Quebec

fter several consecutive seasons of abovenormal temperatures, the Region finally experienced a cooler and wetter spring than normal.Although some warblers were recorded early in mid-April during the only warm spell of the period, most of them were not found in significant numbers until the third week in May, coincident with the passage of a very cold Arctic air mass.This combination resulted in remarkable fallouts everywhere in the Region.In the south, most warbler species could be seen feeding on or near the ground for several days, ideal conditions for their observation.Farther north, large numbers of warblers were seen migrating by daytime in a westerly direction, probably after drifting too far eastward during the overnight period.For instance, C. Auchu and C. Girard recorded a massive southwesterly movement lasting all day at Les Escoumins on 24 May, while on the same day, C. Samson and D. C6t• observed a similar phenomenom at Saint-Fulgence on the n.side of the Saguenay R., where an estimated 7000 warblers were seen flying against strong westerly gales.To a lesser degree, shorebirds were also grounded in late May, producing excellent diversity and some good concentrations, notably in the Lake Saint-Pierre area and in the Lower St. Lawrence.Casualties among avian populations are not always easy to estimate following bad weather, but this time there was strong evidence that the cold and wet weather of late May resulted in significant mortality among some small landbirds, particularly among swallows.Notably, several observers reported finding dead Purple Martins by the hundreds near nesting boxes.PELICANS THROUGH OWLS Continuing a recent trend of increasing spring and summer records, 3 American White Pelicans were detected at Pointe-du-Lac 19-22 May (fide SH), 3 at lsle-Verte 24-25 May (R. Lavoie), and 3 at Pointe-Lebel 24 May (J.Murry et al.).A Great Egret at Ormstown 30 Mar established a new Regional early arrival date (L.& H. Boivin), while there was a spectacular increase in the number of breeding birds on Herons' I., where 35 individuals and up to 20 nests were estimated from nearby Sainte-Catherine 21 Apr (PB).Southern Herons included single Snowy Egrets at Victoriaville 18-20 Apr (CR) and Baie-du-Febvre 19-22 May (RB, JPR et al.), a Tricolored Heron at Baie-du-Febvre 19 May (JPR, RB et al.), single Cattle Egrets at Bdcancour 26 Ai)r (fide SH), Carignan 5 May (A.Messier), and LaSalle 27-28 May (J.Plouffe et al.), a Yellowcrowned Night-Heron at Rosem•re 4-11 May (M.Varin, P. Poissant, m. oh.), a Glossy Ibis at Baie-du-Febvre 20 Apr (LM), 2 in the same locality 22-23 Apr (E.Samson et al.), and finally one at Pointe-Platon 31 May (L.Roy).A Black Vulture reached Saint-Jdr6me-de-Matane 7 May (J.Durette, fideY.Lemieux).A pair of Turkey Vulture was repeatedly seen mating at Saint-Fabien 4 & 23 May, possibly heralding a range extension to the Lower St. Lawrence (R. Pitre, fide D. Desjardins), while a total of eight reports involving 10 individuals was high for the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region (fide GS).A Ross's Goose at Rivi•re-H•va 12 May provided the first record for the Abitibi region (EW et al.).Single Barnacle Geese turned up at Sabrevois 17 Mar, a record-early date (ND etal.), at Deschambault 27 Apr (S.Gosselin), and at nearby Neuville 1 May (G.Poisson, D. Thibault).Two Mute Swans stopped at Baiedu-Febvre 5 Apr (DM et al.), one remaining through 21 Apr (LM), while another one was at Sainte-Foy 20-26 May (R. Richard, E & R. Dion).Seldom reported in the last few years, single male Tufted Ducks made a brief stop at Saint-Mathias 7 Apr (R. Chartier, m. oh.) and at Rouyn-Noranda 5 May, establishing a first record for the Abitibi region (EW, M. Lessard).A Barrow's Goldeneye at Rouyn-Noranda 5-8 May represented one of few for Abifibi (A.Lefebvre, R. Cloutier).A fully documented Common Ringed Plover, the 3rd for the Region, caused a sensation at Baie-du-Febvre 25-28 May (FG, m. ob.).Among notable features, the complete absence of webbing between the two internal toes was confirrned with a photograph and the bird was also heard giving its typical call.Now annual in the Region, single American Avocets were located at Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse 18 May (D. Desprds), Havre-aux-Basques, Magdalen Is. 20 May (Claude Roy et al.), and Montmagny 24 May (D. Gaumond).Willets included a pair, probably nesting, at Grosse-Ile, Magdalen Is. 12-20 May (Claude Roy et al.), while one at Saint-Gdd•on 19 May (SB et al.) and a remarkable 3 at Saint-Fulgence 26-30 May (C.Cormier, GS et al.) were believed to belong to the western subspecies inornatus.Rare in spring, 3 Long-billed Dowitchers were carefully identified at Baie-du-Febvre 4-5 May (FG).Very surprising was the occurrence of an ad.282

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