Least Tern in Atikokan!

Dave Elder of Atikokan (Rainy River District) made an amazing find on May 10 while paddling in Sawmill Bay of Lower Steep Rock Lake, about 3 km. west of Atikokan.

[click on image to enlarge]

Photo courtesy of Dave Elder

Dave writes:

It was a “found bird” first seen after a 3km. walk down train tracks, a walk back, get another guy, load the canoe, paddle across a lake and miracle of miracles, find the bird again. Seriously lucky!

If accepted by the Ontario Bird Records Committee, this will be only the fifth record for Ontario and the first for northern Ontario.

In the North American interior, the Least Tern nests in small numbers in the upper Mississippi basin, along the Missouri River. The closest population, about 100 breeding pairs, is in North Dakota, ~740 km to the WSW of Atikokan.

Congratulations on the great find Dave!
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Related:

• Least Terns in North Dakota. North Dakota office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.