Re: [Ontbirds] Snowy Owls, Holland Marsh

[RON FLEMING]

Roused from my winter torpor by Frank Pinilla's recent post, I ventured out to 
the Holland Marsh west of Newmarket after work today and put in a solid two 
hours of scanning the tundra-like landscape for Snowy Owls. The weather was 
absolutely balmy and the visibility was great. I found six Snowies: one east of 
Aileen Ave, on north of Strawberry Lane just west of Keele Ave, on right beside 
Wist Road on the roof of the Muck Crops Research Station within throwing 
distance of Hwy. 400, one west of Holancin Road on the west side of Hwy 400, 
one west of Rupke/River Road (it has two names, same road), and one just west 
of the Day St. on Devald Road. This last bird was being harrassed by a male 
Northern Harrier - the first of that species I have seen locally in months.

All of these locations are within a few kms of Hwy 400, just north of Hwy 9 
which runs west out of Newmarket.

Other birds of interest in the Newmarket/Bradford area this week include:

1. a Song Sparrow found by Kevin Shackleton at the north end of Bathurst Street 
in Holland Landing on Saturday;
2. a Horned Lark in the company of a Snow Bunting found by Kevin and I at the 
same location on Monday;
3. a Hermit Thrush that has been visiting the yard of Wilma Backus in 
south-central Newmarket for at least 6 weeks; and
4. a White-crowned Sparrow that has been visiting a feeder along Dufferin St. 
in Holland Marsh across from the Ansnorveldt school.

Ron Fleming, Newmarket

Newmarket and the Holland Marsh are directly north of Toronto, halfway to 
Barrie.
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[Ontbirds] 3 Varieties of Scoter on Detroit River near Peche Island

[Karen H.]

I was at Lakeview Marina this afternoon when a man named Neil (I don't know his 
last name) shouted out that a group of about 30 scoters were flying by.  Dianna 
Ouellette had her camera shooting away and when she looked at her pics realized 
that a Black Scoter
and a Surf Scoter were in the group of mostly White-winged Scoters.
I told her we should go west down Riverside Dr. to the closest parkette to see 
if we could get better views of the group and sure enough we did.  
I didn't bring my scope over, just my bins but still managed to spot the Black 
and the Surf scoters.  Thru the scope, it would've been much better though as 
they're closer to Peche Island.

I have a less than stellar photo on my flickr page: 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/53581677@N04/12643363733/

Not sure if this is the same Black Scoter that I spotted yesterday at McKee 
park or not.  

Peche Island is easily viewed from Lakeview Park marina located at Riverside 
Dr. and Riverdale in Windsor, Ontario.

Cheers,
Karen Hass


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[Ontbirds] white winged scoter

[Colette Descent]

A white winged scoter - first winter male - was seen today in Whitby Harbour 
(near the pedestrian walkway along the bay)




  
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ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial 
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Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca
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