[Ontbirds] Presqu'ile Birding Report for Week Ending December 22, 2016.

2016-12-22 Thread Fred Helleiner 
Once again, it has been shown that a concentrated effort by numerous 
birders, as on the recent Christmas Bird Count, reveals the presence of 
more birds at Presqu'ile Provincial Park than one would suspect from 
casual birding.


Between 400 and 500 MUTE SWANS as well as a few TRUMPETER SWANS and 
TUNDRA SWANS have been present in Presqu'ile Bay through much of the 
week.  Most dabbling ducks have left but an AMERICAN WIGEON was found on 
Sunday.  In contrast, a good variety of diving ducks is present, 
including REDHEADS, a RING-NECKED DUCK, WHITE-WINGED and BLACK SCOTERS, 
a HOODED MERGANSER, and a late RUDDY DUCK on December 21.  Up to four 
AMERICAN COOTS have also accompanied some of the ducks that feed at the 
edge of the ice off the government dock.  On Sunday, a long-staying 
DUNLIN with an injured leg and a PURPLE SANDPIPER were on Gull Tombolo.  
Three BONAPARTE'S GULLS were seen on Tuesday.  Both ICELAND GULL and 
GLAUCOUS GULL have been seen.  A few BALD EAGLES have been feeding on 
the ice of Presqu'ile Bay, including four adults this afternoon.  There 
have been a few sightings of NORTHERN HARRIERS, ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, and 
SNOWY OWLS, as well as one GREAT HORNED OWL.


RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS have been scarce at Presqu'ile this season, 
unlike other places near and far, but one was found on the Christmas 
Bird Count.   A NORTHERN FLICKER was near the Park entrance on Monday.  
On Friday a PEREGRINE FALCON was one of several species feeding off a 
dead bird on the ice of Presqu'ile Bay.  A surprising count of 37 HORNED 
LARKS on Gull Tombolo was made on Sunday.  On Saturday two observers 
found a WINTER WREN at 94 Bayshore Road.  An AMERICAN PIPIT and about 90 
SNOW BUNTINGS were on Gull Tombolo on Sunday.  A SAVANNAH SPARROW with 
no tail has been a regular visitor to the feeders at 186 Bayshore Road, 
a late SWAMP SPARROW was on Gull Tombolo on Sunday, and WHITE-THROATED 
SPARROWS have been at 83 Bayshore Road (3) and at 30 Bayshore Road (1).  
Although the days are getting longer (has anyone noticed?), now that 
winter has begun, other sparrows and blackbirds may be converging on 83 
Bayshore Road, where there are about 30 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, or other 
places where there are feeders.


To reach Presqu'ile Provincial Park, follow the signs from Brighton.

Locations within the Park are shown on a map at the back of a tabloid
that is available at the Park gate. Visitors to Gull Tombolo may
encounter a slippery coating of ice on the rocks.  Ice cleats are 
recommended.

Birders are encouraged to record their observations on the bird sightings
board provided near the campground office by The Friends of Presqu'ile
Park and to fill out a rare bird report for species not listed there.

Questions and comments about bird sightings at Presqu'ile may be
directed to: fhellei...@trentu.ca .


--
Fred Helleiner
186 Bayshore Road
Brighton, Ontario
K0K 1H0Ending December 22, 2016.
613-475-5309
If visiting, access via Presqu'ile Provincial Park

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[Ontbirds] RBA Buffalo Bird Report 22 Dec 2016

2016-12-22 Thread David Suggs 
- RBA
* New York
* Buffalo
* 12/22/2016
* NYBU1612.22
- Birds mentioned

  ---
  Please submit reports to
  dsu...@buffaloornithologicalsociety.org
  ---

  SHORT-EARED OWL
  LAPLAND LONGSPUR
  AMERICAN PIPIT
  PINE WARBLER
  FOX SPARROW
  Northern Harrier
  Merlin
  Wild Turkey
  Thayer's Gull
  Iceland Gull
  L. Black-b. Gull
  Glaucous Gull
  Horned Lark
  American Robin
  Amer. Tree Sparrow
  White-thr. Sparrow
  White-cr. Sparrow
  Dark-eyed Junco
  Brown-headed Cowbird

- Transcript
  Hotline: Buffalo Bird Report at the Buffalo Museum of Science
  Date: 12/22/2016
  Number:   716-896-1271
  To Report:Same
  Compiler: David F. Suggs
  Coverage: Western New York and adjacent Ontario
  Website:  www.BuffaloOrnithologicalSociety.org

  Thursday, December 22, 2016

  The Buffalo Bird Report is a service provided by your
  Buffalo Museum of Science and the Buffalo Ornithological
  Society. To contact the Science Museum, call 896-5200. Press
  the pound key to report sightings before the end of this
  report.

  Highlights of reports received December 15 through December
  22 from the Niagara Frontier Region.

  December 19 at the Dunkirk Airport in Chautauqua County, the
  count of SHORT-EARED OWLS is up to four, plus LAPLAND
  LONGSPUR, 8 WILD TURKEYS, NORTHERN HARRIER, HORNED LARK,
  AMERICAN ROBINS and three continuing WHITE-CR. SPARROWS.

  WHITE-CR. SPARROWS also reported with 14 AMERICAN ROBINS on
  Bentley Hill Road in the Chautauqua County Town of Gerry.

  AMERICAN PIPITS at two locations this week - one in Ontario
  at Kings Bridge Park, on the Welland River at the upper
  Niagara River, and a second AMERICAN PIPIT at the tree farm
  at Strikler and County Roads in Clarence.

  In Niagara Falls, Ontario, a male PINE WARBLER continues by
  the greenhouse a short distance above the falls. A female
  PINE WARBLER has also been reported in nearby Dufferine
  Islands Park.

  December 14 and 15, a FOX SPARROW at a feeder in Blasdell.
  Other feeder reports - two BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS and WHITE-
  THR. SPARROW in Ransomville in Niagara County, and at Sunset
  Beach in Orleans County, 30 DARK-EYED JUNCOS. AMER. TREE
  SPARROWS also at several feeders.

  Eight gull species on the Niagara River this week,
  highlighted by ICELAND GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, L. BLACK-B. GULL
  and THAYER'S GULL. Two L. BLACK-B. GULLS also at the Erie
  Basin Marina in Buffalo.

  And, in North Buffalo, a MERLIN along the Shoshone Park bike
  trail.

  It is the time of year to thank the many contributors to the
  Buffalo Bird Report, and extend best wishes to everyone for
  the holiday season and coming year.

  Schedules permitting, the Bird Report will be updated
  Thursday evening, December 29. Please call in your sightings
  by noon Thursday. You may report sightings after the tone.
  Thank you for calling and reporting.

- End Transcript
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[Ontbirds] Interesting Red-tailed Hawk at Long Point SMLO

2016-12-22 Thread Chris Cheatle 
On Monday while observing the reported Smith's Longspur just north of Long
Point, in the company of Henrique Pacheco and several other birders, an
interesting Red-tailed Hawk was observed doing a single pass-over of the
site.

The bird was completely hooded and dark breasted. On site, it was
identified as a calurus Western Red-Tailed Hawk.

Knowing his interest in Western Red-tails, I sent the photos to Jon Ruddy,
who in turn sent the pics to several leading raptor experts including Jerry
Liguori and Brian Sullivan.

Their feedback is that there are inconsistencies in plumage for a calurus,
and that the bird may be a more interesting colour morph of a different
subspecies.

Anyone observing the SMLO, or birding in the general area around Long Point
should keep an eye open for this bird in case it has a territory in the
area. Any photos that can be obtained in particular would be appreciated
for upload to Ebird.

Here is the EBird report I submitted :
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S33107937

As well an album with more pics :
https://www.flickr.com/gp/146000359@N08/kR3P68

The subspecies ID could not be 100% confirmed by the experts, but if
additional pics can be obtained, perhaps it is possible.

Happy holidays and birding to all.
C.Cheatle, Hamilton
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[Ontbirds] Ottawa/ Gatineau-recent sightings to December 22, 2016

2016-12-22 Thread Gregory Zbitnew 
Ottawa Field Naturalists' Club
Ottawa/Gatineau (50 Km radius from Parliament Hill) E. Ontario, W. Quebec
Compiler:  Gregory Zbitnew at sighti...@ofnc.ca

December 22 2016

The highlight of the birding week was the Ottawa-Gatineau Christmas Bird
Count, on the 18th.  Unfortunately, weather just prior to the count
severely hampered it, and the preliminary species tally of 67 was the
lowest in a number of years.  The -28 temperature on the 16th froze up the
rivers, except for the fast flowing regions.  There was 20 cm of snow
starting the 17th which continued into early on the 18th.  Adding to this
there was a bit of wind and declining temperatures, so some birders were
 struggling through knee-deep snow and getting little to show for their
efforts.  Still, the combined efforts of so many people did produce some
good birds.

There were no new birds, but a few record or tied totals were set:

1.   2 HARLEQUIN DUCKS (tied record), one near Hurdman (still present
on the 22nd), and one in Aylmer.

2.   10 BUFFLEHEAD

3.   5 NORTHERN FLICKER (tied record).

4.   Over 1000 AMERICAN ROBIN, over double the previous record.

5.   445 CEDAR WAXWING.

Some other notable sightings were as follows:

1.   WOOD DUCK and RING-NECKED DUCK at Billings Bridge

2.   RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW in the Aylmer
Sector.

3.   HERMIT THRUSH in the Hull Sector (still there on the 22nd)

4.   FOX SPARROW in the Britannia Sector

Finally among the count highlights, a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER was seen in
the Rideauview area in the count week (the 21st).

Outside of the count day and area, there were some other interesting
sightings.  Temperatures rose to well above seasonal by the end of the
week, but the earlier cold weather reduced the WATERBIRD levels to regular
early winter levels.  Only a few lingering CANADA GEESE are about.   Only
14 species of DUCKS were present in the severely reduced area of open
water, the vast majority being MALLARD and COMMON GOLDENEYE. Aside from a
handful of lingerers on the Ottawa River, a NORTHERN PINTAIL was at a pond
on Iber Road on the 19th.

A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is a regular visitor to a feeder in the
FALLOWFIELD area. A flock of about 14 GRAY PARTRIDGE have been seen
irregularly on Eagleson between Rushmore and Richmond Road.  A  CAROLINA
WREN is an irregular visitor to a feeder in Carleton Place, and a TUFTED
TITMOUSE is coming to a feeder in Quyon.

On and near Rushmore Road, a mixed flock of up to 70 SNOW BUNTING, 11
HORNED LARK and 1 LAPLAND LONGSPUR were present on the 20th.  A RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRD was in Gatineau on the 16th.

Finally, at least 1 HOARY REDPOLL is still present in a small flock of
COMMON REDPOLL on the Eardley-Masham Road.  This road is otherwise almost
empty of birds.

The OFNC's Birds Committee no longer reports owl sightings on the Internet.
We will continue to encourage the reporting of owls to sighti...@ofnc.ca
for the purpose of maintaining local records.

Thanks to everyone who contributed bird observations. We encourage everyone
to report their bird sightings on eBird for the benefit of the entire
birding community.

Good birding.
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Re: [Ontbirds] Smith's Longspur at Long Point

2016-12-22 Thread michael ferguson 
Smith's Longspur continues at Concession A just west of Norfolk 59, as of
7:35 - 9:00 AM this morning.

Cheers,
Mike Ferguson

On Wed, Dec 21, 2016 at 8:01 AM, rex bartlett  wrote:

> Good morning.
> It is currently 8AM here in sunny Norfolk and the Smith's Longspur is
> continuing and showing well.
> Concession A is the first road North of Lakeshore road off of Highway 59.
>
>
> Good Birding
>
> Rex Bartlett
>
> Get Outlook for Android
>
>
>
> On Sun, Dec 18, 2016 at 10:34 AM -0500, "rex bartlett" <
> rex_al...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> Good morning. I saw the Smith's Longspur at 7:30Am but couldn't get
> confirmation.
> As of NOW 10:30AM,  I found it and it  is showing well.
> Directions to Concession A are in original message by Ron Ridout.
>
> Good birding.
> Rex Bartlett
>
> Get Outlook for Android
>
>
>
> On Sat, Dec 17, 2016 at 4:50 PM -0500, "Ron Ridout" > wrote:
>
>
> Adam,Matt Timpf and I discovered a Smith's Longspur on the A Rd, 200
> meters west of Hwy 59. The bird was feeding consistently on the road until
> dusk (now).
>
> The A Concession Rd is the road north of Lakeshore Rd and only runs west
> off Hwy 59.
>
> Ron Ridout
> rrid...@birdscanada.org
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> OntarioFieldOrnithologists
>
>
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>
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> provincial birding organization.
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>
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[Ontbirds] Virginia Rail at Colonel Sam Smith Park

2016-12-22 Thread margaretkelch 

Birding midmorning met Anne Porter and Leon Schlicter independently. Both had 
seen a Virginia Rail along the walkway abutting the marina, Anne at the east 
end, Leon at the west. Anne has images on her camera.

I was unable to relocate the birding looking alone and then with Leon.

Col Sam Smith is at the base of Kipling Ave. Drive right to the far south 
parking lot, walk south to the first walkway that runs along the empty marina 
basin.


Margaret Kelch
Sent from Mail for Windows 10

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