A Snapshot of 1954

 Although I have touched on this subject before, I find it interesting to look at past bird records from a variety of sources.  I have a copy of the 1954 Bird Survey of the Detroit Region, published by the Detroit Audubon Society, that I turn to from time to time.  **Note that this society is now known as the Detroit Bird Alliance, in a growing trend of like organizations to rid themselves of the Audubon name.  Apparently John James Audubon had racist views back in the day, despite his contributions to bird studies.

The survey covered the tri-county region in Ontario (Essex, Kent and Lambton), and the adjacent counties in Michigan.  It covered the entire year, with various well-known observers contributing observations.  Wallaceburg birders were included.  The Carscallen brothers, Jim and twins Morley and Charlton and their father Roland, along with Dennis Rupert contributed valuable observations.

Here are some selected observations from the report. Taxonomic order was quite different back then, so I just listed them as they came.

Snowy Egret April 17 at Bradley (The Carscallen's, along with Ross Brown found this one)

Little Blue Heron August 30 at Hillman Creek (R. D. Ussher)

Black-crowned Night-Heron.  A colony of 200 was noted at St. Luke's on May 22

Glossy Ibis (assumed over White-faced) at the above location on the same date

Long-tailed Duck (then called Oldsquaw).  Only a few.  58 at Sarnia on December 20.  They were rare back then!

Red-breasted Merganser June 17 at Port Lambton--a late spring record for the area.  500 were at Sarnia on December 13 (a high number for that time of year and location).

Peregrine Falcon June 15 at Port Lambton.  The Carscallen brothers noted that these were here every year around Wallaceburg

Piping Plover July 10 (2 adult, 2 young) at Port Franks.  Others included sightings on June 12, 13 and August 15, 16 at Port Franks

Golden Plover (2000) April 24 in Dover Twp.  They are difficult to find in numbers today!

Upland Plover (15) July 8 in Bosanquet Twp.  (now called Upland Sandpiper)

Bonaparte's Gull (2000) December 26 at Erieau

Red-headed Woodpecker (14) May 22 Rondeau Park

Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker.  One was near Sarnia on December 26, and another at Ipperwash Beach on July 15.  It is known today as the Black-backed Woodpecker.  There was a moderate invasion into the south that winter.

Migrant Shrike (11) summer sightings in Lambton Co. (now called Loggerhead Shrike)

Western Meadowlark (2) April 24 in Lambton; (1) July 16 Ipperwash Beach; (1) July 25 Lambton Co.  They were more regular back then.

Dickcissel (10) D. R. Gunn noted these flying of Point Pelee Tip on May 8.  Two more were found on May 13 by Gunn, singing nearby.

In the future, I may cover other subjects of historical nature.