Ontario

he long, warm, dry summer continued into fall over most of the province, delaying the southbound migration of some species.There was some increased precipitation by early October, welcome after the prolonged dry conditions earlier in the year, but water levels in the Great Lakes remained very low.Winter suddenly arrived in the north of the province in the third week of October with snowstorms and record-low temperatures; Rainy River had permanent snow cover by 19 October.In Algonquin Provincial Park, small lakes froze over by early November, a month earlier than in the mfid fall of 2001, though larger lakes were still open at the end of November.In the south of the province.there was a confusing succession of Arctic cold fronts alternating with warmer spells from mid-October to the end of November, with repeated lake-effect snow squalls to the lee of the Great Lakes.Coniferous and deciduous seed crops were abundant throughout the province, but very few winter finches were in evidence even in the north, their low density perhaps reflecting this widespread food avafiability.Berry crops were superb almost everywhere, weighing down the branches of many fruit-bearing trees, encouraging some migrants to linger later than usual.The advent of the West Nile virus severely affected some bird species, especially owls and corvids.At the Owl Rehabilitation Centre in Vineland, Niagara, all the captive northern owls were wiped out, but owl species with a more southerly range appeared to be less seriously affected.This was thought to be related to the denser body plumage of the northern owls, which harbors more hippoboscid flat flies, one of the possible vectors for the virus.Some populations of American Crows were markedly reduced.This was especially noticeable in the Greater Toronto Area, where crows vimtally disappeared, but the effects were less pronounced in more rural areas.It was not a fall of outstanding rarities, though Ontario gained its first confirmed record of Tropical Kingbird, an obligingly long-staying bird enjoyed by a host of observers in the extreme southwest of the province.There was an unprecedented influx of Brown Pelicans into the Great Lakes Basin during the season, probably involving at least seven different birds often appearing and disappearing at widely scattered locations, frustrating many would-be observers.Consistent with their increasing breeding population, Ross's Geese were widely reported; Northern Gannet sightings were also unusually numer-Eared Grebes were off the Tip of EPN.E 20 Oct (1R, KRK, PSB), at Erieau 25 Oct (SC), on the Cataraqui R., Kingston 2-7 Nov (RDW et al.), and at Turkey Pt., No•olk 20 Nov (DEP,

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