[Ontbirds] 3 Juvenile Bald Eagles, Greenock Swamp west of Walkerton

[Rob Porter]

Greetings birders

Today at the west end of the Greenock Swamp I came across a group of 3
first-year Bald Eagles together at about 10:00am. Two were perched together
at first, then one flew off as I stopped the vehicle, and I followed where
this individual went, which was another field across the road with a 3rd
eagle. For the time I was there (about 15 minutes), other than the one
individual flying across the road, these birds did not move from their
perches.

In addition to this, a couple weeks ago on the east end of the Greenock
Swamp I came across three Bald Eagles, two adult and one first-year
individual. These three were taking turns circling over Schmidt Lake, and
landing in nearby white pines, for about an hour at that time.

This places either 5 or 6 Bald Eagles in the same geographic area, 3 or 4
of which are first year birds. If they are indeed local (and not migratory
stop-overs), this has been a very good year for this place. Certainly there
are enough remote tall white pines here for nesting.

The locations are within a half hour of Walkerton. Exact locations via
Google Maps...

Schmidt Lake:
https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Schmidt+Lake,+Brockton,+ON/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x8829a5bbde2fcfeb:0x4d141a4f974258a?sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjYyO-8q9nQAhUM6oMKHeOpDocQ8gEIGjAA

west side of Greenock Swamp (today's sighting):
https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.1480723,-81.4064182,667m/data=!3m1!1e3

Good birding
Rob

-- 
Robert Gerald Porter

Hamilton Naturalists' Club / Field Events Director
Weever Apps / Chief Innovation Officer, Co-founder

http://twitter.com/rgeraldporter
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[Ontbirds] Ottawa: Great Cormorant

[Bruce Di Labio]

Hi Everyone 
While leading a field trip this morning along the Ottawa River we observed an 
immature Great Cormorant off Andrew Haydon Park as it flew over Lake Deschenes 
and headed west within 150 metres of us. Unfortunately the bird hasn't been 
relocated. A few birders checked various areas up to Constance Bay with no 
sightings.
Good birding 
Bruce 



Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O. Box 538
Carp, Ontario, K0A 1L0
Cell: 613-715-2571


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[Ontbirds] Black-headed Gull, Niagara on the Lake

[Ed Poropat]

Hi all, 
Just a heads up for gull watchers on Niagara River this weekend..
This evening at 4:05, Jim Hopkins and I had a basic adult Black-headed Gull fly 
by in a flock of Bonies.  I haven't seen any reports of this species recently.

Cheers

Ed Poropat

Sent from my iPhone
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[Ontbirds] Oxford Birding Round-up, Dec. 3

[JAMES HOLDSWORTH]

Hey,

Visited a few Oxford sites today to see what was lingering - a few notables 
locally for December but nothing too exciting. At the Tavistock lagoons, a 
single white morph Snow Goose was feeding in adjacent cornfields with 800 
Canadas and two Cacklers. Late waterfowl included a female Ring-necked Duck and 
female Greater Scaup.

At Wildwood Lake, 3 Killdeer huddled on the mudflats near the 29th line bridge. 
A Merlin made a pass over the flats while I chatted with the Stratford birding 
brigade. I commented how rare it was to actually bump into other birders in 
Oxford but Steve Thorpe indicated the group had actually accidently strayed 
from their Perth County objectiveslol.

East of the 29th [on the 31st line, 1st bridge] a 1st basic Lesser Black-backed 
Gull was found in the small gull roost there.

Cheers, 
James Holdsworth, Biological Consulting Services
226-228-1428, jmholdswo...@rogers.com

'If one does not fail at times, then one has not challenged himself.'' - 
Ferdinand Porsche

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[Ontbirds] Red-headed Woodpecker at Springbank Park, London

[Quinten Wiegersma]

Hello all,


Today during the CBC for Kids in London, my group found a juvenile Red-headed 
Woodpecker in the area between the Civic Garden green houses and the foot 
bridge that crossed the Thames (I have labeled the location on a map, which can 
be accessed with the link below). This is a very good bird for Middlesex, 
especially at this time of year.


Images and the map can be found here: 
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S32835422


Other notable birds on the count include Common Loon, Goldeneye, and an amazing 
28 Sandhill Cranes that flew over Greenway Park (I didn't see them). Sandhill 
Cranes are very hard to come across in our county, and this may be some kind of 
local record!


Springbank Park can be accessed along Springbank Drive, Wonderland Road, and 
Commissioners Road. The best place to park to see this bird would be at the 
Civic Gardens off Springbank Dr.


Good birding,

Quinten Wiegersma

London, Ontario

birdsbugsbotany.blogspot.ca



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Re: [Ontbirds] Crested Caracara, Michipicoten ( Wawa) VIDEO

[Andrew]

The Caracara is sitting in a tree at end if Whitney avenue off of Superior 
street

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 2, 2016, at 6:38 PM, lukefa...@rogers.com wrote:
> 
> Hello Birders...https://youtu.be/EY9W2Q7R0HsAbove find the Video of this very 
> rare Mega stray bird: CRESTED CARACARAWhatever its source, it definitely 
> seems to be out of place in the Northern boreal mixed forest habitat!It 
> appears that mornings are best at Michipicoten ( at Superior St. & Brock 
> Ave., or Buck's Marina), when we were there (yesterday it was active from 
> 8:12 Am to 8:30 am, then it went into tall Spruce at the Marina ( almost 
> hiding from being harassed by Northern Shrike, Ravens and Crows). 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY9W2Q7R0Hs
> DirectionsSee previous emails or Google the addresses given above
> Good luck
> Luc Fazio
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> ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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
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> http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
> Visit the OFO Facebook page 
> https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
> 

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Re: [Ontbirds] 2016-2017 Ontario winter list

[Ron Tozer]

!‎

Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the Bell network.
  Original Message  
From: Josh Vandermeulen
Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2016 9:05 AM
To: ontbirds
Subject: [Ontbirds] 2016-2017 Ontario winter list

Birders,


Today marks the first day of winter listing, the period of time running from 
December 1 until February 28/29. I will be compiling the winter bird list in 
Ontario again this year, the results of which can be viewed at 
http://tinyurl.com/myyulvs . Approximately 346 species of birds have been 
recorded in Ontario during the winter period, with usually between 195 and 220 
species recorded in a given winter. Last winter 221 species were recorded - our 
second highest total after the 224 species reported in 2011-2012. Some of the 
highlights from last winter included Pink-footed Goose, Smew, Northern Fulmar, 
Great Cormorant, Rufous Hummingbird, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Cave Swallow, 
Bullock's Oriole and Eurasian Tree Sparrow.


Just post your sightings to Ontbirds (if sufficiently rare), ebird.org or send 
me an email, and I will update the list accordingly and provide an update to 
Ontbirds every two weeks or so. That way you can check the list and inform me 
of any species that have been seen but are not present on the list.


We are off to a great start with the Crested Caracara in Michipicoten providing 
the first winter record for Ontario. Given the mild weather to start the period 
I think we have a really great chance of setting a new standard this winter.


Good (winter) birding,


Josh Vandermeulen

joshvandermeulen.blogspot.com
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[Ontbirds] Hamilton Naturalists Club Birding Report - Saturday, December 3rd, 2016

[Cheryl Edgecombe]

PACIFIC LOON (probable)
LESSER YELLOWLEGS
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL



Tundra Swan
Northern Pintail
King Eider
Common x Barrow's Goldeneye
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Bald Eagle
Merlin
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Purple Sandpiper
Dunlin
Bonaparte's Gull
Snowy Owl
Northern Shrike
Common Raven
Tufted Titmouse
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Eastern Towhee
Fox Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird

For the insane, winter listing has started here in the Hamilton Study Area.
We have some good birds around the area although I think once the real cold
sets in more will show up.  A LESSER YELLOWLEGS hangs in at the Red Hill
Stormwater Pond along with a Killdeer and a Great Blue Heron.  RUBY-CROWNED
KINGLET and BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER seem to travel as a duo at South Shell
Park at the end of Great Lakes Blvd in Oakville.  The birds are most often
found on the slope north of the gazebo where it is sheltered from the wind
from the buildings.  Three ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLERS are present in the area,
two at Sedgewick Park in Oakville and one seen along the rail tracks at
Bayfront Park.  A RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET was also seen along here early last
week. Unfortunately no sign of the Black-and-white Warbler (yet).  Lastly
not a rarity per say but a nice flock of 17 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS were
reported flying toward Telula Heights in Brantford.

Of interest at Sayer's Park last Sunday a observers were fairly confident
that a PACIFIC LOON was seen at a distance from this vantage point.  There
is lots to scan through along here so patience and calm waters are extremely
helpful.

There are no real hotspots this week save the above but there are a number
of good or late birds around.  So here is the long winded odds and sods. 

A flock of Tundra Swans flew into Cootes Paradise on Monday.  A sizable
flock were also seen on Thursday sitting out on the water but left later on
in the morning.  A Northern Pintail is present in the Red Hill Creek Outlet.
King Eiders are plenty here in the Hamilton Study area with a female seen
somewhat consistently near the pier in Burlington.  Three were seen at
Sayer's Park in Stoney Creek and along the lakeshore 11 have been seen at
various access points along this end of the lake. For hybrid enthusiasts The
Common x Barrow's Goldeneye was seen at the end of Gray's Road along with
all three scoter species on Thursday.  Red Throated and Common Loons have
been seen from this vantage point at the end of Gray's Road.  A Horned Grebe
was seen at LaSalle Marina on Thursday.  A late Turkey Vulture was seen
migrating over Queen and Main in Hamilton last Sunday.  A group of 10 were
seen yesterday at the Brant Co. line just east of Garden Ave in Brantford.
This area is a traditional wintering roost for these birds.  Two adults and
a juvenile Bald Eagle were seen cruising over the harbour on Thursday.
Merlins have set up winter territory in Dundas, at the Valley Inn/Woodland
Cemetery and at Bronte Harbour.   A group of Sandhill cranes were a yard
bird highlight over Westover and 8th Concession West in Flamborough.  I
don't think these birds have moved south in numbers yet so definitely
something to look for. The Purple Sandpiper was seen into Sunday last
weekend at Fifty Point.  A late Dunlin was an added bonus there near the big
Pond.  Last report of the Snowy Owl at Tollgate was on Sunday, one (a
different bird) flew in off the lake and landed briefly on the wave tower at
Van Wagner's Beach only to be driven off by harassing gulls.  A Northern
Shrike was a highlight up at a quarry near Milton, more of these to come I
am sure.  Two Common Ravens were seen over the quarry on Brock Road between
4th and 5th concession west in Flamborough. Tufted Titmice are still around
although sometimes hard to find.  The most consistent pair have been at
LaSalle Park in Burlington.  A Winter Wren and a few Golden-crowned Kinglets
were present at LaSalle as well.  Yellow-rumped Warblers are scarce but one
was at Lakeside Park this week.  Up at the Guelph Arboretum, Eastern Towhee
and Fox Sparrow are coming into the feeders here.  Lastly, a single
Red-winged Blackbird was seen at the Red Hill Stormwater Pond yesterday.

That's the news for this week.  There are lots of winter listers out there
so report your sightings here and please pass them along to Bill Lamond for
our Noteworthy Bird Records. bill-lam...@hotmail.com.  

Good birding,
Cheryl Edgecombe
HNC








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