Re: [Ontbirds] Slaty-Backed Gull Mohawk Lake - YES

[Bill Lamond via ONTBIRDS]

The Slaty-backed Gull was seen today and Thursday at Mohawk Lake. Today it was 
seen by several observers there between after 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Please post 
to OntBirds, other than just to eBird to let others know it is still present if 
it is seen on Saturday.

The dump is closed on Sunday and it could be difficult to find aggregations of 
gulls in the area when the dump is closed.

Directions are below.

Bill

From: Bill Lamond 
Sent: December 4, 2019 4:22 PM
To: hamilton birds ; 
brantbi...@googlegroups.com 
Cc: Ontbirds 
Subject: Re: [Ontbirds] Slaty-Backed Gull Mohawk Lake YES

The adult Slaty-backed Gull was sitting on Mohawk Lake from 11:00 a.m. until 
3:00 p.m today (directions below). It was there when I left. It flew off at 
2:40 but was noted back on the lake at 2:50. There were 1500 gulls there today 
(counted by 10s), mostly Herring Gulls, but 40 Great-blacked Gulls, three 
Glaucous Gulls, six Ring-billed Gulls, three Lesser Black-backed Gulls, three 
Kumlien's Iceland Gulls, and one Thayer's Iceland Gull.

There were about 15 people over this time who arrived and were able to see the 
bird.

I have never seen gulls sit on this frozen lake undisturbed for that length of 
time. Of course there were no Bald Eagles that flew over either.

Bill


From: ONTBIRDS  on behalf of Rob Dobos via 
ONTBIRDS 
Sent: December 4, 2019 11:01 AM
To: Michael Hallett 
Cc: Ontbirds 
Subject: Re: [Ontbirds] Slaty-Backed Gull Mohawk Lake YES

The Slaty-backed Gull is currently at Mohawk Lake in Brantford. See
previous message for directions.

Rob Dobos


On Tue, Dec 3, 2019, 12:45 PM Michael Hallett via ONTBIRDS, <
birdalert@ontbirds.ca> wrote:

> Currently looking at the long staying Slaty-Backed Gull.
>
> To reach Mohawk Lake take the 403 to Brantford and exit onto the Wayne
> Gretzky Pkwy and head south 2.6 km to Colborne St. Turn left onto Colborne
> St and turn right onto Locks Rd after about 800m. Continue on Locks Rd
> (turns into Mohawk St) for 1.5 km where you turn right onto Greenwich St.
> Mohawk Lake will be on your right after a few hundred metres.
> >
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>
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[Ontbirds] Presqu'ile Bird Report 29 Nov - 5 Dec 2019

[Doug McRae via ONTBIRDS]

Presqu’ile Bird Report for 29 Nov – 5 Dec 2019

By Doug McRae

HIGHLIGHTS: PURPLE SANDPIPER, BALTIMORE ORIOLE


A storm on 1 December left 15 cm of snow and continued cold weather has frozen 
most still water, the immediate shoreline of the beach and islands, and the 
inner Bay.  Although coverage was not extensive, it seems like its pretty quiet 
out there.


The freeze has concentrated most waterfowl to the outer part of Presqu’ile Bay; 
that said it seems that numbers are lower than normal for this time of year.  
The diving duck flock at the ice-edge in Presqu’ile Bay contained 350 GREATER 
SCAUP, 1 LESSER SCAUP and 20 REDHEAD on 4 Dec.  Also present were 23 HOODED 
MERGANSER, 12 COMMON MERGENASER and a single RED-BREASTED MERGANSER.  COMMON 
GOLDENEYE winter commonly but have seemed scarce this fall but by weeks’ end 
numbers had picked up considerably with a high count of 325 on 4 Dec.


Two lingering COMMON LOONS were off the Government Dock on 4 Dec. Now that 
there is ice on Presqu’ile Bay, BALD EAGLE sightings have become almost daily.  
An adult was standing on the ice beside a deer carcass that was being devoured 
by three Coyotes on 5 Dec.  A few COOPER’S HAWKS were seen this week and on 
High Bluff Island (scope-able from Owen Pt.) both RED-TAILED and ROUGH-LEGGED 
HAWKS were seen through the week.


It’s delightful to be able to talk about shorebirds in December.  On 1 Dec (the 
day of the storm) a group of intrepid birders found three PURPLE SANDPIPERS at 
the west end of Gull Island, and another group on Owen Pt. saw two fly by, 
believed to be different birds.  None were seen on 3 Dec when the area was next 
searched.  Also to correct a mistake I made in last week’s report – there were 
three PURPLE SANDPIPERS seen, not two as reported - possibly the same three 
seen on Gull Is.  An adult GLAUCOUS GULL was seen in a flock of 600 HERRING 
GULLS on Presqu’ile Bay on 5 Dec.  The only report of RING-BILLED GULL was of 
four on 4 Dec.


SNOWY OWLS were seen regularly on the islands and beach through the week with a 
high of 3 on 3 Dec.  RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS visited feeders along Bayshore 
Rd., and at the Campground Office through the week.  Two MERLINS were seen 
together near the gate on 5 Dec.  COMMON RAVENS are probably being seen more 
often than AMERICAN CROWS at this time of year – an inconceivable thought 20 
years ago.  Small numbers of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS and BROWN CREEPERS were 
reported, and AMERICAN ROBINS were seen regularly, especially around the Calf 
Pasture area.  On 1 Dec, 35 SNOW BUNTINGS were seen on Gull Island.


Sparrows seem scarce. Apart from DARK-EYED JUNCO and AMERICAN TREE SPARROW the 
only sparrow reports were of two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS at a Bayshore Rd 
feeder on 3 Dec and a single SWAMP SPARROW along the causeway on 5 Dec .  Most 
unusual was a report with photos that was posted on Facebook of a BALTIMORE 
ORIOLE at a Brighton area feeder on 2 Dec but no further details have come 
forward.  Finally a handful of RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were seen through the week 
at both Bayshore Rd feeders and at the Birdhouse Nature Store just outside the 
gate.  Two COMMON GRACKLES were also at the Birdhouse Nature Store on 2 Dec.


IMPORTANT NOTE: Presqu’ile allows waterfowl hunting on Monday, Wednesday, 
Friday and Saturday and the public is not permitted in hunting areas on those 
days.  The areas affected are the marsh, Calf Pasture Point, Gull and High 
Bluff Is., High Bluff Campground and Owen Pt.  The hunt will continue until 21 
December.


Directions: Presqu’ile Provincial Park is located on the north shore of Lake 
Ontario, just south of the town of Brighton.  It can be reached from either 
Hwy. 401, or Cty. Rd. 2 and is well signed.  A Park map can be found in the 
information tabloid available at the Park gate.  Presqu’ile’s two offshore 
islands – Gull and High Bluff – support a large multi-species colonial bird 
nesting area and access is not permitted during the breeding season (10 
March-10 September).


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doug McRae
P.O. Box 3010
Brighton, Ontario
K0K 1H0
613-475-5014 H
613-243-4161 C


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[Ontbirds] Great-tailed Grackle - Port Rowan Wetland (#long_point)

[Stu Mackenzie via ONTBIRDS]

Ontario,

This evening I came upon a strange, large, lone grackle calling in the restored 
area south of the main Port Rowan wetland complex. It flushed shortly 
thereafter and flew south and perched above Hunter Dr.. and then flew south 
toward the Birds Canada HQ. It was a female. Some subtle plumage 
characteristics, a little bit of size,shape,behavior, but mostly the call led 
me to believe it was a Great-tailed Grackle. A ‘picture’ will be posted in 
eBird later this evening.

Location of where it flushed from is here - Dropped pin
Near Norfolk County, ON
https://goo.gl/maps/hRHD1exeXZSpS6vu9

Long Point Birding Trail site 11b - 
https://www.birdscanada.org/longpoint/images/LPBTbrochure.pdf

My only hope for being rediscovered is if it’s habitual, or turns up at a 
feeder somewhere. 

Good birding,

Stu



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[Ontbirds] Purple Sandpiper - TTP, Toronto

[Gmail via ONTBIRDS]

There is a Purple Sandpiper on Peninsula B at Tommy Thompson Park.

Tommy Thompson Park is at the foot of Leslie St. in Toronto’s east end.

Good Birding,
Iain 
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[Ontbirds] Varied Thrush: Bark Lake, YES

[Sarah Bonnett via ONTBIRDS]

Friday update: Varied Thrush still present at feeders and roads are a little 
slick but better now (noon) than they were this morning. Weekend access is 
allowed, please be respectful while there. Details below:

Varied Thrush - just saw on facebook the bird is now allowed to be visited on 
private property. From Joe Fortin in the Ontario Birds facebook group:

"I've been given the go ahead to share the specific location and let folks know 
it's okay to come and take a look.

All we ask is that everyone is respectful and please do not enter any buildings.

The bird was spotted at the Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre, at the 
bird feeder at the front office.  There is parking available at the front 
office (right hand side, just past the maintenance yard), with the feeder just 
out front.  Typically, the feeder is topped up around 8:00am in the morning, 
but we'll try and make sure it's good to go before than.

I'd like to also thank everyone for their help with identifying this bird and I 
certainly hope everyone get's a chance to see it!

The address is:
1551 Bark Lake Dr
Irondale, ON K0M 1X0

If you are using the Google Maps listing, please note that the centre is 5km up 
the driveway, the pin is only the start!"
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[Ontbirds] Kingfisher Lake Bernard Sundridge

[Stephen O'Donnell via ONTBIRDS]

For the past few days I have been seeing a Belted Kingfisher working the 
shoreline.
This morning it was hunting the creek beside my house.
Stephen O’Donnell

Sundridge is located along hwy. 11 north half way between North Bay and 
Huntsville

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

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