This afternoon there were 6 Evening Grosbeaks at the feeders at the park
Visitor's Centre. Four Hooded Mergansers in the lake East side of Opeonga Road
and two Horned Larks feeding on the grass by the Opeonga Lake Permits building.
Visitor's Centre and Opeonga Road all are off Hwy 60 North East of Huntsville.
Eleanor Kee Wellman
"All Things Wild & Wonderful"
Box 823, Bala, ON, CA
P0C 1A0
www.eleanorkeewellman.com
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sun Nov 19 21:48:56 2006
Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Delivered-To: ontbirds@hwcn.org
Received: from ns2.mountaincable.net (ns2.mountaincable.net [24.215.0.12])
by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5DEA163D7E
for <ontbirds@hwcn.org>; Sun, 19 Nov 2006 21:48:56 -0500 (EST)
Received: from D6FSCY61 (dhcp-0-11-11-d3-a0-c0.cpe.mountaincable.net
[24.215.30.145])
by ns2.mountaincable.net (Postfix) with SMTP id 31E5B13FBA
for <ontbirds@hwcn.org>; Sun, 19 Nov 2006 21:48:57 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: "Kevin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ontbirds@hwcn.org>
Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 21:48:54 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.2869
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2962
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1
Subject: [Ontbirds]A few notes from Niagara Sunday Nov 19/06
X-BeenThere: ontbirds@hwcn.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 02:48:56 -0000
As well as enjoying the Razorbill excitement at the Niagara rivermouth today,
we had a few gull highlights worth sharing.
The definitive basic California Gull was in view from 8:30 to 9:30am on its
usual rock perch at the north end of the American side power station.
KM briefly glimpsed a juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake flying past Adam Beck.
Along with Betsy Potter and Willie D'Anna, we watched what was presumably the
same bird at the Whirpool, after JI spotted it flying about with Bonaparte's
Gulls.
In the gorge at the Falls we found a first basic Little Gull and two more
Kittiwakes in the afternoon. One of these was a typical juvenile, still
possessing the thick black neck band. The other was an interesting bird which
at first glance appeared to be a defintive basic ( winter adult ). After
following the bird through the mist for an hour and getting fairly good views
of the upperwing pattern, we were ultimately able to age the bird as second
basic. Features pointing to this age class were dark lines on the outer web of
P9, some dark markings in the primary covert area, and a contrast of paler gray
on the "hand" of the upperwing with the somewhat darker gray inner wing and
mantle.
Kevin McLaughlin...Hamilton
Jean Iron.....Toronto.
From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sun Nov 19 21:57:37 2006
Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Delivered-To: ontbirds@hwcn.org
Received: from mail.wzrd.com (mail.wzrd.com [216.207.4.8])
by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C3B0963D7B
for <ontbirds@hwcn.org>; Sun, 19 Nov 2006 21:57:36 -0500 (EST)
Received: from SONY (69-160-12-161.bflony.adelphia.net [69.160.12.161])
(authenticated bits=0)
by mail.wzrd.com (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id kAK2vWQk014559;
Sun, 19 Nov 2006 21:57:33 -0500 (EST)
Message-Id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
From: "Michael Hamilton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "GeneseeBirds" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"Ontbirds" <ontbirds@hwcn.org>
Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2006 21:57:37 -0500
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain;
charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510
X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2180
Thread-Index: AccMT6Kl/tSUPUWgQzim6WqSyTFOLg=X-SMTP-Vilter-Version: 1.3.2
cc: David Suggs <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Ontbirds]Joint BOS/RBA Niagara River Trip
X-BeenThere: ontbirds@hwcn.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 02:57:37 -0000
Today's joint Buffalo Ornithological Society (BOS) / Rochester Birding
Association (RBA) trip on the Niagara River started off with a mega
sighting, a Razorbill at Old Fort Niagara. Norma Platt of the RBA first
spotted it and called out "alcid" and Bob Spahn identified it as a
Razorbill. We had wonderful close hand views of this bird while it had a
long rest between feedings and before it resumed intense feeding and pop-ups
up for extremely brief intermittent views. Also seen: Common Loon,
Red-throated Loon, Double-crested Cormorant, Long-tailed Duck, Common
Goldeneye, Bufflehead and Red-breasted Merganser. Outside the fort entry
Red-bellied Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, and
Golden-crowned Kinglet were seen/heard.
An adult and a second winter Little Gull were viewed form the Lewiston Docks
along with eight Great Blue Herons along the Canadian shore and a small
flock of Black Ducks near a hunting blind causing an intense discussion as
to whether they were real or motorized decoys (until one flew away).
Sightings from the overlook at Sir Adam Beck created much discussion and
resulted in only one rare species, a flying California Gull. Both Bob Spahn
and I could not remember not seeing an Iceland Gull there at this time of
year although I had a brief glimpse of a probable Kumlien's.
At the gorge just below the falls we had great looks at an immature and an
adult Black-legged Kittiwake flying in and out of the mist at the base of
the falls and resting on the water down stream. And below the control
structures we had several Lesser Black-backed Gulls and another lively
discussion about a possible Mew Gull that we eventually decided was a first
winter Ring-billed Gull.
Altogether a thoroughly enjoyable day with some people getting four life
birds and very excited about it. It doesn't get better that that!
Mike Hamilton
BOS leader with Bob Spahn RBA leader
