 30
Lark Bunting - banded on May 23
Kentucky Warbler - banded on May 12
Red-throated Loon - 225 observed (77 on May 1)
Parasitic Jaeger - observed on May 25
Dickcissel - observed on May 28
Lark Sparrow - observed on May 19
Audubon's Warbler - observed on May 2
Golden-winged Warbler - observed on May 18

Fall 2004
Lesser Snow Goose - first ever banded in the fall on Sept. 29
White-eyed Vireo - first fall banding at the Cape, Oct. 21
American Woodcock - banded on Oct. 21
Cooper's Hawk - 4th bird banded at TCBO
Great Grey Owl - 2 observed near the end of October
Conneticut Warbler - banded
Indigo Bunting - late banding Oct. 23

Spring 2004
Pacific Loon observed on June 2
Caspian Tern - two observed on May 26
Red-bellied Woodpecker banded on May 19
Sage Thrasher banded on May 21
Golden-winged Warbler banded on May 19 and recaptured on May 24
Oregon Junco banded April 29 and another May 10
European Goldfinch banded on June 2

Fall 2003
Lark Sparrow banded Sept. 13 and recaptured the next day
Sora banded Sept. 15
Yellow-billed Cuckoo observed Sept. 20
Flicker integrate male with red mustaches banded Sept. 21
Red-bellied woodpecker male banded Oct. 8, another observed Oct. 11
Kentucky Warbler male banded Oct. 13
Conneticut Warbler observed Oct. 13

Spring 2003
Parasitic Jaeger immature observed on May 21 and an adult on June 1
Iceland Gull immature observed May 21
Golden-winged Warbler male banded May 22
Kentucky Warbler male banded May 29 (District first)
Western Meadowlark banded June 5
Lark Sparrow banded June 2
Oregon Junco banded April 27
Brewer's Sparrow banded May 27 (first for Ontario)

Fall 2002
Common Ground Dove observed on August 14 (photo at top of page)
Franklin's Gull, 1st year, seen August 21 and 22
Lark Bunting, September 3-9, banded
Lark Sparrow, two banded, September 4 and 9
Parasitic Jaeger, 2 on September 2, one on September 9
Jaeger sp., two seen, August 30 and September 2
Red-headed Woodpecker, September 18, October 1 and October 12
Red-throated Loon, 39 observed, including 17 on September 20
Western Kingbird, October 12
Golden Eagle, 19 individuals observed
Townsend's Solitaire, October 30

Spring 2002
Glaucous Gull observed May 19
Two Ruddy Turnstones observed May 30
Purple Martin observed May 22
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher observed May 26
Golden-winged Warbler male banded May 28
Sage Thrasher banded May 15
Wood Thrush heard singing May 22
Eastern Towhee heard singing May 19

Fall 2001
Pacific Loon with a Red-throated Loon on September 30
Pomarine Jaeger seen on October 9
Great Black-backed Gull immature seen Sept. 17 - Oct. 11
Whip-poor-will seen on October 7
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow banded on September 13
Field Sparrow banded on October 5
Virginia's Warbler hatch year male banded on August 29

Spring 2001
4 American White Pelicans on nearby Hare Island May 12
4 BTITLEimore Orioles seen
Bobolink captured on May 20, 5 in total seen
Lark Sparrow captured June 8
Loggerhead Shrike June 8
Pine Warbler singing in the woods May 4
Red-throated Loon, a total of 39 seen
Wood Thrush banded May 29

Fall 2000
Chimney Swift flew by August 21
Pine Warbler observed August 30
American White Pelican: 18 on September 1
Townsend's Solitaire seen September 30, October 3, 10, and 21
Long-eared Owl caught September 24;
Brown Thrasher banded October 14
Western Meadowlark caught on October 15
Northern Cardinal male banded October 22
Northern Hawk-Owl caught October 28

Spring 2000
Whip-poor-will heard calling on May 6
Lark Sparrow in net lanes May 13
Marbled Godwit flew over on May 13
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in treetop May 17
Golden-winged Warbler male May 2, female banded May 22
Warbling Vireo on May 27 and May 28
Red-throated Loon on May 13
Great-crested Flycatcher seen May 30

Fall 1999
Red-throated Loon: 37 birds between 3 August and 10 October
Pacific Loon on October 8
Golden Eagle: total of 39 birds on 15 days
Red Phalarope on October 22
Little Gull on October 14
Bonaparte's Gull: five birds on four days
Iceland Gull on September 9
Red-bellied Woodpecker banded October 28
Western Kingbird: 3 birds on September 20
"Yellow" Palm Warbler banded on September 22
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow banded on August 30
Dickcissel banded on September 19, seen October 2-3
Western Meadowlark on October 31.

Spring 1999
Red-throated Loon: 7 birds seen between May 18 and May 23
Ruddy Duck: group of 8 just offshore on May 12
Great-crested Flycatcher: 2 on May 29
Western Kingbird: 2 on May 31, singles on June 3 and 4
Purple Martin (new to Thunder Cape) on May 7, another on May 31
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher on May 25-26
Golden-winged Warbler male seen on May 28
Hooded Warbler seen on May 23
Female House Finch on May 13

Fall 1998
Jaeger (species?) - September 20
Sora - banded August 27
American Coot - 18 October
Broad-winged Hawk - 84 counted on September 3
Bald Eagle - 35 individuals counted on October 24
Western Kingbird - observed October 25
Red-eyed Vireo - October 25 (late)
Red-breasted Nuthatch - 128 birds counted on October 24
White-breasted Nuthatch - observed on October 24, 25 and 28
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - October 11
Townsend's Solitaire - October 19, 25, 27 and 28
Canada Warbler - a late record on October 11
Scarlet Tanager - one observed on October 13
Le Conte's Sparrow - recorded on 12 dates from August 7 to September 29
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow - banded October 14
Rose-breasted Grosbeak - banded October 25 (late)
BTITLEimore Oriole - observed October 28

Spring 1998
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - May 2
Bewick's Wren - banded May 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - May 16-18
Sprague's Pipit - May 29
Blue-winged Warbler - banded May 13
Painted Bunting - banded May 15
LeConte's Sparrow - 2 banded April 30

Fall 1997
Golden Eagle - 7 from October 20 to October 24
House Wren - October 20
Three-toed Woodpecker - September 22
Red-throated Loon - September 15

Spring 1997
Western Kingbird - June 11 and June 2
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow - banded June 8
Northern Cardinal - banded June 3
Caspian Tern - June 2
Eastern Towhee (male) - June 2
Golden-winged Warbler (female) - June 2 and banded May 31
Northern Rough-winged Swallow - May 31
Field Sparrow - May 19-25 (banded)
Willet - may 14
Red-throated Loon (21) - May 6

Fall 1996
Warbling Vireo - banded October 16
White Pelican (2) - October 1
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - banded September 13 & seen October 3
Ruddy Turnstone - September 4

Spring 1996
Lark Bunting (female) - banded June 3
Golden-winged Warbler - male banded May 22
Lark Bunting (female) - May 21
Vesper Sparrow (2) - May 19
Eared Grebe (male) - May 15
Western Meadowlark (2) - May 12
Willet - May 7

Fall 1995
Golden Eagle (5) - October 25
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (adult) - October 12
Red-headed Woodpecker - October 12
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (specimen) - September 26
Lark Sparrow - August 30
White-winged Dove - August 16 (banded)

Spring 1995
Dickcissel (ad. female) - June 6
Western Kingbird - June 7 and June 3
Field Sparrow - May 29-30 (banded)
Pacific Loon - May 29, also 17th (adult)
Red-headed Woodpecker - May 27
Black Scoter (8) - May 22
Harlequin Duck (male & female) - May 20
Red-throated Loon (15) - May 18 (nearly 90 from May 1 to June 9)
Western Tanager (male) - banded May 17, female banded May 15
Red-shouldered Hawk - May 12
Great Black-backed Gull (adult) - May 10

Fall 1994
Golden Eagle (10) - October 30
Red-headed Woodpecker - October 20 and October 16
Hooded Warbler (adult male) - banded October 15
Harlequin Duck - October 11 (2), September 15 and 28
White Pelican - October 10 (2), September 9 and 28
Parasitic Jaeger - October 8
Black Scoter (10) - October 5
Western Sandpiper - August 13
Caspian Tern - August 3 and July 29

Spring 1994
Western Kingbird - May 24
Great Black-backed Gull - May 24
Hooded Warbler - May 23 (2nd in District)
Golden-winged Warbler - May 20
Eastern Meadowlark - banded May 20, seen May 8
Say's Phoebe - May 12
Red-throated Loon (21) - May 7 (daily through mid-May)
Pacific Loon (2) - May 3, also one on May 1
Blue Grosbeak (female) - May 3
Franklin's Gull (adult) - May 1
Summer Tanager - 4 during spring 1994, 2 banded

Fall 1993
Western Kingbird - October 25
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - October 15
Surf Scoter (2) - September 15
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - banded September 14
Harlequin Duck (immature male) - September 12-14
Red-throated Loon - August 27

Spring 1993
Western Kingbird - banded June 11
Parasitic Jaeger - June 3
House Finch (female) - banded May 27
Golden-winged Warbler (female) - May 22
Red-throated Loon (5) - May 16
Surf Scoter (pair) - May 12
Eastern Meadowlark - May 12
Red-throated Loon (3) - May 11

Fall 1992
Townsend's Solitaire - October 31
Surf Scoter (2) - October 8
Red-throated Loon - September 25
Golden Eagle (2) - September 25
Brant "black" - September 22
Willow Flycatcher - banded August 31
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - August 26

Spring 1992
Northern Cardinal (female) - June 8
Willow Flycatcher - banded May 31
Blue-winged Warbler (adult female) - May 29
Red-throated Loon (2) - May 28
Eastern Meadowlark - May 21-23
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - May 22
Field Sparrow - May 21
Golden-winged Warbler (female) - May 20
BTITLEimore Oriole (30) - May 19

Fall 1991
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (2) - October 9 (one banded)
Yellow-throated Vireo - banded October 7th
Harlequin Duck - September 16
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - banded September 11
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - banded September 9
Smith's Longspur - banded September 8
Dickcissel - August 30
Western Kingbird - August 24
Willow Flycatcher - banded August 22

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