[Ontbirds] OFO Fisherville Trip Feb. 5
We began the day in high spirits as we joked about the terrible weather we had encountered on previous winter Fisherville trips. The sun shone and the temperature was almost balmy ! By day's end, we were happy to reach home as we crawled along the roads in heavy snow ! The 40 participants on today's outing were rewarded with some excellent sightings. At Ruthven Park we saw 4 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, several Eastern Bluebirds ( more than 12 through the morning), one Pine Siskin, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-throated Sparrow and Sharp-shinned Hawk. At Roger Gifford's feeders on River Road, Cayuga, were 3 Tufted Titmouse, 6 Rusty Blackbirds, 2 Red-bellied Woodpeckers, a Red-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Mockingbird and a Robin. On a field south of Hagersville were 2 Lapland Longspurs, Horned Larks and Snow Buntings. Most of Lake Erie was frozen, including the water near Nanticoke Power Station, but we still recorded Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Black Duck and Mallard. Apart from missing Harrier, we had a great day for raptors: Coopers and Sharp-shinned hawks, several American Kestrels, a Merlin, both dark and light-morph Rough-legged hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, 8 Bald Eagles as well as 4 Northern Shrikes. Other highlights were Northern Flicker; 3 Song Sparrows; a female Belted Kingfisher and a Great Blue Heron at the warm-water outflow from Nanticoke; and a total of 7 Short-eared Owls at the Raptor Reserve near Fisherville. Total number of species was 47. Many thanks to John Schmefelske, Gord Cameron and Hart Brasche for their expertise and assistance today. Dave Milsom milsomd...@hotmail.com ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Northern Mockingbird - YYZ
Dear OntBirders, I have seen a few Northern Mockingbird posts of late, so I thought I should share this sighting from yesterday, Friday February 4th, 2010. I observed a Northern Mockingbird at Hydro One's Richview Transformer Station (TS) which is situated near YYZ. While the property is necessarily not open to the public, the bird (or birds, as I suspect there is a resident pair there) might be viewable from the main gate across the parking lot. (under no circumstances should anyone ever tresspass, especially at a TS) It frequents the main building entrance area and courtyard at the NE corner of the main building, often lighting on the transmission line towers or in the shrubs and small trees in the area. You can clearly see the large circular planter in the courtyard in Google Maps' satellite view. There have been Mockingbird(s) here for several years. I have never seen more than one at a time, but strongly suspect a breeding pair is resident here. I am not at Richview TS often, and when I'm there, I'm working in the basement, so I don't get much opportunity to bird watch. However, I rarely visit this location without being graced by a greeting from a Northern Mockingbird. If this situation is of ornithological significance, I am sure I could get more data and information from some of the resident Hydro One staff at this location. Further, I had occasion to visit Wiltshire TS in winter a few years ago, and observed a Northern Mockingbird there, too. It was actually outside the fence along the railway right-of-way on the east side of the TS. Again, Google Maps affords a good view of the area. Further still, in spring of 2010, a Northern Mockingbird was singing his (presumably it was a male) heart out at Essa TS near Barrie, my regular work headquarters, for a few weeks. I was wishing him luck, but alas, he moved on to search for a mate elsewhere. I had observed a Northern Mockingbird at Essa TS for a couple of weeks about ten or twelve years prior, again with no evidence of breeding success. Now I do work for Hydro One, so I am at TSs a fair bit, but I'm also out in nature a lot, Dragonhunting and generally being an avid naturalist, and these 3 locations are almost the only places I've observed Northern Mockingbirds in Ontario. My first ever sighting was in Orillia on Westmount Dr. N at the St. Andrew's/St. James' Cemetery in summer, circa 1984. I think I may have seen them elsewhere in Ontario once or twice, but can't recall exactly where or when. My point is, even considering my employment bias and small (okay, tiny) sample size, it seems unusual I haven't seen more Mockingbirds in Ontario outside of Hydro One TSs. Do TSs present ideal Northern Mockingbird habitat? Any thoughts? Chris Evans The Dragonhunter's Apprentice chrisgevan...@gmail.com Directions: Richview TS is found on Kelfield St., off Dixon Road East of Highway 27 near YYZ. Wiltshire TS is found on Wiltshire Avenue south of Davenport Road in Toronto. Essa TS is at 2182 Sunnidale Road, Springwater (near Essa Township and Utopia) ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Varied Thrush & Bohemian Waxwing - Waterloo Region
This morning, my parents (Otto and Diane Peter) and I went out to Bamberg to check out the Varied Thrush, which made a quick appearance, along with American Tree Sparrows, Red Bellied Woodpecker and variety of other common winter birds. We proceeded to Glen Allan where we noted the following on the open water of the Conestoga River: single male American Widgeon among numerous Mallards, and three Common Goldeneye (2 male, 1 female). Also observed small flock of Horned Larks along Sideroad 17 on the way into Glen Allan. Continued to Conestoga Lake dam with the following observations: flock of 15 Bohemian Waxwings, just north of the dam. In outflow of dam, numerous Common Mergansers (male and female), single immature male Hooded Merganser, four American Black Duck, and numerous Mallards, with two adult Bald Eagles watching over the proceedings. Lots of activity on a great winter morning. Directions to Varied Thrush from Ken Burrell’s post: Exit the 401 at Hwy 8 north, take Hwy 85 north, towards Waterloo about 12km. Exit Northfield Road, and go west. Following Northfield, turn right (north) onto Weber street. Take Weber St. about a km and turn left onto Benjamin Road. Take Benjamin all the way to Kressler Road (~5km). At Kressler, turn left and take this to the first road (about 2km), which is Weimar Line. Turn right onto Weimar and the house is the 3rd on the left #3218. From 3218 Weimar Line, continue west towrads village of Bamberg. Turn Right on Maplewood Road. Continue through St. Clements all the way to Wallenstein. Turn Left onto County Road 86. Continue past Macton, turn Right on Sideroad 17 into Glen Allan - Conestoga River is on the right (Sideroad 17 become County Road 45 in Glen Allan) Continue on County Road 45. Turn Right to County Road 11 - continue to Conestoga Dam - open water on the right. Good birding, Kristian Peter, Waterloo ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] GRAY PARTRIDGE, Brantford Airport
Greetings -- Today approximately 10 GRAY PARTRIDGES were huddled together on a ridge in the middle of a cultivated field on the south side of Robinson Road near the intersection with Pottruff Road adjacent to Brantford Airport -- go east on Robinson Road from Hwy 24 (Rest Acres Road). P.S. For anyone considering a "gulling" trip to the Niagara River region, gulls were nearly nonexistent at all the usual spots (Queenston, Adam Beck, above the Falls, etc.) today. Chris Burris Waterloo -- ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Possible Gyrfalcon Bathurst and St. Clair Toronto
At noon this aft I saw with the naked eye, and only for about 10 seconds, what looked to me to be a grey phase Gyrfalcon. Peregrine sized but long winged and tailed. No discernible markings from my vantage point. It was flying southbound over an apartment building on Raglan Ave. just north of St.Clair. I had no opportunity to follow it. Anyone in the area please keep a lookout. It's not in my neck of the woods. Anthony Glenesk ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Glaucous Gull - Etobicoke
After birding Humber Bay this morning I stopped at Amos Waites park and found a second year Glaucous Gull on the ice just off shore from Amos Waites Park. I saw it first at about 11:30 and it was still there an hour later. It could also be viewed from the western most headland of Humber Bay Park West. Amos Waites Park is on the south side of Lake Shore Blvd W at Mimico Ave. in Toronto (43.612662, -79.48641) There was a typical assortment of winter waterfowl at Humber Bay Park East plus a male Northern Pintail and two Ruddy Ducks. Most waterfowl were close to shore. There were 6 American Wigeon at Amos Waites Park. Brian Bailey Toronto ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
