Spring Migration 1978--Point Pelee

I was going through some stuff last night and came across an old report written by Alan Wormington in 1978.  It was the First Annual Spring Migration Report.  I thought it was quite interesting.

In later years, Alan always wrote an annual report for Point Pelee.  True to his nature, these reports were always detailed and meticulous!

I will go through some highlights.  At the end, is a list of observers, many of which are still active today!

As some of you veterans will recall, the winter of 1978 was very harsh and snowy.  Early spring birds were very few and far between.  Alan mentions that snow was still seen in some of the cooler hollows of the park until May 17.
The big winter storm of mid January "apparently wiped out every land bird in the park".  I recall that storm as a kid, and I thought it was cool since everything was shut down (including schools) for a couple of days!

An early highlight was the arrival of a Black-and-white Warbler on March 24, record early for Ontario.

On May 4, Alan walked to the Tip with Paul Pratt.  "It might as well have been the dead of winter as there were, at times, no sounds to be heard whatsoever".

It was not until May 8-9 that a large influx of birds occurred.

May 12-15:  "rarities seemed commonplace and several species were abundant".
For example, 3000 Northern Orioles and 400 Chimney Swifts flew off the Tip.
On May 15th, there were 80 Yellow-billed and 100 Black-billed Cuckoos, 250 Scarlet Tanagers, and a minimum of 12 Hooded Warblers between the Tip and Interpretive Centre.

Some rarities included a Swallow-tailed Kite on May 22, a Fish Crow on May 15 (the first for Point Pelee), a male Black-headed Grosbeak on May 14 (reported by Scott Connop) and the report of a Swainson's Warbler on May 20.
Others included Lark Bunting, Red Phalarope, Purple Sandpiper, Eared Grebe, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Glossy Ibis, Hudsonian Godwit, Parasitic Jaeger, Barn Owl and Bewick's Wren.
The breeding pair of Chuck-will's-widows once again returned.

As per tradition, Alan lists all the species seen, dates, and observers.  The numbers of birds are indeed a far cry from what we see today.

In 1978, the first ever Spring Bird Count was undertaken on May 13 in the Pelee birding circle, but most observations were within the park.  There were 19 observers.  A total of 199 species were tallied, and 58,877 individuals.
Highlights on this day included Purple Sandpiper, Hudsonian Godwit, Parasitic Jaeger, Bewick's Wren, Lawrence's Warbler, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Dickcissel.

Some other highlights on this count day included Cattle Egret (1), Black-crowned Night-Heron (74), Common Gallinule (16), Least Flycatcher (344), Gray Catbird (262), White-eyed Vireo (14), Worm-eating Warbler (1), Golden-winged Warbler (5), Nashville Warbler (253), Magnolia Warbler (105), Cape May Warbler (53), Blackburnian Warbler (113), Chestnut-sided Warbler (103), Cerulean Warbler (10), Kentucky Warbler (5), Yellow-breasted Chat (13), Wlson's Warbler (37), Bobolink (149), Scarlet Tanager (402), Summer Tanager (4), Evening Grosbeak (29), Purple Finch (23), Rufous-sided Towhee (80), Grasshopper Sparrow (6), LeConte's sparrow (1), Henslow's Sparrow (2).
Some other numbers were significant compared to today's numbers.

Those were the days....!