Timiskaming Birds Forum

Saw and heard a Western Meadowlark this morning in Harris Twp.  This is a new species for Timiskaming!  I will wait for confirmation from the Ontario Bird Records Committee (OBRC) before adding it to our checklist, but I am sure of the ID.  The bird was near the top of the hill on Waugh's Road, east of Sutton Bay Trailer Park.  If anyone else observes this bird, please post a reply to this thread.  I plan to return this evening to see if I can relocate.

I was able to relocate the bird around 5:30PM.  It was in the same area, on the far side of the field on the north side of the road between the two farms.  I was able to get some video (including audio) of the bird singing, which will be critical to getting the record easily accepted by the OBRC.  This species is extremely difficult to differentiate from the Eastern Meadowlark on the basis of visual field marks alone, and is most easily distinguished by the song.  I will be preparing the report for the OBRC this evening, but will probably have to send it by snail mail, as the video files and photos are too large for e-mail.

Nice bird you found, Mike!

I had a pair nesting 2 years in a row, 5-6 years ago.  I was able to bring it closer with a playback.  It was between St-Eugène and Angliers, in a pasture field with sick and dead poplars.  Male was singing most of the time from tree tops.

Center of the map:  http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=47.539455,-79.343262&spn=0.111482,0.232086&z=12

This is not very far from your location...

Cool. I didn't think Western Meadowlarks would have been able to find mates around here.  Do you think they mated with an Eastern?  How do you tell a female Eastern Meadowlark from a female Western Meadowloark anyway?  (Genetic analysis?)  They are apparently known to crossbread, but produce fewer young that are sometimes not vigorous.

The first year, it was 99% sure the female was western by the tail feathers, the yellow close to the lower mandible and the 'tchok' made to find the 3 chicks on the ground.

The second year, I wasn't able to tell for the female, as it was always hidden.  I think the nest might have been destroyed and the pair moved on early to another location 6km west in july.

I spent some time there on the third year with no luck.

The OBRC report has been accepted. Since this is not a "listed" species for northern Ontario, it was accepted without the full review by all committee members, as would be the standard practice for a listed species.