Release for Ontario Birds: On Monday Dec. 10th a rare western warbler was observed in Port Burwell, Ontario. I first noticed it in a dense red-cedar next to the public parking lot at the month of the Big Otter Creek. Joe and Andrea Stevenson of Port Burwell arrived to bird shortly after my initial sighting. They were in search of a yellow-throated warbler that had been observed at their suet feeder in Port Burwell the day before (unknown to me at the time.) I had only secured enough good glimpses to know I had a rather rare warbler. To someone unfamiliar with the black-throated gray, glimpses of stripes on the sides of a white breast, white wing-bars and a blue-gray back, was not enough to rule out the yellow-throated that had been seen the day before. I subsequently re found the bird and took pictures. My tentative I.D. was confirmed by Ron Ridout of Bird Studies Canada (BSC) as being a female black-throated gray. The bird was observed the following two days by Ron Ridout, myself, and several others. She seems to have established a small feeding territory and sticks close to her “home” red-cedar and forages in the phragmites, switch grass and a small clump of red-pines. It was plus 4ºC and sunny here yesterday and she managed to find at least a few insects. Being the compiler of the Port Burwell-Vienna Christmas Bird Count (CBC), which will be held this Sunday Dec. 16th, we naturally hoped she would stick around for count day. Today wet snow started to fall here around 8:00 a.m. I first observed the warbler today with Christine Dennis and her son Alistair Dennis-Grantham at 8:25 a.m. She was foraging again in the grass clumps and returned to her home tree as the snow continued and got heavier. We decided to leave her to her peace. Returning at 3:00 p.m. after 3” of wet snow had fallen, I again observed her foraging in the grass clumps for over an hour. She still seemed fairly bouncy and alert. Given that our count isn’t until Sunday we have decided to post this information because cold blustery weather after tomorrow may shorten her tenuous stay. We do not want to deprive any keen birders from observing this rare little dynamo. DIRECTIONS: From the EAST... Take 401 cutoff highway 19 south to Tillsonburg, follow highway 19 through Tillsonburg. This turns into VIENNA RD at Highway 3. Continue on Vienna Rd – 26km to Port Burwell. Coming into Port Burwell you go up a hill veer to the right on ROBINSON ST, three or 4 blocks to the bridge turn right, go over the bridge and up the hill to CHATHAM ST on your left. WHEN IN PORT BURWELL... **FOLLOW CHATHAM STREET down the hill towards the provincial park. At the bottom of the hill, just before the entrance to the provincial park there is a gravel road. Turn left. A few hundred yards ahead is the parking lot near where the warbler hangs out. PLEASE BE ON your best birder behaviour and allow the warbler to forage in the grass. We are trying to get her to take meal-worms and suet from a tray-feeder but so far no luck. Any suggestions on getting her to take food offerings would be most welcome. Thank you, and good birding. Ron Allensen (519) 874-1343 OR [EMAIL PROTECTED] DIRECTIONS: From the WEST... Take Highway 3 or 401 to highway 73 south to Aylmer, through Aylmer south to Copehagen, turn left in Copenhagen onto Nova Scotia Line, follow to Port Burwell. After passing the Port Burwell sign, merge right onto Chatham Street. See instructions above from “**FOLLOW CHATHAM STREET”.
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