[Ontbirds] Pelee & Area - Ross's & Snow Geese, Eurasian Wigeon
Hey Folks, Kyle Holloway and I were birding the Pelee area yesterday (March 30) and came across some interesting birds. While looking for Al's Eurasian Wigeon on Mersea Rd E, we came across a Eurasian Wigeon about 500 metres further east on the road than the flooded fields at the intersection with Pelee Dr, in a smaller flooded area. I haven't seen any pictures of Al's bird, this bird was a very bright adult male, so perhaps there are two. It was quite close to the road, allowing excellent scope views. The flooded area near the intersection held hundreds more puddle ducks, including three Blue-winged Teal, but no more Euro Wigeons. In Pelee itself, two Snow Geese flew over Delaurier headed north, and a first-cycle Glaucous Gull flew north over the Tip. Quite a few Bald Eagles were seen headed north as well. At Hillman Marsh, at the East Beach Road access (drive north on East Beach Rd. until the dead end, look west at the marsh) Kyle expertly picked out the Ross's Goose that has been hanging around the area in a flock of Canadas. Here there was also a great selection of waterfowl, including a couple hundred Tundra Swans. At the "official" access off Mersea Rd. 2 there was much of the same, save for a couple of Rusty Blackbirds. Enjoy the warmth! Cheers, Lev Frid ___ 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 (30 Mar 2014) 69 Raptors
Grimsby, ON - Beamer Conservation Area Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Mar 30, 2014 --- SpeciesDay's CountMonth Total Season Total -- --- -- -- Black Vulture0 2 2 Turkey Vulture 40 1204 1204 Osprey 0 1 1 Bald Eagle 0 14 14 Northern Harrier 0 10 10 Sharp-shinned Hawk 0 34 34 Cooper's Hawk1 23 23 Northern Goshawk 0 0 0 Red-shouldered Hawk 2171171 Broad-winged Hawk0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 24380380 Rough-legged Hawk0 13 13 Golden Eagle 0 4 4 American Kestrel 0 2 2 Merlin 0 4 4 Peregrine Falcon 2 3 3 Unknown Accipiter0 2 2 Unknown Buteo0 2 2 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 1 1 Total: 69 1870 1870 -- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours Official Counter:Tim Foran Observers:Phil Waggett, Sandy Darling, Tom Thomas Visitors: A good day for visitors. As well as many people whose names were not gathered, Tim King, Bob Stamp, James Heslop, George Bryant, Sandy Darling could be found in the tower to help with the count. Weather: Following the previous night's snowfall the sky over Beamer Park was overcast. BY noon the sky began to clear and the temperature rose to 7. Raptor Observations: Perhaps not the busiest day, but two separate Peregrine Falcons flew quite close and the light from the snow allowed all to see the brilliant colours and body patterns on the raptors that passed. Non-raptor Observations: Predictions: Tomorrow may the largest flight so far, this year. Report submitted by Tim Foran () 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 valuables in your car. Please note: Data in this report is not official until reviewed and finalized after the end of the season. © 2014 Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch ___ 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/informatio
[Ontbirds] Holland Marsh Sightings (Newmarket Area)
Following up on Kevin Shackleton's Friday post about Tundra Swans north of Holland Landing I quickly realized that all of the vernal ponds had reverted to ice today. With no water available for waterfowl to land in I changed tack and drove over to the vegetable fields west of Newmarket. There were scores of Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles, dozens of Horned Larks singing and flying about, and a handful of Turkey Vultures titling northward (I had four by day's end). A male Northern Harrier was flying in a field east of Dufferin Street north of Hwy. 9. Snowy Owls are still findable in the Holland Marsh fields on both sides of Hwy. 400 and north of Hwy. 9. I found nine different birds between 1:00 and 3:30 p.m., all of them sitting well away from the roadsides, usually on the ground. A scope was definitely needed to ensure that all nine were, in fact, owls and not just white plastic bags or pails (of which there are many). Quick locations for the Snowies this afternoon: one north of Edward Street; one south of Edward; one north of Woodchopper's Lane and east of Jane; one east of Holancin, just north of Hwy. 9; one east of Wanda; one north of Tornado and east of Simcoe Rd; three more east of Simcoe Road and south of the Canal. All of these locations are within relatively short driving distance of Hwy. 400. Scope the landscape for white bumps. Half of the white things you see will be pails and bags but the others will eventually fly, preen, or turn their heads. Warm temps over the next few days should melt some of the ice in the fields around here and create viable landing places for migrant waterfowl. ___ 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] Scarborough Bluffs: Sandhill Cranes, Red-Necked Grebes
Spotted 4 Sandhill Cranes flying high above the Scarborough waterfront this afternoon around 4PM. They were unmistakeable - very large, long outstretched neck and legs, long wings, and direct, steady flight. They were not flying in formation, but passed within about 5 minutes of each other, at a very high altitude (could barely spot them in binoculars). Also present a good distance offshore were two Red-Necked Grebes among the mergansers, part of the small continuing population that has been present this month. They are best seen with a scope from the top of the bluffs. The Scarborough Bluffs are at the Lake Ontario shoreline at the south end of Scarborough, in eastern Toronto. Good viewing locations include Rosetta McClain Gardens at Kingston Rd & Kennedy Rd (https://goo.gl/maps/6B9dk) and Bluffers Park at Kingston Rd & Midland Ave (https://goo.gl/maps/CzCQq). John Taranu Toronto, 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
Re: [Ontbirds] "tufted" Duck - Toronto Islands
After doing some research, I think the duck is indeed a hybrid. The fact that it has a "bump" on the head, rather than a tuft (and no strands of the tuft at all) is primarily what's leading me to this conclusion. An interesting bird nonetheless! Gavin On Sun, Mar 30, 2014 at 1:51 PM, Gavin Platt wrote: > Birders, > > I have just located what may be a Tufted Duck on the Toronto Islands. I > say possible because it has a very short tuft and I can't rule out a scaup > x Tufted Duck hybrid. > > It looks like a Tufted Duck in all respects but the tuft: black back > feathers, bright white sides. The tuft is very similar in size and shape to > the bird shown in the recent Point Pelee 2013 bird report (which was > considered a hybrid). > > The bird is with a large flock of Greater Scaup near the Hanlan's Point > ferry terminal. FYI, this is about a 5 km walk one way (10 km round trip) > from the Wards Island ferry terminal. Follow the road west from the ferry, > past the water treatment plant and continue until you're in line with the > airport fence. There will be a set of washrooms on the right (in an area of > construction right now). The birds are in a patch of open water behind the > washrooms. The duck in question has been feeding very close to shore in the > most southwestern corner of the open water. > > I don't have a camera, so if someone wants to make the walk to photograph > this bird, please do so!! > > Good Birding, > Gavin Platt > Toronto, 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] GBH Richmond Hill Rookery
There are 20 Great Blue Herons sunning in the farm field adjacent to the rookery..viewed from the York center. Leslie north of Elgin Mills...on the right. Sent from my iPad ___ 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] Possible Tufted Duck - Toronto Islands
Birders, I have just located what may be a Tufted Duck on the Toronto Islands. I say possible because it has a very short tuft and I can't rule out a scaup x Tufted Duck hybrid. It looks like a Tufted Duck in all respects but the tuft: black back feathers, bright white sides. The tuft is very similar in size and shape to the bird shown in the recent Point Pelee 2013 bird report (which was considered a hybrid). The bird is with a large flock of Greater Scaup near the Hanlan's Point ferry terminal. FYI, this is about a 5 km walk one way (10 km round trip) from the Wards Island ferry terminal. Follow the road west from the ferry, past the water treatment plant and continue until you're in line with the airport fence. There will be a set of washrooms on the right (in an area of construction right now). The birds are in a patch of open water behind the washrooms. The duck in question has been feeding very close to shore in the most southwestern corner of the open water. I don't have a camera, so if someone wants to make the walk to photograph this bird, please do so!! Good Birding, Gavin Platt Toronto, 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] Turkey Vulture - Richmond Hill
Turkey Vulture over Leslie st heading towards Elgin Mills. Should be a good day for migrants.. Sent from my iPad ___ 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] Black Vulture - Toronto Islands
Birders, I'm watching a Black Vulture on Toronto Islands. The bird is circling approximately over the island water treatment plant. You can reach the islands from the ferry terminal at the foot of Bay St in Toronto. Ferries currently only run to Wards Island, which is about a 30 minute walk from where the bird is. Leave the ferry and walk west on the road. Good Birding, Gavin Platt Toronto, 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
