– 304 species –
By Cameron Chevalier
2022 proved to be an exceptional year for birding in Essex County. The 304 species recorded in the county constitutes the highest county total ever recorded and the highest total for any single county in a year for the province of Ontario. The previous record (both county and provincial) of 301 species was set in 2005. Almost 23,000 checklists were submitted to eBird this year for Essex, along with over 20,000 photos, almost 200 audio recordings, and 42 videos. The names of 92 unique observers appear in this summary, though dozens of other birders also made significant contributions to the 2022 list (see also the Top 100 for species and checklists).
To keep this report succinct, not all notable records of the year are given a full write-up below. There are a few known records pending decision by the Essex eBird Regional Review team which could increase the year total. The complete checklist to all accepted species observed in the county, with early and late dates and high counts for all notable species, can be found HERE and is also linked at the end.
It must be noted that this summary is constructed almost exclusively from eBird data. Future access to Alan Wormington’s meticulously maintained records for the Point Pelee Birding Area could prove invaluable in ensuring the accuracy of this and future summaries for Pelee and Essex. Without Alan’s notes, I am fairly certain there will be a few errors or missed records in this document. A number of records are also listed with “unknown finder”, an issue that I am hoping to correct by sharing this summary. If you have information or documentation pertaining to any of these types of discrepancies, please contact me at or message me privately on Discord (Cameronkeith#2649) from the Ontario Bird Alert server.
NOTABLE MISSES:
Ross’s Goose – first year missed since 2010
Glossy Ibis – first year missed since 2019
Cave Swallow – many provincial records but no county record in 2022
RECORD BREAKERS: * – pending
PROVINCIAL/NATIONAL
Wood Stork – highest count (10-12) – Cherise Charron/Sarah Rupert
Little Blue Heron – highest Essex count by one/ties highest Ontario count (3) – Sumiko Onishi
*Chihuahuan Meadowlark – first record for Canada – Michael McAllister/Harrison Priebe
REGIONAL (COUNTY)
American White Pelican – highest count by 11 (133) – Known colony
Green Heron – latest record by 31 days (Dec 8) – Jim Hunt
Black Vulture – earliest record by 20 days (Feb 28) – Donny Moore
Gyrfalcon – earliest fall record by 38 days – M. McAllister/Cameron Chevalier
Sandhill Crane – highest count by 40 (540) – Jeremy Hatt
Spotted Sandpiper – earliest spring record by three days (Apr 10) – Alessandra Wilcox
Willet – latest record by 40 days (Oct 30 to Nov 2) – Jeremy Bensette
Upland Sandpiper – latest record by two days, fourth-latest in Ontario (Oct 1) – Jacob Stasso
Whimbrel – high count by 25 (400) – Brandon Holden
Marbled Godwit – earliest spring record by three days (Apr 10) – Kelly Moore/Heidi Staniforth
Lesser Black-backed Gull – highest count by 37 (96) – J. Hatt
Glaucous-winged Gull (hybrid) – first record – B. Holden
Parasitic Jaeger – highest count by one (6) – M. McAllister
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – earliest record by five days (Apr 22) – Aldo Bertucci/Peter Veighey
Common Nighthawk – latest fall records by two days (Oct 23) – HBMO, Andrew Campbell/Laura Foy
Willow Flycatcher – earliest record by two days (Apr 30) – J. Hatt
Tropical Kingbird – first record – Eddy Beaubien
Common Raven – earliest record by 83 days (Jan 1) – Ian Woodfield
Tennessee Warbler – earliest record by two days (Apr 23) – Simon Boudreault/A. Wilcox
Bay-breasted Warbler – earliest spring record by four days (Apr 23) – S. Boudreault/A. Wilcox and highest count (800) – Alvan Buckley
Black-and-white Warbler – earliest spring record by nine days (Apr 3) – Riley Beach/Ryland Corchis-Scott
Northern Waterthrush – latest record by 34 days (Dec 17) – Keith Burk/Jim Burk
Yellow-breasted Chat – latest record by one day (Oct 7) – Lev Frid
Indigo Bunting – earliest spring record by 17 days (Apr 7) – Robert Tymstra
Baltimore Oriole – latest record by 4 days (Dec 20) – unknown finder
TRUE RARITIES: * = OBRC Review Species (total: 15)
*Black-bellied Whistling Duck (2-3)
April 27 – five adults, Hillman Marsh Cons. Area [HMCA] (found by P. Veighey, m.obs.)
April 29 – one adult, Tip, Point Pelee National Park [PPNP] (found by C. Charron)
April 30 – two adults, Holiday Beach Cons. Area [HBCA] (found by Bama Pelan, m.obs.)
*Green-winged Teal (Eurasian) (1)
April 16 – one male, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by Blake Mann, m.obs.)
*Tufted Duck (1)
April 29 – one adult male, West Beach, PPNP (found by Michel Gauthier, m.obs.)
– Strong candidate for Essex County’s best bird of the year. A one-day wonder and only the third record for the county.
*Neotropic Cormorant (2)
May 26 – one, Seacliff Park, Leamington (found by B. Holden)
July 5 to 9 – one, Detroit River, Amherstburg (found by B. Holden, m.obs.)
*Wood Stork (1)
August 31 to September 1 – up to twelve, Visitor’s Centre and DeLaurier Homestead, PPNP (found independently by C. Charron and S. Rupert, seen by Sarah McAllister)
– Another strong contender for Essex County’s best record this year. This constitutes the third record of this species for the county, and the highest count for the province.
*Magnificent Frigatebird (1)
October 8 to 9 – one adult male, Lighthouse Cove (found by Shawn McLaughlin, refound by D. Moore, m.obs.)
– This individual was later euthanized due to illness. This marks the third Magnificent Frigatebird in Essex, with the first being in 2017.
*Little Blue Heron (2)
May 17 – one adult, Tip, PPNP (found by Kiah Jasper, m.obs.)
August 10 to 11 – three juv., Fish Point, Pelee Island (found by S. Onishi)
– This is the highest count of this species for Essex and ties the record-high count for the province, a Middlesex record from 92 years and 1 day earlier!
*White-faced Ibis (1)
May 5 – one adult, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by Denise Potter, m.obs.)
Gyrfalcon (2)
February 6 – one, Amherstburg, general location (found by Rob Wiper)
November 19 – one adult gray morph, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and C. Chevalier, seen by Fred Grenier)
– The November record is the earliest ever fall/winter migration record for Essex by an astounding 38 days, and the first for the Pelee area since 2015.
*Black-necked Stilt (2)
May 11 – one, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (unknown finder, m.obs.)
June 5 – two, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by Wally Simpson, m.obs.)
Ruff (1) – first since 2013
May 31 to June 4 – one adult female, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by B. Holden, m.obs.)
*Chuck-will’s-widow (1)
May 17 – one, Dunes, PPNP (found by Deane/Dawn Atherton)
– The finders of this bird managed to capture exceptional recordings of it vocalizing at dusk (see https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/450452771)
*Tropical Kingbird (1) – ✪
October 10 to November 14 – one, Brock Park and Mill Park, Windsor (found by E. Beaubien, m.obs.)
– The bird of the year for the county, and a new addition to the county checklist! It also allowed Kiah Jasper to officially break the Ontario Big Year record with 345 species.
*Bell’s Vireo (1) – possible second record pending review
May 12 – one, White Pine, PPNP (found by Bas, Han, Ruud, m.obs.)
– Suggested as possible “Western” Bell’s Vireo, pending review (see media)
*(Cassin’s/Plumbeous) “Solitary” Vireo (1) – pending OBRC review
May 10 – one, Kopegaron Woods Cons. Area, Leamington (found by C. Charron)
*Swainson’s Warbler (1)
May 13 – one banded, Fish Point, Pelee Island
*Dark-eyed Junco (Gray–headed) (1)
July 12 – one, Tilden Woods Trail, PPNP (found by Jamie Fowler)
– This bizarre occurrence is the second county record of this western subspecies.
NOTABLE RECORDS:
Eurasian Wigeon (1-2)
March 20 – one adult male, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by B. Mann, m.obs.)
April 8 – one adult male [possibly same], Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by C. Chevalier, m.obs.)
King Eider (1)
December 19 – one female, East Beach, PPNP (found by M. McAllister)
Pacific Loon (1)
November 12 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and C. Chevalier) and one [presumed same], East Beach Road, Leamington (found by J. Bensette)
Red-necked Grebe (6)
March 24 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by K. Burk)
October 20 – two, Tip, PPNP (found by K. Burk and C. Chevalier, seen by M. McAllister and H. Priebe)
October 22 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, seen by C. Chevalier and H. Priebe)
October 29 – two, Tip and Sparrow Field, PPNP (found by C. Chevalier, seen by J. Stasso and Mike St Pierre)
October 30 – two, Tip, PPNP (found by J. Stasso)
November 8 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, seen by C. Chevalier)
– An impressive year for this challenging Essex species. 2022 had the most records in a single year since the exceptional year of 2014 when there were 20+ records.
Snowy Egret (1)
May 3 to 8 – one adult, HMCA and area, Leamington (found by Dana Latour, m.obs.)
Black Vulture (<10) – most records in a year for Essex
February 28 – one, Concession Road 3, Harrow (found by D. Moore, m.obs.)
March 20 – one, Visitor’s Centre, PPNP (found by Natasha Barlow, Andrew Wiebe, m.obs.)
April 5 – one, Arner Townline, Harrow (found by Dave Martin and Linda Wladarski)
April 14 – one, PPNP and area (found/seen by B. Holden, Michael Nelson, and J. Stasso)
April 27 – one, Erie Street South, Leamington (found by Daniel Daugherty)
May 1 – one, County Road 23, Kingsville (found by Dan/Samantha Nauta)
May 15 – one, Concession Road 8, Amherstburg (found by J. Hunt)
May 16 – one, Mersea Rd E, Leamington (found by Rick Mayos, m.obs.)
May 20 – one, HMCA (found by Kevin Seymour and Greg Stuart)
May 21 – one, Robson Road, Leamington (found by Diane Naluzny)
Mississippi Kite (3+) – Photo: M. McAllister
May 12 – one adult, Fish Point, Pelee Island (found by Joshua Vandermeulen, m.obs.)
May 13 – one, Spring Garden Natural Area, Windsor (found by A./Kara Wiebe)
May 13 to 17 – one, PPNP (unknown finder, m.obs.)
May 21 – one, Woodland Nature Trail, PPNP (found by William Konze) and HMCA (found by Chris Burris – presumably same)
Northern Goshawk (5)
January 2 – one adult, Onion Fields, Leamington (found by Catriona/Elizabeth/Michael Leven)
October 29 – one, Hawk Tower, HBCA (found by HBMO)
October 29 to 31 – one imm., PPNP (found by C. Chevalier, m.obs.)
November 1 – one, Hawk Tower, HBCA (found by HBMO)
November 1 – one imm., Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, m.obs.)
King Rail (2)
May 16 – one, deceased on the road, West Shore Road, Pelee Island (found by Martin Parker)
May 24 – one, Pelee Island, general location (found by Riley Walsh)
Piping Plover (3)
April 23 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by J. Burk)
April 25 – one, Fish Point, Pelee Island (found by S. Boudreault and A. Wilcox)
September 21 to October 6 – one unbanded juv., Tip, PPNP (found by C. Charron and shared to broader community by Zheng Dong Fan, m.obs.)
Red Knot (3)
May 28 – one adult, East Beach at Sparrow Field, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and C.
Chevalier, m.obs.) and one adult [presumed same], East Beach at Shuster Trail, PPNP (found by
Brett Groves, Vicki McKay, and Steve Pike)
August 24 to 26 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by C. Chevalier and M. McAllister, m.obs.)
August 26 – one, West Cranberry Pond, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and C. Chevalier)
Western Sandpiper (1)
April 21 to 23 – two, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by Chris Gaffan and J. Bensette, m.obs.)
Purple Sandpiper (1)
November 14 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by Connie/F. Grenier)
Red-necked Phalarope (4)
August 18 to 19 – one juv., Mettawas Park, Kingsville (found by John Barnes, seen by Leon Barlow)
August 24 – two, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, seen by C. Chevalier and J. Stasso)
September 2 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and C. Chevalier)
September 14 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister)
Red Phalarope (2)
September 25 – one juv., Sleepy Hollow Beach, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, m.obs.)
October 23 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by M./S. McAllister)
Laughing Gull (4) – Photo: W. Konze (far right)
May 15 – one juv., Tip, PPNP (found by Liam Thorne, m.obs.)
May 16 – one adult, Tip, PPNP (unknown finder, m.obs.)
May 30 – one juv., Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, seen by C. Charron, S. Pike, P. Veighey)
October 7 – one juv., Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister)
Franklin’s Gull (2)
April 27 – one adult, Shorebird Cell, HMCA (found by J. Stasso and C. Chevalier, m.obs.)
August 20 – one first-year, Mettawas Park, Kingsville (found by J. Hatt, m.obs.)
*Glaucous-winged Gull hybrid (1)
April 26 – one fourth-year, Wheatley Harbour (found by B. Holden, seen by S. Pike)
– Possible Olympic Gull according to finder B. Holden. First record of a Glaucous–winged Gull hybrid of any kind for Essex.
Sabine’s Gull (2)
September 3 – one juv., Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, seen by C. Chevalier and J. Hatt)
September 11 – one juv., Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, seen by C. Chevalier and Ben Lucking)
Black-legged Kittiwake (2)
December 4 to 5 – one juv., Detroit River, Windsor (found by Karl Overman, m.obs.)
December 19 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by K. Burk, seen by P. Pratt)
Pomarine Jaeger (1)
November 4 – one imm., Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and K. Burk)
Parasitic Jaeger (4)
August 29 – 1 subadult intermediate morph, Tip, PPNP (found by C. Chevalier, seen by M. McAllister and Bryan Vroom)
September 14 – 6 individuals, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister)
– This is the highest count ever for Essex, beating a previous three-way tie at 5
September 30 – 1 light morph individual, Tip, PPNP (found by M. St Pierre)
October 13 – one juv., Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and C. Chevalier)
Long-tailed Jaeger (1)
August 20 – one adult, Tip, PPNP (found by M. McAllister, seen by C. Chevalier)
– This was the earliest Long-tailed Jaeger record in Ontario, and in fact for inland North America, in 2022
Upland Sandpiper (10) – Photo: D. Moore
April 25 – two, Florian Diamante Nature Reserve, Pelee Island (found by S. Boudreault and A. Wilcox)
May 27 – one, Marianne Girling Nature Reserve, Harrow (found by P. Pratt)
May 29 – one, Lakeshore Rd 309, Comber (found by J. Hatt, seen by M. St Pierre)
June 21 – one, Harrow Sewage Lagoons, Harrow (found by D. Moore, seen by M./S. McAllister)
August 6 – two, Mersea Rd C, Leamington (found by C. Chevalier)
August 6 to 7 – one, Harrow Sewage Lagoons, Harrow (found by D. Moore, seen by J. Stasso)
August 9 – one, Cactus Field, PPNP (found by Mike Austin)
August 13 – two, Shuster Trail, PPNP (found by M. Austin)
August 13 – one, East Beach Road, Leamington (found by J. Bensette and Kate Derbyshire)
October 1 – one, Point Pelee North Dyke, Leamington (found by J. Stasso)
– This marks the most records in a year since 1989 (which had 11), the first record(s) of multiple individuals since 2011, and the first spring records since 2018. The October 1 record is the latest ever for Essex (by two days) and the fourth latest for the province.
Pileated Woodpecker (3-5)
April 16 – one, HBCA (found by Kory Renaud, m.obs.)
April 16 to May 18 – one, PPNP (found by B. Mann, m.obs.)
May 8 – one, Devonwood Cons. Area, Windsor (unknown finder – photo)
May 19 – one, Cedar Creek Cons. Area (found by Branden Lunansky, seen by Mark Nenadov)
December 17 – one, Cedar Creek, general area (found by J. Burk)
Fish Crow (1)
April 23 – one, Wheatley Harbour (found by J. Hatt and P. Pratt)
Common Raven (3)
January 1 – one, Windsor, general location (found by I. Woodfield, seen by Carl Maiolani)
October 15 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by S. Pike, seen by K. Burk, C. Chevalier, J. Hatt, M. McAllister)
October 15 – one, Hawk Tower, HBCA (unknown finder, m.obs.)
Boreal Chickadee (1) – first since 2005
December 27 to 2023, continuing – one, Memorial Forest, Amherstburg (found by C. Chevalier, M./S. McAllister, m.obs)
The final addition, marking 304 species, was this Boreal Chickadee – Photo: M. McAllister
Townsend’s Solitaire (1)
Oct 30 to 31 – one, Visitor’s Centre, PPNP (found by S. Pike, m.obs.)
Kirtland’s Warbler (1)
May 11 – one female, Lighthouse Point, Pelee Island (found by Jessica Common, m.obs.)
– This is the first year since 2014 that this species was not recorded at Point Pelee
Lark Sparrow (2)
April 24 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by Ezra Campanelli, Nathan Hood, K. Jasper)
May 4 – one, Blue Heron, PPNP (found by P. Pratt, m.obs.)
Henslow’s Sparrow (2)
April 12 – one adult, Serengeti Tree, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and S. Pike, seen by J. Bensette, K. Derbyshire)
May 9 – one adult, Lighthouse Point, Pelee Island (found by Nate Badger and Bill/Carol Link)
LeConte’s Sparrow (2)
October 8 – one juv., Point Pelee North Dyke, Leamington (found by J. Stasso/M. McAllister)
October 23 – one adult, West Beach Footpath, PPNP (found by J. Bensette and K. Derbyshire, m.obs.)
Nelson’s Sparrow (2)
October 10 to 11 – one adult (Interior), Point Pelee North Dyke, Leamington (found by C. Chevalier, m.obs.)
October 10 to 12 – one adult (Interior), Marsh Boardwalk, PPNP (found by Anil/Elias Joshi, seen by C. Chevalier and M. McAllister)
– This is the first record for Nelson’s Sparrow within the boundaries of PPNP since 2018.
Harris’s Sparrow (2) – first since 2018
April 29 to May 6 – one adult, HBCA (found by K. Renaud, m.obs.)
October 16 – one juv., HMCA (found by B. Mann, m.obs.)
Blue Grosbeak (3)
May 10 – one, Tip, PPNP (unknown finder, m.obs.)
May 15 – one, McCormick Road, Pelee Island (found by A. Buckley)
May 17 – one, Tip, PPNP (found by K. Jasper, seen by A. Wilcox)
Chihuahuan Meadowlark (1)
April 24 – one, Serengeti Tree, PPNP (found by M. McAllister and H. Priebe, seen by C. Chevalier)
– Pending review by Johanna Beam, who introduced this species to the present taxonomy.
Yellow-headed Blackbird (3)
January 2 – one adult male, Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary, Kingsville (found by J. Hatt, m.obs.)
April 20 – one adult male, Seacliff Drive, Leamington (found by J. Hatt, m.obs.)
November 30 – one adult male, Deer Run Road, Wheatley (found by Geordie Ray)
FULL CHECKLIST, INCLUDING ALL OTHER RECORDS, IN THE SHEET BELOW:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vxitzhPJWL60zeRsgY_ykgGChkBDClNd5u7hHWuLE1M/edit?usp=sharing
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