Welcome to my Rare & Noteworthy Finds page!
Over the years, I’ve been blessed to discover a nice array of rare bird species in my travels. Below are the rare birds and noteworthy sightings (such as large numbers of individuals at a certain place, at a certain time) I’ve come across while guiding or scouting. My rarity index is colour-coded and based on a subjective “threshold scale,” with the context/sensitivity of a county-specific rarity, vs. provincial rarity, in mind when classifying. I also factor in the date of the observation when considering the degree of rarity. In some cases, a provincially rare bird is located, such as a Western Kingbird. In other cases, a county-specific rarity is located, such as a Tufted Titmouse, which could be quite rare in certain counties, yet, not so in others. In terms of my approach to field birding, I don’t birdwatch only to seek out rarities per se. However, when I’m in the field, I consider opportunities to locate rare birds, and attempt to keep my focus sharp and bird each bird carefully. Here is my 2025 list, for anyone interested to view it: 2025 Rare & Noteworthy Finds Page
All-Time Top 5 (within Eastern Ontario)
1. Northern Fulmar at Andrew Haydon Park. 10 December 2015
2. Short-billed Gull at Muskrat Lake. 26 October 2023
3. Swainson’s Hawk at Presqu’ile Park. 22 September 2022
4. Common Eider at Point Petre Wildlife CA. 26 September 2026.
5. Tufted Duck at Shirleys Bay. 14 November 2019
5. Tufted Duck at Landons Bay. 10 April 2026
Rarity Index
Black denotes a noteworthy sighting/sighting of interest.
Sea Green denotes a somewhat rare sighting (beyond threshold of “uncommon;” more in line with “scarce.”)
Amber denotes a rare sighting.
Red denotes a very rare sighting.
Plum denotes an extremely rare-to-vagrant-level sighting.
2026 Observations List
Eastern Screech-Owl: A roosting bird (in cedar, which is uncommon, in my tour experience) near Gananoque. Leeds & Grenville County. 8 January 2026.
American Goshawk: A single unknown-age bird, flying over Highway 15, at Highway 401. Frontenac County. 8 January 2026.
Green-winged Teal (American): A single drake (first winter drake by the plumage, I believe) roosting with other ducks, at Ivy Lea. Interestingly, this is the first January record (per eBird data) on the Ontario side of the St. Lawrence River, from Bainsville to Gananoque. Leeds & Grenville County. 8 January 2026.
Northern Saw-whet Owl: A roosting bird, estimated to be 70-80 ft up in a deciduous tree. A totally “new” sighting location — and one for the memory bank. Chickadees mobbed the bird and sounded the alarm, which caught the ear. Southern Quebec. 18 January 2026.
“Oregon” (montanus) Dark-eyed Junco: A presumed male (short view) at a feeder in the Greater Napanee area. Lennox & Addington County. 23 January 2026.
Eastern Bluebird: 4 birds, roadside; first spotted by Mark and Isabel Giralt, in the Greater Napanee area. Lennox & Addington County. 23 January 2026.
Turkey Vulture: A bird in flight over a county road near Morven, in the Greater Napanee area. Lennox & Addington County. 23 January 2026.
American Goshawk: An adult bird along Opeongo Road at Algonquin Provincial Park. Nipissing District. 6 February 2026.
Ruddy Duck: A single alternate plumage drake in Kingston’s Inner Harbour. Frontenac County. 10 March 2026.
Northern Shoveler: Four birds roosting along the ice off Gananoque’s waterfront shoreline. Leeds & Grenville County. 10 March 2026.
Storm variant American Wigeon: A drake in Kingston’s Inner Harbor. Frontenac County. 10 March 2026.
American Coot: A single bird off Grenville Park, near Johnstown. Leeds & Grenville County. 13 March 2026.
Horned Grebe: A winter plumage bird observed from Prescott’s Shoreline. Only the second county record for March, on eBird; scarce for time of year/location. Leeds & Grenville County. 13 March 2026.
Common Redpoll: A flock of approx. 120 birds south over Prescott’s shoreline. Leeds & Grenville County. 13 March 2026.
Dilute “blonde” (?) Northern Pintail: A unique colour variant female pintail flying past Gananoque’s shoreline. Leeds & Grenville County. 26 March 2026.
“Storm variant” American Wigeon: A drake in Presqu’ile Bay at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. Northumberland County. 27 March 2026.
Bohemian Waxwing: A flock of 4-500 birds in flight near South Bay. Prince Edward County. 1 April 2026.
Tufted Duck: A female bird at Landons Bay, with other Aythya ducks. The 2nd Tufted Duck (TUDU) that I’ve found in my career. Leeds & Grenville County. 10 April 2026.
“Storm variant” American Wigeon: A drake at Hay Bay. Lennox & Addington County. 14 April 2026.
Cape May Warbler: A male Cape May seen at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. Northumberland County. 27 April 2026.
Piping Plover
Piping Plover
“White-crested” Double-crested Cormorant: A white-crested variant in the bay behind Birds Canada HQ, in Port Rowan. Norfolk County. 6 May 2026.
“White-crested” Double-crested Cormorant: A white-crested variant at Hillman Marsh C.A. (Couture Dyke). Essex County. 11 May 2026.
Cackling Goose: A very rare bird in Essex County in May – observed at Couture Dyke at Hillman Marsh C.A. Essex County. 11 May 2026.
Wilson’s Phalarope: A female off Owen Point, at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. Northumberland County. 19 May 2026.
Red-necked Phalarope: A single bird at Alfred Lagoons. Prescott-Russell County. 24 May 2026.
Red Knot: An additional bird to the previously-discovered REKN at Alfred Lagoons. Prescott-Russell County. 24 May 2026.
American Golden-Plover: A group discovery of a breeding plumage bird in the parking area to Alfred Lagoons. Prescott-Russell County. 26 May 2026.
Parasitic Jaeger: An adult light morph off Guindon Park boat launch, near Cornwall. The first of this species in SDG County in nearly 36 years. Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry County. 7 June 2026.
Arctic Tern: A fly-by along the Ottawa River. When considering context/nuance, this sighting is given an Amber colour; i.e., it is determined as scarce, not rare. The reason being is that the Ottawa River is a well known passageway for northbound Arctic Tern migration in late May/early June. Outside of the Ottawa River, an Arctic Tern sighting would be labelled as rare, possibly very rare, depending once again on context and nuance. Ottawa County. 11 June 2026.
Orchard Oriole: An unknown age singing male located along Black Ance Road in Murphys Point Provincial Park. Lanark County. 19 June 2026.
Yellow-breasted Chat: A singing bird along Fishing Lake Road NCC Property. An “inland” YBCH, outside of the migration period, and away from coastal SE Ontario, is considered very rare; a YBCH at, say, Prince Edward Point, during spring and fall migration would be considered rare. The 2nd Yellow-breasted Chat (YBCH) that I’ve found in my career (within Eastern Ontario). Frontenac County. 25 June 2026.
Cerulean Warbler: A singing male directly north of Mallorytown Landing, Thousand Islands National Park visitor centre area. Leeds & Grenville County. 29 June 2026.
Great Black-backed Gull: An adult/adult-type offshore at Avonmore Beach. Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry County. 29 June 2026.
White-rumped Sandpiper: An adult with other shorebirds, at Embrun Lagoons. Prescott-Russell County. 22 July 2026.
Bufflehead: An adult male Bufflehead bobbing in the waves; observed from the Amherst Island ferry crossing. Millhaven. Lennox & Addington County. 23 July 2026.
Red-necked Phalarope: A flock of 5 adult birds resting with other shorebirds at the Embrun Sewage Lagoons. Prescott-Russell County. 29 July 2026.
Red-necked Phalarope: A single bird swimming in the lagoon cell at Alfred Lagoons. Prescott-Russell County. 30 July 2026.
Dickcissel: A singing male directly beside the viewing platform (possibly at the edge of the willow tree, adjacent to the cottonwood) at Alfred Lagoons. The first Dickcissel (DICK) that I’ve found in my career. The first county record for Prescott-Russell County. 30 July 2026.
Red-necked Phalarope: A flock of 4 juvenile birds swimming together at the Alfred Lagoons. Prescott-Russell County. 17 August 2026.
Red-necked Phalarope: A flyby along the St. Lawrence River, viewed from the shoreline at Guindon Park boat launch. Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry County. 19 August 2026.
Hudsonian Whimbrel: A flyover of 5 birds at Britannia Point, along the Ottawa River. Ottawa County. 27 August 2026.
Neotropic Cormorant: A flyby with Double-crested Cormorants, seen from Avonmore Beach. The 5th Neotropic Cormorant (NECO) that I’ve found in my career. This bird happens to be the first county record for Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry County. 16 September 2026.
American Golden-Plover: A flock of 42 birds in a freshly-plowed field near Moose Creek. Stormont, Dundas @ Glengarry County. 17 September 2026.
Mourning Warbler: A late bird in Pembroke along Kiwanis Pathway. Renfrew County. 18 September 2026.
Tree Swallow: A flock (exodus flight) of 250+ Tree Swallows over Plaisance (Baie Noire) in southern Quebec. 19 September 2026.
Parasitic Jaeger: Two presumed juvenile birds far offshore at Point Petre Wildlife Conservation Area. Prince Edward County. 26 September 2026.
Common Eider: A female-type (female/formative male) flying by off the coast of Point Petre Wildlife Conservation Area. The first Common Eider (COEI) that I’ve found in my career. Prince Edward County. 26 September 2026.