[Ontbirds] Hamilton Naturalists Club Birding Report - Friday, November 21st, 2008
On Friday, November 21st, 2008, this is the HNC Birding report: SNOWY OWL CAVE/CLIFF SWALLOW BLUE HEADED VIREO Brant Cackling Goose King Eider Surf Scoter White-winged Scoter Black Scoter Long-tailed Duck Common x Barrow's Goldeneye Ruffed Grouse Red-throated Loon Common Loon Horned Grebe Sandhill Crane Parasitic Jaeger Pomarine Jaeger Bonaparte's Gull Thayer's Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Great Black-backed Gull Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush American Pipit Snow Bunting Purple Finch White-winged Crossbill Pine Siskin Its been a quiet week here in Hamilton but the highlights include the sighting of a CLIFF/CAVE SWALLOW at Bronte Pier last Saturday, likely a Cave, a BLUE-HEADED VIREO found at the end of Lemonville Road in Hidden Valley, late for this species, and multiple sightings of SNOWY OWLS. One was present at Canada Centre for Inland Waters on Wednesday, one near Frid Street in Hamilton on Wednesday, one at Bronte Harbour last Saturday and sadly a casualty at the 407 and 403 interchange. I'm sure these won't be the only sightings of this species in the next couple weeks. All of these birds seem to be on the move the next day. A lake watch last weekend and into this week was productive for finding some of the remaining specialties for Hamilton. Northwest winds for a change were no matter for observers who along the west end of Lake Ontario saw Parasitic and Pomarine Jaeger, Bonaparte's Gull, Glaucous Gull, all three scoters, Red-throated and Common Loons in numbers and Horned Grebe. At LP Sayers Park the Barrow's x Common Goldeneye hybrid has returned intermingled with a good number of Common Goldeneye, all three Scoters and Long-tailed Ducks. Out at Millen Road, a female King Eider was seen at a distance. A Brant and a Glaucous Gull were present on Wednesday at Confederation Park. Snow Bunting flocks have traveled along the shore and a Lapland Longspur was spotted in the mix of buntings last Saturday. Throughout the week the Waterdown Garden Supplies site on Hwy 5 west of Peter's Corners has been checked for rare gulls. This week, Thayer's, Lesser Black-backed, Glaucous and Great Black-backed Gull along with American Pipits have been reported from this site. Access into the site can only be gained during the week and at odd hours on Saturday when the office is open. Gulls can be found in the surrounding fields though if there is no access into the property. Please respect the rules that have been set out for this site. Out on Concession 4 W, west of Woodhill Road at the Patterson Tract, a roaming flock of 30 - 35 White-winged Crossbills have been reported in this large tract of land. Patience is necessary. Golden-crowned Kinglet was also reported from here and on Tuesday a flock of 100 or so Sandhill Cranes flew over the property. A spectacular view for a lucky birder as these birds are not often seen in these numbers in the HSA. In the odds and sods, a Hermit Thrush was photographed on the roof of a house in Hamilton, Purple Finches and Pine Siskin, were reported from feeders in Brantford and Dundas. Ruffed Grouse was found in the Red Pine Plantation on the other side of the bridge from the swimming area at Valens Conservation Area and two Cackling Geese were seen at the Quarry Pond up in Saltfleet on Green Mountain Road between 10th and 11th Road East. Winter listing is just around the corner so report your sightings of interesting birds. Good birding, Cheryl Edgecombe HNC Hotline 905-381-0329 ___ 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]Kingston area birds to Nov. 21, 2008
Raptor numbers on Amherst continue to be quite good: 15 Rough-legged, 9 Red-tailed, 6 N. Harriers, and 2 Am. Kestrels as well as 2 Snowy Owls were tallied on a field trip last Sunday. The Owl Woods yielded 4 N. Saw-whet and 5 Long-eared Owls. (The Owl Woods will be closed to the public until Dec. 6th.) There were also singleton Snowy Owls on Salmon and Pigeon Islands on Wednesday. There seems to be some congregating of Bald Eagles north of the city; there were 4 at Sand Lake and 2 at Davis Lock on Tuesday. And just to show that birds are where you find them, there was a Merlin downtown (Princess and Wellington) on Monday. A trip to Wolfe Island earlier in the week found virtually no raptors. Waterfowl sightings of note: the Eurasian Wigeon was still in Elevator Bay and there was a Cackling Goose on the penitentiary property last Sunday. There has been a marked increase in the number of Tundra Swans in Elevator Bay; almost everyone who drives into work via Front Road has commented. Also a couple of strangely marked geese (probably with some domestic ancestry) are grazing with the Canadas on the lawn at Dupont. The only shorebirds mentioned were 3 Purple Sandpipers on Snake Island on Wednesday. Three Red-bellied Woodpeckers were seen in the city limits this week and the number of Tree Sparrows at local feeders is increasing but very slowly. Late migrants included 3 Am. Robins at Bedford Mills, an E. Phoebe at Elginburg, and a N. Flicker on Amherst I. on Sunday, 2 Red-winged Blackbirds at Bedford Mills on Monday and an E. Bluebird on the Florida Road on Tuesday. The winter finch picture has become bleak. Scattered reports of a few Pine Siskins and Purple Finches and two Evening Grosbeaks at Bedford Mills are all I have. Cheers, Peter Good Kingston Field Naturalists 613 378-6605 ___ 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]HSR: Holiday Beach (21 Nov 2008) 216 Raptors
Holiday Beach Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 21, 2008 --- SpeciesDay's CountMonth Total Season Total -- --- -- -- Turkey Vulture 4705 21177 Osprey 0 0 48 Bald Eagle 1 12 98 Northern Harrier 2 76249 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1 98 3528 Cooper's Hawk 13 58207 Northern Goshawk 0 2 5 Red-shouldered Hawk 14172268 Broad-winged Hawk0 0 8953 Red-tailed Hawk180 1278 2129 Rough-legged Hawk1 17 20 Golden Eagle 0 84128 American Kestrel 0 5596 Merlin 0 3 36 Peregrine Falcon 0 2 30 Unknown Accipiter0 0 0 Unknown Buteo0 4 9 Unknown Eagle0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 1 Total: 216 2516 37482 -- Observation start time: 11:15:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 0 hours Official Counter:Todd Pepper Observers:Tom Hince Weather: Sunny, mostly clear, -2C, mostly NW winds from 20 - 28 km/hr Raptor Observations: 8 species with a total of 216 individuals. May have been more as kettles of Red-tails were observed well off to the east but difficult to count against the blue sky to the north. Non-raptor Observations: 7 Sandhill Crane, 6 groups of Tundra Swan totaling 37 birds, 2 Killdeer, Many Am. Goldfinch, Horned Lark, Pine Siskins, a group of 40 Snow Bunting and a late House Wren. Predictions: Cloudy skies. High -1C, Winds NW at 15 to 20 km/hr. Report submitted by Todd Pepper ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) Holiday Beach Migration Observatory information may be found at: http://hbmo.org/ ___ 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]Brant, Cackling Geese, Pittock Lake, Nov 21.
Ontbirders, There was an immature Brant in the west end of Pittock Lake this afternoon, along with 8 Cackling Geese and 2000+ Canada's. Brant is always a rare bird in Oxford Co., with only 3 previous fall records and a couple of spring sightings. Cackling Geese, on the other hand, have become regular, especially as Pittock attracts a great many Canada Geese in the fall and there tends to be a few Cacklers in the mix throughout the fall. Other waterfowl of note were few520 Common Merganser and 50 Red-breasted being notable, up dramatically in just the past few days. Overhead, 3 flocks of White-winged Crossbills passed, totally 180 birds. Directions - take Hwy 59 north from Woodstock, to Pittock Park Road. Go 1 km to the Park gates. Leave your vehicle here as the gates could be closed at any time. Do not block the gates! Walk down the road to the lakeview bird[s]...go home. James Holdsworth, Woodstock. ___ 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]HSR: DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark (21 Nov 2008) 175 Raptors
DRHW- Lake Erie Metropark Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 21, 2008 --- SpeciesDay's CountMonth Total Season Total -- --- -- -- Black Vulture0 0 2 Turkey Vulture 2236 35152 Osprey 0 0140 Bald Eagle 8 23125 Northern Harrier 0 9146 Sharp-shinned Hawk 5 65 3579 Cooper's Hawk 10 36285 Northern Goshawk 0 5 8 Red-shouldered Hawk 8 58172 Broad-winged Hawk0 0 36216 Red-tailed Hawk139689 2229 Rough-legged Hawk0 8 16 Golden Eagle 3 21 74 American Kestrel 0 2403 Merlin 0 3 19 Peregrine Falcon 0 5 23 Unknown Accipiter0 0 0 Unknown Buteo0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 175 1160 78589 -- Observation start time: 10:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 5 hours Official Counter:Calvin Brennan Observers:Frank Kitakis, Rodney Laura Visitors: Ron Harkness Weather: Sunny skies prevailed today with some cumulous cloud cover later in the day. Winds were strong and brisk from the west-northwest. Raptor Observations: There was a surprisingly strong movement of birds on this cold and windy day, dominated strongly by a good late-season Red-tail flight but with a decent variety of other migrants noted as well. Many of the birds were low as they struggled to make positive headway against the considerable wind. Non-raptor Observations: Crows continue to migrate through in small to moderate-sized flocks along with considerable numbers of Robins and Starlings and small flocks of finches. Report submitted by Calvin Brennan ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) SMRR- Lake Erie Metropark information may be found at: http://www.smrr.net/ ___ 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]Iroquois Shoreline Raptor Watch Nov. 21st/2008
ISRW HeberDown C.A. North Whitby,Ontario,Canada Nov. 21st /2008 Totals Day Year Turkey Vulture 0 1911 Osprey 0 32 Bald Eagle0 39 N.Harrier 0 49 Sharp-Shinned 3841 Coopers1 80 N.Goshawk 1 4 Red-Shoulder0 82 Broad-Winged 0 7714 Red-Tailed 16796 Rough-Legged 3 27 Golden Eagle 2 66 A.Kestrel 0148 Merlin03 Peregrine04 Unknown 0 35 Other 0 1 " Mississippi Kite Totals 2611832 Hours 3 221 Avg. per hour 53.5 Observers; Betsy Smith & Mike Williamson 1 Adult GE @ 12:50 1 Juv.GE @ 1:40 Winds NNW 5-10kph Temp. -4c Wind Chill -9c BP Rising 101.5 Report submitted by Mike Williamson [EMAIL PROTECTED] Info. on ISRW can be found at torontobirding.ca/gtrw~ ___ 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]aBout 30 Sandhill Cranes North of Mansfield
While at work my group and I saw over 30 Sandhills at the Masnfield Outdoor Centre around 10:30 am. They circled for about 5 mins before moving to the south. Mansfield is about 15 mins west of Alliston, on Airport Rd Adam Zita ___ 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]American Redstart London
A local birder, Stuart Immonen, has found an American Redstart, "associating with many Juncos and a couple of Golden-crowned Kinglets" in a small "woods" in central London. It was there yesterday and re-found today. He has posted pictures http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartimmonen/304831/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartimmonen/3047476817/ Possibly a hatch-year male? While not a reportable bird, per se, it is the latest on record in Middlesex and London, by far. Will it last to the winter season, for those of you who keep winter lists?.time will tell. Maybe last until our CBC in Dec. You can bet we will keep an eye out for it. And to see it with snow around it, amazing. We have had quite a bit of snow over the last few days, and the month has been really cold a couple of times. How is it surviving??? More snow is predicted today into Saturday. Let me know if you re-find the bird. Pete Directions "It hadn't moved since yesterday, confined to a small woodlot as described below". "The location is just north of Blackfriar's Bridge in the gully leading to the Ann St park in downtown London". (that bridge is on the north branch of the Thames River, up from the Forks in central London.) PARKING: Limited on Ann St W of Talbot Street. Walk south on the multi-use path. In a woodlot immediately south-east of a bridge over a storm drain outflow ditch. Somewhat more parking on Central Ave W of Talbot. Walk down the metal stairs at the west end of the street to the path, head north toward the drain ditch, look to the southeast. Best place to park is at the Gibbons south lot at the corner of Talbot and St James. Walk the path south under Oxford, and follow the river south, on the east side and then see as per Ann St. ___ 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 - Thayer's Gull, etc.
Hello Ontbirders I just got in from a quick morning trip to a bitterly cold Andrew Haydon Park. A first cycle Thayer's Gull was resting on the west pond with a group of other gulls, including two adult Lesser Black-backed, a first cycle Iceland and two Glaucous (one first and one second cycle). Also present was an adult Bald Eagle, an immature Snowy Owl and 4 Snow Geese. Directions courtesy Neily World: http://ca.geocities.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/orwo14.htm Cheerio Tony Beck http://www.tonybeck.ca Always An Adventure ___ 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]SNOWY OWL
I don't know if this is exactly the kind of sighting you want to hear about. AsI drove to Oakville from Brampton, Tuesday morning, November 18, I spotted the carcass of a very fluffy white (with small black flecks) bird on the asphalt median at the exact point where the westbound off ramp of Hwy 407 joins westbound Hwy 403. I assumed it was a SNOWY OWL, as it was far too overall white and fluffy, and slightly too large to be a gull. In that general area, (Dundas Street West/ Ninth Line/Trafalgar Road) there are still some open fields that provide good mouse hunting where raptors seem to collect in the winter months. This would have been the first Snowy Owl I have seen there... Maril Semph ___ 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
