Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week starting May 5, 2023 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): Tufted Duck x scaup sp. (hybrid) (Toronto) Willow Ptarmigan (CHATHAM-KENT, ELGIN, ESSEX) White-winged Dove (Middlesex) Yellow Rail (Kawartha Lakes) BLACK-NECKED STILT (Chatham-Kent, Middlesex) American Avocet (Essex) Marbled Godwit (Essex) Black-legged Kittiwake (Essex, Halton, Leeds and Grenville, Ottawa, York) Pacific Loon (Norfolk, Toronto) Snowy Egret (Chatham-Kent, Essex, Niagara) Cattle Egret (Simcoe) Black Vulture (Chatham-Kent, Essex, Frontenac, Niagara, Ottawa, Toronto Lark Sparrow (Essex,Manitoulin) Western Meadowlark (Simcoe) Worm-eating Warbler (Chatham-Kent) Kentucky Warbler (Essex) Kirtland's Warbler (Essex) Yellow-throated Warbler (Chatham-Kent, Toronto) Summer Tanager (Essex) WESTERN TANAGER (Essex) PAINTED BUNTING (Bruce) Details: I have tried to indicate the finder, where known. My apologies to those who I have left out. You can help me by giving the finder's name(s),if known, in your eBird checklists. TUFTED DUCK x scaup (hybrid) (Toronto): The male found by Makail Johannesson at Tommy Thompson Park on January 28 continued to at least May 5. Willow Ptarmigan (ELGIN): Katey Berzins photographed one at Port Stanley harbour on the evening of May 6. Willow Ptarmigan (Chatham-Kent): Presumably the same bird as the one a few days earlier in Elgin, one was at Wheatley on the evening of May 8 and very early on May 9. Willow Ptarmigan (Essex): The bird was then seen by many at the tip of Point Pelee on the morning of May 9 before flying southwest out over the lake. White-winged Dove (Middlesex): Donald Pye photographed one that briefly stopped in his yard near Wardsville on May 10. Yellow Rail (Kawartha Lakes): Rick Lauzon reported one from Sedge Wren Marsh on May 6. BLACK-NECKED STILT (Chatham-Kent): Black Mann found one at Keith McLean CA on May 8 that remained to be seen by many to at least May 9. BLACK-NECKED STILT (Middlesex): The (?) two birds photographed by Arthur Quinlan photographed at Strathroy Sewage Lagoons on April 29 weren't reported again until May 7 but have been seen daily to May 11. American Avocet (Essex): Ken and Jim Burrell found a single bird flying past Wheatley on May 8 that was subsequently seen by many at Hillman Marsh . Marbled Godwit (Essex): Ken Burrell reported a flock of seven birds flying past Wheatley on May 9. Black-legged Kittiwake (Essex): Jon Ruddy found an adult at the tip of Point Pelee on May 10. Black-legged Kittiwake (Halton): Mark Jennings found an adult off Sheldon Creek Park in Oakville on May 5. Black-legged Kittiwake (Leeds and Grenville): Peter Blancher found one at Westport Harbour on May 5 that remained to at least May 7. Black-legged Kittiwake (Ottawa): Nick and Chris Escott found and photographed one adult at the Frank Kenny Rd bridge in Ottawa on May 5. Black-legged Kittiwake (York): The adult found by William McIntyre off Willow Beach, west of Sutton on May 4 continued to at least May 8 and was joined by a second individual for some of the stay. Pacific Loon (Norfolk): Julie Webber reported one off Breakwater on May 10. Pacific Loon (Toronto): Gavin Platt reported one off Tommy Thompson Park on May 5. Snowy Egret (Chatham-Kent): Steve Hamel reported one over Rondeau PP on May 9. On May 10, one was seen by several observers at Wheatley PP continuing into May 11. Snowy Egret (Essex): One bird was seen by several observers at Hillman Marsh May 10-11. Cattle Egret (Simcoe): Heather Morrison reported two from Collingwood on May 7. Lark Sparrow (Essex): Jean Chatigny reported one in Collingwood on May 8 Lark Sparrow (Manitoulin): One was at the Manitowaning Foregrounds on May 9 Western Meadowlark (Simcoe): Anthony Glenesk found one along Upper Big Chute Rd on May 1 that was seen by many to at least May 10. Worm-eating Warbler (Chatham-Kent): Ken MacDonald reported one from Rondeau on May 10. Kentucky Warbler (Essex): One bird was at Tilden's Woods at Point Pelee on May 11. Kirtland's Warbler (Essex): One bird was seen by several observers at Fish Point on Pelee Island on May 7. Yellow-throated Warbler (Chatham-Kent): One bird was seen by many on May 7 along the Erieau Marsh Trail. Yellow-throated Warbler (Toronto): One bird was reported from St. James Cemetery in Toronto. Summer Tanager (Essex): David Hodkinson and Samantha Franks photographed a young male at East Beach Rd in Leamington on May 11. Pelee Island Bird Observatory captured a young male there on May 11. WESTERN TANAGER (Essex): A young male, first spotted by Brett Fried, was seen by many at the tip of Point Pelee on May 7. PAINTED BUNTING (Bruce): A male was found by a homeowner on Dyers Bay Rd on May 6. Report compiled by Mike Burrell from a variety of sources, primarily eBird; most other sources are listed here: http://ofo.ca/site/content/ontario-hotlines-and-news