Greetings birders, Today at 8am a group of about 32 birders were treated to quite a showing of fall migration activity at Van Wagner's beach & ponds, as well as at Windermere Basin and later at the Lakeland centre.
Our first patch at Van Wagner's Ponds was so filled with migration activity we advanced at a snails pace, taking a full 2.5 hours to get through due to an abundance of migrant passerines. Highlights were White-throated Sparrows by the dozens, White-crowned Sparrows, Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Red-breasted Nuthatches, a pair of Blue-headed Vireos, a number of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, a couple Orange-crowned Warblers, a Philadelphia Vireo, two Brown Thrashers, Eastern Phoebes, Winter Wrens, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Common Yellowthroats, a Black-throated Green Warbler, Blackpoll Warblers, Magnolia Warblers, Dark-eyed Juncos, Blackburnian Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Red-eyed Vireos.. and those were just the highlights. We then headed over to Windermere Basin, which also did not disappoint. Some observed species included Hudsonian Godwit, Dunlin, Baird's Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Black-bellied Plover, Northern Shoveler, Osprey, American Kestrel, Ruddy Duck, Caspian Tern, Green-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, and a couple resting Turkey Vultures. After lunch, some stayed around to see if jaegers would appear at Lakeland. The number an observer got to see depended on how long they stayed. A few got to see a Parasitic Jaegar at a distance, and some also got to see two more unidentified jaegars also at a distance. Also of note were a couple Sanderlings, as well as migrant warblers and kinglets passing by -- something not often seen at Lakeland centre. Thanks to all that attended, and thanks to Caleb Scholtens for taking down our records for eBird, and to all those who helped others out with shorebird and fall warbler IDs. Rob -- Robert Gerald Porter Hamilton Naturalists' Club / Field Events Director Weever Apps / Chief Innovation Officer, Co-founder http://twitter.com/rgeraldporter _______________________________________________ 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
