Ever since an exciting northern Ontario trip I took last Fall, I’ve been meaning to start up a birding blog. In typical Ezra fashion, I put it off…until now. Eleven months and thirty-five Ontario lifers later, the blog (along with its first post) is here!
Let me introduce myself. I’m Ezra Campanelli, and I’m a twenty-one-year-old (for the time being at least) birder (don’t worry, that part’s not transient) from Hamilton. You can see my full bio here. Ever since I started birding seriously in 2019, I’ve kind of dreamed of doing an Ontario ‘big year’. For those of you who don’t know, a big year is where one attempts to identify (by sight or sound, depending on one’s rules) as many bird species in one geographical location as one can, all in one calendar year. Well, it’s still a long way away, but 2022 is the year I’ve decided upon to have a go at my own Ontario big year. It was originally going to be 2021, but I reassessed my finances as well as the amount of time I’d be able to dedicate to birding next year and decided to push it back. So the ‘year’ part of ‘big year’ has been determined; what remains to be seen is just how big I’ll be able to make it (ergo, “reassessed my finances”)…but the goal is: as big as possible!
Look, I’m not going to be foggy about my intentions. I want to break the record. No, don’t click away! I know it’s pretty much a fool’s errand. In order to save myself from backhanded ‘good try buddy’ comments from my friends on New Year’s Day, 2023, I’m going to very publicly say that I am well aware that this is an absurdly difficult challenge, and that my chances of success are slim. The original idea was to go for somewhere in the range of 330 species, but I’m the type that can’t really go any less than all in (when it comes to my hobbies at least), so I decided I may as well go all in. The procrastination I mentioned earlier: that’s only for actually important things like school. When it comes to birds, I’m a little nuts. To simplify things, I’m aiming to see no fewer than 348 species, which would just edge out Jeremy Bensette’s 2017 record of 347 species, which, as Brandon Holden would say, is crazy monkey bananas. That whopping number, as well as other ludicrous totals like that of Josh Vandermeulen’s 343 big year in 2012, basically allow me zero margin for error and will prevent me from going any less than all out (ergo, Hudson Bay coast…more on that later). I will have to see every expected species of bird in the one million plus square kilometers of our province (which would add up to 320ish according to Vandermeulen’s code breakdown), and around twenty-five rarities on top of that. For every expected bird I miss…one more rarity. I’m hoping, given (1) the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas that is happening next year, (2) an increase in the popularity of five mile radius birding due to COVID, (3) a general uptick in interest for birds, and (4) the enhancement of the means of disseminating reports of rare birds to other birders, that ’22 will be a fruitful year. There is A LOT to consider.
Cue: planning, planning, and more planning! I’ve come up with the beginning of a full gameplan in order to make the inevitable madness of 2022 a bit more manageable. Below is the abridged version of a bit of it. For now, to give you an idea, here is a skeleton breakdown of the calendar. I will be posting more detailed examinations of my plan in the future. I’d really appreciate any feedback, advice, or questions. Feel free to comment below or on the linked post to this blog entry on my Facebook, or contact me directly using the contact info in my bio. Breakdown
NOTE: Chasing (twitching) birds is a given no matter the time of year, so you won’t find plans to twitch in my schedule. Key: * Species I can get later on in the year, according to the schedule (does not denote species that fall under a “maybe” bullet point in the plan) Winter 1. Knock off as many northern species as possible, hopefully in one major trip
Spruce Grouse, Sharp-tailed Grouse*, Eurasian-collared Dove (Earlton population), Northern Goshawk*, Northern Hawk Owl, Great Gray Owl*, Boreal Owl, American Three-toed Woodpecker, Black-backed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Canada Jay, Evening Grosbeak, Pine Grosbeak, Common Redpoll, Hoary Redpoll, Red-crossbill, White-winged Crossbill
2. Southern Ontario targets
King Eider*, Harlequin Duck*, Barrow’s Goldeneye*, Red-throated Loon*, Lesser Black-backed Gull*, Rough-legged Hawk*, Snowy Owl*, Short-eared Owl*, Lapland Longspur*, Snow Bunting*
3. Chase/look for moderately challenging spring/summer/fall birds in order to save time later in the year
Golden Eagle*, Rough-legged Hawk*, Red-headed Woodpecker*, Northern Shrike
4. Ottawa/eastern Ontario
Barrow’s Goldeneye*, Gray Partridge, Great Gray Owl*
5. In my free time, (1) wait at Queenston Heights in Niagara for Black Vulture to cross the river into Canada, (2) look for overwintering rarities (especially waterfowl), focussing on locations that have historically hosted long-staying winter rarities
Early Spring 1. Maybe another northern trip for birds I miss in January/February (Spruce Grouse, Boreal Owl might be easier) 2. Waterfowl
Ross’s Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Cackling Goose, Brant*
3. Knock off the following species:
Eurasian Wigeon, Western Grebe (returning Peel bird - date range: April 21-May 7), Wilson’s Phalarope*, Willet, Golden Eagle*, Red-shouldered Hawk*, Broad-winged Hawk*, Barred Owl, Long-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl
Spring Proper 1. Late April: King Rail, Louisiana Waterthrush* 2. Point Pelee National Park + surrounding area
Ring-necked Pheasant, Chuck-will’s-widow*, Eastern Whip-poor-will*, American Avocet*, Long-billed Dowitcher*, Black Tern*, Swallow-tailed Kite, Mississippi Kite*, Red-headed Woodpecker*, Acadian Flycatcher*, White-eyed Vireo*, Yellow-breasted Chat*, Henslow’s Sparrow*, Worm-eating Warbler*, Louisiana Waterthrush*, Golden-winged Warbler*, Blue-winged Warbler*, Prothonotary Warbler*, Connecticut Warbler*, Mourning Warbler*, Kentucky Warbler*, Hooded Warbler*, Kirtland’s Warbler*, Cerulean Warbler*, Yellow-throated Warbler*, Prairie Warbler*, Summer Tanager*, Blue Grosbeak*, Dicksissel*
3. Marbled Godwit* (never as common in southern Ontario in Fall)
Late May to Beginning of June 1. maybe north shore of Lake Superior: great rarity potential 2. Whimbrel* watch 3. Carden
Upland Sandpiper*, Loggerhead Shrike*, Sedge Wren*, Golden-winged Warbler*
4. Ottawa
Arctic Tern*, Yellow Rail*
Mid June 1. Southern/eastern Ontario: Breeding toughies + misses from Spring
White-winged Dove* (returning Rondeau bird/s), Chuck-will's-widow*, Eastern Whip-poor-will*, Piping Plover*, Upland Sandpiper*, Wilson’s Phalarope*, Black Tern*, Northern Goshawk*, Barn Owl*, Red-headed Woodpecker*, Boreal Chickadee*, Olive-sided Flycatcher*, White-eyed Vireo*, Loggerhead Shrike*, Sedge Wren*, Yellow-breasted Chat*, Henslow’s Sparrow*, Louisiana Waterthrush*, Golden-winged Warbler*, Blue-winged Warbler*, Prothonotary Warbler*, Mourning Warbler*, Hooded Warbler*, Kirtland’s Warbler*, Cerulean Warbler*, Prairie Warbler*, Yellow-headed Blackbird*, Dicksissel*
Mid/Late June to Early July 1. Rainy River
Sharp-tailed Grouse, Marbled Godwit*, Franklin’s Gull, American White Pelican*, Great Gray Owl, Black-billed Magpie, LeConte’s Sparrow, Connecticut Warbler, Yellow-headed Blackbird*, Western Meadowlark, Brewer’s Blackbird*
2. Hudson Bay coast (mouth of Winisk River accessed by boat from Peawanuck) OR Hudson Bay Lowlands Breeding Bird Atlas square (on the chance I can get one) OR Burnt Point
Red-throated Loon, Willow Ptarmigan, Yellow Rail, Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit*, Marbled Godwit*, Arctic Tern, Pacific Loon*, Smith’s Longspur
3. Rainy River on the way back for any misses July to August 1. Clean up breeder misses:
White-winged Dove (returning Rondeau bird/s), Chuck-will's-widow, Eastern Whip-poor-will, Piping Plover, Upland Sandpiper, Wilson’s Phalarope*, Black Tern, American White Pelican, Northern Goshawk*, Red-headed Woodpecker, Boreal Chickadee, Olive-sided Flycatcher, White-eyed Vireo, Loggerhead Shrike, Sedge Wren, Yellow-breasted Chat, Henslow’s Sparrow, Louisiana Waterthrush, Golden-winged Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Prothonotary Warbler, Mourning Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Kirtland’s Warbler, Cerulean Warbler, Prairie Warbler, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Brewer’s Blackbird, Dicksissel
Late August to September 1. Lake-watching Van Wagners Beach
Red-necked Phalarope, Pomarine Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger, Long-tailed Jaeger, Black-legged Kittiwake, Sabine’s Gull
2. Shorebird misses (into October for some species)
Hudsonian Godwit, Marbled Godwit, Red Knot, White-rumped Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson’s Phalarope, Red-necked Phalarope
3. Keep abreast of hurricane activity in the south (Cave Swallow* event?) 4. Lake Simcoe
Pacific Loon*, Little Gull*
4. In my free time, (1) morning flight in Huron, Elgin, Chatham-Kent, Pelee; (2) blitz shorebird/waterfowl hotspots (sewage lagoons, etc.)
October to November 1. Lake Simcoe
Pacific Loon
2. Maybe Hilliardton Marsh
Boreal Owl, Long-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl (banded birds - I’d have to see it fly into the net for it to count in my books)
3. Maybe James Bay (Netitishi Point) for rarities and tough expecteds
King Eider*, Purple Sandpiper*, Black Guillemot, Black-legged Kittiwake*, Arctic Tern, Pacific Loon, Gyrfalcon
4. Clean up Van Wagners 5. Get Purple Sandpiper, Brant, Red Phalarope, Nelson’s Sparrow in southern/eastern Ontario 6. Northern Goshawk, Golden Eagle*, Red-shouldered Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk at hawk-watch if missed earlier 7. Maybe rarity hunt north shore of Lake Superior early October 8. In my free time, (i) morning flight in Huron, Elgin, Chatham-Kent, (ii) blitz shorebird/waterfowl hotspots (sewage lagoons, etc.) December 1. Southern Ontario misses from last winter
King Eider, Harlequin Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Red-throated Loon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Golden Eagle, Rough-legged Hawk, Snowy Owl, Short-eared Owl, Lapland Longspur
2. Niagara River
Little Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull
3. Clean up anything I can, frequent winter rarity traps No matter what happens, I know it will be a load of fun (you know, the super stressful kind of fun!). Stupidly intense birding keeps me alive! Stay tuned (subscribe below) for more upcoming posts!