Hi all, Ron Tozer and I went out to Gull Island (Presqu’ile Prov. Park) this morning and relocated the Yellow-headed Blackbird found by David Bree yesterday. I think it is a female (most resembles figure 54h on plate 24 of the new world blackbird guide). It was sitting up on dead plant stalks on the south and west end of the pond on Gull Is. We did not see the Rn Phalarope that David had there yesterday. We did see a juv. Buff-breasted Sandpiper feeding with a Golden and 2 Bb Plover along the north side of the island, as well as a juv. Sb Dowitcher and Wilson’s Snipe at the pond. Other notable birds included 11 Greater Scaup, an immature Common Tern (scarce locally now), and a dark billed swan that keeps evading good looks and has variously been identified as Tundra and Trumpeter. It certainly is a perplexing bird being obviously smaller than the adjacent Mutes but with what looks like a heavier bill structure than would be expected in Tundra. If anyone can get good photos of this bird, please do!
As David indicated yesterday, the wade over to Gull Island is about waist deep at the deepest point but the substrate is firm gravel or sand and quite easy. On a calm day the bottom can be easily seen. It was calm today with no current but it could be tricky in waves or wind so I recommend using the buddy system in those conditions. Cheers Doug Doug McRae P.O. Box 3010 Brighton, Ontario K0K 1H0 613-475-5014 H 613-243-4161 C _______________________________________________ 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 Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
