Several days into 2019 the Ontario winter bird list stands at 197, following the addition of 8 new species since my last update on December 17, 2018. Last year at this time the list was 192 species (finishing with 200), while in 2016 at this time the last was 207 species (finishing with 216). It is looking unlikely that the all-time record of 220 (from 2015-2016) will be surpassed, and we will likely finish somewhere between 204 and 207 species when it is all said and done.
The new additions since my last update include Great Gray Owl (several sightings in the north and one in southeastern Ontario), Eastern Meadowlark (several found on CBCs), Boreal Owl (north of Kingston), Eurasian Collared-Dove (two present in the north end of Hamilton), Virginia Rail (one heard at Keith McLean CA near Rondeau), Ovenbird (individuals coming to private yards in south Cambridge and Mississauga), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (one at Wallaceburg sewage treatment plant), and Dovekie (a deceased bird found in Whitby). There are a handful of species that are typically reported in a given winter that are still missing from this winter’s list. They include Purple Sandpiper (observed in 11 of last 11 winters), Gray Partridge (11 of 11), Brewer’s Blackbird (11 of 11), Harris’s Sparrow (11 of 11), Black-legged Kittiwake (10 of 11), Osprey (9 of 11), Eurasian Wigeon (8 of 11), Yellow-headed Blackbird (8 of 11), California Gull (8 of 11), Blue-winged Teal (7 of 11), Blue-headed Vireo (7 of 11), Wilson’s Warbler (7 of 11), Pacific Loon (6 of 11), Eared Grebe (6 of 11), Black-headed Gull (6 of 11), Barn Owl (6 of 11), Yellow-throated Warbler (6 of 11) and Spotted Towhee (6 of 11). The list can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/myyulvs . I have also provided a link on my blog, located at http://joshvandermeulen.blogspot.ca/p/ontario-winter-bird-list.html . I try to update the spreadsheet every couple of days or whenever I hear of a new addition. Please let me know if you hear of a new addition or any other correction to the spreadsheet. Good birding, Josh Vandermeulen _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
