[Ontbirds] HORNED GREBE, RED-NECKED GREBE, various waterfowl at Mitchell Wetland (Lagoons)
Hi All, I managed to take a jaunt out to the Mitchell Wetland ponds (former sewage lagoons) this afternoon and found that all ponds are now completely free of ice...and indeed the water levels are the highest I've seen in a long time. Highlights were a single HORNED GREBE that's close to completing its pre-alternate molt. and a single RED-NECKED GREBE that's pretty much completed its molt. They were easily seen in the last pond at the furthest back left of the property. I also spotted my first male Tree Swallow for the season cruising low over the water of the same cell. There was also a good variety of waterfowl in this same cell: American Wigeon - 10 Pair Northern Shoveler - 1 Pair Ruddy Duck- 3 Pair and 4 lone males Redhead - 2 Pair Ringed-necked Duck- 17 pair and 3 lone males Lesser Scaup - 15 pair Bufflehead- 22 pair Green-winged Teal - 2 pair Blue-winged Teal - 1 lone male D.C. Cormorant- 5 in flight (did not land) Mallard - 2 Pair Also had 20+ singing Savanah Sparrow, 6 Song Sparrow and 4 Horned Lark. Good Birding! Dave J Brown Mitchell, ON thebrowns at ezlink.on.ca Note: There are no permits required to walk around the Mitchell wetland area. Directions to Mitchell Wetland Ponds: >From the East (Guelph, Kitchener-Waterloo, GTA) - take Hwy 8 thru Stratford heading west to first lights in Mitchell (Wellington St) and turn left (south) and continue till you hit the "T" intersection at the ball diamond. Lagoon cells are straight back behind the ball diamond and soccer fields and the sewage treatment plant. You can go straight ahead on the gravel and park next to the berm. >From the London areatake Hwy 23 into Mitchell from the south and just after you pass the "Welcome to Mitchell" sign...watch for Frank St...go right on Frank St and head down over the bridge till you get to the ball diamond (will be on your right). Again...the cells are behind the ball diamond and soccer fields. You can go straight ahead on the gravel and park next to the berm. >From Southampton areatake Hwy 21, to Goderich and then Hwy 8 to Clinton and down to Mitchell, turn south on Hwy 23 to Frank St. and turn left on Frank St. and head over the bridge to the ball diamonds (which will be on your right). You can go straight ahead on the gravel and park next to the berm. ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Sapsuckers, Purple Martins, Winter Wren - York Region
Saturday morning there were 15 duck species along Hochreiter Rd. and the north end of Bathurst St. Aside from the expected Mallards and Canada Geese, the flooded fields on both sides of Hochreiter yielded N. PINTAIL (approx. 150), GW TEAL (100+), N. SHOVELER (16), BLACK DUCK (10), AM. WIGEON (6), GADWALL (4), WOOD DUCK (2), and BW TEAL (1 drake). The "ephemeral pond" on the west side of Bathurst about 2 kms north of Hochreiter is so huge right now it is more like a lake. It held a much smaller concentration of ducks on Saturday, but a good variety: RUDDY DUCK (2 drakes), RING-NECKED DUCK (1 drake), LESSER SCAUP (5), BUFFLEHEAD (11), REDHEAD (2 drakes), CM. MERGANSER (2), and four DC Cormorants. I did not rediscover the two Horned Grebes observed here on Tuesday by Chris Dunn. Just southeast of this location the same day, Bruce Brydon had a COMMON LOON on Soldier's Bay, which sits on the north side of Queensville Sdrd. between Bathurst and Yonge St. It was stil there this afternoon. Hochreiter Rd. also held two PILEATED WOODPECKERS that flew right over me Saturday morning, plus an OSPREY fishing over the West Holland River, and two N. FLICKERS. Several raucous crows chased a large bird into the heart of the swampy woods on the south side while I was there; it appeared to be an owl and the continuing din from the crows suggests the same. Both Great Horned and Barred Owls are possible here. Speaking of which, I had a G.H. OWL hooting from west of Dufferin St. where it meets Miller Sdrd. early Saturday morning. At that same location I heard a RUFFED GROUSE drumming, an EASTERN MEADOWLARK singing, and, from farther south along Dufferin, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER doing its distinctive kwirring call. This morning Bruce Brydon has some good spring birds at the Cawthra Mulock reserve in Newmarket, including a pair of WOOD DUCKS, a COOPER'S HAWK, a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, a HERMIT THRUSH, and the first FIELD SPARROW of the spring. I hiked the Porritt Tract east of Aurora in search of Pine Warblers but came up empty. Consolation came in the form of 5 woodpecker species: Downy, Hairy, Pileated, N. Flicker, and YB Sapsucker. I also flushed a RUFFED GROUSE and got my first WINTER WREN of the spring. On Tuesday, April 8th Tom Mills of Sutton observed the first PURPLE MARTINS of the season. Tom has had good success with this declining species nesting in his martin house the past several years. In York region the Sutton area has become the only half-decently reliable place for Martins. Ron Fleming, Newmarket DIRECTIONS: York Region is just north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. The north end of Bathurst Street is accessed by taking Yonge St. north from Newmarket. About halfway between Newmarket and Bradford there is a stoplight indicating Bathurst St. North. Turn right, then a quick left. Bathurst crosses the RR tracks then runs straight north. Take it to all the way up to the flooded fields north of Queensville Sdrd. and Albert's marina. Hochreiter Rd. is directly west of the road into Albert's Marina and is now relatively driveable, though you have to exercise some caution and be prepared for mud. ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds] Ottawa/Gatineau 13Apr08... Migrants, Sandhill Crane, Great Gray Owl
- RBA * Ontario * Ottawa/Gatineau * 13 April 2008 * ONOT0804.13 - Birds mentioned Snow Goose Canada Goose Wood Duck American Wigeon Northern Shoveler Northern Pintail Green-winged Teal Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Bufflehead Hooded Merganser Common Merganser Wild Turkey Pied-billed Grebe Turkey Vulture Osprey Northern Harrier Red-tailed Hawk Rough-legged Hawk Golden Eagle American Kestrel Peregrine Falcon SANDHILL CRANE Killdeer Greater Yellowlegs Wilson's Snipe American Woodcock Barred Owl GREAT GRAY OWL Belted Kingfisher Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Northern Flicker Northern Shrike Common Raven Winter Wren Golden-crowned Kinglet Yellow-rumped Warbler Fox Sparrow Rusty Blackbird Purple Finch Common Redpoll Hoary Redpoll Evening Grosbeak - Transcript hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club date: 13 April 2008 Number: 613-860-9000 For the status line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings, PRESS 1 (one) Rare bird alerts are now included in the introductory message coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Can. Nat. Capital Reg.), E.Ont., W.Que. compiler & transcriber: Chris Lewis [EMAIL PROTECTED] internet: Gordon Pringle [EMAIL PROTECTED] THE OFNC BIRD STATUS LINE, 7:30 pm, APRIL 13, 2008. This is Chris Lewis reporting. Spring migrants continue to arrive, with several first reports this past week. Numbers of waterfowl (other than multiple 1000's of Canada Geese) remain low despite the now extensive flooding in the fields around Cobb's Lake Creek, the South Nation River and Bear Brook in the east, and the Rideau and Jock Rivers in the south and west. However, Wood Duck, American Wigeon, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, and both Hooded and Common Merganser were all represented. The 1st report of Lesser Scaup came from the Ottawa River at Deschenes on the 13th. Two blue morph Snow Geese flew over Bourget on the 8th, but there have been no other local Snow Goose sightings so far. Six Wild Turkeys were seen at the south end of Milton Rd. on the 13th, a few more Pied-billed Grebes and many more Turkey Vultures are being seen. The 1st local report of a pair of Ospreys came in on the 13th on the Jock River along Steeple Hill Cr. An impressive influx of Rough-legged Hawks was noted since the 6th, with at least 22 seen in the Breckenridge and Luskville, Quebec, area and several also east of Ottawa, along with good numbers of Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers and American Kestrels. An immature Golden Eagle was spotted at Eardley-Masham and Bradley Rds. along the Eardley escarpment of the Gatineau hills on the 13th. The female of our resident pair of Peregrine Falcons was observed brooding on the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the 10th - the number of eggs has not yet been determined. SANDHILL CRANES have begun to arrive at their breeding grounds in the Mer Bleue bog - 2 pairs were observed feeding in the cornfields along Milton Rd. since the 10th. Shorebirds other than Killdeer and American Woodcocks, which are now well-established, were a Greater Yellowlegs and 5 Wilson's Snipe in the Woodlawn area west of Dunrobin on the 10th. A Belted Kingfisher was also seen here the same day. A Barred Owl was heard on Tenth Line Rd. in Orleans on the night of the 11th, and a GREAT GRAY OWL paid a brief visit at River Rd. south of Earl Armstrong Rd. back on the 6th - this bird was searched for but not relocated, as is usually the case if they happen to head north through our area in spring. Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and Northern Flickers were reported in various locations since the 7th. A Northern Shrike was at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden on the 7th along with an early Yellow-rumped Warbler. Common Ravens continue to increase in our area every year and many were noted this past week east of Ottawa. The first report of a Winter Wren came from the Jack Pine Trail on the 10th, and Golden-crowned Kinglets and Fox Sparrows have been widely reported since the 8th. The 1st reports of Purple Finch and Rusty Blackbird came from Luskville on the 13th. Redpolls are still moving through, with a couple of Hoary's at bird feeders in Carleton Place and Aylmer among flocks of up to 50 Common Redpolls on the weekend, and a few Evening Grosbeaks were still in the Eardley-Masham and Bourget areas on the 13th. Thank you - Good Birding! - End transcript ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Great Egret and more!
Started out the day by going down to 50 Point Conservation Area. While there I viewed 2 yellow bellied sapsuckers, Caspian Terns, 5 Blue Heron, 2 Belted Kingfishers, 1 pied grebe and a Great Egret. Directions are QEW Niagara to 50 Road North, to North Service Road, left to Baseline to Entrance Then I headed back towards Bronte harbour. There I was fortunate enough to view and photograph a pair of Red-necked Grebes. There where Caspian terns as well as Double-crested cormorants present. QEW to Bronte Road South, Lakeshore Blvd West one block to Marina entrance on the south side of Lakeshore Blvd. Then west along Lakeshore Blvd, to Shell Park. I viewed and photographed the following birds while there. Northern Flicker, Carolina Wren, American Goldfinch, and Hermit Thrush QEW to Bronte Road South, Lakeshore Blvd West to Park entrance which is on the north side of Lakeshore. Good Birding and Good Luck... Cheers Mike Veltri ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Snow Geese, Snow Buntings, raptors east of Ottawa
Hi Ontbirders: This afternoon, east of Ottawa, large flocks of Canada Geese (perhaps 5,000 in total) were on flooded waterways and open fields. Off Milton Drive just east of the Mer Bleue at Bear Brook, the Canada's were joined by about 30 Snow Geese, including several blue morphs. In the same area, a variety of raptors were present, including 4 or 5 each of Rough-legged and Red-tailed Hawks, Northern Harriers and American Kestrels. A few ducks were also on the flooded creek, including Northern Pintails and Ring-necked Ducks.. At Cobb Lake, just east of Bourget, the Canada's were again joined by about 12 Snow Geese. Also at this site were about 30 Snow Buntings and a few Horned Larks. Recently returned Savannah Sparrows were spotted in this region. Good birding Peter Hall Directions from Neily World Birding: To Milton Drive: from Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 96 (Boundary Road). Proceed 2.0 km NNW on Boundary Road to Russell Road (Regional 26). Turn right or ESE onto Russell and drive 3.5 km to Milton Road (Regional 31). Turn left or NNW on Milton and go about 1.0 km to the top of the hill heading down to Bear Brook - Milton Road. Park on the shoulder of the road and after scanning from here move ahead a further 1.0 km to park near the bridge. To Cobb Lake: from Highway 417 (The Queensway) take exit 96 (Boundary Road). Proceed 2.0 km NNW on Boundary Road to Russell Road (Regional 26). Turn right or ESE onto Russell Road (Regional 26, then Prescott - Russell 2) and drive 26.5 km, through Bourget, to descend into the 3.8 kilometre extent of the floodplain area of the Cobbs Lake Creek at Russell Road (Bourget) site. ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Y.R. Warbler etc. at Leslie St. Spit, Toronto
A short tour around the very wet woodlot just west of the main parking lot at the spit today (1:00) yielded a Yellow-Rumped Warbler as well as Chipping and Sparrows, Woodcock, Thrasher, YB Sapsucker, Flicker and GC Kinglet. Looking out at the bay just west of the woodlot, there were 2 Pied Billed Grebes along with lots of Long-tailed Ducks. Jack and Frances Alvo Directions: From the DVP take Lakeshore Blvd. east to Leslie St., head south to end. The spit is open to the public on week-ends but please be aware of the afternoon closing time (look for the signs) otherwise your car may be locked in when they lock the parking lot. ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Ottawa - Bluebirds, Fox Sparrows, Kingfishers, and more!
It looks like spring has finally arrived, even if this weekend's weather says otherwise. I took a tour of some of Ottawa's hot spots for birds, namely the Stony Swamp Conservation Area. I checked out the Jack Pine Trail first. There were still unusually high numbers of DARK-EYED JUNCOS throughout much of the trail. A little ways past the OFNC feeder I hit paydirt with a FOX SPARROW feeding amongst two SONG SPARROWS. While watching these, a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET made a brief appearance. The next stop was the Beaver Trail just down the street. Here, once again, were a number of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, probably 25 in all. Right near the Wild Bird Care Centre I came across a pair of YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS. They seemed to be foraging specifically around the WBCC, since, although they flew around from tree to tree, they stayed in the general vicinity of the building. Moving on along the trail, I found a single male PILEATED WOODPECKER. The real highlight of this trail was a BELTED KINGFISHER near the boardwalk overlooking the swamp. The water is still mostly frozen over, but there he was trying to find a meal. I also saw an EASTERN PHOEBE among the brush. Of course, SONG SPARROWS and CHICKADEES were fairly common. On to Dick Bell Park - where unfortunately most of the river is still frozen. Approximately 35-45 CANADA GEESE have taken to the small area of open water near the shore. There was also a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS in the mix, with three MALLARDS for good measure. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and EUROPEAN STARLINGS could be heard and seen periodically around the Yacht Club, and there were a few AM. ROBINS, SONG SPARROWS, and HOUSE SPARROWS, near the Yacht Club as well. There were no PURPLE MARTINS are the nesting boxes...yet. Lastly, I went by Earl Armstrong Rd. to check on a few reports I had heard about. I did not come across any EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, but I did see a single male EASTERN BLUEBIRD on a fence post near Earl Armstrong and High Rd. Also, a single female ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and an adult RED-TAILED HAWK flew overhead while I was there. Good birding! Pat _ Try Chicktionary, a game that tests how many words you can form from the letters given. Find this and more puzzles at Live Search Games! http://g.msn.ca/ca55/207___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Fox Sparrow near Alliston
Saw a single Fox sparrow amoung an usually high amount of Dark-eyed Juncos (about 15) for this time of year - you'd think the Juncos would be gone by now- at my parents house in Everett. Adam Midland ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Hoariest Redpoll [Carleton Place]
We have had increasing numbers of Redpolls for the last two weeks with maybe 50 around at any one time. Today we had a Hoary Redpoll,which was larger than the rest with a nearly competely white head. We assume this is one of the Greenland varieties. Iain and Susan ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Ottawa: Bluebirds and Meadowlark
This morning at about 9:00 am there was a pair of Eastern Bluebirds at the corner of High Road and Earl Armstrong Road, south of Uplands Airport in Ottawa. Across the road were several Eastern Meadowlarks. High Road can be reached from Albion Road at the racetrack. -- Brian Mortimer Ottawa Ontario [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
