[Ontbirds] Snow Buntings and R-T Loons in Collingwood
At around 2:30 p.m. this afternoon, I made a quick stop in at Millennium Park in Collingwood (part of Harbourlands Park to the north of the marina and old grain elevators). There were several groupings of Snow Buntings, totalling over 50 individuals, feeding on the lawn and amongst the armour stone rocks at the water edge. There were also 3 Red-Throated Loons in the harbour as well as about 2 dozen adult Great Black-backed Gulls and many matures on the east side of the road to the spit. Directions: From the Pretty River Parkway / Huron Street, turn north into the park lands on Heritage Drive (across from the Museum) and drive to the end of the road. Scott A. Martin; B.Sc., H.B.O.R., Forest Rec. Tech. Senior Ecologist / Principal WILD Canada Ecological Consulting #75 - 39th Street North Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2A3 Phn: 705-429-4936 Fax: 705-429-1435 smar...@wildcanada.ca www.wildcanada.ca Please remember... Unless we change direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed! (ancient Chinese proverb) Be Green! Read from the screen. Please consider the environment before printing this email. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 2044 of my spam emails to date. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len The Professional version does not have this message ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Tufted Titmouse back at Wasaga Beach feeders
After a couple weeks' absence, the Tufted Titmouse just returned to my feeders today in Wasaga Beach. I have had several inquiries about it, so I will update as to whether it continues to return. Scott A. Martin; B.Sc., H.B.O.R., Forest Rec. Tech. Senior Ecologist / Principal WILD Canada Ecological Consulting #75 - 39th Street North Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2A3 Phn: 705-429-4936 Fax: 705-429-1435 smar...@wildcanada.ca www.wildcanada.ca Please remember... Unless we change direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed! (ancient Chinese proverb) Be Green! Read from the screen. Please consider the environment before printing this email. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 1334 of my spam emails to date. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len The Professional version does not have this message ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Tufted Titmouse in Wasaga Beach
There is a Tufted Titmouse coming to my feeders in Wasaga Beach. I first heard it about 5 days ago, but it stayed hidden, but sporadically vocal until this morning. It spends a lot of time in the woodlot next door. It has been primarily using the backyard feeders. I still have lots of species using the feeders (up to 16 species at the same time), including Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls. I also had a Song Sparrow 4 days ago. As a side note, I also had a Titmouse in breeding season about 7 or 8 years ago. Scott A. Martin; B.Sc., H.B.O.R., Forest Rec. Tech. Senior Ecologist / Principal WILD Canada Ecological Consulting #75 - 39th Street North Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2A3 Phn: 705-429-4936 Fax: 705-429-1435 smar...@wildcanada.ca www.wildcanada.ca Please remember... Unless we change direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed! (ancient Chinese proverb) Be Green! Read from the screen. Please consider the environment before printing this email. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 6 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 1159 of my spam emails to date. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len The Professional version does not have this message ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Hoary Redpoll in Wasaga Beach - and a butterfly
As with Brian Morin's observations, I have also seen a huge jump in Common Redpoll numbers at my feeders in Wasaga Beach today (address below). I had a couple dozen arrive around January 6, then they all but disappeared, while the Goldfinches and Pine Siskins remained. This morning, about 20+ Common Redpolls showed up suddenly and are feeding among 30+ Pine Siskins and 40+ Goldfinches. There is also a Hoary Redpoll among the group. Also feeding regularly are Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays, Dark-eyed Juncos, Red-breasted Nuthatches, White-Breasted Nuthatches, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers and Black-capped Chickadees. Last week, I had a dark phase Rough-legged Hawk hovering over-head just 3 doors down. Also of interest. on Monday, I was skiing at Blue Mountain, just west of Collingwood, and right on the off-ramp at the "Graduate" chair lift was a very cold butterfly. It had wings mostly folded and I only got a couple seconds glance at it, but I believe it was a Compton's Tortoiseshell (Nymphalis vau-album). With it being on the off-ramp, I could not stop to look at it more. The temperature was approximately -2C to 0C. Scott A. Martin; B.Sc., H.B.O.R., Forest Rec. Tech. Senior Ecologist / Principal WILD Canada Ecological Consulting #75 - 39th Street North Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2A3 Phn: 705-429-4936 Fax: 705-429-1435 smar...@wildcanada.ca www.wildcanada.ca Please remember... Unless we change direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed! (ancient Chinese proverb) Be Green! Read from the screen. Please consider the environment before printing this email. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 5.9 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 816 of my spam emails to date. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len The Professional version does not have this message ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds]Peregrine at Collingwood Fair
This afternoon at approximately 4:00 p.m., a Peregrine Falcon flew low over the bleachers (at only about 30 feet in height) at the Great Northern Exhibition fairgrounds between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach. Apparently, it wanted to see the smash-up derby. From its direction of flight, it might have been heading to see the poultry exhibit next. I only saw it once, and only for a few seconds, but with the fair in full swing there was a lot of potential food birds in attendance, so it may stick around the area. The GNE fairgrounds are located on Fairgrounds Road, just off Highway #26, about ½ way between Collingwood and Wasaga Beach. Scott A. Martin; B.Sc., H.B.O.R., Forest Rec. Tech. Senior Ecologist / Principal WILD Canada Ecological Consulting #75 - 39th Street North Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2A3 Phn: 705-429-4936 Fax: 705-429-1435 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.wildcanada.ca Please remember... Unless we change direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed! (ancient Chinese proverb) Be Green! Read from the screen. Please consider the environment before printing this email. ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Carolina Wren and nesting Merlins in Wasaga Beach
There is a pair of Merlins nesting in a huge old White Pine in the SE playground at Worsley Public School, on 39th Street South in Wasaga Beach. The nest is about 12+m (40’) up the tree on the eastern side. The tree is about 30m (100’) into the playground from the southernmost entrance gate beside the soccer field. It is quite easy to spot, as the pair is very active and vocal. On another note, I still have a Carolina Wren in residence. I believe this is 6 years now it/they have been here year-round. I have seen a female off and on over the years. The male regularly comes to my feeders and can usually be heard singing in the front or side yard, or from across the road throughout the day. I believe this male is 2nd generation here, as his song is a bit “off” from normal and from those who first took up residence (plus, as I mentioned, I’ve had mature birds here for 6 years). I live at #75 – 39th Street North in Wasaga Beach. I have also seen the Merlins flying over my house (2 blocks from the school). For those who don’t know, Wasaga Beach is just off Highway #26 between Collingwood and Stayner, and at the west end of Highway #92, west of Elmvale. Conveniently, Wasaga Beach’s streets are named and ordered numerically from east to west off of Mosley Street (the Town’s main thoroughfare). 39th Streets North and South are pretty much in the middle of the town. Scott A. Martin; B.Sc., H.B.O.R., Forest Rec. Tech. Ecologist / Owner WILD Canada Ecological Consulting #75 - 39th Street North Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2A3 Phn: 705-429-4936 Fax: 705-429-1435 HYPERLINK "mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]"[EMAIL PROTECTED] HYPERLINK "http://www.wildcanada.ca"www.wildcanada.ca Please remember... Unless we change direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed! (ancient Chinese proverb) No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.519 / Virus Database: 269.22.12/1373 - Release Date: 11/04/2008 9:17 AM ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
[Ontbirds]Mating Shrikes at Carden
Yesterday I had the opportunity to spend a couple early evening hours birding the Carden Birding area. On Wiley Rd., between Bluebird boxes #88 & 89, there is a small wet area to the west of the road. Here I saw a Vesper Sparrow, Snipe (several along the road), Woodcock, Baltimore Oriole and Towhees (many all along Wiley Rd.), and heard Upland Sandpipers and a Sora. Well out in the pasture behind Bluebird box #10, I was watching a Loggerhead Shrike through the scope, when another flew past and then alit on the same branch. It then snuggled with the first, they nuzzled beaks, and then the second one mounted the first, in what I can only assume was a mating attempt. The male soon flew off to hunt, and the female flew into what I believe was the nest, and did not re-emerge while I was there. It was quite a treat to witness. There was a lot of activity at the Sedge Wren Marsh, but nothing out of the ordinary. I did not hear or see a Yellow Rail, but I did get a super view of an American Bittern "singing". The grasses and sedges are not yet long enough to fully conceal these large birds. It is very interesting to watch, as he "coughed" up his vocals. He would make 3-4 silent coughs and bill snaps before he had enough air to pump out the "gunk-a-lunks". Directions (borowed from Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway): Kirkfield is east of Lake Simcoe along Kawartha Road 48 about 19 km from Highway 12. Follow the signs to the Lift Lock. Go 2.5 km north of the Lift Lock. Turn right onto McNamee Road and then immediately left onto Wylie Road. Bluebird Box 10 is on the left about 1.8 km. Stay on the roadside to view birds. Please remember... "Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little!" - Edmund Burke Scott A. Martin, B.Sc., H.B.O.R. Ecologist / Owner WILD Canada - Native Plant Nursery and Ecological Consulting #75 - 39th Street North Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2A3 Phn: 705-429-4936 Fax: 705-429-1435 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.wildcanada.ca From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue May 10 14:43:53 2005 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: ontbirds@hwcn.org Received: from e450.mnsi.net (e450.mnsi.net [216.8.137.207]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4B4CE6496A for ; Tue, 10 May 2005 14:43:53 -0400 (EDT) Received: from k (dyn216-8-166-102.win.mnsi.net [216.8.166.102]) by e450.mnsi.net (8.13.2/8.13.2) with SMTP id j4AIwaRm003231 for ; Tue, 10 May 2005 14:58:39 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: "pimuseum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "ontbirds" Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 15:01:46 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]Pelee Island Birds, May 10, 2005 X-BeenThere: ontbirds@hwcn.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 10 May 2005 18:43:53 - A good selection of the usual species is present on the island today = with Lighthouse Point sporting clouds of warblers including a = YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. Fish Point saw another reverse migration this morning with birds flying = south off the tip at a rate of 25-50 birds per minute, a higher rate = than yesterday's movement. Orioles, blackbirds, tanagers, buntings, and = warblers comprised the bulk of the species observed. NASHVILLE WARBLERS = were again the dominant warbler species.=20 Two MOCKINGBIRDS were seen at the Fish Point tip. A LONG-EARED OWL was = spotted at Sheridan Point as was a CERULEAN WARBLER was found there = yesterday. Ninety-three AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS were seen in a field on = Homeward Road yesterday. Total of species observed in May: 155 Rob Tymstra Ron Tiessen Pelee Island Heritage Centre West Dock, Pelee Island, Ontario, N0R 1M0 (519) 724-2291 "pimuseum" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> - There will be daily bird hikes on Pelee Island until May 20. Cost is $5.00 which includes admission to Heritage Centre. Meet in front of the = Centre at the foot of West Dock every day at 7:30 a.m. Check into the Centre for details on = best birding areas and current rarities. The Heritage Centre is open from 10 am - 5 pm daily. The foyer contains = a 'sightings board' listing May bird sightings (open 24 hours). = Lighthouse Point is on the NE corner of the island, Sheridan Point on = the NW corner, Mill Point on the SE corner, and Fish Point on the SW corner, = due south of the West Dock. The Fourth Annual Pelee Island Bird Race / Baillie Birdathon will take = place from noon Friday, May 13, to noon, Saturday, May 14. The = Springsong Celebration continues Saturday evening with a 'Talk and = Dinner' featuring Jane Urquhart with an introduction by Margaret Atwood. = Sunday, May 15, fe
