The phenomenon of the loons continued this morning. I was out early watching and recorded the following over my Scugog home:
Red-throated Loons – 44 Common Loons – 3 unidentified loons 7 While the number of Red-throated Loons seems incredible, there are recent sightings along the Lake Ontario shore in recent years that support this number of birds. I reported on one of those events on May 24th. Others responded to me in private with similar observations. Last year a large number was observed on approximately this same date along the Lake Ontario shore. Barr, J. F., C. Eberl, and J. W. McIntyre in Bird so North America reported that the Red-throated Loon usually migrates inland at altitudes of 1,000–1,700 m and at high speed and in loose aggregations. All of the birds I noticed today fit this pattern. The skies were slightly overcast and the light excellent so that even at the great distance I was able to see the detail I needed to ID them. Flight posture (head below the horizontal) was evident on most of the birds. Red-throated flocks sizes ranged between 19, 13, 7 and 5. All the Commons were singles and flew at a much lower elevation and later than the majority of the Red-throated Loons which flew between 05:51 a.m. to 06:33 a.m. with most between 05:51 and 5:53 a.m. The Commons passed between 06:19 and 07:05 a.m. If anyone has other late May records could you please email me privately. Geoff Carpentier AVOCET NATURE SERVICES Contact me at: 905-852-2011 or avocetnatureservi...@gmail.com Visit my website: www.avocetnatureservices.com Specializing in Environmental & Natural History Surveys and Expedition & Personalized Guiding Services _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
