[Ontbirds] OFO Young Birders Presqu'ile Workshop
17 young birders, aged 9 to 17 and their parents ventured to Presqu'ile PP today. Led by Peter Burke, Doug McRae and Bill Gilmour we had good views by scope of a good variety of ducks in the bay with the highlight being the Barrows x Common Goldeneye and 4 wood ducks. Early spring migrants were active including singing song sparrows and a meadowlark. The afternoon was spend learning about eBird and sources of information on the Internet. Peter led a drawing workshop and Doug treated us to a demonstration of skinning and preparing bird skins for scientific study. A good time was had by all. Many thanks to Peter, Doug and Bill for sharing their knowledge with us. Lynne ___ 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] Woodcocks west of Exeter...
I have read with envy, the reports of Woodcocks lately, from the Banana Belts of Ontario. Not with a little jealousy either, but I am now happy to report that the Snowbelt of eastern lake Huron has thawed enough to once again host the delightful little critters. I was thrilled to hear the protracted few peents but numerous twitter flights starting at 8:18 this evening for about 10 minutes. The area is the intersection of highway 83 and Ausable Line, two concessions west of Exeter. Please respect posted property and enjoy from the roadway. According to some hardy little Woodcocks, spring IS on its way... Cheers, 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 including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup
[Ontbirds] Great Gray Owl, North Bay
First opportunity I have had to notify: a Great Gray Owl offered great views this morning at approximately 9:30 am, sitting on a low branch of a tree at the end of a driveway, second house from the end of Mantha Road on right side. Road is not long and comes to a dead end. Owner of the house said it has been there on an off all winter. Directions: From North Bay - Hwy 17 W to Gormanville Road, right on Gormanville, left on College Drive which becomes Larocque Road, then left on Mantha Road. ___ 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] HSR: Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area (29 Mar 2014) 193 Raptors
Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 29, 2014 --- SpeciesDay's CountMonth Total Season Total -- --- -- -- Black Vulture0 2 2 Turkey Vulture 140 1164 1164 Osprey 1 1 1 Bald Eagle 0 14 14 Northern Harrier 1 10 10 Sharp-shinned Hawk 3 34 34 Cooper's Hawk1 22 22 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 12169169 Broad-winged Hawk0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 32356356 Rough-legged Hawk1 13 13 Golden Eagle 0 4 4 American Kestrel 0 2 2 Merlin 2 4 4 Peregrine Falcon 0 1 1 Unknown Accipiter0 2 2 Unknown Buteo0 2 2 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 1 Total: 193 1801 1801 -- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter:Phil Waggett Observers:Ellen & Jerry Horak, Greg Vandervelde, Hugh Currie, Irene Almas, Tim Foran, Tim Lucas, Tom Flinn Visitors: Tim Lucas (Waterford), Irene Almas (NOTL), Hugh Currie, Tim Foran and Tom Flinn (Toronto), Greg Vandervelde, and Ellen & Jerry Horak helped with the count today. Weather: Overcast and cold (1 C) with a biting north-north-east wind. Low hanging clouds with mist/fog patches, especially late morning. Raptor Observations: Considering the weather, a good flight dominated by turkey vultures. The season's first osprey and a dark rough-legged hawk were the day's highlights. Local TV's were very active as were the pair of red-tails on the escarpment. Non-raptor Observations: Four great blue herons, a common loon, and an eastern phoebe of what was a slow day in migration. A notable uptick in migrating blue jays was noted today. Predictions: If the approaching storm system clears tonight, we should see a resumption of the flight by late tomorrow morning. The main red-shoulder flight has yet to materialize and the many vultures that migrated past Ripley have yet to arrive in any numbers. Monday will likely be an excellent flight. Report submitted by Phil Waggett () Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area information may be found at: http://www.niagarapeninsulahawkwatch.org/ Site Description: Hawk migration monitoring at the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby, Ontario is conducted by the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPH). All counting is done by volunteers. Not all members are counters nor does a counter have to be a member. Typically one person is the designated counter for each day but other observers present assist with the spotting and identification. Counting is done from a steel observation tower with a wooden floor. For wind protection on cold days, particularly in March, a black plastic wind guard is installed around the tower's platform. This platform easily accommodates ten people but on most busy days, no more than five or six observers would be on it. The site lies within a publicly accessible property owned by the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. There is no charge for admittance. The tower stands in the centre of a mowed area with a gravel ring road near the outer edge. This provides lots of room to park vehicles (along the road) and set up lawn chairs, telescopes and cameras. Toilet facilities are present. During the counting season, the NPH erect a counting board to display seven day's worth of observation data for the public. The box enclosing the sign contains brochures and silhouette sheets for the public as well as bulletin boards with news and historical sighting records. Directions to site: To get to Beamer CA, take the QEW to Exit 71/72, follow Christie St./Mountain St. to the top of the escarpment, turn right on Ridge Road West, and go 1.6km to Quarry Rd. Turn right on Quarry Rd. and drive 100m to the conservation area. Parking is normally available inside the park. If parking at the entrance or on the roads, do NOT leave valuab
[Ontbirds] Tundra Swans & Snow Goose - Trafalgar & Derry Rd, Mississauga
Currently watching a relatively large number of Tundra Swans (for the GTA, anyway), likely a couple thousand Canada Geese, and at least 1 snow goose feeding in the cornfields at the southeast corner of Trafalgar & Derry Roads in the Mississauga/Milton area. They are currently moving in and out of the fields both at this location and in fields in the surrounding general area. David Pryor Sent from my iPhone ___ 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] Snow Geese, Perth, H.7
A small flock of 15 Snow Geese were in the cornfields along Cameron Side Rd, just west of Perth along H.7 at Wemyss, with 4 Canada Geese. A N. Shrike also was seen on the same road, close to H.7 >From Ottawa: H.417, then H.7 through Perth to Wemyss. Cameron Side Rd on left. ___ 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] Tundra swans near London
Greetings fellow birders: At approximately 4:30 pm yesterday I saw about 300 Tundra swans at the corner of Old Victoria Road and Dingman Drive near London. The birds were feeding in a plowed corn field, likely on their way to Grand Bend. Directions: >From London take Highway Ave. south to Dingham Dr., then turn left, heading >east toward Old Victoria Rd. Good birding! Dave Jolly, B.Sc.,Senior Instructor & PresidentEARTHQUEST Biological Field SchoolearthquestcanadaAT yahoo.comwww.earthquestcanada.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] Snow Goose, Thornhill - Sat Mar 29
Ontbirders, Today while taking a short walk at Uplands Nature trail in Thornhill I had a high-flying northbound flock of about 70 Canada Geese with 1 adult Snow Goose leading the flock. I wouldn't be surprised if these geese stop in at Bathurst St north of Queensville as it is a regular staging area in spring. Good birding, Frank Pinilla Richmond Hill Directions: Uplands Ski & Golf is at the west end of Uplands Ave running west off Yonge Street in Thornhill just south of Hwy 7 & Hwy 407. Sent from my iPhone ___ 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] Fwd: Fwd: Eurasian Wigeon @ Point Pelee still present
Just a quick note to say that the Eurasian Wigeon continues in the onion fields north of Point Pelee on the west end of Mersea Rd E. See below emails for more directions/info. Sent from my iPhone Begin forwarded message: > From: Jeremy Bensette > Date: March 28, 2014 at 1:58:19 AM EDT > To: Bird Alert Ontbirds > Subject: [Ontbirds] Fwd: Eurasian Wigeon @ Point Pelee still present > > My apologies... I meant to send this to ontbirds earlier but in my hurry to > get back to work from lunch break I sent it to the original finder. Read my > email below: > >> From: Jeremy Bensette >> Date: 27 March, 2014 2:51:00 PM EDT >> To: Alan Wormington >> Subject: Eurasian Wigeon @ Point Pelee still present >> >> The Eurasian Wigeon reported last night by Alan Wormington is still alive >> and well, in the same field Alan found it in. I'm on lunch break so I have >> to keep this brief, but Alan's directions are below. Good luck birding! >> >> Jeremy Bensette >> >>> On 2014-03-26, at 6:28 PM, "Alan Wormington" wrote: >>> >>> >>> Late this afternoon I found a Eurasian Wigeon at the corner of Pelee Drive >>> and Concession Road E. The bird is in a flooded field with a massive >>> concentration of other puddle ducks. >>> >>> The bird is a "drab" male with a dull rusty head (not bright red) so I >>> suspect it is a one-year-old. >>> >>> Estimates of other birds in the same field include: >>> >>> Mallard -- 1900 >>> Northern Pintail -- 600 >>> American Wigeon -- 450 >>> Gadwall -- 450 >>> Eastern Meadowlark -- 4 >>> >>> Alan Wormington, >>> Leamington >>> >>> >>> >>> ___ >>> 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 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 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
