[Ontbirds] Snowy Owl - Etobicoke
The Snowy Owl was on the docks in Sam Smith Park this afternoon, perched on a post. Also saw a pair of Hooded Mergansers in the pond by the observation deck (currently under construction); best seen from the east side of the pond; observed today & yesterday. Yesterday a group of Trumpeter swans (tagged) was observed on the east side of the park. Sam Smith Park is at the foot of Kipling Ave in south Etobicoke. Mary Ellen Mathison ___ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
[Ontbirds] Barrows's Goldeneye, Golden Point, Bracebridge
The female Barrow's Goldeneye posted on ebird by David and Regan Goodyear was present today and viewed (with the landowner's permission) well from 1073 Golden Point Road. I also checked the Henry Road Marsh where the Sora had been seen, but could find no sign of it. Directions: coming from the south, take exit 182 onto Hwy 118W. Turn left onto the Frank Miller Memorial Route. After about 5 km, turn left onto Golden Point Road. Follow it to its end. Mark KubiszScarborough, 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
[Ontbirds] Snowy Owl - Hwy 26 NW of Barrie
There is a snowy owl perched on a light post on the west side of Hwy 26 just north west of George Johnston Rd. This is roughly 10 minutes north west of Barrie. I am also 99% sure of two other Snowies between Holland Landing and Innisfil in farmers' fields west of Hwy 400. Good birding, Iain ___ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
[Ontbirds] Bald Eagle - Oakville
My son and I saw a Bald Eagle yesterday when it flew directly over us . We were down by the lake, below Lakeshore Rd at the bottom of Brookfield Rd. (Just east of Dorval Drive). -Art Greening ___ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
[Ontbirds] 2014 Woodhouse CBC results
These are the results of the 28th Woodhouse CBC held on December 14th 2014. The Woodhouse CBC is centred 7 km east of Simcoe, at the crossroads of Highway 3 and Cockshutt Road at Renton in Norfolk County and roughly covers from Port Dover to Waterford and just west of Simcoe to east of Jarvis. Weather The weather this year was certainly different from last year. Last year had a significant snow cover, this year none. There was some drizzle overnight and the day was overcast with occasional light drizzle but this had stopped by mid morning. Most of the standing water was free of ice. Temperatures varied from a low of +2 when owling to a high of +5 during the day. Total Species: 90 + 1 Count Week (average for the last 28 years = 81, average for the last 10 years = 85) Total Individuals: 22,028 (average for the last 28 years = 28,889, average for the last 10 years = 23,783) # of participants: 34 NEW SPECIES TO THE COUNT Ross's Goose 3 Barred Owl 1 RECORD HIGH - (previous high) Turkey Vulture 6 (=peak count) American Green-winged Teal 8 (=peak count) Merlin 4 (=peak count) Pileated Woodpecker 6 (=peak count) Carolina Wren 15 (=peak count) Common Yellowthroat 1 (=peak count) RECORD LOW: (previous low) House Finch 108 (= lowest) Average 239 COUNT WEEK SPECIES American Coot 1 (7th Record) SPECIES ABOVE AVERAGE (last 10 year average) Great Blue Heron 10 (5) Mallard 5237 (1861) American Black Duck 312 (171) Gadwall 23 (15) Hooded Merganser 23 (15) Ruddy Duck 30 (7) Coopers Hawk 14 (9) Mourning Dove 799 (666) Eastern Screech Owl 49 (34) Downy Woodpecker 115 (92) Blue Jay 509 (345) Black-capped Chickadee 514 (442) White-breasted Nuthatch 97 (68) Golden-crowned Kinglet 43 (28) Northern Mockingbird 6 (4) Swamp Sparrow 26 (18) White-throated Sparrow 31 (25) Northern Cardinal 263 (212) Common Grackle 14 (3) Brown-headed Cowbird 1001 (431) Pine Siskin 157 (68) SPECIES WELL BELOW AVERAGE (last 10 year average) Tundra Swan 7 (67) Redhead 129 (550) Greater Scaup 60 (141) Lesser Scaup 15 (180) Common Goldeneye 97 (154) Common Merganser 117 (687) Red-breasted Merganser 218 (715) Northern Harrier 7 (13) Wild Turkey 38 (131) Bonaparte’s Gull 89 (109) Ring-billed Gull 561 (1210) Rock Pigeon 488 (644) Great Horned Owl 3 (6) Yellow-shafted Flicker 5 (9) American Crow 478 (768) Horned Lark 18 (211) American Robin 1 (16) European Starling 936 (1809) Cedar Waxwing 10 (66) American Tree Sparrow 610 (915) Song Sparrow 47 (59) White-crowned Sparrow 6 (13) Red-winged Blackbird 4 (27) House Finch 108 (239) Common Redpoll 3 (30) American Goldfinch 200 (309) House Sparrow 729 (934) NOTABLE ABSENTEES Canvasback Ruffed Grouse 5th year in a row Snow Bunting ALSO WORTHY OF MENTION Common Loon 1 (7th record) Cackling Goose 3 (6th record) Snow Goose 1 (9th record) Wood Duck 2 (8th record) Northern Shoveler 2 (7th record) Long-tailed Duck 1 (3rd record) Short-eared Owl 1 (Third time on count day since 2000) Chipping Sparrow 1 (9th record) Eastern Meadowlark 1 (4th record) FULL SPECIES LIST AND TALLY Common Loon 1 Great Blue Heron 10 Turkey Vulture 6 Mute Swan 4 Tundra Swan 7 Canada Goose 6000 Cackling Goose 3 Snow Goose 1 Ross's Goose 3 Wood Duck 2 Mallard 5237 American Black Duck 312 Gadwall 23 Northern Pintail 3 Northern Shoveler 2 American Green-winged Teal 8 Redhead 129 Greater Scaup 60 Lesser Scaup 15 (Scaup Spp) 1 Common Goldeneye 97 Long-tailed Duck 1 Bufflehead 220 Hooded Merganser 23 Common Merganser 117 Red-breasted Merganser 218 Ruddy Duck 30 Bald Eagle 6 Northern Harrier 7 Sharp-shinned Hawk 7 Cooper's Hawk 14 Red-tailed Hawk 101 Rough-legged Hawk 12 American Kestrel 17 Merlin 4 Ring-necked Pheasant 1 Wild Turkey 38 American Coot CW Bonaparte’s Gull 89 Ring-billed Gull 561 Herring Gull 163 Great Black-backed Gull 14 Rock Pigeon 488 Mourning Dove 799 Eastern Screech-Owl 49 Great-horned Owl 3 Barred Owl 1 Short-eared Owl 1 Belted Kingfisher 3 Red-bellied Woodpecker 27 Downy Woodpecker 115 Hairy Woodpecker 13 Yellow-shafted Flicker 5 Pileated Woodpecker 6 Northern Shrike 5 Blue Jay 509 American Crow 478 Horned Lark 18 Black-capped Chickadee 514 Red-breasted Nuthatch 15 White-breasted Nuthatch 97 Brown Creeper 8 Carolina Wren 15 Golden-crowned Kinglet 43 Eastern Bluebird 55 American Robin 1 Northern Mockingbird 6 European Starling 936 Cedar Waxwing 10 Myrtle Warbler 1 Common Yellowthroat 1 Eastern Towhee 1 American Tree Sparrow 610 Chipping Sparrow 1 Field Sparrow 2 Song Sparrow 47 Swamp Sparrow 26 White-throated Sparrow 31 White-crowned Sparrow 6 Slate-colored Junco 1029 Northern Cardinal 263 Red-winged Blackbird 4 Eastern Meadowlark 1 Rusty Blackbird 3 Common Grackle 14 Brown-headed Cowbird 1001 Purple Finch 3 House Finch 108 Common Redpoll 3 Pine Siskin 157 American Goldfinch 200 House Sparrow 729 Total 90 Sp + 1 Count Week _
[Ontbirds] Hamilton Naturalists Club Birding Report - Saturday, December 27th, 2014
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE POMARINE JAEGER EASTERN PHOEBE WHITE-EYED VIREO MARSH WREN RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET GRAY CATBIRD TENNESSEE WARBLER ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER NASHVILLE WARBLER PALM WARBLER WILSON'S WARBLER PAINTED BUNTING Cackling Goose Harlequin Duck Common Loon Horned Grebe Turkey Vulture Bald Eagle Northern Harrier Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Snowy Owl Short-eared Owl Belted Kingfisher Red-headed Woodpecker Tufted Titmouse Eastern Bluebird Hermit Thrush Yellow-rumped Warbler Eastern Towhee Swamp Sparrow Brown-headed Cowbird White-winged Crossbill Common Redpoll Pine Siskin Evening Grosbeak The report was delayed to include the results of the Hamilton Christmas Bird Count. Overall it seemed a quiet count but results are still coming in. Sunny and warm conditions do not make a good platform for finding birds. Nonetheless some were added to the list and we still have a few days until count period is over on December 29th. Looking at the top of the list, it just keeps growing. The HSA is hopping with great birds again this week. Last Sunday, the two GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE found a while ago down at LaSalle Marina and later at Bayfront Park decided to make a surprise appearance on the lawn at Bayfront Park in the company of Canada Geese and five Cackling Geese. The birds stuck around until the 22nd and have not been seen since. Hopefully they will appear again as they would add to the count week list for the CBC. On the count a POMARINE JAEGER was seen at a distance from Sayer's Park flying east to west. An EASTERN PHOEBE was a great bird seen at Mt. Albion Conservation Area early morning. Last Saturday a WHITE-EYED VIREO was well seen in a yard on the mountain near Hillfield-Strathallen School. The bird was only observed in the hedges for a few minutes and has not been relocated. A MARSH WREN continues at the Dundas Hydro Ponds off Olympic Drive in Dundas. Although not found on the count, the bird was present on the 23rd. A Swamp Sparrow was spished up yesterday as a consolation prize. A PALM WARBLER continues down at Bayfront Park with it being seen by its finder yesterday on count day. The bird is most often seen in the patches of goldenrod on the east (Marina) side of the park. The famous five are still at Sedgewick Park with NASHVILLE, WILSONS, TENNESSEE, ORANGE-CROWNED(2) and Yellow-rumped Warblers all being seen in the week. A RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET is still travelling with the group. Another ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER was seen at the Suncor Pier at the end of Great Lakes Blvd in Oakville. Please note there is no parking at the Jehovah Witness parking lot on Sunday, access is through the entrance at the end of Hixon Road. The PAINTED BUNTING continues to be seen on Arkendo Drive in Mississauga. Various places to look for the bird are between 33 and 39 and between 3 and 5 on Arkendo. Please respect that this is private property and access needs to be cleared by the homeowner. Hermit Thrush, Pine Siskins, Common Redpoll and a female White-winged Crossbill were also reported from this location. Lastly a GRAY CATBIRD was found on the Peel Christmas Bird Count at the intersection of Avonhead and Lakeshore Road just west of Winston Churchill. Another GRAY CATBIRD makes an intermittent appearance at a yard on 11th Concession East in Flamborough. Now that we have cleared all the top list, other great birds found on the count and during count week include a female Harlequin Duck which made another appearance near the high level bridge earlier in the week and again on Christmas Day at Bayfront Park. Three Common Loons and a Horned Grebe were part of a groups sightings at the west end of the harbour. A lone Turkey Vulture was seen over Dundas yesterday. Bald Eagles are on the harbour surfing the ducks. An adult Bald Eagle had a merganser in its talons flying along LaSalle Park yesterday. Northern Harriers were seen up on Fallsview Road near Sydenham. A Belted Kingfisher was rattling over the Desjardins Canal yesterday. Up to eight Glaucous Gulls and a Lesser Black-backed Gull were seen on the west end of the harbour flying out at dawn. A single Tufted Titmouse was found in the Dundas Valley. Eastern Bluebirds and an Eastern Towhee were seen on the Hopkins Trail at the Royal Botanical Gardens. A Hermit Thrush was found at the end of Horning Road near Waterdown. Evening Grosbeak was reported a couple days ago over Dundas with another group of four on count day at Dundurn Castle. Pine Siskins were seen feeding on cones in Coldspring Valley near Mac on the count, In the odds and sods this week, another lone Turkey Vulture was seen at Erin Mills and the 403 in Mississauga. Up to 10 birds have been reported around Echo Place which is near the 403 and Garden Ave exit in Brantford, this is a traditional area for wintering Vultures. Up to three Snowy Owls are present between Bronte Harbour and the Suncor Pier in Oakville with two at the harbour and one at the p
[Ontbirds] Brown-Headed Cowbird
I have a male Brown-Headed Cowbird currently at a feeder in my backyard at 944 Crozier Court in Mississauga. The bird appeared about 15 minutes ago at the seed feeder. The feeder is not directly visible from the street, but can be accessed by a side gate. Bruce Kennedy ___ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
[Ontbirds] Common Yelliwthroat - Col. Sam Smith Park, Toronto
Just a heads up for any interested winter listers. The bird is hanging around the area where the old wooden viewing platform used to be (a new one is under construction) at the overflow pond about 50m east of the parking lot. Col. Sam Smith Park is south of the intersection of Kipling Ave and Lakeshore Blvd in Toronto. 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
