[Ontbirds] Marbled Godwit, Powassan lagoon
Talking about godwits, a Marbled Godwit was at the Powassan lagoon, northerly cell, to-day. It, along with a dozen or so Lesser Yellow-legs and gulls, was temporarily disturbed by a soaring Red-shouldered Hawk from neighbouring woods. This lagoon is just north of Powassan, on the westerly side of the double-laned highway, #11. Powassan is about 180 miles due north of Toronto (or about 3 hours.) Dick Tafel 705 472-7907 -- Dick Tafel Check out my Direct Democracy blog: http://youcancontrolyourgovernment.blogspot.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] Possible Magpie species, south east Huron County
Folks: In talking to someone at work, it turns out they saw a 'large striking dark bird with very delineated white wingtips and white elsewhere on the body. We googled BlackBilled Magpie and without hesitation they pointed out the flying bird. Please be aware that the bird was spotted sometime on the weekend so this is probably not chaseable, and so I am just throwing it out there. Was seen in the vicinity of Mitchel Line and Walens Line in south east Huron county. Good birding, Rick Thornton Exeter 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/
[Ontbirds] Point Pelee NP Migration Report May 16, 2012
Friends of Point Pelee provide guided birding hikes throughout the Festival of Birds at Point Pelee National Park of Canada. Proceeds from hikes support the Friends of Point Pelee and Point Pelee National Park. This submitted report is a service of the Friends of Point Pelee Hike Leaders. Point Pelee National Park Migration Update for: May 16, 2012 The weather front came in this morning, but too late to cause a fall-out. Birding is still pretty steady, but the leaves and breeze are causing some birder frustration. Hopefully good looks reward those who are patient. Probably close to 20 species of warbler have been reported in the Park so far today. Scattered throughout the Park, BLACKPOLL, AMERICAN REDSTART, CANADA, N. PARULA, TENNESSEE WARBLERS. There was a CANADA WARBLER noted on Redbud Trail and Shuster Trail. CONNECTICUT WARBLER reported on Botham Loop, and south along the Woodland Nature Trail. MOURNING WARBLER reported on the road to the Tip, just south of the Sparrow Field and also from Tilden Woods. A BREWSTER’S WARBLER was found at the Tip. The PROTHONOTARY WARBLER pair was still on territory at the south boardwalk on the Woodland Nature Trail. Other birds here and there include an AMERICAN BITTERN walking on the Woodland Nature Trail at the south end, until it decided a tree was safer from the birders. As well, a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was found south of the Woodland Nature Trail, on Post Woods trail. PHILADELPHIA VIREO were reported from several locations including North-west Beach. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH were noted from several locations as well, including Shuster Trail, Woodland Nature Trail, and Redbud Trail. A SEDGE WREN was located at the Sparrow Field. From Hillman’s Marsh Shorebird viewing area, on May 15, a STILT SANDPIPER was seen. Today, a number of SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER were seen amongst several other species of shorebird. On May 13, a probable WHITE-FACED IBIS was reported. If you saw that bird would you please write a report for the OBRC, on the electronic form found on the OFO website. Birders and photographers are reminded that they are NOT to use electronic playback devices and ‘phishing’ is strongly discouraged to attract birds in the park. We appreciate your cooperation. If you encounter problems in this regard, please contact park staff, and wardens will be notified. Good Birding, Hike Leaders: Pete, Karl, Todd, Justin, John, Ellen, and Alvan FESTIVAL OF BIRDS May 3 through May 21, 2012 Point Pelee National Park of Canada and Friends of Point Pelee For more information on the festival and archived Point Pelee Migration Reports, please check our www.festivalofbirds.ca FOLLOW the park on Twitter.com/PointPeleeNPfile:///E:/Point%20Pelee%20Migration%20Update%20-%20Template.doc -- Janice Rogers, General Manager Friends of Point Pelee Our Point is Pelee www.friendsofpointpelee.com 519-326-6173 Like us on Facebook ___ 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] Bobolink, Bruce Mines
Bobolink have returned. Last year they were in the scrubby grass to the north of McPhail Rd. close to 638 and around the barn in the tall grasses at the corner of McPhail and Chapman. So far I've only seen one this year, near the barn. The sandhill cranes haven't been seen for over a week. But I think there is a northern mocking bird hanging around. I haven't managed a clear ident yet but I am really watching and listening now. Also something has killed two blue jays. All that remains is downey feathers. an interesting birding season! From Sault Ste Marie go east on highway 17 to Bruce Mines. Travel north on 638 over the railroad tracks and turn right on McPhail. ___ 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 Migration Report - May 16
Hello Ontbirders. Despite the early showers, birding at Rondeau was busy this morning on South Point Trail and on the Maintenance Loop. Our warbler tally was 24 species for this morning. Highlights included the Yellow-throated, Orange-crowned, Northern Parula, Cerulean, Mourning, Hooded, Wilson’s and Canada. A Great Egret and 2 Bald Eagles flew over South Point Trail at 8:30 am. A adult male Summer Tanager was observed on Tulip Tree Trail near the Visitor Centre parking lot at 10:30 am. An Acadian Flycatcher was seen and heard well yesterday on South Point Trail, about 2 km south of the parking lot on GARDINER Rd. (NOTE – this is not the parking lot on Lakeshore Road). Little Gull was noted offshore of the light beacon yesterday on South Point Trail. Birders and photographers are reminded that they are NOT to use electronic playback devices to attract birds in the park. We appeciate your cooperation. If birders encounter problems in this regard, please contact park staff, and wardens will be notified promptly. Outside the park, approximately 100 Black-bellied Plovers were observed yesterday off Erieau Road about 1 km north of McGeachy’s Pond. Merci beaucoup to all those who have provided sightings information for this report! Today at 1:00 pm, I will lead an outing at the Blenheim Lagoons. I will report on sightings there in an upcoming posting. Good birding --- Our Bird Hikes and Birders' Breakfast start Friday May 4 and go through to Victoria Day. I will lead a guided hike twice daily from May 4 to May 21, inclusive (fee $5), as follows: Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Thursday at 7:30 am and 1:00 pm; Tuesday and Friday at 7:30 am and 7:00 pm; as well as Wednesday at 7:30 am. All of the 7:30 am and 1:00 pm hikes listed above will meet at the Visitor Centre. The 7:00 pm hikes will meet at the entrance to the Marsh Trail. A second hike on Wednesday at 1:00 pm will meet at the Blenheim Sewage Lagoons. Bird hikes for absolute beginners will be led by Ric McArthur on Saturdays at 10:00 am, meeting at the Visitor Centre. The Friends of Rondeau will provide a Birders' Breakfast/Lunch for a small donation (coffee, tea, bagels, soups and treats) daily from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Visitor Centre. The Centre will be open daily up to May 21, from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. All proceeds from the Festival of Flight go to support nature programs in the park. More information on the park's nature programs and the Friends of Rondeau is available at the Friends' website: www.rondeauprovincialpark.ca. Directions: Take exit 101 from Highway 401 and drive South 16 km on Chatham Kent Road 15. Turn right and follow the signs to the park. The Bird Sightings Book, Bird Sightings Board, Bird Checklists and other relevant information are to be found at the Visitor Centre. To reach the Visitor Centre from the park Gate, travel 6 km South on Rondeau Road to Gardiner Ave., then follow it around the bend to the parking lot. Steve LaForest Friends of Rondeau Bird Guide c/o Rondeau Visitor Centre (519) 674-1768 ___ 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 Rail on new Bluebird Ranch, Carden Plain
Hello Birders, On my way home from a meeting in Orillia this past Monday, I checked out Wylie Road and was pleasantly surprised to find a Yellow Rail on the new Bluebird Ranch, in the sedges, just south of the Windmill Ranch sign. I clocked the distance of the location and it is just 4/10ths of a km north of the corner of McNamee Rd and Wylie Road, on the west side. There is a little wet area on either side of the road here, where the sedge is growing. At the fence, on the west side, there are two gnarly, bare black shrubby trees growing up next to the fence and the bird was in behind the more northerly one. While it remained unseen in the sedges, it kept up a lively chat with my two clicking stones for several minutes. Hope someone can determine that this is, in fact, a second bird, and that it hadn't simply relocated to the Wren March for Ron Pittaway to find. I always stop here, because I always hear Soras here. I also heard a Virginia Rail on the East side, in reply to my clicking stones. Directions: Go north of Kirkfield on Kirkfield Road 6 past the liftlock to McNamee. Turn right then immediately left onto Wylie Road and go north, 4/10ths of a km of the west side. Cheers, Judy Kennedy ___ 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] Piping Plover at still at Presqu'ile; no Harlequin this morning
Hi Ontbirders, Mike Runtz and I saw the colour-banded Piping Plover at water's edge between Beach 2-3 at Presqu'ile Provincial Park this morning. We also looked for the Harlequin Duck that Bill Gilmour found yesterday at Chatterton Pt., but had no luck despite excellent calm conditions - however it could well be elsewhere in the park. Otherwise a fair number of species around, although no big flight overnight and no other rarities. Cheers, Doug McRae Directions: Presqu'ile is on the north shore of Lake Ontario, south of Brighton. It is well signed from Hwy 2 or the 401. ___ 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] Neotropic Cormorant Pelee Island, May 16
Hey Birders, Mike and I just found an adult Neotropic Cormorant at the extreme tip of Fish Point. It was resting with the flock of Double-crested's and seen well. Most of the flock has since flown NE and has disappeared from view. There's usually a large concentration of cormorants resting on the tip throughout the afternoon. Anyways, this is more of a heads up for you on the mainland but we will post again if we refind it! Fish Point is at the sw corner of Pelee Island. The ferries which usually service the island are out of commission until this Friday. Until then access is by plane leaving from Windsor for $15 round trip. The phone # 1-519-724-2115. Cheers! Ken Burrell Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network ___ 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 - Blue Grosbeak, etc.
Good evening Ontbirders It’s Always an adventure at Rondeau! A Blue Grosbeak female was discovered on South Point Trail today near km post #5 at 3:00 pm. This is a short distance south of the South Point Trail parking lot (the lot at the end of Lakeshore Road). Sorry for the late posting – I just returned from Blenheim Lagoons. Afternoon additions to our passerine list included a Yellow-throated Vireo on South Point Trail and Scarlet Tanagers on 4 trails. Yesterday evening on our Marsh Trail Hike, we observed the Bald Eagle nest, saw American Woodcock display flights, and heard several American Bitterns and Whip-poor-wills calling. Sandhill Cranes were also heard calling yesterday from South Point Trail. Birders and photographers are reminded that they are NOT to use electronic playback devices to attract birds in the park. We appreciate your cooperation. If birders encounter problems in this regard, please contact park staff, and wardens will be notified promptly. Outside the park, my group saw a variety of shorebirds at Blenheim this afternoon, despite near gale-force winds and whitecaps on the Lagoons! An incomplete survey yielded about 50 Dunlin, 4 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 1 Least Sandpiper, and 2 Lesser Yellowlegs. Five Ruddy Ducks were seen riding the waves. Cliff Swallows were present in good numbers. Our appreciation goes to those many birders who help us out by providing sightings information for this report! Good birding. --- More information on the park's nature programs and the Friends of Rondeau is available at the Friends' website: www.rondeauprovincialpark.ca. Directions: Take exit 101 from Highway 401 and drive South 16 km on Chatham Kent Road 15. Turn right and follow the signs to the park. The Bird Sightings Book, Bird Sightings Board, Bird Checklists and other relevant information are to be found at the Visitor Centre. To reach the Visitor Centre from the park Gate, travel 6 km South on Rondeau Road to Gardiner Ave., then follow it around the bend to the parking lot. Steve LaForest Friends of Rondeau Bird Guide c/o Rondeau Visitor Centre (519) 674-1768 ___ 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] Marbled Godwit just north of Schomberg
At about 5:00 PM I saw a Marbled Godwit feeding in a shallow pond just north of the intersection of Highway 9 and County Rd. 27 near Schomberg. The pond is on the left side of the road just before the big bend in the road and the birds was accompanied by a few Least Sandpipers and a Semipalmated Plover. Be careful, because the road shoulder is quite soft there. Go west of Hwy. 400 to the intersection of Hwy 9 and 27. Turn right and drive up the hill and look on the left before you get to the large white barn. A larger pond is just north of the Godwit pond. Peter Wukasch Bradford,Ont. ___ 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] Pelee Island May 16th
Hey Birders, Overall migration has been slow, but steady. Nevertheless a number of ‘good’ birds have been found on the island. At least 22 species of warblers were found on the island today. Highlights:***Neotropic Cormorant - the bird previously posted on Ontbirds. We haven't seen this bird since, though will continue looking and post if there is success. Yellow-breasted Chat – same bird on territory along the West Shore, daily - first found on May 6thNorthern Mockingbird - singles at the airport, Fish Point, and along Victoria Road Prothonotary Warbler – we haven't noticed the birds in the slough at 'Mosquito Point' since the 12th, despite checking. Not looking too good, I keep hoping that we're just having bad luck with them. Gulls, and Shorebirds seem to be showing up at Fish Point in the afternoons, in some impressive numbers (Fish Point's tip is ~1.5km long). Interestingly a Least Tern was found in Ohio on the lakefront about 40km SW of Pelee Island also today. Good Birding, Ken Burrell -- Pelee Island Heritage Centre West Dock, Pelee Island, Ontario, N0R 1M0(519) 724-2291 pimuseum pimuseum at hotmail.com The Heritage Centre is open from 10 am - 5 pm daily. The foyer contains a 'sightings board' listing May bird sightings (open 24 hours). Lighthouse Point is on the NE corner of the island, Sheridan Point on the NW corner, Mill Point on the SE corner, and Fish Point on the SW corner, due south of the West Dock. Pelee Island Bird Observatory (PIBO) continues its daily banding and census operation. Visitors are welcome. For more information about PIBO please visit: www.pibo.ca or call 519-724-2829. Pelee Island can be reached by ferry leaving Kingsville several times daily. For times and reservations, call 1-800-661-2220. The Tenth Annual Pelee Island Bird Race will take place from noon Friday, May 11, to noon, Saturday, May 12. The Springsong Celebration continues Saturday evening with a 'Talk and Dinner'. The Bird Race is 'All-Green,' i.e. bicycle or pedestrian travel. All teams welcome! Contact the Heritage Centre for details. People should note that currently the ferries (both) are inoperable until May 15th. Airfare is available from Windsor, out of Great Lakes Airline daily, several times a day. ___ 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] Plenty of Wood Ducks still, Black Terns (Ottawa)
Hi Ontbirders: At Mud Lake, in the pond just off Casssel's Road at the main entrancethere were 4 pairs of Wood Ducks and maybe a straggler or two as well. As you walk along the main trail further onthe first open water area on the left side, I see a Black-Crowned Night Heron on a regular basis. Thought I saw one near the wood bridge the other day but it was from far away. If you visit Petrie Island and the walking trails there, keep an eye out for tent caterpillars (you see the large cocoons...looks like gigantic spider webswrapped around branches...with the tent caterpillars inside). Keep track of where you spot these. During the month of June...perhaps from the second week of June to late June.Black-billed Cuckoos have been seen and photographed feeding on these caterpilars (from what I have been told) for the past several years there. Petrie Island is also a great place to see a number of nesting birds. Some have seen Black Terns there recently. Thanks. W. Hum http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/some_recent_shots Directions: Petrie Island is easy to get to. Take the 417 east and go toward Orleans at the split. Go past Orleans exit until Trim Road (lights there on the highway). Stay left and turn left at Trim...drive over the causeway and onto Petrie Island. Mud Lake: Located on Cassels Road. Britannia Yacht Club on the left and Mud lake on the right side of Cassels Road. ___ 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] Acadian Flycatcher - St Williams
It's been a long day but we had extended views from a distance of 10-15 meters of an actively calling Acadian Flycatcher around noon today on the 6th Concession (aka the Sand Road) behind the former St. Williams Forestry Station. The bird was flycatching and calling on the south side of the road about 100 meters west of the famous Karner Blue field. This is an endangered species on public land. Act responsibly. Directions - from Simcoe continue south on Regional Road 24 to County 16 (Forestry Line) turn right go north 1.6 km (approx) to the first road on left turn and go west about 1.6 km. Listen, if the bird is calling it should be easy to find. -- Mark Cranford Mississauga, Ont. mark.cranford at rogers dot 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/
