[Ontbirds] OFO Outing - Leslie St. Spit, May 28
Twenty birders turned out in the fog and mist at 8 am and seven hardy souls finished the day in the sun at 4:30 pm. A total of 86 species were seen by the group. Highlights were long views through the scope of a very co-operative Gray-cheeked Thrush, 19 species of worbler, close views of a roosting Common Nighthawk, 200 plus Chimney Swifts in a feeding frenzie over the (very) Wet Woods, 12 Whimbrel resting on the shoreline, and a few birders got looks at an young male Orchard Oriole and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo. I am also pleased to report that European Starling, Rock Pigeon and House Sparrow were not recorded on this outing. The Leslie St. Spit truly is Toronto's Urban Wilderness. Butterflies didn't show until late in the day but there were several newly emerged Black Swallow-tails and a single Spring Azure. Thanks to all the particpants and their keen eyes. Garth Riley Etobicoke, Ontario rile...@yahoo.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] 17 species of Warblers at Tommy Thompson yesterday...
Good morning: My apologies for the late post - We spent a lovely day yesterday at Tommy Thompson chasing Warblers - there were 17 Warbler species of whom the highlights were: a Mourning, about 3 Blackpolls, and a Wilson's. All very close and giving spectacular views. The Magnolias were there doing their best Kirtland's imitations! As a further treat - a Philadelphia Vireo decided to keep us company for an hour or so. Tommy Thompson park is located at the end of Leslie street - south of Lakeshore Blvd. Cheers, Bernie http://www.newlight.ca http://www.flickr.com/photos/berniemonette ___ 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] Godwit, Whimbrels, Knots - No - Kingston
Did a quick check at 9:00 a.m. to see if the Hudsonian Godwit, Whimbrels and Red Knots were still hanging around. It appears that they have moved on. There were about 30 Black-bellied Plovers and a single Ruddy Turnstone. A Cooper`s Hawk flew over the field. Cheers Bruce Directions from Mike Burrell. You can reach this site by heading west out of Kingston on Taylor-Kidd Blvd. and turning south on Road 6 or on Bath Road and turning north. ___ 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] Rondeau provincial Park
Hello birders A fish crow was heard and seen along South Point Trail this morning. It was later seen and heard at beach access 10 near the visitor centre. Ric Take exit 101 off the 401 and follow the signs to the park. -- Ric McArthur PO Box B1 Morpeth, Ontario,Canada N0P 1X0 http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricmcarthur ___ 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] Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Saw-whet Owl highlight Carden Challenge
The 7th annual Carden Challenge got off to a great start with most participants getting views of both YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO and BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO at the Reid/Grand cabin on Wylie Road. Two teams heard calling SAW-WHET OWLS near the hamlet of Victoria Road, in one case 0.5 km south of the hamlet on Victoria Road, and the other on Doyle Road where the Chuck-will's Widow was located last year. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was also located on an unmarked road running north from Alvar Road about 1.5 km west of Victoria Road. Many people also heard LEAST BITTERN at Sedge Wren Marsh, but there was no sign of YELLOW RAIL. Eleven teams participated in the 2011 Challenge, competing to find the most species within the Carden Alvar CBC circle in a 24-hour period. The top competitive team was comprised of Burke Korol, Sandy Dobbyn, Chris Escott, and Mike Runtz, who found 135 species, surpassing the previous record by a wide margin. Together, the teams raised over $21,400 in donations to support the conservation programs of the Couchiching Conservancy on the Carden Alvar. This year, half of that total goes towards the purchase of Bluebird Ranch, a 206-acre property located directly behind the IBA sign at the foot of Wylie Road. For additional information on this project, which will benefit many birders, please contact me privately. Many thanks to all the teams who participated so enthusiastically in the 2011 Carden Challenge. Ron Reid Directions: Carden Alvar is located 25 km east of Orillia, directly north of Kirkfield. To access Wylie Road, drive north from Kirkfield on CKL Road 6 for about 5 km, turn right onto MacNamee Road, and right again onto Wylie Road. The Reid/Grand cabin is 1.5 km north at 117 Wylie Road; birders are welcome to enter the property. Sedge Wren Marsh is another 3 km to the north. Victoria Road (aka CKL Road 35) runs north from Hwy 48 about 5 km east of Kirkfield; the hamlet of Victoria Road is about 2 km north. Doyle Road runs east from Victoria Road another 2 km north; the Saw-whet location is about 1 km east. ___ 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] Black Scoter Hooded Warbler at Col. Sam. Smith Park, Etobicoke
During Whimbrel watch we had two flocks of Black Scoters (4 and 2) and 3 flocks of White-winged Scoter (8;6; 30)[observers: Don Barnett; Kevin Seymour; Greg Stuart and me). The moult migration of Canada Geese has started, with flocks of 14, 60 and 80. Also found a male Hooded Warbler and 2 Canada Warblers (3 Wilson's and 4 Blackpoll) in the woods behind the old power plant (just north of park parking lot). Directions: south on Kipling to Lakeshore Boulevard West; south on Col. Samuel Smith Drive to parking lot at end. Wayne Renaud (289-828-0043) ___ 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] Toronto - Whimbrel Watch - Col. Samuel Smith Park, Toronto - 29 May 2011
In 10 hrs. of continuous observations we observed a total of 16 Whimbrel at Col. Samuel Smith Park in Toronto today, May 29. This brings our year to date total to 2610 birds. Heavy lake fog continued for a large part of today's watch. Monday will be closing day. Past and present tracking of Whimbrels with satellite transmitters can be accessed at 'http://www.seaturtle.org/tracking/?project_id=369'. Directions: Col. Sam Smith Park is located at the south end of Kipling Avenue, below Lakeshore Road. The Park is an artificial land-fill immediately south of the Humber College campus. Parking free of charge is at Student's Parking Lot at the south end of the Park. The Toronto Ornithological Club is again co-operating with the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William and Mary/Virginia Commonwealth University, in monitoring the Whimbrel migration observed during the period of May 19 to May 30 at Col. Sam Smith Park in Toronto. Daily observations are conducted during that time period at the South Peninsula of the Park at co-ordinate location 17624795E and 4833443N. Wayne Renaud (289-828-0043) ___ 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] Carden Alvar - OFO Trip
Sunday's OFO field trip to the Carden Alvar easily found most of the target birds including Loggerhead Shrike at three locations, Upland Sandpiper, Sedge Wren, Golden-winged Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrow at four locations and Grasshopper Sparrow. In the morning we walked north along Wylie Road to the Sedge Wren Marsh. Birds were active in the periods of warm fine rain which wasn't a problem. At the Sedge Wren Marsh we heard American Bittern, Sora and Virginia Rail, and heard and saw Sedge Wren, Marsh Wren, Alder Flycatcher and Black-billed Cuckoo. After a picnic lunch at the Kirkfield Lift Lock, we birded Shrike Road south of McNamee Road where we saw two Loggerhead Shrikes. We later saw a fairly close Loggerhead Shrike just north of the parking lot at Cameron Ranch. The ranch is a reliable spot to see a shrike, which is difficult bird to find along Wylie Road this year. We were very lucky to see two Least Bitterns in a cattail marsh south of Canal Lake. At marshes along Prospect Road south of Highway 48 we added Common Moorhen, Pied-billed Grebe, Sora, Virginia Rail, Marsh Wren and Willow Flycatcher. We recorded 90 species and the temperature was a pleasant 23 C when the trip ended about 4 p.m. Selected other birds observed included Wilson's Snipe, Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Eastern Towhee, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Bluebird, Cliff Swallow, Field Sparrow, and a migrant male Blackpoll Warbler. Carden's signature alvar wildflower, Prairie Smoke, is in full bloom. Directions: OFO Carden Birding Guide and Map. Print a copy for use in the field. http://www.ofo.ca/reportsandarticles/cardenalvar.php I thank Ron Pittaway, Ron Tozer and Eleanor Beagan (my sharp-eyed driver) for helping the group to see and hear Carden's specialty grassland, marshland and scrubland birds. Everybody had a wonderful day. Jean Iron Carden Alvar Trip Leader Toronto ON ___ 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/
