[Ontbirds] 3 Great Gray Owls still there (Ottawa)
Hi Ontbirders: Based on people who went there today and eBird (you can sgn up for eBirds and as a member, you can read more detailed comments regarding the sightings) reports, 3 Great Gray Owls were still being seen at the same location today. I have uploaded a map of the area which may be helpful. See this link. http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/148451934/original You cannot park along (even off the side) the Rockclife Parkway. Just drive 1 kilometer past the owl location and park at NCC parking lot P8. The parking lot is on the same side of the road as the owls. Then what most people do is walk back to the owls using the narrow shoulder/bike path on the edge of the road. Of course you do this at your own risk and is not a recommendationbut that's how most people do it including cyclists and joggers. Some do it facing traffic on the other side of the road. A second way to get back to the owls after parking at P8 is to cross the road (Rockcliffe Parkway) and use the snowshoe/ski trail. Walk down the trail and turn right on the trail and when the trail forks, take the right fork. This takes you back to the bridge that crosses over Green's Creek on the Rockcliffe Parkway. Cross the road and into the field on the other side. A third option is only for those who are adventurous or know the area well, and that is to walk back to the owl location straight from the parking lot P8 via "trails" there. But if you do not know the area well, you could end up lost there. I heard from two young ladies on the weekend that someone charged them $80 to see or find great gray owls. Apparently, the person charging them did not find any. So, they werequite excited to see the ones at the Rockcliffe Parkway at Green's Creek. Happy owling. Photo of a great gray owl taken there. http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/image/148427359/original An infomative story about the return of the Great Grey Owls in Tuesday's Ottawa Citizen newspaper which can also be read online at the following link: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/technology/Return+great+grey+owls/7848863/story.html W. Hum http://www.pbase.com/golfpic/some_recent_shots Directions: >From the west end or downtown Ottawa, go east on the Queensway and take the >left fork toward Orleans. Exit at the Montreal Road exit. Turn right at St >Joseph Blvd. Continue along St Joseph Blvd. until you come to the lights where >you turn left onto the Rockcliffe Parkway (at this intersection on St Joseph >Blvd., the Rockcliffe Parkway is on the left and Bearbrook Road is to the >right). Continue along the Rockcliffe Parkway. The first bridge you cross is >the one going over the highway. Continue quite a ways along and the second >bridge you see is the one that crosses over Green's Creek. The owls are >located in the field on the left side of that bridge. It is public NCC park >land so open to all. However, do not park alongside the road there or you may >get ticketed. Instead, drive 1 kilometer past that spot and park at parking >lot P8 on your left. Then walk back to the bridge. ___ 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] Algonquin Park Birding Report: 24 January 2013
GREAT GRAY OWL Old-time winter cold temperatures this week likely reduced the amount of birding done in the Park, but some people were out there. Reports of Great Gray Owl included: -January 19: one seen at km 54 as darkness approached at 5 pm. -January 21: one on wires at about km 37.4 -January 23: one landed on wires at Big Pines Trail entrance (km 40.3) at 4:15 pm BOREAL SPECIALTIES: Spruce Grouse: A female was at Spruce Bog Boardwalk parking lot on January 19. Black-backed Woodpecker: One was seen along Spruce Bog Boardwalk on January 19.. Gray Jay: Regular at Spruce Bog Boardwalk and Opeongo Road. Three are coming to the Visitor Centre feeders. Boreal Chickadee: Three were noted north of the bridge on Opeongo Road and one was on Spruce Bog Boardwalk, on January 19. WINTER FINCHES: Pine Grosbeak: Small groups continue to be regular on the highway. Up to a dozen are under the feeders at the Visitor Centre on most days. Red Crossbill: Opeongo Road had a small flock north of the bridge on January 18 and one bird farther north on the 19th. White-winged Crossbill: A male is still coming regularly to the Visitor Centre feeders. Common Redpoll: There were 35 at the Visitor Centre on January 19. Numbers appear to be increasing as winter advances. MAMMALS: A few Moose are being seen every day along Highway 60. They may be moving around more than usual at this time of year due to less snow depth. Martens are being seen frequently in Mew Lake Campground and at least two are now fairly regular at the Visitor Centre feeders. CONDITIONS IN ALGONQUIN Snow depth is now about 30 cm. See: http://tinyurl.com/algonquin-snow To learn more about Winter in Algonquin Park, see: http://tinyurl.com/algonquin-winter DIRECTIONS: Algonquin Provincial Park is three hours north of Toronto, via Highways 400, 11 and 60. Follow the signs which start in Toronto on Highway 400. >From Ottawa, take Highway 17 to Renfrew, then follow Highway 60 to the park. Kilometre markers along Highway 60 in the Park go from the West Gate (km 0) to near the East Gate (km 56). Get your park permit and the park tabloid (with a map of birding locations mentioned here) at the gates. Locations are also described at: www. algonquinpark.on.ca The Visitor Centre at km 43 is open on weekends from 9 am to 5 pm. It is usually possible to access the building on weekdays as well. The Visitor Centre has recent bird sightings, feeders and information. Visitors are welcome to bring a packed lunch and use the restaurant seating area. Hot and cold beverages, and light snacks are available to purchase, as well as the use of a microwave. For more information see Algonquin Park events calendar at: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/involved/calendar/ Good Birding! Ron Tozer ___ 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] RBA Buffalo Bird Report 24 Jan 2013
- RBA * New York * Buffalo * 01/24/2013 * NYBU1301.24 - Birds mentioned --- Please submit reports to dsu...@buffaloornithologicalsociety.org --- BARROW'S GOLDENEYE BLACK-LEG. KITTIWAKE PURPLE SANDPIPER HOARY REDPOLL Tundra Swan Ring-necked Duck Lesser Scaup Harlequin Duck White-winged Scoter Common Goldeneye Bald Eagle Rough-legged Hawk American Kestrel Merlin Peregrine Falcon Dunlin Bonaparte's Gull Thayer's Gull Iceland Gull L. Black-b. Gull Glaucous Gull American Robin Cedar Waxwing Northern Shrike White-w. Crossbill Common Redpoll - Transcript Hotline: Buffalo Bird Report at the Buffalo Museum of Science Date: 01/24/2013 Number: 716-896-1271 To Report:Same Compiler: David F. Suggs Coverage: Western New York and adjacent Ontario Website: www.BuffaloOrnithologicalSociety.org Thursday, January 24, 2013 The Buffalo Bird Report is a service provided by your Buffalo Museum of Science and the Buffalo Ornithological Society. To contact the Science Museum, call 896-5200. Press the pound key to report sightings before the end of this report. Highlights of reports received January 17 through January 24 from the Niagara Frontier Region include BARROW'S GOLDENEYE, BLACK-LEG. KITTIWAKE, PURPLE SANDPIPER and HOARY REDPOLL. On Lake Ontario at Point Breeze in Carlton, a BARROW'S GOLDENEYE among WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and COMMON GOLDENEYES at the mouth of Oak Orchard Creek. This may be the seventh winter for this individual at this location. Also in Carlton, at Lakeside Beach State Park, 285 AMERICAN ROBINS and 35 CEDAR WAXWINGS, plus NORTHERN SHRIKE near the park. And a single WHITE-W. CROSSBILL on Oak Orchard River Road. Frigid weather, but abundant waterbirds on the Niagara River this week. On the lower Niagara River, a juvenile BLACK-LEG. KITTIWAKE moving between Devil's Hole State Park and the nearby power plants. At the power plants, 20 ICELAND GULLS, 3 GLAUCOUS GULLS, 3 THAYER'S GULLS and two large gull hybrids. Above Niagara Falls, several ICELAND GULLS and GLAUCOUS GULLS, plus 4 L. BLACK-B. GULLS, and another large gull hybrid. 10,000 to 20,000 BONAPARTE'S GULLS continue on the upper Niagara River, reaching from Grand Island to the Black Rock Canal and on to the Peace Bridge in Buffalo. PURPLE SANDPIPERS at two locations - 4 PURPLE SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN and female HARLEQUIN DUCK above the stranded barge at Niagara Falls, and 3 on the sand spit at Donnelly's Pier, off LaSalle Park in Buffalo. Spectacular numbers and movements of waterfowl at the source of the Niagara River between the Peace Bridge and the Lake Erie ice boom. At Grand Island, 250 TUNDRA SWANS off Beaver Island State Park in addition to abundant diving ducks. Of note - an unexpectedly large flock of 194 LESSER SCAUP on the west river branch, and equally large numbers of RING- NECKED DUCKS around Grand Island and off LaSalle Park. Also thousands of waterfowl stretching from Goat Island to Buckhorn Island State Park, viewed from the Robert Moses Parkway in Niagara Falls. Two HOARY REDPOLLS with 15 COMMON REDPOLLS this week at a feeder in the Town of Porter. Other reports - PEREGRINE FALCONS at five locations. MERLIN and AMERICAN KESTREL at the Whirlpool Bridge in Niagara Falls. Another MERLIN at Main and Union in Williamsville. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK at Youngstown-Wilson Road and Porter Center Road in Porter. And, two BALD EAGLES at the nest on Navy Island in the upper Niagara River. The Bird Report will be updated Thursday evening, January 31. Please call in your sightings by noon Thursday. You may report sightings after the tone. Thank you for calling and reporting. - End Transcript ___ 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] Bohemian Waxwing - SE of Grand Bend
Hi all, A small flock of 8 birds were at roadside in a tall deciduous tree over juniper bushes on the south side of Parkhill Rd (a.k.a Bog Line) ~ 500 M east of the bridge over Ausable River at River Road at 1530 hrs. Snow was falling at the time and I missed them but Penny luckily did see them and did not think they were Starlings prompting me to execute a 'safe' U turn. Cheers!Maris Directions - Bog Line runs east off Northville Road(opposite Grog's) and becomes Parkhill Rd at/nr River Rd which continues east to Parkhill opposite the reservoir. ___ 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 Slaty-backed Gull still present St. Clair River
Went looking for the slaty-backed gull reported on the St. Clair River today, and found a bird that seemed to fit the description. It was seen among many other gulls just south of Courtright. Bird had a bit of streaking on the head and neck, too much for a GBBG, bird was slightly larger then a HERG. Had a slaty back, pink legs seen, they weren't extremely bright, but they were slightly brighter then a GBBGs. Bird seen from a small parking lot about 3km south of Courtright on St. Clair Pkwy. Good Birding! Sean M. Jenniskens ___ 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] Common Redpolls at Humber Arboretum...
Greetings! For the past two days there have been about a dozen Red Polls hanging around the feeders at the Humber College Arboretum. Along with them are several Cardinals, DE Juncos, House Finches, Gold Finches, RB Nuthatches, and a WT Sparrow. The College is two lights east of Finch and the 427, south on Humber College Blvd. Take your first right after the lights and go towards the parking kiosk. Parking is often open after 1530. The Arboretum is behind the college by lot 1. 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] Whitevale RH Woodpeker NO
On my third try for the RH Woodpecker to day with No luck But their was a C.Raven in the filed which was nice . Whitevale is found east of Altona rd and Whitevale rd the RHWP was being seen up North rd just south of the 407 also see just 6k east of Whitevale was a Bard Owl one of three for the day. on Audley rd south of # 7 17 wild turkeys and 7 moor seen on Halls rd along with a Juv Bald Eagle all in all a good day for -13 c Craig Mclauchlan whitby , Ont , Canada , world " if you have a hard time reeding this dont fell bad I have a hard time reeding yours to !! I am Dislexic " you can learn moor about it by Googleing Dislexea " ___ 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] Presqu'ile Birding Report for Week Ending January 24, 2013.
Only a few die-hard birders have checked out Presqu’ile Provincial Park this week, and consequently there is little to report by way of observations. Up until the weekend, March-like ice conditions in Presqu’ile Bay enabled thousands of ducks to gather where they could easily be identified. Subsequently, the bay froze over and forced them into the open water of Lake Ontario, where viewing conditions were more challenging, especially during the extremely cold temperatures, when fog hanging over the first few metres above the water all but obscured the ducks and other waterfowl. With a recent wind change, the outer part of the bay is opening up and the ducks are beginning to return. Only one each of TRUMPETER SWAN and TUNDRA SWAN were noticed before the freeze-up. A NORTHERN PINTAIL near Owen Point on January 18 was of interest. On the weekend there were still thousands of REDHEADS and GREATER SCAUP and lesser numbers of CANVASBACKS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS in Presqu’ile Bay. Those numbers are much diminished now, at least in that location. The BARROW’S GOLDENEYE at the lighthouse has been present every day this year, though during the height of the freeze-up yesterday it forsook its regular haunts and swam in and out of the fog in the open lake, only to return to the vicinity of the red buoy today. The HOODED MERGANSER that was with the REDHEADS on January 19 was a male, unlike the one that had been seen the previous week. Also on that day, the COMMON LOON that has been wintering in Presqu’ile Bay was seen again. It is likely the waterfowl that have attracted at least two BALD EAGLES and a PEREGRINE FALCON to the area. The former have been seen in ones and twos (adult and immature) on most days in the past week, both on the ice and in the air, and the latter was on the ice on January 18. There were independent sightings of a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on the offshore islands. The most recent AMERICAN COOT sighting was two days ago, a lone individual looking forlorn at the edge of the ice and in the fog. An ICELAND GULL was present on January 18. Two SNOWY OWLS have been on the offshore islands. Single BARRED OWLS were in three different locations yesterday, all seen from a car! A minor invasion of GREAT GRAY OWLS to parts of eastern Ontario in recent weeks suggests that birders visiting Presqu’ile in the next few weeks might also find one or more of that irruptive species. No one in the past week has reported the BOREAL CHICKADEE at the entrance to Lilac Lane, but it seems likely that it is still there. A big surprise was an AMERICAN PIPIT on Gull Island on January 18, almost but not quite a record late date. A WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is an irregular visitor to the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road, where COMMON REDPOLLS are feeding frequently. To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton. Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid that is available at the Park gate. Visitors to Gull “Island” can walk across the gap without special footwear. Ice conditions may make for slippery walking. Birders are encouraged to record their observations on the bird sightings board provided near the campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile Park and to fill out a rare bird report for species not listed there. Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be directed to: fhellei...@trentu.ca. Fred Helleiner 186 Bayshore Road Brighton, Ontario K0K 1H0 613-475-5309 If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park ___ 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] Junco in Brighton
Greetings: I was watching the birds this morning when an interesting Junco appeared. It was not like our regular Junco. This one had what looked like a reddish-brown saddle. The saddle is what caught my eye. The little bird was less than half a metre from the patio door. I got a very good look at the "saddle". We will try and get a photo. Maureen ___ 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] Ottawa/Gatineau - 24 January 2013 - Recent Reports
Ontario/Quebec Ottawa/Gatineau 24 January 2013 Hotline: Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club (OFNC) Phone number: 613-860-9000 For the Bird Status Line PRESS * (star) To report bird sightings PRESS 1 (one) Coverage: Ottawa/Gatineau (Canada National Capital Region) E. Ontario, W. Quebec Compiler & transcriber Bob Cermak robertcerm...@hotmail.com or sighti...@ofnc.ca BARROW'S GOLDENEYE (female) continues on the Ottawa River rapids north of Bate Island just east of the Champlain Bridge and a male continues on the Rideau River near the Hurdman Bridge. The RED-NECKED GREBE continues on the Ottawa River east of the Deschenes rapids. Gulls at the Russell dump (on Ste-Catherine Rd south of Route 400) on the 22nd included ICELAND (2), GLAUCOUS (2) and GREATER BLACK-BACKED (14). On the 19th on the ice at the Moodie Dr pit there were about 100 gulls including ICELAND (5) and GLAUCOUS (1). COMMON REDPOLL and HOARY REDPOLL continue to be seen all over the Ottawa/Gatineau area. Other interesting sighting were; - CANADA GOOSE (3) at the Bridge St western bridge over the Rideau River in Manotick on the 18th - BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (2+) continue at the west entrance to the land fill site on Trail Rd - SONG SPARROW (1) continues at a Meadowlands feeder - WHITE-THROATED SPARROW (2) continue at the southern feeder at Fletcher Wildlife Gardens - WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL (1) with HOUSE FINCHES at a Barrhaven feeder on the 17th and (4) at the feeders on the west side of Larose Forest on Clarence Cambridge Rd on the 19th - RED CROSSBILL (1) was seen at Stonecrest Elementary School in Kanata on the 23rd - AMERICAN ROBIN (1) at the Hurdman transit station on the 16th - NORTHERN FLICKER was seen near the southern feeder at Fletcher Wildlife Gardens on the 17th - GRAY PARTRIDGE (11) were seen on Farmview Rd about 1 km south of Kinburn Sdrd on the 17th - CAROLINA WREN continues at feeders along Britannia Rd and along the fence on the west side of the Britannia Conservation Area and another was seen at a Lynnwood Village feeder on the 17th - BUFFLEHEAD (1 male) near the Champlain Bridge north of Bate Island on the 19th - BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER (1 female) continues to be seen from the Lime Kiln Trail - GREEN-WINGED TEAL (male) on the small creek on March Valley Rd south of Klondike Rd on the 21st - PINE GROSBEAKS (6) at the Duck Club feeders on March Valley Rd near Riddell Dr all week - MERLIN in a Kanata South neighbourhood on the 22nd Thanks to everyone who contributed bird observations - Good Birding! Bob ___ 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] SLATY-BACKED GULL - St. Clair River - Jan 23, 2013 LOCATION INFO
This bird was seen approximately 4 miles north of Marine City/Sombra on ice floes in the St. Clair River. Almost all the gulls were floating on the river and not taking flight often, so the bird could be in a large stretch of the river. G. Tom Hince P.O. Box 281 Wheatley, ON N0P2P0 Canada pelee...@netcore.ca 586 839-7482 ___ 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] SLATY-BACKED GULL - St. Clair River - Jan 23, 2013
Yesterday gull watching on the St. Clair River was fantastic with 8 species observed without any small gulls. First my apologies for the late posting on this bird. I wanted to research hybrid options before posting as I did not see the classic ‘string of pearls’ or bright pink legs of this bird, but had excellent direct comparisons with adjacent herring and great black-backed gulls for several minutes in bright overcast conditions. I firmly believe now that it was an adult winter SLATY-BACKED GULL. I put a description on ebird if you want to see more details. If you are looking for the bird it is a full adult, with a mantle colour intermediate between LBBG and GBBG. Next to a herring gull it is clearly larger and very bulky and block headed. It has a strong hood, with the classic dark eye patch and prominent pale eye, with broad white tertials. Most of the gulls seen were loafing on ice floes and slowly drifting down the river. Even if this bird is no longer on the St. Clair River, there is a good chance it could turn up somewhere on Lake St. Clair, or the Detroit River (Peche Island or Belle Isle). It is very striking! Yesterday I birded the St. Clair River from Port Huron/Sarnia all the way to Marine City/ Sombra. Unlike the day before the river was full of ice floes and large numbers of gulls were riding on the floes, all along the river. I observed about 2500 gulls in total along the river including 15 GLAUCOUS (8 adults, 6 first yr, 1 second yr), 78 GREAT BLACK-BACKED (60% or more adults), 1 THAYERS (first yr), 3 ICELAND (2 adults, 1 first), 2 Iceland/Thayers type – first yrs sitting on ice where more detail could not be seen, and 3 LESSER BLACK-BACKED (2 adults, 1 first yr). If anyone finds this bird, I would really appreciate an email. Also please get photos. Good birding! Tom G. Tom Hince P.O. Box 281 Wheatley, ON N0P2P0 Canada pelee...@netcore.ca 586 839-7482 ___ 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/
