Scissor tailed Flycatcher in Southwestern Ontario (Backtracking to May 2nd, 2020)

Editors Note: due to Covid-19, this posting is back-dated to not bring attention to this bird while it was at its originally found location. If this is posted on my blog- the bird is most likely back in Texas. As promised, I was discrete about this bird sighting due to covid-19 but regardless - it was posted to ebird by another birder soon after I had seen it.  Please bird as ethically as you can to reduce your disturbance of the birds, landowners, carbon footprint and the environment. 

Scissor tailed Flycatcher might be the single most desired bird that I wanted to see in the last five years or so of birding. It has shown up at least 3+ times at Point Pelee in the last ten years - and each time that it was seen - I missed it. 

But in 2020 - it was time for me to finally see this beautiful bird. I was tipped off later in the day about this bird and had little information about its location but luckily still found the needle in the haystack. My photos were taken later in the day, perhaps at 7pm, and the lighting was less than ideal. Still, the photos are at least diagnostic. 

I spent hours looking at diagrams of this bird in Field Guides, and finally,  I was able to witness it in real life! The graceful flight while flycatching, the salmon coloured flanks, the long forked tail was just as beautiful as I imagined it would be. A quick note too about Elgin County - near the Lake Erie shoreline is some beautiful country!  Hilly, forested, with meandering streams. It seems like Elgin County made an effort to preserve the beauty of their natural landscapes.  

I was actually hoping to go to Texas this summer to see this bird (among others that Texas hosts) but luckily this year - this bird came to visit me here in Ontario.

Cheers to the observant birder who originally found this and also to a birding friend that tipped me off on this bird. This was a particularly special lifer. Thank you!

Good Birding!

Dwayne

Lifer Summary - Last 10 species:

 Western Screech Owl 453 (AZ)

 Scaled Quail 454  (AZ)

 Graces Warbler 455  (AZ)

 Painted Redstart 456  (AZ)

 Yellow Eyed Junco 457  (AZ)

 Blue throated Hummingbird 458 (AZ)

 Elegant Trogon 459 (AZ)

 King Rail 460

 Red Phalarope 461

 Scissor tailed Flycatcher 462