[Ontbirds] Preliminary results from Port Hope-Cobopurg CBC

[Margaret Bain]

Preliminary results from Port Hope-Cobourg CBC:

On Saturday, December 14, the 43rd Port Hope-Cobourg Christmas Bird Count was 
held. The weather was cold with temperatures ranging from -18ºC to -13ºC. Wind 
was NE from 30 to 50 km/hr. Snow started in the afternoon, becoming heavy by 
3:00 p.m. Thirty-seven observers braved these conditions to tally 15,843 birds 
of 68 species. An additional 6 species were seen during count week. This was 
the lowest species total since 1999. 

Great Gray Owl was the only new species recorded.

Other highlights were:
4 Bald Eagles - tied record high
1 Red-shouldered Hawk
231 Wild Turkeys (2nd highest count)
4 Snowy Owls - tied record high
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
2 Winter Wren - tied record high
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglets
1 Hermit Thrush
6 Common Redpoll

Low totals were recorded for:
19 White-breasted Nuthatch - lowest ever
892 Black-capped Chickadees - lowest since 2000
2 Northern Shrike - lowest since 1993

Count Week species included:
Northern Pintail
American Coot
Thayer's Gull
Iceland Gull
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Lapland Longspur

Roger Frost
Compiler
___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup

[Ontbirds] 66th Kingston Christmas Count - Preliminary Results.

[Mark D. Read]

The following message is posted on behalf of the Kingston CC Co-ordinator -
Ron Weir.

 

The 66th Kingston Christmas Count was carried out on Sunday 15 Dec 2013 in
weather that was less than ideal and temperatures that varied from -19 C to
-11 C by afternoon. Blowing snow and fog over the open water were issues
during part of the morning, but once the wind velocity changed from NE30-50
kph to NW10-15 kph by late morning and the sun appeared, waterfowl could be
readily identified on the extensive open water of Lake Ontario.

A total of 45 observers took to the field in nine sections of the mandated
circle.  As of writing this account, 94 species were located and identified.
This is an excellent tally for the weather conditions, but lies below the
21-year average of 104 species. 

 

The most numerous species were the 21,872 Canada Geese, 7,269 Mallards,
2,560 Scaup and 1990 starlings. 

 

Noteworthy are the 393 Tundra Swans, 33 Bald Eagles, one Peregrine Falcon,
one Gyrfalcon (Wolfe Island), six species of owls including 22 Snowy Owls
and 16 Short-eared Owls, 46 American Robins, 67 Northern Cardinals, and 766
Snow Buntings. 

Unusual finds are the two Cackling Geese, single Brant, two Barrow's
Goldeneye, and one Tufted Titmouse.

 

Winter finches were scarce with reports of only two Pine Siskins, 40
American Goldfinch along with our year-round House Finch. 

 

Ron Weir

 

Mark D. Read

47 Ellerbeck Street, Unit 1,

Kingston, Ontario

K7L 4H7

Canada

 

Mobile: +1 613 2171246

Email: markdr...@gmail.com

Blog: "Confessions of a Global Birder" http://markdread.blogspot.com
 

Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/markdread/

 

___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup

[Ontbirds] Snowy Owl - Silver Dart Drive - Mississauga, ON

[Patrick Russell]

Good morning birders,

This morning on my commute to work I saw a Snowy Owl perched on a lamp standard 
on Silver Dart Drive, just north of Renforth, in Mississauga.  Siting was at 
8:10, location was 100 meters or so north of Renforth on Silver Dart.  

Good birding,

Pat
___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup

[Ontbirds] Happy Christmas Bird Count Season!

[Kathy Jones]

Happy Christmas Bird Count Season!

This winter, more than 70,000 volunteers throughout the Americas will take part 
in the Christmas Bird Count. The results help Audubon, Bird Studies Canada, and 
others assess the health of bird populations and guide conservation action.

If you've ever participated, we're grateful to you for your significant 
contributions to bird monitoring and conservation. And we'd love to hear from 
you! Bird Studies Canada, the Canadian program partner, invites you to take our 
online Christmas Bird Count Survey at: http://goo.gl/Vi4FBx

Thank you for helping us study and conserve birds and biodiversity.

More information about the program can be found at 
http://www.birdscanada.org/volunteer/cbc/ (Canada) or 
http://birds.audubon.org/christmas-bird-count) (United States).

*** This message was posted with the permission of the ONTBIRDS coordinator ***

Kathy Jones
Ontario Programs Volunteer Coordinator
Bird Studies Canada
P.O. Box 160
Port Rowan, ON
N0E 1M0
volunt...@birdscanada.org
www.birdscanada.org
Toll Free 1-888-448-2473 ext. 124


>From time to time, BSC may send you information regarding our programs, 
>special issues, membership, and other correspondence. If you would prefer not 
>to receive this information, please contact us by mail at the address above or 
>e-mail rkir...@bsc-eoc.org. Thank you.

___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup

[Ontbirds] Ottawa: Wood Duck (female)

[Jon Ruddy]

Hi there,

Hi there,

A lone female Wood Duck among Mallards and hybrid Mallard/American Black
Ducks. Some pics taken.

Directions: From the 416, take the Fallowfield exit. Continue right onto
Strandherd. Take first right into the Home Depot parking lot off of
Strandherd and park at the south end of the parking lot. There is some open
water 20 m S of the Home Depot parking lot.

Good birding
Jon Ruddy
http://jonruddy.blogspot.ca/
___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup

[Ontbirds] Gulls on Rideau River, Ottawa

[Judy and Peter Hall]

Hi fellow birders:

A large flock of gulls has settled on the ice near the north shore of the 
Rideau River just west of Bank Street at Billings Bridge. It was getting 
towards dusk, but it was possible to make out about 30 Great Black-backed 
Gulls, a dozen Herring Gulls, one Ring-billed Gull, seven Glaucous Gulls (a mix 
of adults and juveniles) and two Iceland Gull juveniles. There may be other 
things, including hybrids, mixed into this flock and more gulls were coming in 
as I had to leave. There are also two male Hooded Mergansers on the river to 
the east of the Bridge among hundreds of Mallards and some Black Ducks.

Good birding

Peter Hall

Directions: Take Bank Street south from Highway 417 for several kilometres, 
passing about halfway the bridge over the Rideau Canal. Parking is available on 
side streets just north Billings Bridge.
___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup

[Ontbirds] Snowy Owl - Greenway-Grand Bend

[Maris Apse]

At ~ 3:30 this afternoon I found an adult female Snowy perched on 1 slanting 
pole of 2 located at the west end of Adare Line, which dead ends there in the 
fields. The bird disappeared whilst I was setting up my scope but soon 
re-appeared on  a large brush pile very close to the two poles, hopefully 
making it quite easy to spot this bird.   Cheers!Maris 
 
Directions - Greenway is on CR #81 ~1km north of Corbett . Turn south off 
Greenway Rd unto Bullock and drive to Adare Line. Look west on the right down 
the 'No Winter Maintenance' path about 300M.

Maris Apse,  10094 Red Pine Rd,  Grand Bend,   ON  N0M 1T0,   519-238-8415
  
___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup

[Ontbirds] Snowy Owl Sombra Dec 18

[Tom Hince]

On south side if Bentpath Line about a km east of Sombra. Bird was quite dark 
and sitting in the middle if a large solar panel array.


Tom Hince
PO Box 281
Wheatley, ON
Canada
N0P 2P0
pelee...@netcore.ca


___
ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
birding organization.
Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit 
http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup