WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, March 26, 2000Some nice days this past week resulted in a bit of a flurry of birdactivity. Birders who drove to Wellington in hopes of viewing waterfowlended up being disappointed as most of the high numbers present earlier inthe month have now left.
As of Saturday, there were some 6,000 ducks atPresqu'ile for the first weekend of their annual waterfowl festival,representing about 25 species.Observers at Prince Edward Point late this week had good success down theretallying 10,000 OLDSQUAW, 1,000 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, 80 RING-NECKED DUCKS,350 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS and 20 AMERICAN WIGEON. Also present were REDHEAD, CANVASBACK, WOOD DUCK, GREEN-WINGED TEAL (2), SURF SCOTER (2), twoCOMMON LOONS in breeding plumage and a high of 10 HORNED GREBES.
Good observing can be had from South Bay (where thousands of ducks were reportedon Friday) right on down to the Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area.The phenomenal number of ducks encountered last week in a flooded cornfield near the corner of Kaiser Road and County Road 8, east of Waupoos, are now but a memory, but there was still a good population to keep observers happy this week. RING-NECKED DUCKS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, AMERICAN WIGEON and an impressive 810 NORTHERN PINTAILS were still present there on Thursday. Overall numbers of ducks were lower there today. Meanwhile at Point Petre, observers there on Wednesday found 300 OLDSQUAW. The wetlands and creeks and open lake along Wesley Acres Road south of Bloomfield contained small numbers of COMMON and HOODED MERGANSERS,RING-NECKED DUCKS, COMMON GOLDENEYE, BUFFLEHEAD, MALLARD and CANADA GEESElast week.
The warmer weather has done nothing to push the BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on their way. There were 600 at Prince Edward Point on Saturday, feasting on apples. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS were also seen last week along Dug Hill Road in Trenton(60), Big Island (60), Queen Street in Picton (60), and smaller numbers at a Century Drive residence in Picton.
RING-NECKED PHEASANTS are out and about searching for mates. An amorous male was wandering around Maitland Street in Picton on Tuesday, and other confused and bewildered males were sidestepping automobile traffic at four other locations - along the West Lake Road, at the Skyway Bridge south of Deseronto, on Royal Road near Milford and along Highway 33 at Adolphustown. New arrivals this past week included EASTERN PHOEBE (4 at Prince Edward Point, 3 at Presqu'ile, and one at Big Island). GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS (6 at P.E. Pt.), 1 VESPER SPARROW (P.E. Pt.) and an early VIRGINIA RAIL at the Frink Centre near Plainfield on Wednesday. There was also a COMMON SNIPE at Prince Edward Point on Saturday where observers also checked off TREE SWALLOW, 4 NORTHERN FLICKERS, 4 BROWN CREEPERS and a TURKEY VULTURE. There was also a TURKEY VULTURE along Bengill Road on Saturday. A light phase ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was seen at Milford today.
The NATURESTUFF web page has already been updated for the month of April.This month you will find information on waterfowl viewing areas in Prince Edward County (marshes and creeks where dabblers can be found), what birds are expected to arrive this month, some tips on naturalizing your premises,and some new information on the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory (soon to have their own web site). The special feature on the popular Droll Yankees line of bird feeders will remain for another month. All new photos,as well as the calendar of events for this year's 4th annual Prince Edward County Birding Festival, May 13 to the 20th.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 2nd. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario, Canada
tsprague@kos.net
www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
Dear Fellow Birders
Stopped at Grays Rd. in Stoney Creek on Saturday to look for any eiders or scoters but none of either, lots of Oldsquaw, and some Red-breated Mergansers, Bufflehead, Scaup, and Goldeneye.
Next stop after that was at the Winderemere Basin which the only good birds were 2 Cormorants, though some Scaup were present as well.
After I stopped at Tollgate Ponds and found both Shovellers and Ruddy Ducks there, also present were many Scaup.
Last stop was at LaSalle Marina in hoping for the female eider, but to no avail. There were 30 Coots, 7 Trumpeters and 2 Tundra Swans present, among the Gadwalls, Black Ducks, and R-B and Common Mergansers.
Mike Boyd Oakville, Ontario
In Reply to: Re: Heermann's Gull posted by Tyler on March 26, 2000 at 16:01:10:
Assuming this bird keeps being so wonderfully treatd to so easy and sumptuous a diet as has occurred so far through the kindness of birders, I might be inclined to agree it could spend its whole life here.
Speculation of potential future hybrid breeding as a possibility has occurred to many. Equally possible is that as a stranded bird it may never breed. I doubt though, that we will ever be able to prove a negative. Best we can hope for is to document any such occurrence as thoroughly as we can should it occur.
Such an eventuality has precedent with the 1981, 1982 (and possibly sooner) California Gull at the Leslie St. Spit.
The lone long-staying Kelp Gull in Maryland disappeared for a short while last spring. Who knows whether it attempted to hybridize? Like I said, it is easier to prove a known occurrence than to prove nothing occurred (in the absence of continuous monitoring - and night vision binoculars!).
Yesterday, March 25th, I led one of the Toronto Ornithological Club's Jim Baillie Memorial outings along the western Lake Ontario shore from Sunnyside/High Park to Stoney Creek.
While at Humber Bay Park East we discovered the Heermann's Gull in the east parking lot.
At Colonel Sam Smith Park we saw two Tree Swallows. This is about exactly right for when the first Tree Swallows usually appear in this area according to my own personal records. We also had 2 singing Northern Mockingbirds at Colonel Sam Smith.
Off the foot of Royal York we had a male Blue-winged Teal.
We visited High Park, Sunnyside, Humber Bay Park East & West, Colonel Sam Smith Park, Marie Curtis Park, Bronte Harbour, Appleby Line, Shoreacres Park, Walker's Line, Sioux Lookout, Van Wagner's Beach, Green Rd., Windermere Basin, Tollgate Ponds, North Shore Blvd., LaSalle Marina and the Hendrie Valley and saw close to 60 species.
In Reply to: Heermann's Gull posted by Joel Kits on March 25, 2000 at 19:35:13:
I got a strong feeling that this bird will spend the rest of its life in the lake Ontario Basin. When it matures it will probably then breed with a ring billed and have or attempt to have young. If it remains around this area that long then look to the Leslie st spit or the eastport drive area of Hamilton harbour for it's attempting to secure a ring-billed mate.
Tyler
Just a question: What's going to happen to the Heermann's Gull when it tries to migrate? It would be interesting to find out if it finds its way back to the west coast, or if it flies north with the arctic gulls, or even just sticks around. Any thoughts?
Joel Kits
This past Wednesday, I saw a flock of 40-50 Tundra Swans in a field at the northeast corner of Britannia and 5th Line near Milton. I had only a quick look at them in the morning and wasn't completely sure if they were Tundra Swans or Snow Geese. I took the same route back in the evening and was able to confirm that they were definitely Tundra Swans. The next morning they had moved on.
A pair of Tree Swallows just arrived and are checking out a nest box beside our pond 5 KM west of Stouffville. This seems early.
From Don Davis:
Just a reminder that the Presqu'ile Waterfowl Festival will run from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm on March 25 and 26 and April 1 and 2 . On March 25 and 26, Bushnell Sports Optics Worldwide will offer their popular "Binocular Hospital" cleaning service. A complete line of Bushnell binoculars and telescopes will also be available for field testing. Normal park fees will be charged, or, a donation of five dollars per vehicle will be gratefully accepted to help support next year''s festival. The Presqu'ile Waterfowl Festival is brought to you by the Friends of Presqu'ile Park in partnership with Ontario Parks. For more information please call (613) 475-4324.
Don Davis
Toronto,ON
P.S. A Carolina wren was last seen March 19th in the Residential area of the peninsula. Check the Bird Sightings Board book for the most recent sighting location.
Further to Tyler's recent message about Mountsberg, here are some recent sightings from the reservoir, over the past few days: 28 Ring-necked Ducks, 24 Common Mergansers, 13 Hooded Mergansers, 2 Bufflehead, and 1 Pied-billed Grebe. Last year in late March and early April, the reservoir was extremely productive, with hundreds of ducks of various kinds present - I expect this will be the case again in the coming weeks. The birds present change almost daily, and move around the reservoir too - it's worth checking the different lookout ponits to see what's around.
Marcel
In Reply to: Quinte Area Bird Report - Mar. 19/00 posted by Terry Sprague on March 19, 2000 at 19:50:46:
I have strayed into this online reporting site but was interested in your report on ducks last Sunday. That day, just before leaving Quebec and entering Ontario on the 401 between 2:45 and 2:55 in the afternoon, I saw hundreds of ducks flying north high overhead in many v and trailing line formations coming in waves from the south.
One Pileated Woodpecker was seen halfway along walkway from Edward's Gardens to Wilket Creek Park at 1:30 pm today. Also the Cooper's Hawks are on their territory behind Sunnybrook Hospital as they have bred there for years.
Good calm clear day for birding in both the marsh and scopping Lake Ontario off McLaughlin Bay. Both Second Marsh and McLaughlin Bay free of ice. The following sightings obs. 700AM to 1:30PM.
Second Marsh - East viewing platform 4 Eastern Meadowlarks - east side fields Numerous Killdeer & Song Sparrows - east side fields 22 Mute Swans 4 Northern Shovelers 3 Common Mergansers 2 American Wigeon 18 Northern Pintails 30 American Black Duck
McLaughlin Bay-Viewed from barrier 1 Kingfisher 150-200 Ring-necked Ducks 14 Canvasbacks 8 American Wigeon 14 Mute Swans 1 Trumpeter Swan 1 Long Eared Owl on Osprey Platform marauded by 32 Crows
Lake Ontario - At McLaughlin Bay 14 Common Mergansers Countless Goldeneye & Buffleheads 2 Red Breasted Mergansers
Ghost Road Boardwalk Trail 1 Sharp-shinned Hawk at 20 feet.
ALL IN ALL A GOOD DAY
In Reply to: Re: Right on schedule posted by Jim Heffernan on March 19, 2000 at 20:38:34:
I think perhaps it might be a good idea to respond to this request privately rather than to broadcast this known heronry location over the internet.
GC
In Reply to: Right on schedule posted by Colleen on March 19, 2000 at 19:09:43:
"King City Blue Herons"?? Is that the Township of King "King City"??
I live only minutes from King City and am not aware of any colony in the area. It would be greatly appreciated if you could point the way to them.
Thanks in advance.
Jim
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, March 19, 2000
Despite a significant snowfall last weekend, followed by a week of rather cold weather, there were still some interesting sightings in the Quinte area. There was a NORTHERN FLICKER in Wellington on Monday. GREAT BLUE HERONS have been seen at Peat's Point, Rednersville, and at Northport. KILLDEERS, of course, are everywhere now and TREE SWALLOWS are beginning to turn up in small numbers. There was one flying over the Trent River in Trenton opposite the Domtar plant on Friday, along with a very early one on Amherst Island a week ago Friday. EASTERN MEADOWLARKS have been seen at Big Island, Prince Edward Point, Deseronto and Brighton. The early FOX SPARROW on March 9th at Waupoos, mentioned in last weekend's report, was matched by a sighting of several others at a feeder at Yarker on the same day. There were 19 WILD TURKEYS at the sharp corner along Babylon Road a week ago, and an adult BALD EAGLE seen flying along Long Reach near the community of Woodville in Sophiasburgh Township today.
Still some good feeder birds around. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are still coming to many of the same feeders around the county. There were four RED CROSSBILLS at a feeder just east of Milford on Wednesday. A flock of 60 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, a species we haven't heard from in a few weeks, settled into a flowering crab tree on Queen Street in Picton today. COMMON REDPOLLS are still being reported at most bird feeders in Prince Edward County.
There was no report this weekend on the status of the duck population at Wellington. However, this was more than made up by a phenomenal sight in some flooded cornfields near Kaiser Road, east of Waupoos where large numbers this morning were thought to have arrived overnight. By this afternoon, their numbers had declined. A rough count produced some 1,000 MALLARDS, 500 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 100 BLACK DUCKS, 100 CANADA GEESE, and a lone AMERICAN WIGEON and a few GADWALLS. Two AMERICAN COOTS were in West Lake at Wellington on Monday.
A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK was hunting in the area north of the railway tracks in the Quinte Conservation Area on Friday, and a NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen in the field about 100 metres behind the storage barn on the same property one day earlier. NORTHERN SHRIKES this past week were also seen at Crofton, Big Island, Huff's Island, and Carrying Place.
The fourth annual Prince Edward County Birding Festival will be taking place this spring from May 13th to the 20th. There will be guided hikes, a wildlife art show, photography workshops, and our keynote speaker Dr. Martin Edwards from the Kingston Field Naturalists. The Festival coincides with the Annual General Meeting of the Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory featuring guest speaker Dr. Charles Francis. Complete details are now contained under Outdoor Events at: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The Birding Festival is being presented jointly this year by Quinte Conservation, Prince Edward County Field Naturalists, Prince Edward County Chamber of Tourism and Commerce and Taste the County.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 26th. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague
tsprague@kos.net
www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
Just reporting that the "King City Blue Herons" have begun to arrive back home. For approximatly the past 10-12 years I have enjoyed watching the blue herons (upwards of 50+, a few years back). The school March Break has always been their arrival time and on Sat. March 18 I saw my first one. On Sunday there were two. I hope to see a good sized colony this year.
Colleen
In Reply to: Hooded Merganser on Humber posted by George Wilson on December 24, 1999 at 12:23:56:
I was lucky enough to have a beautiful pair of Hooded mergansers grace my small woodland pond for a few days. They 'blew' in on a big SE storm. They were surprisingly bold and did not fly when the dog drank from the pond or when vehicles drove by the pond. The male was strutting his stuff and displaying. I would love to find out more about these beautiful birds. They are not often seen here on Cortes Island and I do not expect they will be staying.
Yesterday (March 12) after doing some work in the Royal Botanical Gardens library I found some time for a little birding and saw the following:
21 Evening Grosbeaks in the Hendrie Valley 8 Pine Siskins in LaSalle Park The female King Eider at the LaSalle marina (up on shore about 1 metre away). 7 Trumpeter Swans (nos. 334, 379, 395, 404 & 440 + 2 with hidden tags) 3 singing Song Sparrows at LaSalle Park 1 Winter Wren in the Hendrie Valley
Also at Bronte Harbour I saw a Pied-billed Grebe and 5 Red-necked Grebes. The Red-necked Grebes were doing courtship calling.
Earlier in the day both Great Cormorants were still present in Port Credit Harbour.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, March 12, 2000
Any scarcity of birds at feeders this past week was likely more than made up for this morning with the arrival of about 15 cm of fresh snow. At our own feeders there were 400+ birds crowding around the large area I had shoveled clean earlier this morning. Most were EUROPEAN STARLING, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD, COMMON GRACKLE and BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD, but everything else was there too feeding in complete harmony with each other, including MOURNING DOVE, BLUE JAY, DARK-EYED JUNCO and the usual winter guests. Three suet logs were stripped clean by noon, and all 22 feeders were refilled three times.
It was quite a mixed scene in the county this past week. Mild weather during the first half of the week brought a flurry of migrants into the area including numerous reports of EASTERN MEADOWLARK, KILLDEER, SONG SPARROWS, and AMERICAN WOODCOCKS. A few of the more interesting sightings this week included an early FOX SPARROW at Waupoos on Thursday, an extremely early FIELD SPARROW today at Consecon (may have wintered somewhere), a BELTED KINGFISHER at Point Petre on Wednesday, a GREAT BLUE HERON at Prinyer's Cove on Thursday, and a WINTER WREN poking around a wood pile at West Lake yesterday.
There were 4 TURKEY VULTURES at Point Petre on Thursday, and a fairly strong movement of CANADA GEESE passing through the area during mid-week. PURPLE FINCHES have been noted at Point Petre, and at Prinyer's Cove there have been as many as 12 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS on the ice in the cove. PILEATED WOODPECKERS have been seen at Waupoos (1), Prinyer's Cove (1), Fish Lake (5 ! ), Slaven Road (1), and Big Island (1). RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS were reported coming to feeders northwest of Bloomfield, and at Fish Lake. COMMON REDPOLLS are still turning up at area feeders in fairly good numbers with a high of 40 present at a feeder northwest of Bloomfield.
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS were seen on Thursday at the old Lakeshore Lodge site at Sandbanks Provincial Park. There were NORTHERN SHRIKES this week at Crofton, Huff's Island Road and at Consecon.
Waterfowl numbers continue to fluctuate depending on where one happens to be. At Cressy Bayside there are hundreds of CANADA GEESE along the shore at various points, along with other species such as MALLARD, AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS and BUFFLEHEADS. West Lake at Wellington was a "bonanza" according to observer Lloyd Paul who on Thursday found 1,400 ducks comprising 1200 scaup, 10 CANVASBACK, 30 REDHEADS, 30 MALLARDS, 20 BUFFLEHEAD, 10 AMERICAN WIGEON, 6 RING-NECKED DUCKS, 80 CANADA GEESE, 20 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 20 COMMON MERGANSERS and one AMERICAN COOT. Huff's Island Road had a GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and the causeway leading to Sheba's Island produced 4 HOODED MERGANSERS. However, the Bucknell's Slough off Wesley Acres Road, normally a birder's paradise at this time of the year, is all but dry this spring. The good numbers of ducks that had occupied Soup Harbour at Point Petre seem to have left with only a few scattered groups of BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON GOLDENEYE remaining.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 19th. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
tsprague@kos.net
www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
This morning we saw 4 red necked grebes in the Bronte outer harbour, behaving as two pairs. This is the first of this year.
Since the last grebe did not leave until late Nov/early Dec, they do not spend much time elsewhere!
Nick Avery
In Reply to: Tundra Swans, Guelph Area posted by L. Berry on March 11, 2000 at 19:40:57:
That is an impressive sighting north of Guelph. Most Tundra Swans I ever saw in the Guelph area were south of the city and usually at the Mountsberg reservoir. Mountsberg can be absolutely incredible for waterfowl and grebes in the spring and fall. The field on the southwest side of the reservoir south of the train tracks can have large numbers of Tundra swans feeding there. My record at mountsberg was 1169 tundra swans in march 1996 with over a thousand in that field alone. Also in the reservoir there are usually large numbers of coots, widgeons, scaup, and ruddy ducks during migration. If anyone is in the Guelph/campbellville area this place is worth a visit.
Saturday, March 11, 2000. 2:30 p.m. Overcast but good visibility. Was travelling south on Highway 6, just south of Fergus, in the afternoon and saw in a plowed field about 150 Tundra Swans, spread out the length of the field among the corn stubble. There was not much eating going on but there were a few instances of wing displays among a few smaller groups. A remarkable sight which had a few cars stopping to watch.
In Reply to: Re: More signs of spring... posted by Joel Kits on March 09, 2000 at 15:47:30:
I just saw my first Killdeer of the year today in the north end of Scarborough (near Steeles Ave. and Markham Rd.). I've heard them in a couple of areas around Maple already.
I've also noticed a big jump in raptor numbers on my drives around town on business. I haven't any time to examine them closely while driving but the majority seem to be buteos (mostly RT Hawks and at least one RL Hawk). I got a brief look at what might have been a perched Harrier or perhaps a Coopers (a long tailed, lean raptor, seen in bad light for a short period of time).
I'm curious to see what the impending return to realistic March temperatures does to all the early migrants - I'll be watching my feeders a little more closely.
Jim H.
In Reply to: More signs of spring... posted by Jim Heffernan on March 07, 2000 at 21:33:38:
I too have been noticing signs of spring, even north of the city. In Woodbridge, I have seen grackles and a accipiter that I believe was a Cooper's Hawk (I didn't have binoculars, but it was extremely long-tailed and at least twice as large as nearby starlings, both of which seem to be pretty good indications), and heard Red-winged Blackbirds and Killdeer calling.
Enjoy the weather while it lasts.
Joel Kits
Hi All,
It's certainly beginning to look like spring (we'll see how long it lasts).
My feeders have been visited by a few species that were absent for the past few months. Recent visitors have included Common Grackles, BC Chickadees (not a winter visitor here), and WB Nuthatch. I've probably missed a few other things as I haven't been watching the feeder all that intently. Also, it appears our local American Goldfinches are now in molt. Robins are common in the neighbourhood and have been seen chasing each other around. Finally, the Cardinals which have been wintering locally are now starting to sing (they've been silent for a long time), although the pair of Cardinals which staked out a territory that included my feeders last year have yet to put in an appearance.
Things are looking up.
Jim H.
I spent the mooring in Burlington at LaSalle Park ( which cane be found at the foot of LaSalle pk. rd. by tacking the waterdown exit from the 403)looking for the Heermann's Gull with know luck .But did have some great looks at the F-King Eider ( and it has all 4 of it's toes) and up to 200 Tundra Swan's over head .
once I left there I desired to go to the Polson st parking lot hear in Toronto(which cane be found off of Cherry st south of Lake shore blvd . east) and after 15 minutes our 1st winter Heermann's gull was at my feet looking for hand outs ...
it must be the Toronto weather that keeps bring it back !!??..
hahahaaaa
Craig McLauchlan csam@sympatico.ca
i saw about 40 robins today in my backyard and it is mating season
Yesterday, March 5, 2000, I saw a Pied-billed Grebe in Bronte Harbour and today I saw a Turkey Vulture flying east over Queen's Park at about 2:00 p.m.
These are early arrivals that likely didn't winter too much further south.
Dear Fellow Birders
Yesterday I had a flock of 70 or so Tundra Swans fly-over Trafalger Rd and Hwy 5 in Oakville yesterday and they were heading directly west, certainly a nice sight to see so many swans so close to home.
Mike Boyd Oakville, Ontario
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, March 05, 2000
Not as exciting a week in the Quinte area as the previous week, but still some good spring sightings. The female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD was last seen on February 26th and to our knowledge, has not been seen since, despite attempts by several birders. EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, however, have been popping up all over the place this past week.
There was a good movement of AMERICAN ROBINS and RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS throughout the Quinte area last week, along with a few other signs of spring . There was a pair of COMMON GRACKLES at Peat's Point on Saturday and PINE SISKINS at a feeder on Royal Road. Reports of TUNDRA SWANS were so numerous and scattered last week, it is impossible to know whether some were migrants or some of the over 40 that had been seen in local waters as late as January, and perhaps which wintered somewhere nearby. Between 60 and 90 TUNDRA SWANS were seen in flight over Stirling last Sunday. Although well out of the Quinte area, a Quinte Conservation staff member notified me from his car phone on Friday, that he and several others were watching 27 in a flooded area near Keene.
The waters of some of the inland lakes are beginning to give way to the milder weather. East Lake was open for about 300 metres from the boat ramp where Belleville birder Don Craighead found 35 RING-NECKED DUCKS. Observer Wynne Thomas on Tuesday counted 800 OLDSQUAW in Soup Harbour mixed in with 500 each of COMMON GOLDENEYE and BUFFLEHEAD, as well as four TUNDRA SWANS in flight over Point Petre. Wellington Harbour hosted 7 TUNDRA SWANS, 2 MUTE SWANS (also seen by another observer on Thursday), 4 AMERICAN WIGEON, and mixed numbers of COMMON MERGANSER, OLDSQUAW, COMMON GOLDENEYE, CANADA GEESE, BUFFLEHEAD, MALLARD, BLACK DUCK and GREATER SCAUP.
Despite the mild weather, there has been a bit of activity at local bird feeders. There are five RUFFED GROUSE coming to a feeder at Cressy bayside, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS at feeders everywhere, and a female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER still coming to a feeder at Elmbrook where it has been since last October. There is another female at a feeder along County Road 1, northwest of Bloomfield.
Other good sightings this past week included an immature BALD EAGLE at Little Bluff Conservation Area on Monday, a GREAT HORNED OWL being harassed by many crows at the west end of the Woodlands Campground at Sandbanks on Saturday, and 2 ICELAND GULLS and 3 GLAUCOUS GULLS at the Napanee Dump on Monday.
The pelagic boat trip to Main Duck Island, organized by Quinte Conservation, scheduled for October 14th, is now filled. Anyone wishing to be placed on a waiting list is welcome to do so in the event that someone may cancel. The boat trip is one of 57 outdoor events, canoe/kayak trips, guided hikes and aerial tours scheduled to take place this year in the Quinte area.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 12th. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
tsprague@kos.net
www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
In Reply to: Humber Bay at 7:35 am posted by Jean-François Hic on March 05, 2000 at 12:02:11:
I saw a flock of about 25 Ruddy Ducks at Humber Bay on the 4th at about 4:00 PM, so it's quite probable you saw them as well this morning.
I also saw a shrike at Humber Bay yesterday, but couldn't identify it to species before it flew away. Can anyone tell me which species of shrike is most likely to be seen here at this time of year?
Dominik Halas
Seen at Humber Bay this Sunday morning at 7:35: 2 males Hooded Mergansers + 1 female. Scaups. Oldsqaw. Buffleheads. What seems to be the same Common Merganser couple for the past 3 weeks. Mourning Doves. Common Grackles. Red-winged Blackbirds. 1 Cowbird. 1 Yellow-Billied Sapsucker. 10 American Robins.
I also saw, far from the shore, about 50 small ducks. I was not able to identify them (especially without my glasses!!!) but they looked like Ruddy Ducks. Can anybody confirm?
Thanks and good birding,
Jean-François Hic
P.S.: I would like to extend a special thanks to all the birders on this site indicating quite precisely (street names for example) the exact location where they saw some interesting birds. It allows everybody to enjoy the same sighting.
In Reply to: Re: Snow Egret answer posted by C McLauchlan on May 31, 1999 at 15:44:22:
interesting what or who you find on the web while browsing regards al
In Reply to: Travelling swans posted by George Daszkowski on March 03, 2000 at 20:33:59:
I believe it's too big a flock to be Trumpeters so chances are your gut feel is correct that there're Tundras.
Al
On Thursday morning I spotted 24-30 swans which I believe were tundras.
They were 3-500 meters off shore and very isolated from the local swans feeding along the shores
In Reply to: More on early birds posted by Marcel Gahbauer on March 01, 2000 at 20:35:48:
Hello All,
Red-winged blackbirds have certainly moved inland.
Today I noticed several 'territorial' males staking out their own small patches of marshland while driving along Keele Street between Maple and King City.
Spring is in the air.
Jim H.
In Reply to: Heber Down C. A. posted by Hench on February 29, 2000 at 22:16:35:
I used to visit Heber Down frequently, but have not spent much time there in the last few years, so I'm not sure I can picture where the golf course is proposed to go.
Nonetheless, the potential for the golf course disturbs me. I have seen many instances where "low quality" land is actually valuable grassland habitat. While wetlands and forests have gained some measures of protection over the years, there is very little acknowledgement that meadows / old fields / etc. have any biological value. On the contrary, many of the species requiring this habitat are becoming increasingly scarce as a by-product of this attitude, and it's time that their needs are addressed too.
As I said, I have no first-hand knowledge of how truly degraded the lands in question are. But I suspect that at least part of the area does support grassland birds, butterflies, dragonflies, etc. This should certainly be taken into strong consideration when considering any kind of development for this area. I would encourage anyone who is familiar with and interested in this area to attend these public meetings and provide input.
(This all seems eerily reminiscent of the recent battle to keep the golf course out of the east side of Bronte Creek Provincial Park - where again the grassland habitat was declared expandable. Thankfully there a strong swell of public support convinced the Royal Canadian Golf Association to look elsewhere for their new site).
Marcel
Well, it seems like I've generated quite a bit of discussion on this topic! Certainly reports from all around are indicating that various birds are arriving earlier than usual, and I stand corrected. It would seem that I am simply fortunate to live in an area where these species regularly appear unusually early. Perhaps in other years they arrive along the Scarborough bluffs (and other parts of the shoreline) and stage here for a few days before spreading inland, whereas this year they have pushed right through because of the mild weather. I'll have to pay attention next spring around this time...
Thanks Don, for the additional information on the Don River diving ducks. I generally don't have my binoculars with me on the subway, but thankfully the Common Merganser is easy to identify at a distance. With scoters, however, I would be a bit more hesitant.
As for the Robins, the distinction between wintering birds and recent arrivals is admittedly largely a matter of instinct. I've seen the local wintering flock on a number of occasions, and though the birds the other morning were within the same area, their behaviour was quite different - they flitted nervously from tree to tree, clucking a lot, but not really looking for food. This behaviour is similar to what the red-wings and grackles were doing when they arrived; within a day or two they had already settled in to territories of sorts and had switched from giving calls to full song.
Interesting to note, I have not yet seen any Cowbirds in the Toronto - Hamilton corridor this spring. I did see quite a number in Haldimand County last weekend, but they seem to have held back so far, at least for the most part.
Looking forward to the arrival of the Song Sparrows and Tree Swallows...
Marcel
In Reply to: Female Eider ID posted by Mark Cranford on February 22, 2000 at 12:33:42:
I find that if you go by collier and shape, espshely the shape of the head and bill you cant go wrong. I know that sun light (I was a lighting designer) and distains come in to play but the head and bill shape are so different it hard to confuse.
Craig
In Reply to: Re: Early dates posted by Hench on March 01, 2000 at 10:06:38:
Yes Brian, I do know that in Durham region end of March Tree Swallows have become the norm. The first Tree Swallows that I usually notice are the first real wave of migrants and not the eager males which love to be the first ones to reach home, unless they fly across the lake at bonniebrae point.
Have you noticed up in Brooklin in the last week a visible movement of American Tree Sparrows.
Tyler
In Reply to: Common Merganser on the Don posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 28, 2000 at 12:01:02:
Common Mergansers have been regular in this area since at least the eighties. They are sometimes even joined by scoters. It's also a good place to watch for early returning Black-crowned Night Herons and Blue Herons.
Re:Grackles, etc. It's not unusual to get the odd returning individuals, or small flocks of Grackles, Redwings and Robins before the end of February.
But to get a steady stream of flocks with up to 30 or 40 birds, especially for the Grackles, seems out of the ordinary. It has happened in other years, but not for awhile.
In Reply to: Re: Early dates posted by Tyler on February 29, 2000 at 23:15:27:
I'll be keeping an eye out for the Tree Swallows to see if they re-claim their nest boxes around my pond before the end of March.
In Reply to: Re: Early dates posted by Tyler on February 29, 2000 at 23:15:27:
In Durham Region, March Tree Swallows have been the norm during the past decade. For example, the earliest in 1990 were on March 15th. Early dates (i.e., the first reported) do not tell us as much as the date(s) of the general arrival of a particular species.
In Reply to: Re: Common Merganser on the Don posted by Al Johnston on February 29, 2000 at 09:41:17:
This isn't about mergansers. It's about robins.
I suggest the best way to differentiate migrants from over-wintering ones is to judge by location. For example, I consider the two I saw this past weekend near home in Maple to be migrants as I have never seen over-wintering robins in the area. In a different local, I wouldn't have a clue.
Obviously then, the observer must know what birds are found in what area in what season (if you have to ask the question. In the case of robins, the ones I saw were also solitary and not found in a flock. This might be indicative of territorial behaviour associated with breeding.
I expect your question was at least half in jest. I'm really just excited about seeing robins in the neighbourhood this past weekend.
Jim
In Reply to: Early dates posted by Hench on February 29, 2000 at 16:19:08:
Grackles, Redwings, killdeer and Woodcocks usually show up in Durham around the first week in march. I have kept personal records on migrants for the last 10 years and have found that redwings and grackles usually show up around Oshawa march 7 +/- 2 days. We will really know things are early if the Tree swallows can be their April 7th average by a week and arrive in march.
Tyler
The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority is holding an open house at Cullen Gardens Restaurant, 300 Taunton Road, Whitby, on March 9 & 10 (3-5pm and 7-9pm) concerning a proposal for a golf course at Heber Downs Conservation Area.
The Open House letter states that the proposed course will use 100 acres of land in the northeast sectioon of the Conservation Area that is "largely degraded", and goes on to list six benefits that the course will provide to the community and the Authority (no disadvantages are provided). According to the letter, an environmental evaluation has not yet been undertaken (but will be proceeded with after community input at the open house). This may lead some to question how the "largely degraded" conclusion has been reached at this point in the process.
Heber Downs was the subject of a volunteer inventory day two years ago which identified a variety of regionally rare, scarce, declining and/or area sensitive breeding birds, flora, regionally rare dragonflies, many of these attributes were on the "degraded" lands or were supported by those lands. Heber Downs is also one of the few places were the landform of the ancient Lake Iroqouis shoreline, is under public ownership.
While the benefits of a golf course on public conservation lands may indeed outweigh any disadvantages, interested persons may wish to engage the public consultation process.
CLOCA can be reached at: cloca@speedline.ca
In Reply to: Common Merganser on the Don posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 28, 2000 at 12:01:02:
In my limited experience (the last decade) this influx of grackles in particular is indeed early. By about two weeks. In earlier years, arrivals of grackles in Durham Region were exceptional during the first week of March, let alone February. An assessment of whether a general arrival of spring migrants is early or not, needs a longer perspective than just the past five years - which just happen to coincide with the warmest five years since record-keeping began.
I was surprised to see a red-winged blackbird and three common grackles at my mixed seed feeder on Saturday the 26th and Sunday Feb. 27, and only the grackles on Monday. I live in the lower southeast part of Toronto, a 15 minute walk to Ashbridges Bay.
In Reply to: Common Merganser on the Don posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 28, 2000 at 12:01:02:
Good spotting, Marcel.(do you take your binoculars with you on the Subway?) Saw a flock of about 30 Robins flying over yesterday--how do you tell the spring Robins from the over-wintering ones? Al
In Reply to: Durham Birds posted by Joel Kits on February 21, 2000 at 20:59:27:
Hi Joel, A very belated followup( for some reason I couldn't post??). I checked for the Tundra Swan at Whitby but I guess it had gone. There were, however, 5 Mute Swans and a Eurasian Shelduck. Terry Sprague figures it's probably an escapee but quite a unique looking bird. Al
In Reply to: Durham Birds posted by Joel Kits on February 21, 2000 at 20:59:27:
Test
Riding on the subway across the Bloor Viaduct yesterday afternoon (Feb 27), I spotted a male Common Merganser in the middle of the Don just to the north. I have now seen Common Mergansers at this site for three of the past four years in early spring, but never at any other time of year, and never anywhere else along the river.
In terms of other signs of spring, in the Guildwood area of Scarborough there have been spring robins (as opposed to those which wintered in the area) since last Thursday, and I saw the first grackles and red-winged blackbirds this morning. All three were singing, as were cardinals and house finches.
I've noticed many people suggesting that these birds are unusually early this year, but I don't agree. For the past five years, I have always seen robins returning shortly after Feb. 20, and grackles and red-wings nearly every year in the last day or two of February. Perhaps they are hitting some other sites earlier than usual, but here at least things are right on schedule.
Marcel
On a short walk through High Park this afternoon we have seen our first American Robin, Common Grackle, Rubby Crowned Kinglet and few chipmunks. Kind of early for all of them.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, February 27, 2000
This past week tired me all out just hearing about it. The big news was a well marked female MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD just west of Prince Edward Point. First seen by Bud Rowe and Joel Ellis of the Kingston Field Naturalists on Tuesday, February 22nd, the bird has remained in the same area through this weekend. Generally associating with three EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, the western straggler this weekend was near the Gravelly Bay Road at County Road 13. Prince Edward County's only other record of this species, also a female, was 10 years ago, almost to the month, and just a few kilometres west of this week's sighting.
Whether these bluebirds are a sign of an early spring, we don't know, but there certainly have been other sightings to suggest it. KILLDEERS this past week began trickling into the county on Thursday, with sighings at Gravelly Bay Road (3), Black River (1), Consecon (4), and one at Fenwood Gardens. Exceptionally early AMERICAN WOODCOCKS turned up at Morrison's Point on Friday (probing the soft earth over a septic bed), and at Presqu'ile on Saturday. High AMERICAN ROBIN numbers this past week included 75 along Babylon Road, 250 on Big Island's South Shore Road, 20 on Potter Road, and lesser numbers on Partridge Hollow Road, Sandbanks, Waupoos and Ameliasburgh. There were four TUNDRA SWANS in flight over Milford this evening (likely some of the 40+ that hung around the South Bay area until freeze-up), and a TRUMPETER SWAN today in Weller's Bay at Barcovan Beach where there were also 38 MUTE SWANS. On Tuesday there was a male RING-NECKED PHEASANT on Fish Lake Road , and 6 RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS on East Lake Road near the Beaver Meadow entrance. A pair of NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS appeared to be establishing territory on Thursday near the Mariner's Museum at South Bay. A NORTHERN FLICKER was in Trenton last week.
But there have also been other sightings to remind us that winter is still with us. SNOW BUNTINGS, in flocks of 25 each, were seen at the Quinte Skyway Bridge west of Deseronto and at Big Island. A feeder near the Goodrich-Loomis Conservation Area, north of Brighton has 60 EVENING GROSBEAKS coming regularly, the dependable NORTHERN SHRIKE is still along County Road 14 just west of the Doxee Road turnoff, and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are still coming to feeders at 2800 County Road 1 (where the Black-backed Woodpecker was seen earlier this winter), Melville Road east of Consecon Lake, and near the corner of County Roads 1 and 2. Large numbers of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS included 800 at Prince Edward Point yesterday and another 400 feeding in a flowering crab tree at Big Island, also yesterday.
Thousands of ducks are beginning to show up at Presqu'ile, and today there was an estimated 8,000, mainly GREAT SCAUP, interspersed with good numbers of COMMON GOLDENEYE, and plenty of MALLARDS, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, RING-NECKED DUCKS, AMERICAN WIGEONS, REDHEADS, CANVASBACKS, BUFFLEHEADS, OLDSQUAW, COMMON MERGANSERS and a couple of AMERICAN COOTS. Weller's Bay today had a lot of open water and species seen there at Barcovan Beach included COMMON GOLDENEYES and a sprinkling of BLACKS, MALLARDS, GREEN-WINGED TEALS, RING-NECKED DUCKS, COMMON MERGANSERS, GADWALLS, and CANADA GEESE. At an open area near a dock at still frozen Prinyer's Cove, kept open by a bubble system, there is a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS and 3 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS.
Other noteworthy sightings this past week included an EASTERN SCREECH OWL peeking its head out of wood duck box at Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area, a NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL in Ameliasburgh, a BROWN CREEPER and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW northwest of Bloomfield, and a NORTHERN HARRIER just south of Smoke's Point Road.
And I think that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 5th. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
tsprague@kos.net
www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
On Feb 26 we spotted a mixed flock of at least 200 common grackles and rwb's in a field near Copetown (Hamilton). In our (somewhat limited) experience, this is at least 10 days earlier than usual.
It,s back !!!!! at 3:55 this after noon Jean Iron and I wear at the parking lot off of Polson st hear in Toronto and like a Hollywood move the Heermann's gull came flying right out of the fog and land at our feet , It was very hungry eating 3 smelt and 3 egg,s (hard boiled) there wear big smells all a around !!!!
Craig McLauchlan
Wednesday in Poort Credit I saw a flight of 8 swans that I believed to be trumpeters. They were flying east along the watersedge, did a bit of a loop around the Adamson estate and Cooksville Creek before heading east into the city.
Noisy and fast, I they had black bills and sounded much like geese, but louder. Suggestions?
I played hooky this morning but missed see any Eiders at LaSalle.
Except when he says "You just missed it, man." I'm a really big fan of Geoff Carpenter. Matter of fact I can't think of a single OFO ex-pres I don't admire. Any I posting two email from the ONTBIRD list server in hopes of generating a bit of discussion on female Eider ID. I think this bulletin board is a better place to discuss Hamilton birding than ONTBIRDS and would like to see more ID topics covered here.
Subject:
eiders, cormorants, swans and scoters
Date:
Mon, 21 Feb 2000 08:34:41 -0500
From:
"Geoff Carpentier" Another couple, Terrie and I studied it for about 10 minutes as it stayed in very close to the
shore with the puddle ducks. The bird, to me, looked almost exactly like the depiction in the
third edition of National Geographic, with the following minor exceptions: the overall colour
was a shade "blonder" than that shown for the "dresseri" race [east coast]. The horizontal
barring on the upper breast shown in the field guide was not nearly as evident on our bird, nor
did it seem to rise as high on the breast as shown. The upper part of the breast seemed almost
unmarked in fact. The lower part, near the water line was clearly heavily marked however.
Other than this, the bill shape and colour [gray], slope of the head, head and face colour,
barring on the flanks, eye markings and the heavy patterning and light feather edging on the
coverts was very obvious and as shown in NG. Now here's where I'd like to scold Ron, Bob,
Jean, Alan, and Willie - to name a few - because you!
guys [and gals] always write such detailed, excellent and descriptive reports of your
sightings, I find that not only do I have to report my observations, with reference to species,
but now I have to try to go to the subspecific level - to do this I have to do research!!! To
this end, I do believe this female is a "dresseri", based on the overall colouration, that
being much more reddish [?] brown than dark brown. In the course of my research, I did find an
amazing variation in the photos and/or paintings of the female Common Eider, so variable in
fact that one might think there were actually five or six races. Even the female "dresseri" was
shown as everything from the depiction in NG to a dark bodied individual virtually identical to
the "nigra" race! One book even showed the female King Eider looking almost identical to the
Common in colour, but not shape [body and bill]. This made me pause for a few minutes and
reconsider the identification. But not to worry, the!
field marks we saw are definitive, and I think the book actually erre
d Directions to Lawrence Sayers Park and Greens Road ... QEW to Hwy 20, exit and take North
Service Road east to Drakes Road and then go straight to the lake. When you reach the last
row of houses turn right for a short distance to a dead end. Park on Oceanic Drive [read the no
parking restrictions] and look out over the water by L. Sayer's Park. Greens Road is the next
significant road south of here. Lasalle Park is easily reached by following the North Shore
Blvd of the QEW towards Hamilton and watching for Lasalle Park Road. Follow this road a short
distance to the lakeshore and the park. When you get there, the eider was in with the Mallards
in very shallow water in the small embayment [near a concrete boat launch] just to the right of
the parking area. Good birding! Geoff Carpentier
Ajax, Ont.
carpenge@ene.gov.on.ca
Re: Female King Eider field marks
Date:
Tue, 22 Feb 2000 09:07:10 EST
From:
Mitchmail9@aol.com
To:
ontbirds@hwcn.org
I read the notes on the uncomfirmed Common Eider female and something didn't seem quite right. When identifying female King Eiders look for the chevron black markings on the breast and
flanks, unlike the streaks in the Common Eider. This tends to give the markings in the plumage
of King Eiders a more organized look. Also, King eiders are only about 2/3 to 3/4 the size of
Common Eiders. Another good field mark if you can get close enough is that the way the form of
the bill in the King Eider tends to make it look like it is smiling. The bill of the King
Eider, in general, is darker than for Commons. Also, most King Eiders have a brighter cinnamon wash than King eiders, however, I have seen
Common Eiders that are cinnamon but nowhere near as cinnamon as the most cinnamon King Eider,
if you can follow that. Lighting can play a factor in this and there is so much overlap that
it is not a reliable field observation for identification but when you do find a brightly,
cinnamon female they are quite amazing. I hope someone can nail this bird. For those that have not seen a King Eider female it is
worth the trek if confirmed - it is an inredible plumage and rivals the beauty of some of the
larger shorebirds. Maybe this phenomenon is a result of the birds needing to blend into the
Arctic tundra as do the shorebirds. Mitch Meredith
Yesterday we went on a birding trip to the Durham region. The highlights included a flock (or two flocks combined) of 400 Bohemian Waxwings on one of the sideroads east of Salem Rd. (2 or 8, I think), 1/2 km. north of Concession 7. At the Brock St. bridge, we found the Tundra Swan, a female Lesser Scaup, and what appeared to be a Barnacle Goose x Canada Goose hybrid. At the Hall's Road larch plantation, we missed the crossbills, but just before sunset we saw two Short-eared Owls, another owl (possibly a Screech Owl) and eight Ring-necked Pheasants to finish a fine day.
Thanks to Marcel Gahbauer for the directions. Joel Kits
In Reply to: Quinte Area Bird Report - Feb. 20/00 posted by Terry Sprague on February 20, 2000 at 19:34:08:
Enjoyed your report Terry, particularly the story
about the cardinal.Used to enjoy, as well, your
articles in the Nature Society News years ago.
With our spring-fed pond being one of the few in
the area ( 5 km west of Stouffville ) having open
water, there must be five hundred or so mallards
and black ducks. I just wish I could attract
purple martins like that!
I'ii be carefully watching your reports in April
to learn when the martins are returning.
Al
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, February 20, 2000
Some would argue that I am being overly anthropomorphic if I said the NORTHERN CARDINAL purposely picked my window over those of some 15 other offices in our building. But it seemed at the time that this male was trying to get my attention as he clung to the window pane, scratching and clawing to maintain his questionable perch. Just then I was astounded to see a NORTHERN SHRIKE pounce on the bird not more than two feet from my eyes. The two birds fell to the ground and when I tapped on the window the shrike released his grip and flew off with the cardinal recovering within a few moments and escaping to a white pine grove behind the office.
That was but one of several good sightings this past week in the Quinte area. There was an incredible flock of over 2000 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS last weekend at Prince Edward Point, roughly between the Point Traverse corner and the Prince Edward Point Harbour. Another nice flock of 85 turned up yesterday at the corner of Ben Gill Road and Highway 62. The mixed flock of CEDAR WAXWINGS and BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS is still encountered periodically by hikers and cross country skiers at the Quinte Conservation Area in Quinte West, and smaller numbers have been noted elsewhere in Prince Edward County.
Wellington Harbour continues to respond to the whims of the weather with some days producing open water and plenty of waterfowl, and others days not. There were 50 MALLARDS there today with about 25 RING-BILLED GULLS and a pair of COMMON GOLDENEYE. BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON MERGANSER have also been there on other days. There were 25 MALLARDS sitting in a snow-covered field just outside Wellington on Wednesday.
A SHORT-EARED OWL was seen flying over the Big Island causeway on Wednesday, where there was also a NORTHERN HARRIER later that same day. Both NORTHERN SHRIKES and AMERICAN KESTRELS have been reported from various areas of the county, but there have been no recent reports of the two or three SNOWY OWLS that had been observed earlier.
The female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is still coming to a feeder at 81 Slaven Road, one of two that had been regulars there this winter. A RING-NECKED PHEASANT can be seen almost every late afternoon feeding along the roadside on Big Island's South Shore Road. Big Island is located off County Road 5, just 1 km south of Demorestville.
Signs of winter and signs of spring with several large flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS seen this past week at Ben Gill Road and along Highway 2 at Shannonville, and HORNED LARKS turning up at numerous roadside locations in the county this past week.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 27th. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
The Hermann's gull was seen at the parking lot off Polson st hear in Toronto
at 10:45 this mooring all thought the parking lot was closed off ??? you
could pull up and around in to the area . Craig McLauchlan
There was a good opportunity to study gulls at close range yesterday around 2pm. On the parking lot there was flock of about 30 gulls within 15 feet of each other, including: 3 immature Glaucous, 1 adult Glaucous, 1 immature Kumlien's, 1 adult Kumlien's and the Heermann's. An adult Thayer's was on the ice about 30 feet from the dock. By getting close to the gulls it was an interesting opportunity to compare call notes: the Glaucous "Baa-ing" like sheep, and the Heermann's barking "Ow-ow-ow" like a little dog.
In Reply to: Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay posted by Elizabeth McKernan on February 09, 2000 at 14:13:30:
Humber Bay Park is actually located at the mouth of Mimico Creek (Humber Bay itself is off to the east). You can reach it by taking Park Lawn Drive all the way down to Lakeshore, and crossing Lakeshore Blvd into the park. Park Lawn is accessible from the QEW if coming from the west, or via Lakeshore if coming from the east on the Gardiner Expressway. Lambton Woods is on the west side of the Humber River between Eglinton and Dundas. Access it via Edenbridge, which runs east from Royal York Road. Park in the James Gardens parking lot at the bottom of the big hill, and walk south from there; you will see the signs for Lambton Woods as you enter the forest. Marcel
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, February 13, 2000
Compared to last weekend's report, this past week has been rather dry in terms of bird sightings and reports. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS continue to be reported. There has been one coming to a feeder near the junction of County Roads 1 and 2 for most of the winter, and another two were seen last weekend along Slaven Road where a SONG SPARROW, NORTHERN FLICKER and a BROWN CREEPER were also reported, as well as what was probably a HOARY REDPOLL along the same stretch of road at Civic address #81.
There was a PILEATED WOODPECKER seen last week at Morrison's Point, and one residence had no fewer than three in a tree beside the owner's house.
Cressy lakeside had an immature BALD EAGLE on Tuesday, likely one of three or four that have been hanging around the South Bay, Smith's Bay, Waupoos and Adolphustown areas this winter. There was a NORTHERN HARRIER at Big Island on Thursday and another cruising low over a corn field just south of Fenwood Gardens the same day.
Most feeders in the Quinte area are enjoying visits from COMMON REDPOLLS with a nice flock of 60 coming to a feeder on Clearview Road, north of Belleville. The male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL continues to visit the feeder at the H.R. Frink Centre where it can be seen most days, where other daily guests include BLUE JAY, DARK-EYED JUNCO, BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, TREE SPARROW, COMMON REDPOLL, DOWNY WOODPECKER and HAIRY WOODPECKER. To reach the Frink Centre, take Highway 37 north out of Belleville for 9 kms, and turn right onto Thrasher Road and follow east for 2 kms.
EASTERN BLUEBIRD reports seem to be petering out, although one was observed on Wednesday in the community of Allisonville, north of Wellington. Since December 1st, there have been 16 individual reports of wintering EASTERN BLUEBIRDS in Prince Edward County and the Belleville area, involving a total of 73 birds. A flock of 155 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS turned up at a Blakely Road residence last Sunday, and small numbers of them continue to be seen in with CEDAR WAXWINGS at the Quinte Conservation Area in Quinte West.
A Milltown resident phoned into the open line program on CJBQ (Belleville) last week and reported a CANADA JAY coming to his feeder. Might be worth checking out. The community of Milltown is on Highway 2, east of Shannonville, between Belleville and Napanee. There is a RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH coming to a feeder near Wellington.
SNOW BUNTING reports last week included a resident flock of 30 at the Mountain View airfield, and a flock of about 80 in a hay field on Clearview Road, north of Belleville.
The Quinte Field Naturalists will be meeting next Monday night, on the 28th, at 7:30 p.m. at the Bridge Street United Church in Belleville. Guest speaker Jim Kelleher, General Manager of Lower Trent Conservation will be speaking on the Oak Ridge Moraine. The Prince Edward County Field Naturalists meet this Tuesday night, the 22nd, at 7:00 p.m. at the Bloomfield Town Hall to hear guest speaker Jim Ives talk about the natural history of the Waring Creek.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 20th. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
We moved to Chicago from Toronto about two years ago and have found the city and surrounding areas to provide marvellous birding opportunities - especially right in the city ,often along the lake shore (Montrose Park,Seneca Park(right behind the John Hancock Building),and Jackson Park).The key migratory seasons are ; 1) late April-early June; and 2)mid-August to mid October.Most of the eastern birds are here as well as additions of many mid-Western , Western and Southern specialties. Some of our local favorites - Connecticut Warbler (reasonably common in spring and fall),Buff - breasted Sandpiper, sparrows (Sharp-tailed,Henslow's,Harris',LeContes),Dickcissal ,Yellow-throated Warbler,Sandhill Cranes (one Whooping Crane last year),Avocets ,Little Blue Herons,Pelicans and many more.If anyone is visiting in the Chicago area please email and we would be happy to direct you to some of the accessible spots.
This site you have developed is great and makes us quite homesick for the Toronto birding scene.We'll be back this summer but I think we will then miss the birding in Chicago. I can hear a Cardinal singing !! Can Spring be far off , eh?? A Couple of Transplanted Canadians ,Rob and Bob Cumming
This morning I had a return visit from a single Common Redpoll to my niger seed feeder. It was last seen about two weeks ago (I'm assuming it's the same one) for a period of a few consecutive days. I've always found Redpolls to be gregarious and sociable, so I'm a little surprised to see this one alone. Jim Heffernan
Today I had the pleasure of leading the Toronto Ornithological Club's annual
mid-winter Durham Region Baillie Memorial Outing. Fifteen of us spent the
day visiting a variety of sites, resulting in a total of 47 species. The highlight of the day for most participants were the crossbills at Hall's
Road. We were treated to close views of 6 White-winged Crossbills (5 male
and 1 female) and 3 Red Crossbills (only 1 male). At one point they were
spooked by the arrival of a Ring-necked Pheasant, and later they again took
flight as a gorgeous male Harrier swooped past. The crossbills today were
in the first plantation of larches as you walk in from Hall's Road, to the
right (south) of the path. Aside from that, we had our best concentration of sightings at the feeders
at 3870 Sideroad 22, north of Highway 7 in Pickering. There were close to
20 Brown-headed Cowbirds and a female Red-winged Blackbird, both Downy &
Hairy Woodpeckers, and a flock of 25+ Redpolls. There was a somewhat paler
redpoll among them, but none of us felt convinced that it was a Hoary. Just
a few hundred metres south of this spot, we came across a massive flock of
over 200 waxwings. They remained in sight only briefly, but both Cedar &
Bohemian were heard and seen, although Cedars definitely outnumbered
Bohemians by a large margin. Other good sightings included: a Tundra Swan west of the bridge on Brock
Road just north of Whitby Harbour, a Glaucous Gull harassing the smaller
gulls on the lake south of Whitby Harbour, a couple of secretive
Golden-crowned Kinglets along the west side of Cranberry Marsh, a Northern
Shrike flying west across Hwy 12 south of Taunton Road, the hardy Swamp
Sparrow at the NW platform of Cranberry Marsh, and the regular
White-throated Sparrow along the Lynde Shores feeder trail (although we
could not locate the elusive Spotted Towhee). Good birding, Marcel Gahbauer
Scarborough ON
gsteve6@attglobal.net PS - please e-mail me privately if you need further details on directions to
any of the sites mentioned above
Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
Today at the Polson st parking lot across from the Docks Restaurant from
8:00 am to 11:30 am there wear 7 Iceland Gull's / 5 Glaucous Gull's and at
10:00 am the Heermann"s Gull flu in from the south , I am being ask what the
best time to see this Gull is and to that the answer is ??????? it is
showing no pattern at all, it was at the first of the month staying at the
parking lot most of the day now it comes and go,s and as yesterday showed I
dint see it at all. I think if you rely want to see this gull and it isn't there when you get
there tack the time (it may be hours like this mooring) to look at the
others that are there it is well worth it..
Craig Mclauchlan
To day in between film locations I was aball to get down to Polson st and
spend some time looking at the Gulls. All though I did not see the
Heermann,s gull ( I guess it doesn't know my car) there wear 5 Iceland gulls
( 2 adults, 2.1st winter an 1.2nd winter) 2 Glaucous gulls , 4 G.B.B.Gulls ,
Herring and Ring billed gulls all wear right in the parking lot or right
next to it and easy to get great looks at. it is a exhalent place to learn
about the different moults that gulls go thought and to learn ( or hone)
aging off gulls. Craig McLauchlan.
Dear Fellow Birders Went for a quick walk into the 16 Mile Creek in Oakville yesterday, and the best bird seen was a Swamp Sparrow. I was a little surprized to see it since there isn't really many marshy areas in the area and it was seen in tall grasses alongside the river just north of the Upper Middle Bridge. Other birds seen were a pair of Mallards and a Hairy Woodpecker. Mike Boyd
In Reply to: Invitation to birding trip in Durham posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 10, 2000 at 09:18:30:
Hi Marcel,
I would have loved to accompany the group, however, I have other plans. Could you e-mail me information about the Toronto group, as I was unaware there was one. I would be interested in future outings in the Toronto area.
Thanks and happy birding,
Elizabeth
In Reply to: duck rafts posted by George Daszkowski on February 07, 2000 at 08:01:56:
Most likely oldsquaw, there have been thousands
kindof rafting up in the inner harbor before it
froze over.
This Saturday February 12, the Toronto Ornithological Club is offering a Jim Baillie Memorial Outing in Durham Region. Everyone is welcome to participate in this free trip. We will meet at the Pickering GO Station (southeast of Hwy 401 and Liverpool Road) at 9:00 am. The trip will continue for most of the day, so you may want to bring a lunch (although it will be possible to stop somewhere along the way to buy lunch too). Planned highlights (no guarantees though!) include the Red and White-winged Crossbills at Cranberry Marsh and the Spotted Towhee at Lynde Shores. We will also make an effort to find Redpolls and Waxwings, and many more species. I will be the leader for this trip; please e-mail me if you would like additional information. Marcel
Just saw a pileated woodpecker in my backyard this morning. I
believe it was a female. She was doing a good job ripping bark
from the bottom of a pine tree and as I watched her, she flew from
tree to tree where she'd circle the tree then rip a bit
of bark from it.
This is the second sighting of a pileated woodpecker in our
backyard in the last 2 weeks. I am located just outside of the city
of Belleville.
In Reply to: Birds at Toronto's Western Gap posted by Sandra Eadie on January 30, 2000 at 18:52:34:
Hi Sandra,
I just read your note and had a couple of question. I have an idea what "rafts of ducks" means, but I don't want to assume. Could you enlighten me. Also, is the Western Gap the same place as the foot of Stadium St?
Thanks for your note and assistance.
Elizabeth
In Reply to: Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 31, 2000 at 16:30:48:
Hi Marcel,
Would you kindly tell me where the Lambton Woods and the Humber Bay are located.
Thanks,
Elizabeth
In Reply to: Re: Get a confirmation of duck posted by Jim Heffernan on February 07, 2000 at 22:37:32:
Hi Jim,
Thanks for your reply. As I am a novice at birding, any variation is a novelty to me.
Happy birding.
Hi. I was wondering if anyone could give some approx. dates for winter finches migrating back north. Thanks
While filling up with gas at Lawrence & Markham Road around 11 am this morning, I spotted a hawk soaring overhead, and was surprised to see that it was a light phase Rough-leg. First one I've ever seen in Scarborough.
In Reply to: Get a confirmation of duck posted by Elizabeth McKernan on February 07, 2000 at 13:33:21:
I don't think that the possibility of an Am. Black Duck and a Mallard hydrid is really all that remote. I've seen two Mallard hybrids in Ontario in the past couple of years; one at the mouth of the Niagara River in Fort Erie and another on the Lake Ontario waterfront in either Burlington or Mississauga (I forget which city). I saw a third Mallard hybrid in California only last winter that gave a distinct Gadwall impression (I believe the Mallard x Gadwall hybrid is known as Brewer's Duck). The NG field guide itself notes that many dabbling ducks are known to hybridize. For the most part, I've treated them as curiousities - but I'm changing. I think the next time I see one I'll probably spend a little more time making observations. Jim Heffernan
Hi all,
On Sunday Feb. 6 at approximately 16:00 at Ashbridges Bay I saw a duck that I later determined by my National Geographic guide was a hybrid: an AMERICAN BLACK MALLARD HYBRID. I believe this to be the case but I would appreciate hearing from anyone else if they have seen this species around.
There are significant congregations of ducks on Lake Ontario. They are seen flying in clouds and when on the water they resemble a raft floating on the water. I cannot identify them. Any suggestions?
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, February 06, 2000
What a super week in Prince Edward County and the Quinte area! Some great stuff coming to area feeders. Since December, there has been a CAROLINA WREN coming to a feeder in Corbyville, just north of Belleville; and now, there is one that has been coming for the past two weeks to a feeder near the corner of Hill Street and Spencer Street, in Picton. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are still being reported in Prince Edward County, with one, a male, still coming to a feeder at South Bay where it has been since late December, and a female that has been coming for almost two weeks to a feeder along County Road 12 at West Lake. At a residence along Blakely Road on the west side of the county there is a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD sampling the menu at a feeder there. Visitors to the Open House and Activity Day at the H.R. Frink Centre today had a splendid view of a male WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL visiting the feeder there where it has been part of the regular clientel for some weeks.
The 22 hikers on a bird hike at the Frink Centre today had an excellent look at a BARRED OWL that was perched in a tree beside the trail, eventually taking off and obligingly flying only a few metres above the ground toward those on the hike. There was a SNOWY OWL on Wednesday along White's Road, east of Trenton, and GREAT HORNED OWLS are turning up everywhere. One was seen today at the north end of Rock Crossroad, east of Lake-on-the-Mountain. There was a well described RED-SHOULDERED HAWK found dead at the Shelter Valley Trailer Park south of Picton on Wednesday, and what appears to have been an immature GOLDEN EAGLE seen by several observers from the Glenora Fisheries Research Station, perched on the ice along the ferry channel. There was a BALD EAGLE at Point Petre on Tuesday.
COMMON REDPOLL numbers are remaining stable with numerous little groups visiting feeders everywhere. Some larger numbers include 30 at Prinyer's Cove, 20 at Point Petre, 35 at Clearview Road off Highway 62 north of Belleville, and 25 at Big Island. BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS are also moving into the county. There have been between 20 and 30 mixed in with CEDAR WAXWINGS at the Quinte Conservation office in Quinte West. There were 40 seen on Friday at Point Petre and another 100 found at Prince Edward Point the same day by John Charlton of Trenton who was birding the county that day. Belleville area birders Doug Guay and Albert Boisvert today found another 150 along Babylon Road near the Ostrander Road junction on the way to Prince Edward Point.
As one might expect, the colder weather has made waterfowl viewing somewhat difficult, but Wellington Harbour can be productive depending on what day one chooses to visit. Observers there say the strong current results in the availabilty of open water changing daily. Today, there were 300 CANADA GEESE, 100 MALLARDS, and scattered numbers of other species including doubles of COMMON GOLDENEYE, COMMON MERGANSERS and BUFFLEHEADS.
Other interesting birds found around the Quinte area this past week include several large flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS at South Bay (70), Prince Edward point (60), and Point Petre (50). There were 13 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS along County Road 13 near the Rutherford Stevens Lookout today, and another 15 along Babylon Road. A BELTED KINGFISHER at Stoco near Tweed, around 20 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS at Cherry Valley and 3 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS seen today along Rock Crossroad, east of Waupoos conclude the more notable sightings during this past week.
The Naturestuff web page has been updated for the month of February with new information on what birds to expect in Prince Edward County this month. The Birding Opportunities page looks at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area, and the Birdfeeding Page features a look at the popular Droll Yankees bird feeders and why they have become the leading manufacturer of bird feeders in North America. Lots of new photos throughout the site, with numerous photos in the three newly opened galleries on Birds, Aerial and People.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 13th. Good birding everyone and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague Picton tsprague@kos.net www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
Well finally today at Polson st we found all the winter gulls in the area
this year , Glaucous Gull 14 , Iceland gull 10, Thayer,s gull 1 imm.
G.B.B.Gull 19 , L.B.B.Gull 1 adult, Herring Gull , R.B.Gull and of cores
after waiting in till 4:45 pm the Heermann's gull flue in, I think if you
are looking for this gull look in the early morning , but 8 gulls in
Toronto in Feb. not bad...
Craig McLauchlan.
There seems to be an albino red tailed hawk around the Credit River in the town of Norval( Highway 7 and Winston Churchill). It is all white with a little darkness in its primaries.
to day of off the parking lot at the docks restaurant and Polson st there
wear at least 8 Glaucous gull's ,5 wear in with in 20 feet the Heermann's
gull was still present and feisty. And there wear 5 G.B.B.Gulls harassing
all the gulls and to show that strange moults accouter this time of year the
largest of the G.B.B.gulls a full adult had 2 Wight wing patches jest off
the shoulder on booth wings , this mist of bin the sergeant. or is it
corporal. Craig McLauchlan Polson st is jist off of Cherry st south of the Lake shore blvd. in Toronto.
This mooring I watched something happen down at the Toronto harbour that I
thought was exclusive to Frigatebird's , a G.B.B.Gull swoop down on a adult
Glaucous Gull and held it by the tall as they booth flue off, this caused
the Glaucous to regurgitate its stomach contains witch the G.B.B.Gull then
eat . soon a another G.B.B. Gull tried the same thing on the same Glaucous
Gull but with know luck!!!!! O by the way the Heermanns Gull was seen at the end of Polson st and at
least 7 Glaucous Gulls could be seen of on the Ice . And On the Question of name that gull I am happy to say that 94% (mostly
angry one's) suggested the nick name should be Heermann's. But I think the
best was "Alibi"!! I am sheer that we all have yoused it.
In Reply to: Re: protected posted by Hench on January 28, 2000 at 22:28:44:
I think that the last line of the statmint below says it all ! I cut and past this from the Fish and wildlife act.
Craig. You may not destroy or take the nests or eggs of wild birds, except for American crows, brown-headed cowbirds, common grackles, house sparrows, red-winged blackbirds or starlings.
You may not capture, kill or harass endangered species.
You may not cause unnecessary suffering to any wildlife.
In Reply to: Re: protected posted by Hench on January 28, 2000 at 22:28:44:
In The New Fish And Wildlife Conservation Act,
under the section Protection of Property from
Nuisance Animals,the following birds are not
protected: American crows ,brown-headed cow birds,
common grackles,house sparrows,red winged black
birds and starlings.The Act became effective
Jan.1,1999.For any one who wants to look into this
in more detail the website is as follows:
http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/csb/news/jan5cfs99.
html. Happy Ground Hog's day tomorrow(should be
Woodchuck!)
In Reply to: Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay posted by Jean-François Hic on January 31, 2000 at 15:02:51:
No, you're not crazy :-) The Lambton Woods blackbirds have actually been there for at least a month, and around Christmas at least there was a Rusty Blackbird with them (it may still be in the area). Mostly the blackbirds have been seen near the north end of Lambton Woods, but I guess they move around. On the other hand, the ones at Humber Bay are "new" birds to my knowledge. Marcel
In Reply to: Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 31, 2000 at 12:49:28:
Marcel, Last week, on sunday, I saw about 10 red-winged blackbirds at Lambtonwoods south of the feeder where we can usually see the cardinals. An other birder saw them this sunday around the same spot. Did anybody see them??? (I swear I'm not crazy !!!)
Friendly yours,
Jean-François Hic
In Reply to: Re: Birds of Prey posted by Al johnston on January 30, 2000 at 18:20:30:
I agree that at a hawk frequenting a feeder is very likely either a sharp-shinned hawk or a Cooper's hawk. Many people believe they have seen peregrine falcons hunting birds at their feeders - although this no doubt happens on occasion, I have found from talking to people that the true culprit is generally one of the two accipiters (the problem is that more people are familiar with the peregrine due to its high profile, while many have never heard of the sharp-shinned or Cooper's hawks). Of course, depending on where you are, you may also be seeing red-tailed hawks or American kestrels in your yard - or possibly even other species, if you're lucky. I have recently set up a new page on the Canadian Peregrine Foundation website to help with ID of raptors other than the peregrine. To date I have posted images of red-tailed hawk, red-shouldered hawk, harrier (European), and Eurasian kestrel. The gallery is at http://www.peregrine-foundation.ca/mountsberg/rafoto.html. If anyone has any photos of other raptor species to contribute, please get in touch with me, as I would like to expand the gallery and make it a more useful resource. Marcel Gahbauer Canadian Peregrine Foundation
In Reply to: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay posted by Jean-François Hic on January 31, 2000 at 09:56:59:
No, Red-winged Blackbirds are quite uncommon at this time of winter. The large number of Wigeons you saw is quite remarkable too. Marcel
Seen at Humber Bay Park between 9:00 and 10:00 am : 6 coots
50 oldsquaws
1 hooded merganser
numerous black ducks
2 Trumpeter swans
6 mute swans
30 american wigeons
6 gadwalls
mallards
black ducks
6 red-winged blackbirds (is that normal ???)
In Reply to: Re: Birds of Prey posted by Al johnston on January 30, 2000 at 18:20:30:
I think I got the web site figured out.It's www.ai-design.com/stargig/raptor/global/content/IndexHawks. and its listed under "Rapter-Hawks"
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, January 30, 2000
Continuing cold weather has made waterfowl viewing increasingly difficult everywhere except for the most open areas of Lake Ontario. At Prince Edward Point, the water between the Point and Swetman Island and Timber Island is completely frozen. However, in some of the open areas there are still good numbers of OLDSQUAW, COMMON GOLDENEYE and BUFFLEHEAD to be seen. Open areas in Soup Harbour at Point Petre contained upwards of 1,000 of the same species this past week. There were 18 SNOW GEESE seen at Huyck's Point, west of Wellington on Wednesday, along with about 100 MALLARDS.
Walter Frey, birding the Prince Edward Point area yesterday found a mixed flock of about 150 waxwings comprising mostly CEDAR WAXWINGS with about 30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS. He also turned up 6 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS near the corner of Old Milford Road and Kingsley Road, just south-east of Picton. There were 9 seen at Whattam Road near Little Bluff Conservation Area on Friday. Another half dozen EASTERN BLUEBIRDS have been present off and on some 14 km. north of Belleville.
The big news this past week was the appearance of a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER in a swamp along County Road 1 (Scoharie Road), not far from Bloomfield. The swamp is located at Civic Number 2800 County Road 1, at the home of Ron and Nancy Fox. There is also a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and a WHITE-THROATED SPARROW visiting a feeder at this location. Another was seen on Friday by Lloyd Paul, visiting a feeder at the corner of Ben Gill Road and Tripp Road.
Other interesting birds this past week included a SONG SPARROW and a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Point Petre, 12 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS and 9 WILD TURKEYS near Cherry Valley, and numerous small flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS at Waupoos, Stinson Block, Halloway Heights (north of Belleville), Rednersville, Salmon Point, Allisonville and Mountain View.
The Outdoor Events section has now been updated on the NatureStuff web site with details of some 57 interpretive events taking place between February and December of this year. This program which I run through Quinte Conservation attracted just under 2,700 participants last year and we have expanded the roster this year to include an all day trip to Algonquin Park, a pelagic boat cruise to Main Duck Island, a canoe tour of Sawguin Creek, along with the usual complement of canoeing and kayaking tours and instruction, day hikes, evening kayak paddles, evening hikes, birdfeeding seminars, activity days and our interpretive aerial tours which are offered daily between April and December.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 6th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
Today at the foot of Stadium St. (Just west of Bathurst south off Lakeshore) there were several rafts of ducks close to shore providing excellent views of their very fresh plumage. You could also see rafts from the grass shore along the Lakeshore near by. There were 3,000 ducks in the area if not more. Occasionally they would be scared off by an airplane taking off (arrivals didn't seem to bother them so much) but they would gradually come back. This is an amazingly easy location to get a birding fix from in Toronto. It is at the Western Gap across from the Toronto Island Airport. Ducks seen: Greater Scaup (thousand or so), Oldsquaw (few hundred), Redhead (hundreds), Canvasback (3), Hooded Merganser (near shore 8 males several females-I have seen them here other years), Mute Swan (10), Trumpeter Swan (1, right leg silver band no yellow tag), Bufflehead (20 or so), Mallards (20), Black Duck (10), Gadwall (50), Red-breasted Merganser (3, 1 young that seemed to be going into adult plumage), 10 beautiful Common Mergansers (male & female), Goldeneye (3). The Oldsquaw were calling and the sound of a few thousand ducks taking off as their wings beat and they lifted off the water was beautiful.
--
In Reply to: Birds of Prey posted by Lynn Gibson on January 30, 2000 at 13:16:11:
Using the search engine HotBot,search for"raptors"
I'd give the web site but I can't replicate it
myself. (I'm not really computer literate)
If it's a hawk around a feeder,chanches are good
it's a Sharpshinned.Good luck in your research.
I would like some assitance in finding a web site, showing various birds of prey, in order to identify the hawks that have been seen in our backyard. Thank you.
I would like some assitance in finding a web site, showing various birds of prey, in order to identify the hawks that have been seen in our backyard. Thank you.
In Reply to: Re: Redpolls at My Feeder posted by Jim Heffernan on January 28, 2000 at 12:13:24:
I usually have Tree Sparrows galore in the winter at my
feeder out here in Flamborough. This winter I have
only seen one on the last day of December. On the
other hand I have had a Red-breasted Nuthatch all
winter. Although I have always had White-breasted
Nuthatches, this Red-breasted is the first in many
years.
In Reply to: Re: protected posted by Al johnston on January 27, 2000 at 20:20:12:
While these two are not covered by the Migratory Bird Convention Act, or the Endangered Species Act (surprise!)
They may be covered by the new and improved wide ranging Fish and Wildlife Act that the Province introduced in the past year or so.
I don't know, but it is worth checking. They may also be protected by the Criminal Code (without lawful reason etc.).
The method of control may also be regulated (e.g., by municipal bylaw).
BH
In Reply to: Redpolls at My Feeder posted by Jim Heffernan on January 27, 2000 at 22:56:45:
This cold Friday morning brought an American Tree Sparrow (a first) to the feeder along with the Common Redpoll. A couple of House Finches, House Sparrows and one Dark-eyed Junco (some of the regulars) rounded out the morning activity. The Redpoll was also around at noon when I returned for lunch. Jim
I have had at least one Common Redpoll at my niger seed feeder over the past two days. One individual was first observed yesterday. It was a very nice surprise given how slow things have been at the feeder over the last few weeks. It was back at the feeder again very early this morning - almost at first light - and was sited later in the day. I believe that there were two at the feeder when I returned home from work. Unfortunately, both birds flew off before I could get a good look. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing some more. Jim
In Reply to: protected posted by mikey E on January 26, 2000 at 21:18:28:
The starling and the house sparrow are not protected
The Heermann's gull was in the parking lot off of Polson st today and even with the -32 wind chill it looks fine , flying ,eating (aggressively) and sleeping? (My guess is conserving energy)
The ice in the harbour has bin broken up and the white wing gulls are quite far out now and a good scope is need . Iceland and Glaicous gulls could be seen. Craig McLauchlan
are european starlings a protected bird?
i noticed a scattering of bluejay feathers be side the tell-
tale imprint in the snow of a raptors spread wings spanning
29 inches (74 cm) .i figure probably a coopers hawk. it doe-
snt seem to bother the 150 or so mallards and blacks in the
remaining open open water in our pond.any other possibilit
ies?
In Reply to: trumpeter Swans posted by George Daszkowski on November 22, 1999 at 00:22:14:
any more trumpeter sightings? if so, any tags or numbers?
Yesterday afternoon (Jan 25) I drove the backroads from Guelph to Richmond Hill, searching in vain for Bohemian Waxwings. There were apple trees loaded with fruit wherever I went, but not a bird in sight in any of them (not even starlings). I'm beginning to think I have a waxwing curse hanging over my head, as everyone else seems to be seeing trees full of them this winter. However, I did have one interesting sighting around 4:30 pm. As I drove east on Major Mackenzie past Jane, I saw a swirling flock of what I thought were finches based on their behaviour, size, and shape. Thinking I had happened across a group of redpolls or siskins, I pulled into a nearby parking lot, and looked at the trees and wires where they had all landed. I was amazed (and of course disappointed) to see that every last one of them - 120 in all - was a House Sparrow! I can't recall having ever seen House Sparrows flocking like this, and I found it particularly surprising to see this now, since I've found their numbers to be a bit on the low side this winter. Marcel
PS - there were thankfully a few more exciting birds along the roads too, including a Pileated Woodpecker on highway 7 south of sideroad 27, a Harrier at 401 & Hwy 6 south, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk roughly 1 km south of the Harrier.
Today ( this afternoon) at Polson st ( which is off of cherry st ) there wear all the winter gulls at 3:00 p:m there wear Iceland(4), Glaucous(9) ,G.B.B.Gull (12), L.B.B.Gull(1), Thayer's gull (1 add-1imm) ,R.B.Gull ,Herring gull and after some waiting I look out of my car window and right beside my car was our Heermann"s Gull .
some one ask me the other day what Heermanns gull name was ( I said Heermanns) lets play name that Gull PLEAS reply in privet .... Craig McLauchlan Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
In Reply to: Polson Street posted by Derrick Marven on January 23, 2000 at 18:39:13:
No pleas lave me hear!!! I have lots of company, lots of food, lots of worm close and the gull watching is out of this world I could youse a port a potty though....the Heermann"s gull is still hear in the Toronto harbour along with Glaucous and Iceland gulls .. Craig McLauchlan
testing
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, January 23, 2000
It has been a week of owls. GREAT HORNED OWLS were reported this past week
at Point Petre, Stinson Block area at Weller's Bay, Sandbanks Provincial
Park, Big Island, South Bay, and one which could be seen almost every
morning at 7:15 perched atop a light standard at the entrance to Fenwood
Gardens, just south of Belleville. There was a SNOWY OWL on Melville Road
near Consecon Lake on Wednesday, and another can be seen quite regularly
circulating around the East Lake and Sandbanks area. There was a SHORT-EARED
OWL calling from the south side of Consecon Lake on Wednesday.
Frigid temperatures have put a damper on waterfowl populations around the
Quinte area. Soup Harbour which is still fairly open due to its proximity to
Lake Ontario, had 2,000 BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON GOLDENEYE along with a
solitary MALLARD. Today, there were 7 MALLARDS flying over the shore at
Prinyer's Cove looking for open water. The cold temperatures also created
some hardships for a pair of MUTE SWANS which became stuck in the ice near
Prinyer's Cove early last week. Two staff members from Quinte Conservation
waded into the frigid water, agitating the birds enough for them to free
themselves. Quinte Conservation, and other interested groups, were also
called to the Moira River in Belleville to check on a lone CANADA GOOSE with
a damaged wing. It turned out to be the same wounded mate of a goose,
described in this report last year, that was present last year with an
arrow through its wing. That goose managed to loose its arrow. A rather
unlucky pair of geese.
Hawks, both dead and alive, continue to turn up. A dead COOPER'S HAWK was
found north of Picton along Highway 49 on Monday, and a dead AMERICAN
KESTREL was found at Fish Lake on Friday. RED-TAILED HAWKS were reported
from Wesley Acres Road at Bloomfield, Point Petre (also a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
there), Prince Edward Point area (numerous individuals), Old Milford Road
(3), and one at Huff's Island. There was a NORTHERN SHRIKE at Macaulay
Mountain on Tuesday and another today on Royal Road, a NORTHERN HARRIER on
Old Milford Road (another 3 were seen today elsewhere in the county), and a
COOPER'S HAWK on Victoria Road today just south of Belleville. Nels Banting
and Nick Quickert birding the area today found a perched and uncomfortably
cold TURKEY VULTURE at Prince Edward Point. They also found an adult BALD
EAGLE at Point Petre. This morning there were three BALD EAGLES that flew
from Morrison's Point toward the open water area of Prince Edward Bay.
Other interesting sightings around the county this week included a GREAT
BLUE HERON at Morrison's Point on Wednesday, 4 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, and
several large flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS including one LAPLAND LONGSPUR, all on
Royal Road today. There have been several reports of small numbers of HORNED
LARKS with one large flock of 40 present today along Wesley Acres Road
(strolling brazenly beneath a KESTREL perched on a hydro wire) and 30 near
the Loyalist Parkway in Bloomfield. A flock of 50 WILD TURKEYS was at
Sandbanks last week, and another 8 seen today at the east end of Royal Road.
Waxwing sightings include 100 CEDAR WAXWINGS (with 6 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS) along Royal Road today, and another 100 reported from the Quinte Skyway Bridge area south of Deseronto. A nice flock of 142 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS remained in our flowering crab tree on Big Island, north of Demorestville, long enough to be counted where they fed on the apples for much of the afternoon.
The cold weather this past week has also increased the patronage at most feeding stations in the Quinte area. There was a male and two female RED CROSSBILLS at a feeder at Smith's Bay last weekend, a male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at a feeder near Sandbanks (another was seen near the junction of Wild Oak Lane and Gilead Road Wednesday), and 20 COMMON REDPOLLS at a
Prinyer's Cove feeder.
All in all, not a bad week in the Quinte area. The Quinte Field Naturalists
will be holding their monthly meeting Monday night at 7:30 p.m. at the
Bridge Street United Church in Belleville. Guest speaker Terry Sprague will
be speaking on "Quinte Area Wildlife - A Century of Change." The Prince
Edward County Field Naturalists hold their meeting the following night at
7:00 p.m. at the Bloomfield Hall. Guest speaker David Bree will speak on
lizards. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the
Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and
will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 30th. Good birding everyone,
and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
At approximately 3:20 pm today (+/- 5 mins) an immature Ivory gull flew west
past humber bay east. While talking to another birder at humber bay east I noticed a snow white
gull flying west with three Herring gulls. Curious to what it was, I looked
through my binoculars and was stunned to see an immature Ivory Gull.
The bird was first noticed approaching the footbridge on the northeast side
of humber Bay east. It flew south west above the the footbridge at newly
developed area with the floating docks, then over the parking lot and last
seen flying over humber bay west park. I was about 150 feet away from it when I initially saw it and watched it for
approximately 1.5 to 2 mins as it flew west. I observed it to have a darkish
bill,snow white plummage except for extensive black smudging on the face
between the eye and the bill and some black dots primarily 3-4 rows on the
wing coverts most visible posterior to the alula .Dave Mudd who was with me
and closer to the bird when Yelled at him to look noticed the bill to have a
light coloured tip. we tried to intercept the bird at spencer smith park and then looked for it
back at humber bay west to no avail. I have just learned that Glenn Coady has located the bird at bronte harbour resting on the ice at dusk. Tyler Hoar
I wonder if someone could go down and catch Craig McLauchlan and take him to a rehabber it seems he's stuck there and won't migrate any where else, it would be sad if he's stuck down there with the Heermann's gull for the rest of his life.
Yesterday, a trip along the waterfront turned up five gull species, ten waterfowl species, and eight land bird species for a total of twenty three. Our trip comprised the Humber Bay, Polson St., the Leslie St. Spit, and Ashbridges Bay. The gulls were Ring-billed, Herring, Greater Black Backed, Glaucous, and Heermann's. We left many more gulls unidentified at Polson St., as glare off the ice made it difficult to see. The waterfowl were all at Humber Bay. There was a large raft of Greater Scaup and Redhead, a pair of Red-breasted Mergansers, two male Wood Duck, many Oldsquaw, Mallard, and Canada Geese, with smaller numbers of Black Duck, Bufflehead, and Gadwalls. The land birds were mostly those omnipresent imports, House Sparrows, starlings, and Rock Doves. There were also crows and a flock of Common Redpolls at Ashbridges Bay, while Leslie St. Spit yielded one each of Downy Woodpecker, Song Sparrow, and American Kestrel. Happy Birding,
Joel Kits
In Reply to: Toronto gulls posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 18, 2000 at 15:08:46:
This mooring at Ashbridge's Bay (at the foot of Coxwell ave and the Lake
shore Blvd.) ther was a Thayer's gull along with the others and at the
Leslie st spit ther was a Ad. Bald Eagle , but the best was at Polson st
wear along with Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway wear found 18 Glaucous, 2 Iceland
Gulls along with G.B.B.Gulls and R.B.Gulls, Herring gull and our Hermann"s
gull which is starting to show some moulting on the Throat and the Orbital
(eye) ring is starting to lightin in colour .amusingly I did not notice this
yesterday it almost seems that it happened over night. Craig McLauchlan
In Reply to: Feeder visitors posted by Andy on January 12, 2000 at 08:35:38:
The only bird I saw at my fider to day was a R.B.Nuthatch a femall I have not seen one in my back yard for some time it was nice to wach. Craig
It appears from the news reports that we have indeed stopped the RCGA from putting their new golf course at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Just want to extend a personal "thank you" to all of you who sent letters, faxes and e-mails to stop this. FYI, the groups that worked together in this effort included: Bronte Creek East Preservation Association,
Wildlands League,
Federation of Ontario Naturalists,
South Peel Naturalists,
Friends of Bronte Creek Provincial Park,
North Peel Naturalists,
Canadian Alliance of Wildlife Partners,
University Womens Club, Burlington and Oakville,
Earthroots, as well as many private individuals, who simply saw a need to get involved. If I missed anyone, I apologize. Many of these groups and individuals are continuing to work to stop any further development in the park. Good luck in their efforts.
Dear Fellow Birders Hi, I thought this might be of relavence here, since there was some discussion about it earlier. The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) announced on Tuesday that it will not be building a golf course on the east side of Bronte Creek Provincial Park. They said that because of such public opposition to it, they decided to build it at another site, not yet named. However it is still likely that there will be campsites put in though. Mike Boyd
In Reply to: Re: Toronto gulls posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 19, 2000 at 09:04:39:
Timing is everything.....how true! That logic applies
to shorebirds during migration at Humber Bay as well as
many other bird species all over N. America. Well put
Marcel.
In Reply to: Re: Toronto gulls posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 19, 2000 at 09:04:39:
my sightings wear betwine 10:30 and 12:00. and the Gulls wear moving around the holl time. Craig
In Reply to: Toronto gulls posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 18, 2000 at 15:08:46:
The local gull population is highly variable. I was down in the same area as Craig around 8:30 am, and only wish I could have seen half as many gulls. There were only 2 Ring-bills at Polson Street - nothing else in sight. I went down to the end of Cherry Street and looked out over the ice, where only another 50 or so gulls were present: the Heermann's gull way out on the ice, surrounded by 16 Gr. Black-backs, maybe a dozen Ring-bills, and roughly two dozen Herrings. Not a Glaucous, Iceland, L. Black-back, Bonaparte's, or Thayer's in sight! Timing is everything... Marcel
It seems that not only did our Heermann's gull survive the cold of the last nights it looks better than the other gulls around it. also the cold and strong north west wind has brought down and in other gulls. at Polson st to day along with the Heermann's gull wear Glaucous gull 1 adult. G.B.B.Gull 4 adult.,
L.B.B.Gull 1 adult, R.B.Gull and Herring Gull at Ashbridge's bay there wear Glaucous Gull 2 ( 1 adult and 1 juv.) Iceland Gull 3 adult, G.B.B.Gull 3 adult ,
L.B.B.Gull 1 adult, Thayer's Gull 1 adult , R.B.Gull , Herring Gull , and a very out of place Bonaparte's gull
adult.
So that's 9 species of gulls port lands area not bad. Polson st is of Cherry st south of the Lake shore blvd . and Ashbridges Bay is at the foot of Coxwell ave wear the lake shore blvd meets the Gardiner expwy. Craig McLauchlan csam@sympatico.ca
In Reply to: Feeder visitors posted by Andy on January 12, 2000 at 08:35:38:
Well the snow and cold weather has not changed my back yard feeder at all as a mater of fact it has worsened it I have only had 1 Downey woodpecker in 2 days? I might not have to fill my feeder this month if this keeps up.
Carig
In Reply to: Feeder visitors posted by Andy on January 12, 2000 at 08:35:38:
It has been fairly quiet at my feeders as well. Although, this is only the second winter I've had them up. My daily regulars include only House Finches and American Goldfinches. Less frequent, but still common, visitors include Dark-Eyed Juncoes, Mourning Doves, Blue Jays, House Sparrows, and European Starlings. This winters surpises have included both Nuthatches, Pine Siskins, a Downy Woodpecker and one European Goldfinch (which has been showing up off and on since the spring of '99). In general, I think feeder traffic has been slow. My feed seems to last a long time. Jim Heffernan
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, January 16, 2000
Much colder weather this past week certainly increased the tempo of activity at most bird feeders in the Quinte area. There were 14 species of birds at our feeders this afternoon including large numbers of COMMON REDPOLLS. The latter species was also present at feeders today at Morrison's Point, Prinyer's Cove (30) and Sandbanks Provincial Park. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are coming to feeders at South Bay, Bloomfield and Elmbrook. And at Fish Lake, wildlife artist Mia Lane has a pair of RING-NECKED PHEASANTS sauntering around her backyard. George Love at Morrison's Point has a SONG SPARROW and some 25 AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES, and there is another SONG SPARROW at Point Petre and one coming to a feeder at Sandbanks. There were also PURPLE FINCHES coming to a feeder on Bayshore Road in the Adolphus Reach area this past week.
Despite the colder temperatures there still seems to be some open water offering shelter to numerous species of waterfowl. There were 5 TUNDRA SWANS at South Bay on Wednesday, another four(2 adults and 2 juveniles) at Morrison's Point yesterday, and two MUTE SWANS in the Prinyer's Cove area today. There were also 200 CANADA GEESE at the mouth of Prinyer's Cove this morning and another 200 at South Bay on Wednesday. The still open water of Soup Harbour has approximately 200 BUFFLEHEAD and 100 COMMON GOLDENEYE. Meanwhile at Morrison's Point, just east of Black River, there are MALLARDS, COMMON MERGANSERS, COMMON GOLDENEYE and BLACK DUCKS. On Wednesday, the harbour area at Prince Edward Point was completely free of ice and observer Walter Frey checked off 60 REDHEADS, 100 MALLARDS, a few scaup, and several hundred OLDSQUAW . There were 20 MALLARDS near the shore east of Little Bluff Conservation Area yesterday.
Reports of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS continue to increase in the Quinte area. In addition to the numerous reports from the Kingston area, there have been isolated reports from Prince Edward County including about a half dozen or so with a flock of 75 CEDAR WAXWINGS at Prince Edward Point on Wednesday.
There was an adult BALD EAGLE at Point Traverse on Wednesday, three along Adolphus Reach on Saturday, and another adult at Morrison's Point this past week. Some of the same individuals may be involved in these various sightings.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 23rd. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
Hi all
Today around noon, Stan Bajurny and I were driving along Main Street in Huntsville when we spotted a Female Common Grackle flying overhead towards King Street North. We could not relocate this bird but thought that the Huntsville area birders might be interested in this mid winter, northern sighting.
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, On
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA
Seen at Humber Bay Park from 9:45 am to 11:00 am:
2 male Wood Ducks
200 Redheads
100 Scaups
5 Mergansers
150 Oldsquaws
1 male American Wigeon
1 male Ruddy Duck
In Reply to: Toronto birds and Feeder's posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 13, 2000 at 17:29:23:
My backyard feeders have been very busy this winter. Every day I get over 50 H. sparrows, 15 starling that love the baths, 1-2 blue jays, 5-10 rock doves, 5-10 finches (mostly purple and up to about 4 weeks ago 6 american goldfinches.) Regular visitors are 4 b.c. chickadees and 2 w.b nuthatches and about 4 dark eyed juncos. This week for the first time we had 4 american tree sparrows.
I am going to add safflower seed in hopes of attracting the cardinals that are in the area. They visited our yard last spring but have been absent so far.
I hope to venture off to some of the spots Craig M. mentioned espically to see the redpols.
On New Years day I was thrilled to see the great horned owl at the Leslie St. Spit. A trully magnificent site. Elizabeth McKernan
In Reply to: Looking for Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings posted by Jean-François Hic on January 11, 2000 at 15:21:12:
Saturday, Jan.8, there were redpolls in the
Larches (Tamaracks) north of Cranberry Marsh in
Whitby (near the Ajax border), on the east side
of Hall's Road. There were also Red Crossbills
and White-winged Crossbills too and a Northern
Shrike.
In Reply to: Feeder visitors posted by Andy on January 12, 2000 at 08:35:38:
You must have very good squirrel baffling equipment
if your seed lasts for 2 weeks.
Sandra
After reading the sighting of a possible Pelican species I decide to do the Toronto harbor area (if a Heermann’s gull can show up their well any thing is a possibility) (it wasn’t) the Heermann’s gull was present at the parking lot off of Polson st, their was a female Harlequin duck at the foot of Cherry St . At E.T. Seton park which is to the west of the Ontario Science Center and can be entered off of Leslie st north of Eglinton ave east, their was 12 junco’s, 1 sharp shin hawk and 1 Hoary redpoll. In Sunnybrook park witch is jest to the north of the above and on the same rood system I found the rest of the redpoll’s all com. thought along with 7 Cedar Waxwing and 1 Bohemian Waxwing they wear feeding with 145 A Robins and 170 starlings.
As for the Feeder question I ask the other day from all the emails I reserved back (and their wear a lot of them) from all over the province 97% are having a slow winter so far and most thought that it was do to the lack of snow fall so far. I had 2 new arrivals to day, 4 Starlings and 2 Cardinals. Craig McLauchlan.
In Reply to: Heerman'sGull the Millennium Bird posted by C McLauchlan on January 01, 19100 at 16:27:09:
I JUST WANT TO ASK ABOUT ITS DEVELOPMENTAL DESCRIPTION OF THIS KIND OF BIRD.
In Reply to: Re: Feeder visitors posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 12, 2000 at 15:36:01:
1 N. short-tailed shrew at my feeeder (plus 20 juncoes, 10 cardinals etc.) but nothing unusual at all except the odd accipiter and occasional vists to a maple from two Pileated Woodpeckers.
In Reply to: Looking for Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings posted by Jean-François Hic on January 11, 2000 at 15:21:12:
Most redpolls seemed to go through and not stay, there ae a few around nnorth of Hwy 7 in Durham, but Snow Buntings may not have arrived yet, up to 5,000 usually appear to the west of Brooklin (Whitby) in late Jan. - mid-February but rarely sooner (I've no idea where they come from).
In Reply to: Re: Feeder visitors posted by Glenn Coady on January 12, 2000 at 14:27:29:
I look at the Pileated woodpecker in the same light as people living in the beeches look at the termite, there just a lot moor pretty when they fly. Hahahahaha Craig
In Reply to: Re: Feeder visitors posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 12, 2000 at 10:01:31:
Pileated Woodpecker can sometimes be a mixed blessing, particularly if they decide it would be fun to chop away at wooden parts of your (or worse, your neighbour's) home. Be careful what you wish for.
In Reply to: Feeder visitors posted by Andy on January 12, 2000 at 08:35:38:
My feeders are awfully quiet too. I still have my faithful pair of Cardinals and two Chickadees daily. What's odd this year, though, is that there are only 2-3 House Sparrows and House Finches each day - in past winters I often had 10-20 of each (and 50 or more House Finches on some occasions). Even Mourning Doves are down noticeably, from close to 30 to only about a dozen. And no rarities at all since I put the feeders up in October. It's hard to say why the birds seem so scarce. My theory is that with the warm weather lack of snow cover, many birds have been able to continue to feed in 'natural' areas much longer than usual. When (if?) we ever get a good snowfall, I suspect traffic at the feeders will pick up a bit. Marcel
In Reply to: Feeder visitors posted by Andy on January 12, 2000 at 08:35:38:
My feeder is also Vere poor all though I have some good species making a dally showing since I put my feeder up in Nov. They are Purple finch 2
Pine siskins 2
BC Chickadees 3
Blue jay 1
Downey woodpecker 1
Morning dove 4
Crows 3 (or up to 200)
I have know Starlings at all ??? or Cardinalis and the Pileated woodpecker has not shown up. Craig McLauchlan
In Reply to: Looking for Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings posted by Jean-François Hic on January 11, 2000 at 15:21:12:
Snow Buntings: There was a flock at the Downsview Amed Forces base seen on December 27th. On December 31st, I saw a flcok at Humber Bay East. Common Redpolls: A flock was seen at Leslie Street Spit on January 3rd. I don't know whether any of these birds can still be seen at these locations.
Is it just me, or are others in the Toronto area experiencing few birds at the feeders? All I have seen are residents, and even they are in low numbers. Normally at this time of year I re-fill the feeders 2-3 times a week, but it's been almost two weeks since last fillup and there's still plenty of seed. Please tell me that you are also seeing few birds and not that I have become feeder non grata...
I am looking for Common Redpolls and also Snow Buntings in the Toronto Area. Have you seen any? If yes, can you tell me where? Thank you,
Jean-François
In Reply to: Money Maker posted by E.Z.Money on January 10, 2000 at 20:12:08:
What the hell are you doing putting your garbage
on a birding site. Go back to peddling your trash
in an alley some where.
This kind of scam has no business on a site like this
and I hope steps are taken to eliminate same
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, On
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WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, January 09, 2000
A little bit more news in the waterfowl area today than what there was last week. Today, birders Albert Boisvert, John Blaney, and Maureen Riggs completed the waterfowl count from Consecon at the west end of Prince Edward County to Point Petre. With no snow and large areas of open water the observers were able to count over 4,000 waterfowl, not a large total compared to some areas, they say, but a record for this particular route. OLDSQUAW and COMMON GOLDENEYE were by far the most common species in the lake. Wellington Harbour (featured this month on the Naturestuff web page) had over 200 MALLARDS and CANADA GEESE, along with a NORTHERN PINTAIL, 2 HOODED MERGANSERS and 2 AMERICAN COOTS. Along much of the route BUFFLEHEADS, BLACK DUCKS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS added some variety to the waterfowl.
On Saturday, there were both MALLARDS and BLACK DUCKS still hanging around the shoreline at Sandbanks Provincial Park. There were two MUTE SWANS today standing on the ice at Huyck's Bay, and another two near Prinyer's Cove on Wednesday. Don Craighead found 10 REDHEAD at West Point on Wednesday, along with the usual species of waterfowl. Morrison's Point this week had 30 COMMON MERGANSERS, 60 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 8 BUFFLEHEADS, 15 BLACKS, and 25 MALLARDS. There were some 80 COMMON GOLDENEYE and BUFFLEHEAD in Soup Harbour this afternoon.
Sandbanks Provincial Park produced a few good birds this week including 2 RING-NECKED PHEASANTS near West Lake on Wednesday. Also seen by Don Craighead on a chance stop to view a RED-TAILED HAWK, were 20 COMMON REDPOLLS, a SONG SPARROW and a NORTHERN HARRIER. On Saturday, the bird feeders at an unoccupied cottage just west of the Richardson's Campground in the park provided lots of entertainment with numerous BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES, WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH, 1 PINE SISKIN, 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH and a DOWNY WOODPECKER among the guests patronizing the half dozen or so feeders which are kept fully stocked by the owner of the cottage.
EASTERN BLUEBIRDS continue to be reported. There were 5 on Thursday in the Halloway Heights area. Other good birds this past week included 3 NORTHERN SHRIKES ( 1 at Big Island and another perched in a tree in the middle of the cloverleaf for 401 and Hwy 37, and another at Point Petre), four LITTLE GULLS at Wellington Harbour today, a PILEATED WOODPECKER at Morrison's Point, a SONG SPARROW Wednesday at Sandbanks Provincial Park and another at Point Petre, and two BALD EAGLES at Morrison's Point.
Quinte area residents should keep their eyes peeled for BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS. A flock of 36 flew low over our yard on Saturday, eventually landing in a black willow at the edge of our property.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 16th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ tsprague@kos.net
An article in the Globe and Mail on Thursday 6 Jan. 2000 says that MNR has added the King Rail and Prothonotary Warbler to the Ontario endangered species list. Listing these species gives them greater protection.
In Reply to: Re: Cayuga area raptor survey posted by Mark Cranford on January 05, 2000 at 19:09:44:
On Jan /2/ oo I did the Fishersville bird count and my area was south of Cayuga just to show how things change we wear only a ball to find 8 RT hawks and 2 Kestrels we found know Owl’ s in this area known for Owl’s! Our day total was 20 speeches and 530 birds Quiet a day Craig
In Reply to: Cayuga area raptor survey posted by B. Griffin on January 05, 2000 at 17:17:30:
Brete
We stopped at the Raptor Preserve on the 6th Con. near Fisherville just before Christmas. It was right at dusk and we had quite a show with the changing of the guard between Northern Harriers (about 6) and probably more Short-eared Owls. The owls were feisty and literally kicked the Harriers out of the air. Worth the wait.
It was a very strange experience driving around the Haldimand-
Norfolk region in January looking for raptors in brown(snowless)
fields. The Taquanyah Conserv. Area(still closed) was again
productive as we obtained great views of Red-bellied Woodpeckers
and Long-eared Owls. Red-tailed Hawks and Kestrels were numerous
in the area although we only saw two Northern Harriers. An adult
Bald Eagle was seen circling over the Grand River south of Cayuga
and six Rough-legged Hawks(4 dark phase)were also seen during the
course of the day. We stopped for a brief visit at the Raptor
Preserve near Fisherville but opted not to stay for the dusk
Short-eared owl flight.
Test
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In Reply to: Toronto Waterfront posted by Howard Shapiro on January 03, 19100 at 17:26:33:
Add to Howard Shapiro's Toronto Waterfront usual
suspects the following at Humber Bay East.
-Eared Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Ruddy Duck,
Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Hooded Merganser, and
Common Merganser.
The Snowy Owl(s) probably can still be seen at
Toronto Island Airport.
Norm Murr
I found the usual suspects along the Toronto waterfront today. Highlights were a flock of at least 100 Common Redpolls at the Leslie St. Spit along with 2 Great Horned Owls and 3 American Kestrels. Waterfowl included Mute Swan, Canada Goose, American Black Duck, Mallard, Gadwall, American Wigeon, Redhead, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, Oldsquaw, Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, and Red-breasted Merganser. Not much else around except for the American Crows which were harassing the owls and a few Black-capped Chickadees and American Tree Sparrows. Elsewhere the Heermanns's Gull was still at the parking lot off of Polson St. and I was able to find 1 Snowy Owl (immature) at the Toronto Island Airport.
In Reply to: Humber Bay posted by Joel Kits on January 02, 19100 at 13:56:47:
It's my experience that American Wigeon is one of the more difficult dabbling ducks to locate along the Toronto waterfront during the winter. But if I'm trying for a 'big' day I can normally find one at the east end of Colonel Sam Park (foot of Kipling). I was pleased to see around 5 drakes in with the raft of Redheads and Scaup at Humber Bay East the other day. But I would not call that rare Maybe Humber Bay will regain its title as a 'mecca for waterfowl' or was that 'mecca for birders'?
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, January 02, 2000
Happy New Year to all readers of this report from the Quinte area. From all indications birds handled the roll over nicely, and all birds, it would appear, are now Y2K compliant.
Despite the lack of snow last week, there were still some great birds to keep most observers happy. There was a female HARLEQUIN DUCK in Lake Ontario off from the Lakeshore Lodge historical site at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Wednesday. About 30 MALLARDS and 15 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS were feeding along shore in Lake Ontario at Sandbanks also that day. There is still some waterfowl in the open waters of Soup Harbour at Point Petre including about 50 COMMON GOLDENEYE and BUFFLEHEADS, along with a few MALLARDS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS.
Point Petre also had a dark phased ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on Thursday. In other hawk news, a COOPER'S HAWK and a NORTHERN HARRIER were seen today in a field south of Fenwood Gardens adjacent to the Sawguin Marsh. Two BALD EAGLES (1 adult and 1 immature) have been observed this past week at Morrison's Point, likely the same two that have been hanging around that area for the past month. A COOPER'S HAWK zeroed in on a flock of HOUSE SPARROWS at a Big Island feeder last week, the 25 or so birds escaping into a gooseberry bush. The hawk hopped around the gooseberry bush three times before disappearing into the thicket and emerging successful on the other side. A SHARP-SHINNED HAWK in Bloomfield was not so lucky. It was found quite dead on the ground beneath a window after colliding with the glass in pursuit of some feeder birds.
The Belleville Bird Count on Thursday resulted in 39 species being tallied including 2 BROWN CREEPERS, 30 AMERICAN ROBINS and 60 CEDAR WAXWINGS found at Massassauga Point Conservation Area. The Quinte Conservation Area produced a BOHEMIAN WAXWING (3 more were found today south of Fenwood Gardens where there was also a NORTHERN FLICKER).
While SNOWY OWL reports are few and very far between this winter so far, there was one seen at Presqu'ile Park on Monday, and another was present today at Prince Edward Point. Also down that way, there were 5 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS at Little Bluff Conservation Area on Tuesday. Belleville birder Don Craighead found 40 HORNED LARKS along May's Road, north of Picton on Wednesday.
Some interesting feeder birds this past week have included a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER northwest of Bloomfield, a NORTHERN FLICKER at Peat's Point, SONG SPARROW and several PINE SISKINS at a feeder in Sandbanks Provincial Park, and two RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and a CAROLINA WREN at a feeder in Corbyville.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 9th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Be sure to check out www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff later this week for a look at a birding area at Wellington Harbour where past reports have included some interesting species and numbers. Bird feeding information, what to expect in Prince Edward County during January and some backyard naturalization information will also be available in this month's updates.
Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario tsprague@kos.net
While visiting the Humber Bay East park today (noonish), in search of the eared grebe and wood ducks, we saw several (5 or more) American wigeons in the same area. I haven't seen these in winter before (although I haven't been birding long either) and my field guides list them as rare in winter. Are these birds often around Toronto in winter?
Happy New Year birders
Today Jan.1, 2000 Stan Bajurny and I took a journey from Whitby to
Oakville and
it was a memorable trip to say the least.
We started with the Spotted Towhee at Lynde Shores Conservation Area at
8:05am.
The bird was still with it's 3 friends the White-throated Sparrows at the
northwest side of the feeders area. While standing waiting to see the
towhee we
heard a Ring-necked Pheasant in the fields south of the area.
After seeing the towhee we headed down Halls Road to see if we could
find a
crossbill and again we were successful with the sighting of 5 Red & 5
White-winged Crossbills in the Tamaracks above Cranberry Marsh and a good
look
at a male Ring-necked Pheasant.
To reach Lynde Shores, exit the 401 at Brock Road in Whitby, turn right
and
drive west on Victoria past the marsh to the parking area on the left
side.
Halls Road is just a 1/2 km west of the parking lot on the same side.
We now headed off to Toronto and the Cherry Street area to see the
Heermann's
Gull, which we saw at the parking lot on the harbour end of Polson. While
behind
the garbage area on Unwin, Stan found a 1st year Glaucous Gull. Now it
was time
to head out for Humber Bay Park to see the Eared Grebe which we did. It
was so
easy to find too. (We did see you Jean).
See your Toronto map or previous postings for directions to the above
areas.
Stan informed me that he had to be home to his family by 2pm but we
struck out
for Shell Park Woods in Oakville to try and find the Western Tanager and
on the
way along the QEW highway at Mississauga a nice 1st year Iceland Gull
flew over
us, heading towards the lake.
At Shell Park Woods we headed straight away to the area we had seen the
bird on
Wednesday and where it had been found on Sunday and our incredible days
luck
held out as 5 minutes after arriving at the pines at about halfway along
the
pipe line we spotted the Western Tanager at 11:45am. We then showed the
bird to
some fellow birders and off we went to head home. We decided to go behind
the
woods there and leave in that direction and again that lady (person) luck
smiled
on us as we saw a N. Flicker, N. Mockingbird, N. Shrike (at 25 feet), a
Belted
Kingfisher and just before leaving the area a beautiful male Pileated
Woodpecker.
See previous postings (many) for directions to this area.
Back to Toronto we headed and we had one more stop. We stopped to look
at the
Snowy Owl at the Toronto Island Airport. Not only did we find the
immature bird
that we were told about but we also observed an almost pure white adult
Snowy.
Now it was time for Stan to drop me off at the subway for my usual
million mile
trip to Richmond Hill, but luck wasn't finished yet, as along the
Gardiner
Expressway opposite Roncesvalles Ave. I observed an adult Merlin
harassing
pigeons, not a bad finish to a great partial day of birding (Stan got
home
before 2pm).
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill,ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA P.S. If anyone wants more detailed info or directions please feel free to
contact me privately.
Norm
Two Night herons were seen flying west just north of Hiwatha Park in Port Credit. Sighting was confirmed by call. Very unusual for this time of year
Two Night herons were seen flying west just north of Hiwatha Park in Port Credit. Sighting was confirmed by call. Very unusual for this time of year
In Reply to: Re: sighting of Pileated Woodpecker posted by George Daszkowski on April 20, 1999 at 09:53:04:
I RECENTLY SIGHTED A PILEATED WOODPECKER IN GOOSE CREEK,SC
IN THE FIRST PART OF DEC.I SPOTTED ONE.MY BROTHER SAW ONE THIS MORNING JAN.1,2000.HE CALLED ME ON THE PHONE TO TELL ME.HE SAID IT WASN'T AS LARGE AS THE ONES WE SAW IN THE 70'S WHEN WE LIVED IN LADSON,SC.I TOLD HIM IT WASN'T THE SAME TYPE.WHAT WE SAW WAY BACK THEN WAS POSSIBLY A IVORY BILLED WOODPECKER.I DESCRIBED THE ONE HE SAW TODAY AND HE AGREED IT MUST BE A PILEATED WOODPECKER.I DECIDED TO SURF THE NET FOR INFO TO SHOW HIM AND RAN ACROSS SOME INTERESTING ARTICLES.I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOME IVORY BILLS LEFT.I WOULD LIKE TO GO IN SEARCH OF SOME.MAYBE WHEN I RETIRE.I AM GOING TO TRY TO GET A FEW PICTURES OF THE PILEATED WOODPECKER I SAW.MY BROTHER LIVES APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM WHERE I SAW THE ONE I SAW.
Happy New Year to all
To day started off with the Millennium Bird yes the Heermann’s Gull is still in Toronto and boy wear their ever a lot of people down to see it. It was in the parking lot off of Polson st at the Docks restaurant,
It was then off to the Lesley st spit for my new year walk I have done this for 9 years and this year Bev came along for the first time we saw some good birds on the spit .Hi lights wear 3 Kestrels, 1 G H Owl, 30 Red Polls, 1 Peregrine Falcon, but we kept missing a adult Bald Eagle thought,
We their drove over to Humber Bay E to see the Wood Duck and the Eared Grebe. Both wear seen.
From the spit across to Humber bay we counted 7 Kestrels there must be lots of food to keep this # in the city.
Humber Bay E is found at the foot of Park Lawn rd south of the QEW
Polson st runs west off of Cherry st and the spit is at the foot of Leslie st all hear in Toronto. Craig S A McLauchlan
csam@sympatico.ca
We woke to a bright and sunny morning on Thursday in spite
of the weather forecast. A trip to the parking lot west of
Cherry St. produced the Heerman's Gull in all of his chocolate
brown glory, we left him some bread and headed west to Miss.
We stopped at the small wooded park just SE of Dundas and
Winston Churchill to try and locate the resident pair of
Great-Horned Owls. I hadn't been there in over a year and the
pace/extent of the nearby business developments gave me a "bad"
feeling as we approached. It came as no surprise then when we
did not find any roosting owls! From here we moved on to the
vicinity of 8th Line and Burnhamthorpe where we were successful
in finding three Short-eared Owls in the fields between Burn.
and the 403. We completed the day with a visit to the Credit
River Conserv. Area(or what's left of it) where we used to find
roosting Saw-whet Owls. Let's hope the New Year and Milennium
will bring good will and fortune to ALL the wildlife(humans
included) and may we resolve to protect our mutual habitat for
now and the future.
Peel Birding Class
There wear some very GREAT birds in and around Toronto to day . The first was seen on the Lesley St. spit at 8:30 am this morning and is what I am sheer was (at 90 %) a Adult Laughing Gull in winter plumage , it was first seen flying east to west as we wear living Pipit point and was heading for the city, bill was slender decurved black, head was wight with some streaking , wings long and slender colour gray with black primaries showing know wight at all on the tips and a wight leading edge. Size was smaller than R.B.Gull,s flight was what look a little lumbersom , it was re found with the gulls loafing on the ice off of Cheery St. but as I got my scope on to it, it flue to the foot of Cheery St.( Was on the spit at this point) and I was not abele to see the black lags ? This is why I am only 90% shear. When we arrived at Cheery St. all the gulls wear gone but 2 birders wear looking up in the sky as we turned around to see a 2nd year Bald Eagle fly over (know wondered why the gulls wear gone) also their was a juv Cooper's hawk fly by at the same time ( we had seen it earlier on the spit) Also seen on the spit wear 2 G. H .Owl ,4 red polls ,1 snow bunting and 3 canvasbacks. This wear the best of the walk.. Also the 1st winter Heermann's gull was seen with the R.B.Gulls in the parking lot across from the Docks restraint off of Polson ST. which runs west off of Cheery St. in Toronto. Craig S A McLauchlan csam@sympatico.ca
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, December 26, 1999
Despite a drop in e-mail reports over the Christmas holidays, there were
still some good reports this past week. The complete results of the Prince
Edward Point Christmas Bird Count are now in, with 90 species being seen by
the 20 observers on December 18th. Among the highlights are a few mentioned
in last week's report, but which bear repeating. Some of the highlights were
135,300 OLDSQUAW, 49 TUNDRA SWANS, 1 RED-THROATED LOON, 2 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 2 BALD EAGLES, 32 WILD TURKEYS, 1 KILLDEER (Adolphustown Park), 1 EASTERN SCREECH OWL, 4 NORTHERN FLICKERS, 2 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, 3 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and 27 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (20 of which were along the Rock Crossroad).
The Kingston Christmas Count on Monday yielded 106 species with a PACIFIC
LOON at Wolfe Island leading the list. Also seen at Wolfe Island were
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, BRANT, HARLEQUIN DUCK, ICELAND GULL, GLAUCOUS GULL, BARRED OWL, SNOWY OWL, VESPER SPARROW, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. A BOBWHITE was seen on Garden Island.
Don Craighead working the Presqu'ile Provincial Park Christmas Count, on the
19th, reported from the Stinson Block area west of Consecon, 150 COMMON
REDPOLLS, a NORTHERN FLICKER, 26 MALLARDS, 229 COMMON GOLDENEYES, 1 GREAT HORNED OWL and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK among the sightings in his census block.
Redpolls are beginning to increase in number again in the Quinte area after
experiencing some low numbers in early December. In addition to the high
number seen in the Stinson Block, most feeders now have good numbers of
COMMON REDPOLLS including 30 at Prinyer's Cove, 20 at Big Island, and lesser
numbers at feeders in Tweed, Belleville, Wellington and Napanee. There was a
HOARY REDPOLL seen on Wolfe Island on Wednesday. Wolfe Island on Wednesday
also had over 75 TUNDRA SWANS near the ferry terminal.
Although colder weather is freezing up the shallows in bays and wetlands,
there are still other dabblers to be found yet including MALLARDS at
Massassauga Point Conservation Area (35), Prince Edward Point Harbour (100+
on Wednesday) and Prinyer's Cove (60 there today). Prinyer's Cove also has
500 CANADA GEESE, 40 BUFFLEHEADS, 2 LESSER SCAUP, and 6 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS. There was an AMERICAN COOT there on Christmas Day.
In other bird news this week in Prince Edward County, there are 4 RED-WINGED
BLACKBIRDS in the Sawguin Marsh at Fenwood Gardens, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK at a residence at Mountain View, and at least one RED CROSSBILL at Bongard Crossroad where up to 15 had been seen earlier this month.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be
updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 2nd. Good birding everyone, and our
thanks to contributors who make this report possible.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
tsprague@kos.net
www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/
In Reply to: Hooded Merganser on Humber posted by George Wilson on December 24, 1999 at 12:23:56:
It's not unusual for ducks to be attracted to stones thrown in the water
but i have found that they come more readily to bread or corn DEH!!!
Sorry guys but i could not let this one pass.
MERRY XMAS
Derrick Marven
Duncan B.C.
home of the hybrid
Finely my nyjer feeder is being yoused today (all day ) there has bin a
group of Pine Siskin's coming in to feed.
can the rest of the northern finches be far away??? Best of Best for the Holladay's Craig S A McLauchlan
Saw a beautiful male Hooded Merganser on the Humber north of
Bloor St Sun Dec 19. He was hanging out with a bunch of
Mallards, and they all came swimming over when we threw some
stones in the river. Don't know if this is unusual or not.
Saw a beautiful male Hooded Merganser on the Humber north
Can anyone recommend a Toronto-area source where I can buy bags of different seeds to blend my own mix? I have black sunflower but would like to add white millet, striped sunflower, hulled safflower/sunflower etc., but find that many of the bird "chain stores" charge an arm and a leg for these Canadian-grown products some of which are packed with filler (corn, wheat, proso etc.,) Does anyone have a nutritious "home-blend" winter mix that they would like to share?
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, December 19, 1999
An interesting week for sure in the Quinte area, highlighted by the Prince Edward Point Christmas Bird Count on Saturday. We may as well start there. Although all the results aren't in yet, a few notable sightings have come in. Other highlights will be given in a future report. Prince Edward Point, as usual, added to its laurels as a top birding area by producing an incredible number of OLDSQUAW yesterday, with the day's tally finally stopping at 134,500! Other highlights at the Point yesterday, included all three species of scoters (there were 20,000 WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS there last weekend), RED-THROATED LOON, YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER and 2 immature BALD EAGLES.
Our party covering the Smith's Bay and Lake-on-the-Mountain areas of the count circle came up with a few good sightings ourselves. The John Blaney/Albert Boisvert/Don Craighead team checked off 21 AMERICAN BLACK DUCK, 9 MALLARDS, 6 REDHEADS, 263 LESSER SCAUP, 75 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 10 BUFFLEHEAD, 2 COMMON MERGANSERS, and 26 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, all in Smith's Bay. The group also found 11 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 47 AMERICAN ROBINS and a NORTHERN FLICKER. The Terry Sprague/Jack Finne/Myrna Wood team rounded up 3 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and a NORTHERN SHRIKE on Bradley Crossroad at Lake-on-the-Mountain. There was a GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET at Landon Lake off Highway 33, and another at Macaulay Mountain, along with 14 MALLARDS in the Bay of Quinte at Glenora Marina.
On Friday, a check of the area for good birds revealed a BROWN THRASHER along County Road 7 west of Kaiser Crossroad, and a late DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT at Prinyer's Cove where there were also 30 COMMON REDPOLLS.
TUNDRA SWANS are still hanging around despite temperatures which are freezing some of the calmer inland marshes and bays. There were 27 in the Prince Edward Bay area yesterday, and another 22 in South Bay. Point Petre has had varying numbers of BUFFLEHEAD, AMERICAN GOLDENEYE and MALLARD all week, and there have been up to 300 CANADA GEESE at Prinyer's Cove. There were also 25 CEDAR WAXWINGS in that area, and despite the apparent advance of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS southward, there have been few sightings in the Quinte area, except for four at Prince Edward Point last weekend.
Other good birds this past week included an adult BALD EAGLE sitting on the ice at an open water hole in Fish Lake. Observer Marlene Bulpit reports that the bird appeared to be feeding on something that washed to the surface of the hole. There are also a couple of GREAT BLUE HERONS just east of there, in the Water Road area.
RED CROSSBILLS continue to be reported from the Bongard Road and Rose's Crossroad area, east of Lake-on-the-Mountain. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are coming to feeders at South Bay and at the Mia Lane Studio at Fish Lake. There is a very dependable NORTHERN SHRIKE along County Road 14, about 3 km east of Highway 62. And last weekend there was a late TURKEY VULTURE some distance east of the Brighton sewage lagoons along County Road 64.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 26th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . This week's Outdoor Rambles column is "Ghosts of a Christmas Past."
Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net .
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
As first mentioned on Hugh Currie's Toronto Ornithological Club hot line
(416) 350-3000 X-2293, there has been a Chipping sparrow at the Island
Science school feeders on the Toronto Islands since Thursday. It was
there yesterday at 8:00 am.
We are hoping it will still be there for our Toronto Christmas Bird
Count on Monday, December 27.
If you would like to help either on a route or by watching your feeder
please contact me by Email or at (416)253-4340.
Dan Bone
This afternoon as I left work (early) I observed a gray phase adult
Gyrfalcon
flying south over Richmond Hill at 4:21pm. This bird looked like it knew
where
it was going so maybe birders should keep an eye open along the lakeshore
this
weekend.
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA
In Reply to: Heermann"s Gull posted by C McLauchlan on December 16, 1999 at 12:39:08:
The Gull was at the north side of the Cherry Street ship canal at lunch hour, today. Also, shortly after, at the base of the spit, I saw a female Kestrel capture my first-ever December record (in Toronto) of a Garter Snake.
In Reply to: Mystery bird in Mississauga posted by Lydia on December 16, 1999 at 11:48:50:
I think you might be seeing Dark eyed Junco's the sub. speshec we have is the slate-colored hyemalis but I have seen Oregon in the Toronto area also. Craig
The 1 st winter Heermann's gull was seen by many birders this mooring jest
north of the ship canal on Cherry st.
hear in Toronto .
Cherry st runs south from the lake shore blvd. if not there look on Polson
st across from the Docks restraint. Craig McLauchlan
I have small group of birds 3-5 that have regularly visited my backyard (sunflower seeds in the garden) since late Oct. They are about 6” and have a black head, throat, upper chest and back. They have a white lower chest and stomach. The only bird that I can find in my bird book that looks like them is a Black Phoebe and the book says that they are only in the south western USA. Can you help me identify this bird?
In Reply to: Test - Please ignore posted by Andy on December 16, 1999 at 09:27:46:
test
test
I watch the Heermanns gull this afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 the parking loot
across from the docks restraint on Polson st . At 4:30 it left with the rest
and flue to the brake wall on wards Island (witch is on the Toronto
Island)for a vary short time and then off to wards the lake.
Great to see it agene
Polson st is off of Cherry st south of the Lack shore blvd. in Toronto ont .
I arrived at Van Wagners Beach today with the storm raging out of the East
perfect for some good birds. At 12:45 I had a Black L Kittiwake juv. flying
south east, at 1:10 a another B-L-Kittiwake and what I am 80% sheer was a
Pomarine Jaeger in Dark Morph this was on the horizon. All most best of all
was at 1:20, 3 Parasitic Jaeger flue by vary closes to land , we watched
this come from the south and right past us allowing for great looks . I understand there wear other B-L-Kittiwake's seen earlier in the day also. Craig McLauchlan
South Peel Naturalists’ Club is holding it’s 39th Christmas Bird Count on Saturday, December 18. As always we encourage anyone who is interested to participate. Typically the day lasts till dusk and covers a variety of habitats from Lake Ontario to rapidly disappearing woodlots and farmland in Oakville and Mississauga with lots of urban parks and river valleys in between. At the end of the day, we convene at a local restaurant where we hold an informal roundup and summary of the day’s sightings. If anyone is interested, email me or give me a call at 905 279-9576 Hope to see you there. Heermann’s Gull is the South Peel circle would be nice too. Mark Cranford
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, December 12, 1999
And the relatively mild and snowless December continues, although that may change with a predicted dusting of snow tomorrow which hopefully will liven up the bird scene in the Quinte area. Meanwhile, local birders keep checking off the good stuff that has been turning up as a result of the local conditions.
The NORTHERN SHOVELERS at Peat's Point still have not "shoved" on as there were 19 there yesterday. CANADA GEESE have been noted flying all across the Quinte area, from lake to lake, and yesterday afternoon there were fully 300 of them at Prinyer's Cove, where there were also MALLARDS and 12 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS. No reports of the waterfowl situation came in this week from Wellington Harbour, although it can be safely assumed that there is still an interesting mixture of ducks to be observed. TUNDRA SWANS at South Bay through December seems to be an annual ritual every year; there were 15 there again on Monday.
Lighthall Road, not far from Point Petre, had over 80 CEDAR WAXWINGS last week. A NORTHERN SHRIKE was seen on Tuesday along County Road 12, midway between West Lake and Bloomfield. Another was on Huff's Island Road Thursday, and still another seen on Morrison's Point Road today.
The fine weather has resulted in some lingering birds including a GREAT BLUE HERON at the O'Hara Mill Pioneer Village mill pond at Madoc on Wednesday, and a number of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS on Royal Road early this week. A late DUNLIN was seen by Brian Grimley along the lakeshore west of Charwell Point Road on Wednesday.
Other good birds this past week included RED-NECKED and HORNED GREBES at Little Bluff Conservation Area, RUSTY BLACKBIRDS on Royal Road, and LITTLE GULLS at East Lake. Unfortunately, no dates or numbers are available on these sightings.
A NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD showed some interest in a few highbush cranberries at a residence at 217 Massassauga Road on Thursday, and it is hoped that the bird will hang around through the winter. There was also a report of a crossbill at a feeder near Rose's Crossroad, east of Lake-on-the-Mountain this week, and is presumed to be a RED CROSSBILL as there have been more than a dozen visiting feeders in that area for the past two weeks.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 19th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and interpretive outdoor events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . This week's Outdoor Rambles column is "Life After Death," a look at the importance of snags and rotting logs.
Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
In Reply to: BRONTE CREEK PP - NEW TACTIC!! posted by Fischer on December 06, 1999 at 10:40:17:
Yesterday I drove past the park on the QEW and noticed what looks like a new banner sign facing the highway which sports the Ontario Parks logo and says "Bronte Cree: Nearby and Natural". Interesting that they would put this up now... I don't see much natural about turning a park into a golf course complex. Marcel
I found the Spotted Towhee today Dec.8, after 3 hours of searching. It appears to be a male of the "arcticus race"
This bird is highly secretive, be prepared to wait.
Good luck,
Dave Mudd.
In Reply to: Toronto Field Naturalists new home page posted by Andre Vietinghoff on behalf of TFN on December 07, 1999 at 18:50:47:
Dear Andre, I enjoyed visiting the TFN web site but I did notice one small error which may cause your new members a bit of a problem. On the map you provide to direct people to the monthly meetings you have misidentified the E.J. Pratt library as the Northrop Frye lecture hall. A small error, but one which might aggravate a newcomer.
GC
Hello, the Toronto Field Naturalists have a new home page at: http://www.sources.com/tfn We would love for you to create a web link to us and we will try to create one to you! Happy nature studies!
I tried to find the Townsend Solitaire today with know luck this is the one at the Kortright Centre north of Toronto I looked for 2and a have hours . Than Stan Bagerne and I went out to Lynde Shores Conservation area (dracaenas can be found on page 195 of a bird finding guide to Ontario)to look for the spotted Towhee and after 3 hours and living 3 times we re found it ( with help from a another birder) at the north end of the park near all the bird feeders this is one hard bird to find.
.for any one that cares I think that this is a mail bird from the arcticus races this is the great plains bird and gos with the call note it mack which is described as a up slurred questioning queee also the tall paterin is the only one that seems to fit . Their wear 3 Richardsons race Canada Goose there and 1 snow goose also.
Craig Csam@sympatico.ca
In Reply to: BRONTE CREEK PP - NEW TACTIC!! posted by Fischer on December 06, 1999 at 10:40:17:
Hello, just to add onto that I have started a website with information on what is supposed to happen and who you can contact and such. The address is
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/7336/savebronte.htm Mike Boyd
Oakville, Ontario
The Federation of Ontario Naturalists is also involved in the fight to save Bronte Creek Provincial Park. The newest tactic is to convince the RCGA to withdraw their proposal to develop Bronte Creek. (It's much better if this proposal never gets to the public consultation process. Let's nip it in the bud.) Please copy the following letter (feel free to add your own comments) and mail it to Stephen Ross, Executive Director, RCGA at the address listed or fax to 905-845-7040. You can also e-mail it to: sdross@rcga.org Be sure to copy it to the FON and Snobelen (addresses and fax # below), and if you e-mail it, copy the Canadian Alliance of Wildlife Partners, (CAWP) at cawp@canada.com
Mr. Stephen Ross
Executive Director, Royal Canadian Golf Association
1333 Dorval Dr.
Oakville, ON L6J 4Z3 Dear Mr. Ross, It has come to my attention that the RCGA is currently looking for a new site for its national headquarters and that an area within and around Bronte Creek Provincial Park is being considered as a candidate site. The development of a golf course within Bronte Creek is well outside the scope of current permitted uses within Ontario’s provincial parks. I am opposed to an amendment to the park management plan that would include the development of a golf course within Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Bronte Creek Valley is known to contain several nationally and provincially rare plant and animal species. Bronte Creek Provincial Park is also of conservation interest as it is the most representative remaining example, with the exception of High Park in Toronto, of prairie vegetation along the valley rims and bluffs in this area. According to the MNR’s Natural Habitat Information Centre, all tallgrass prairie areas are considered extremely rare in Ontario and therefore are of considerable interest. There are close to 150 existing golf courses in the Greater Toronto Area and I would like to know why the RCGA feels it necessary to propose a new golf course within the only provincial park in an urban area. I am opposed to this proposal and ask that the RCGA reconsider pursuing Bronte Creek Provincial Park as a candidate site. I look forward to hearing from you and would appreciate an answer to my questions. Sincerely,
Your name,
Your address, cc: John Snobelen, Minister of Natural Resources
Federation of Ontario Naturalists
CAWP John Snobelen
Room 6301, Whitney Block
99 Wellesley St. West,
Toronto, ON M7A 1W3
Fax: 416-314-2216 FON address:
355 Lesmill Rd.
Don Mills, ON M3B 2W8 CAWP e-mail address: cawp@canada.com
In Reply to: Northern shrike posted by Margaret Jack Broxholme on December 04, 1999 at 18:23:04:
I think to this is going to be a good year for Northern Shrike in the district. So far this season I have seen 5 birds - 2 on the Leslie Spit (seperated by a week in October), one at Humber Bay East, one at Bronte Creek Provincial Park and one northeast of Highway 5 and 25 in Oakville. In 1996-97, I didn't see a Shrike until Jan 26, 1997. They must have been hiding that year. Normally my first bird is in early November.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, December 05, 1999
One has to wonder after this past week if snow and colder weather will ever
appear to add a little excitement to the birding scene. Most feeders in the
Quinte area endured poor patronage this past week, with only a few feeder
operators reporting some half decent stuff including EVENING GROSBEAKS at
Prinyer's Cove, as well as at Huntington, north of Belleville, COMMON
REDPOLLS at Peat's Point and isolated sightings of PINE SISKINS at a handful
of other feeders. A TUFTED TITMOUSE has been visiting a feeder on Howe
Island, east of Kingston, since November 26th.
But there has been a bit of excitement elsewhere. The fine weather has
resulted in several EASTERN BLUEBIRD sightings. There were 11 west of
Aiken's Road last week (where there was also a NORTHERN FLICKER). The
individuals there were found within a few hundred metres of the CN tracks
between Aiken's Road and White's Road. There is a well established road
allowance and some side trails making it unnecessary to walk on the tracks.
Aiken's Road is located at Bayside just west of the Canadian Forces Base at
Trenton. There were 12 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS near Prince Edward Point a week ago Thursday, and another 4 along the extension of Simpson Road, just past Army
Reserve Road east of Point Petre on Wednesday. An observer at Bethesda, a
small community east of Demorestville had 5 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, also on
Wednesday.
John Blaney had a late PINE WARBLER in the Belleville Marsh on November
24th, and also found a YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in the parking lot at the
Massassauga Point Conservation Area. Both NORTHERN SHRIKES and AMERICAN
KESTRELS appear to be present in good numbers this fall in Prince Edward
County, with several reports of both species coming in this week.
Prince Edward Point seems to be a good area now to find OLDSQUAW. Huge
flocks of them were seen by members of the Kingston Field Naturalists during
a field trip down that way a week ago, and during an aerial tour on Monday
conducted by Quinte Conservation, there were more than 15 large flocks of
them found between Prince Edward Point and Gull Bar. There are still some
dabblers around with 6 GREEN-WINGED TEAL and 14 NORTHERN SHOVELERS still present at Peat's Point, south-east of Belleville last week.
We were beginning to think for a while that the traditional high numbers of
LITTLE GULLS we normally find in East Lake at this time each year was never
going to occur, but members of the Kingston Field Naturalists came through
for us. Between 20 and 30 were seen on East Lake on November 25th as they
fed among a flock of mergansers.
While the heavy rains and extremely mild temperatures experienced this past
week in Prince Edward County is in no way suggestive of winter yet, there is
some hope - a few SNOW BUNTINGS were seen at Point Petre on Wednesday. What
will turn up on this year's Prince Edward Point Christmas Bird Count on
December 19th is anyone's guess.
The third annual birdfeeding workshop at the Goodrich-Loomis Conservation
Centre, north of Brighton today saw 42 people attend. The event was
presented by Lower Trent Conservation, Quinte Conservation, and The
Birdhouse of Wooler.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area.
This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be
updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 12th. Good birding everyone, and
our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the
birding opportunities and interpretive events in Prince Edward County and
area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . This week's Outdoor
Rambles column is "Separating Truth from Myth."
Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net .
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
Yesterday at about 3:40 p.m. myself and two others observed the Heermann's Gull fly across the inner harbour from the
parking lot opposite the Docks restaurant/night club over to
Toronto Island where it landed on shore about 300 metres west of the Ward's Island ferry dock.
In Reply to: Re: Tufted Titmouse in Toronto posted by Derrick Marven on December 04, 1999 at 14:10:29:
"Whip round" that's what we all had in order to send Derrick to B.C.
I guess the internet has negated that. What is a "pound" anyhow?
Three Tundras in Whitby Harbour and lots of dabbling waterfowl
in record-high winter numbers I shouldn't wonder. I've seen 65 species in Durham so ar this "winter" but dipped on the Ross's Goose in west end today, where the consolation was lots of Canada Geese raiding Mr. Christies dumpsters...yummmy. Sorry I missed the fun on the Corned Beef thread.
In Reply to: Tufted Titmouse in Toronto posted by Steven Price on December 04, 1999 at 10:28:16:
The bird has fed almost every day between 8 and 9 am at 48 Parkview (my yard -- see directions in original posting), and comes now and then throughout the day. Also feeds at bacyard feeder of 46, which you are welcome to view from my back deck. Also feeds across the street in the backyard of 49, where the owner told me birders may visit. Peek at feeder from side door patio stones at top of driveway. I also saw it inspect a hole in the silver maple of 50, where black squirrels and starlings share quarters. Wouldn't it be great to have it find a mate for spring! What a delight to meet Leon S. today! Steven
Seen in widest section of valley overlooked by Hamilton Brantford railtrail behind University Plaza in Dundas. A first for us!
In Reply to: Tufted Titmouse in Toronto posted by Steven Price on December 04, 1999 at 10:28:16:
I like steven's request to leave a donation, in England
it is the done thing to have a whip round at the site
of a rare bird,thousands of pounds are raised for different
causes in this way. If this had happened at the site of
the Heermann's Gull and everybody were to put in 50cents
maybe you could have bought the guys at the yard a couple
of cases of beer or better still a framed photo of the
gull. you never no when you might need to go into the yard
again. Maybe for the Glaucous-winged Gull.
I have had a Tufted Titmouse at my backyard feeder daily since Nov. 26. Birders welcome to visit. Go to fence at top of driveway and view feeder. Consorts with Chickadees. I would greatly appreciate if you would help FLAP (the Fatal Light Awareness Program), by leaving a donation in the money jar by the gate. Good luck! 48 Parkview Avenue, east of Yonge between Sheppard and Finch. By subway, 1 block east and 2 blocks north of North York Centre station. By car, there is no direct access from Yonge St., so reach Parkview from Kenneth Avenue (the second north-south road east of Yonge). Steven Price
In Reply to: Re: Heermann's gull posted by Jim Heffernan on December 03, 1999 at 18:30:14:
Dear Jim, No apologies necessary. But do be sure to let us know if by chance you should lock rods & cones on a Glaucous-winged Gull. And Craig: I admire your courage in participating in a purely written forum despite the obvious disadvantage for you. I enjoy your written laugh too! Remember that name - Derrick Marven - next time he hands you a stick of dynamite, don't light it!
In Reply to: Re: Heermann's gull posted by Craig McLauchlan on December 03, 1999 at 15:51:17:
Alas, the internet has its failings. One cannot discern intent, hear the sarcasm in the voice, nor see the tongue planted so firmly in the cheek. And me... ...I became the very character that dismays me; judgemental, dismissive and self-righteous. My humblest apologies to all. Gentlemen, you restore my faith. Now I'll slip away and pray for a Glaucous-winged, or maybe a Mew. Jim H.
In Reply to: Re: Heermann's gull posted by Glenn Coady on December 03, 1999 at 11:02:27:
and a nother shot to the chin hahahahahahahah this are wores that Hamlton biders!!!!!hahahahahahhhaaaaaaaaaaa...... I will tack a deap breth now and go do a nother film see you all in 2000. Craig
I will be leading a birding outing on Sunday, December 5, 1999 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. at Humber Bay Park East on behalf of the Citizens Concerned with the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (CCFEW). Meet at the main parking lot at Humber Bay East. The outing is free and all are welcome. With any luck the Ross's Goose will still be present for us. Hope to see you there, Glenn Coady
In Reply to: Re: Heermann's gull posted by Derrick Marven on December 03, 1999 at 01:19:54:
Dear Derrick, Once again you have laid bait for Craig McLauchlan's hair-trigger defensive switch, the second time on this bulletin board alone. Craig was not here and not a part of the birding scene in Toronto when you were an active birder here, and thus did not know of the close relationship between you and Brian, so clearly you are shooting fish in a barrel here. I shall have to report you to a conservation officer if you persist! As far as the Heermann's Gull is concerned, I would be inclined to provide it with steak tartar and Jolt cola if I thought it would keep it here until the Toronto Christmas count. :^) Thank you Derrick, for your continued encouragement of our larophilic tendencies. Remember we don't get as much challenge as you western masters-of-the-art, what with your gulls'
proclivity toward being the bastard children of interspecific mayhem! Side note to Craig: Please add this entry to your National Geographic Guide: Derrick Marven (Homo diabolicus): Range: Vancouver Island and British Columbia lower mainland (formerly occurred in s. Ontario in ancient times). Known vagrant to most of North America. Originally a palearctic species which invaded N. America in the last few decades. Field Marks: Since arrival from Old World successive years moults have seen transition from typical dour British birding plumage to more conventional North American appearance. Now very difficult to tell from native birders. Voice, however, is still diagnostic. Characteristic "smile" mark to gape similar to Yellow-billed Loon. A gregarious species, very social. Habits: Periodically appears on birding bulletin boards pitting its rapier-like wit against humour-challenged dyslexics; Pokes good fun at anything and everything that moves. Note: Examination of the skeleton has revealed not a mean bone in the body. Taxanomic status: Recent DNA work by Sibley & Alquist suggest this species along with Brian Henshaw (Homo nonquonicus) and Phill Holder (Homo whitbyharbourii) might best be considered as a superspecies grouping based on their similar (yet distinct) vocal patterns, habitat preference for sewage beds and garbage dumps, excellent birding skills, as well as their good grace and humour.
In Reply to: Re: Heermann's gull posted by Mark Cranford on December 02, 1999 at 22:38:38:
As Mark points out I was pulling your legs Brian Henshaw is my best
friend. I think the Heermann's was a great find and for once you I.D.
a gull properly now if only you could the Black-backed ones corrct your
be up their with us laridophiles.as for Heermann's on the west coast
i think we had a few hundred on Vancouver Island this fall it's quite a
common bird and yes Tyler they do travel on boats all the time and for
periods i think its' called cruising in larid circles
Now back to Brian Henshaw only a limey would feed a rare bird a corn
beef sandwich without mustard and dill pickle.
In Reply to: Re: Heerman's gull posted by Jim Heffernan on December 02, 1999 at 19:36:49:
Lighten up boys. This guy is pulling your leg although from what I know of Brain Henshaw it would not suprise me if he has a hidden agenda that includes the seduction of other rare gulls (birulai?) with corn beef and other sundry goods. BTW I understand that Heermann's is tough bird for the BC list but easy in the Vancouver circle. So we're one up on some BC birders. Derrick?
In Reply to: Re: Heerman's gull posted by Craig McLauchlan on December 02, 1999 at 19:05:01:
I, somewhat reluctantly, am going to add 'my two cents worth'. My experience with Heermann's Gulls in California revealed that they are rather brash birds, not at all shy, and more than willing to accept hand outs. On one occasion at Seaport Village in San Diego, I was able to lean over a breakwall and photograph an adult Heermann's Gull standing on a rock from only a couple of feet away. It was looking up at me, gaping, and pretty much demanding to be fed. In fact, Heermann's Gulls were all over the place, following the tourists around and quickly devouring any scraps or hand outs that fell their way. I wonder (not too seriously, though) if this had been my only siting of Heermann's Gull in California, could I have added it to my life list? Gulls are gulls, after all. Some are effective scavengers, feasting on our waste - the things we cast aside. What difference is there between garbage in a dump and a piece of someone's lunch tossed as a hand out? Honestly, despite having asked the question, I'm not sure I really want an answer. It's debates like this that keep me away from organized birding groups and make most of my birding trips solitary. This posting, therefore, is simply support for those with the best of intentions. Jim Heffernan
In Reply to: Heerman's gull posted by Derrick Marven on December 01, 1999 at 19:07:42:
I find this Question to be all most not worth ansering but do to the law that we have on feeding wild birds (geese and gulls ) hear in this city I must agree with you BUT only on that point
I spent the day with this gull and watched as it tried to eat any thing it could find including yarn it is ovis to me that this bird might not survive .
I to feed this gull and thought nothing of it not being a A.B.A member I do not now your club rules but have gone over the O.F.O rules and see nothing much to compare with what you say as to feeding as being a assistance and listing . If what you say is true than all that saw the Ivory gull north of Ottawa feeding on the cat food and the Grosbeak that we tuck it should remove it from there list. I wont.
Also I hope that the web master will remove both our post's for they are peaty and don't have much to do with the Bird I only did this post to support Brian for I know him to be a good birder and person.
Craig McLauchlan.
In Reply to: Re: Heermanns gull in Toronto posted by Marcel Gahbauer on December 02, 1999 at 12:11:08:
I agree with Alan Wormington that this gull is not a ship carried bird. First of all Gulls like water and will rest on water as we all know. Non aquatic birds and aquatics birds who cannot float well ( herons) would stay on the ship usually till it was either at land or within site of land and then leave ( unless too sick, held captive, or enjoying/depending on free meals) . Some young birds in the fall don't know which way to migrate or don't care. So they show up in odd places. Just look at the unusual birds which show up in Newfoundland every fall as one example. On another point, the vast majority of ships which come into the port of Toronto do not go anywhere near california. Toronto recieves a fair mix of lakers (ships designed for the great lakes primarily) and salties ( ocean going vessels). The cargo which come in from the salties is primarily Imported steel and sugar. The steel comes primarily from eastern europe, russia, india, and turkey. These ship travel across the atlantic. The indian vessels reach the atlantic by the suez canal. The sugar delivered to Redpath sugar ( located on the north central part of the harbour) is primarily from the carribean, south america and occasionally from australia (if I remember correctly) thus missing The Heerman's gulls primary range. Any cargo coming in from california/western mexico would be as rare as the gull itself. For most cargo moved from california to ontario it is moved by rail/truck. It would not be feasible to ship by vessel. Finally for Craig. The travel time for a vessel from california to toronto ( assuming no stops) would be approximately 2 months 3 tops if I can remember my shipping info correctly Tyler H.
In Reply to: Heermanns gull in Toronto posted by Craig Mclauchlan on November 29, 1999 at 20:34:15:
As of 11:20 am today (Thurs Dec 2), the Heermann's Gull was still/again in view. At this time it was just east of Cherry Street, on the north side of the ship canal, in a fenced off abandoned lot. This is on the opposite side of the canal from the salt piles where the bird was reported yesterday. What a great way to start off the winter season! Marcel
I have just read on ONTBIRDS that a one Brian Henshaw was
feeding the Heerman's Gull corned beef sandwich's surely
under A.B.A. rules this constitutes assistance and the
gull is not countable. I would have thought Mr.Henshaw
would have known better.
In Reply to: Heermanns Gull on the Great Lakes before posted by Mark Cranford on November 30, 1999 at 08:00:02:
Hi all, The first basic Heermann's Gull has been seen today all morning at the garbage dump at the northeast corner of Cherry St. & Unwin Ave. often perched on the many black tarps over sand/salt piles. It often perches on the roof of the garbage redistribution shed in front of the weigh station as well. Even after having seen it my overwhelming sensation is one of disbelief at what my eyes have seen. Phenomenal bird! Mark is correct that Heerman's Gull has occurred in the Great Lakes basin before, an adult in Lorraine County, Ohio in Feb. 1980 and another in Michigan several winters in succession about 20 years ago. A profound thank you to Craig McLauchlan for making everyone aware of this bird's continuing presence and to Bruce Massey who originally found and reported this bird in the port industrial area about two weeks ago. Might this perhaps be the last addition to the Toronto checklist of the 1900's? Good Luck if you go looking for it - I'm sure you'll have lots of company.
In Reply to: Re: Heermanns gull in Toronto posted by Jim Heffernan on November 29, 1999 at 22:49:36:
Jim and others. It's not totally unprecedented. Heermann's Gull is on the Ohio list from Feb. 1980 and can be viewed on the web at http://aves.net/rarities/hmgull80.htm . Hope it hangs in until at least Thursday. Craig, thanks for the sighting. Mark Cranford
In Reply to: Heermanns gull in Toronto posted by Craig Mclauchlan on November 29, 1999 at 20:34:15:
this is the sight that Rob posted them on
Craig
http://home.ican.net/~robm/hgull.htm
In Reply to: Heermanns gull in Toronto posted by Craig Mclauchlan on November 29, 1999 at 20:34:15:
Hi Craig, I spent about two weeks in San Diego in Nov. 98 and Jan. 99 and saw hundreds of Heermann's Gulls, both immature and adult. They are pretty much unmistakeable. I am looking forward to seeing your pictures and will likely make trip down to the Bay next weekend (assuming this gull lingers). Please let us all know where your pictures are posted (if not on this page). I can't imagine any other gull that could possibly be mistaken for an immature Heermann's. I expect it was easier to identify than to believe. Is there any precedent for this bird on the Great Lakes. It is, after all, a western, coastal specialty. Jim
HToday at Ashbridges bay hear in Toronto at 1:30 Rob Miller, Bev Rellin and
my self re found the 1st winter Heermanns gull (that was first found 3 weeks
ago ?) It was siting near the boat launch with a group of Ring Billed gulls.
I have photographs of this Gull and with Robs help will be posting them on a
website for all to see , although I will say that one birder that has all
ready seen them by the name of Bob Curry has said that their is nothing
decisive showing in them I was not going to be one of those birders that
scare a rare bird away to get the shot. My notes reed like this: Nov. 29 99 Ashbridges bay Toronto First winter
Heermanns gull 1:30 to1:45pm
slightly larger than R.B.Gull, nota round head rather sloped instead, bill
larger and thicker, flesh colour at base and black at the tip (thicker and
larger and moor decurved than a R.B.Gull) colour was over all deep gray
brown, the wings wear darker than the body. Its legs wear dark gray all most
black and its eye was black showing no eye ring. What a bird ..
To find Ashbridges bay follow the Gardiner expressway east to wear it turns
in to lake shore blvd. the next set of lights is coxwell ave turne hear in
to Ashbridges bay and go to the boat launch.
Craig McLauchlan.
Csam@sympatico.ca
Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
In Reply to: B.C.Chickadee and spiders? posted by Craig McLauchlan on November 26, 1999 at 15:00:36:
Black-capped Chickadee are well known as insectivores as well as seed-eaters. Just yesterday I saw a flock of about 8 of them feeding
on moribund looking moths. GC
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Nov.22 to Nov.28, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro.
This is the last week of the season for High Park. Things have definitely tapered off - only 11 raptors were seen this week. And as if to remind us of the coming winter a group of 25 Common Redpolls flew by as the watch wrapped up for the day. There were 15,078 raptors seen this year, slightly below our average of 15,691. Highlights of this year were the 35 Rough-legged Hawks
(our average is 18 a year) and 43 Golden Eagles, both single season records for High Park. We also recorded our first Gyrfalcon for the site. The 4802 Broad-winged Hawks and 877 Sharp-shinned Hawks seen on September 17th were the highest single day total for these species ever recorded at our site. However, numbers for most species were down slightly from their levels as recorded at this site since 1994. For example, we saw a total of 17 Bald Eagles this year compared to 42 last year and a yearly average of 23. This is my first year acting as a counter and reporter for the High Park hawkwatch. It was thoroughly enjoyable experience for me. I got as much pleasure from meeting with my fellow birders as the hawks. I would like to thank everyone involved in our watch this year including all those who showed up to help count. Good birding until next fall. Totals for this year are as follows: Turkey Vulture 1696, Osprey 57, Bald Eagle 17, Northern Harrier 184, Sharp-shinned Hawk 4052, Cooper's Hawk 103, Northern Goshawk 9, Red-shouldered Hawk 116, Broad-winged Hawk 5533, Red-tailed Hawk 2468, Rough-legged Hawk 35, Golden Eagle 43, American Kestrel 522, Merlin 37, Peregrine Falcon 15, Gyrfalcon 1, Unidentified 190, Total raptors 15078. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 meters above sea level and 38 meters above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the center of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, November 28, 1999
Not a whole lot of excitement around this past week in the Quinte area, but a few interesting reports did come in. There are still lots of waterfowl around, with MALLARDS topping the list of the most frequently observed species. Today, they were everywhere with some of the higher numbers being 30 in Muscote Bay, 20 at Robinson's Cove (both locations at Big Island), and some 50 or more in West Lake at Wellington Harbour where other species encountered there today included COMMON GOLDENEYE, AMERICAN WIGEON, both LESSER and GREATER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD, CANADA GOOSE and BLACK DUCK. There were 11 white phase SNOW GEESE seen flying across Smith's Bay last weekend, according to observer Pat Clark. This species seems to be turning up with increasing frequency in recent years with a flock of 20 appearing in our records as one high autumn sighting over Picton one year, and two spring sightings of an incredible 400 and 700 individuals.
There was a flock of 20+ WILD TURKEYS feeding in a harvested corn field at Sandbanks Provincial Park today, and another five seen yesterday in a field near the intersection of County Road 10 and County Road 11 (East Lake Road).
Reports of PINE SISKINS and COMMON REDPOLLS dwindled over the past week, but other sightings took their place. EVENING GROSBEAKS were reported at feeders this past week at Prince Edward Point, Big Island, Northport, Napanee, Roslin, Madoc, and a flock of eight coming to a feeder south of Cherry Valley. But the big excitement as far as feeder birds are concerned was a high of 15 RED CROSSBILLS at a feeder five km east of Lake-on-the-Mountain, operated by Jack and Jean Miller. In other bird feeder news, a normally docile male HAIRY WOODPECKER took over a Bloomfield backyard today maintaining dominance over three feeders, then spending some time hammering the life out of niger feeder and a steel feeder post before finally taking off.
Blustery winds and occasional driving rain made birding difficult today at Sandbanks Provincial Park. There was lots of activity at a cottage feeder on the west side of Richardson's Campground where fully 15 to 20 BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES were streaming in to the feeders along with both RED-BREASTED and WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCHES. Three COMMON REDPOLLS flew over the campground at the Outlet River and a handful of PINE SISKINS were heard in the Cedars Campground.
NORTHERN SHRIKES were seen today at Big Island, Cherry Valley and near Bloomfield. There was a NORTHERN HARRIER yesterday at the Big Island Marsh and a ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on Huff's Island Road.
A total of 51 people attended the birdfeeding seminar at Napanee yesterday. The final workshop of the season will be taking place this coming Sunday, December 5th at the Goodrich-Loomis Conservation Area's Education Centre at 2:00 p.m. , sponsored by Lower Trent Conservation, Quinte Conservation and The Birdhouse in Wooler.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 5th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The site is being updated this week with new information on Prince Edward County birding sites, naturalization and bird feeding ideas, what birds to expect in December, and this week's Outdoor Rambles column dealing with Quinte Conservation's outdoor program.
Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@ kos.net
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
We saw a tired and disoriented Golden Eagle in Humber Bay East this morning, at the east end of the park. It has jesses on its legs, so appears to be an escapee. It was approaching people, apparently wanting to be taken home.
In Reply to: B.C.Chickadee and spiders? posted by Craig McLauchlan on November 26, 1999 at 15:00:36:
Don't know about Chickadees and spiders, but several times over this past summer we saw sparrows fly up to our window and snatch spiders or other bugs from it. We also noticed that mowing the back lawn would produce a frenzy of bird activity. Once the lawn was mowed and everything had been put away and we humans retreated inside, from 20 to 40 sparrows and starlings would descend on the lawn. They usually hung around for 20 to 40 minutes (or until a car went by). They'd hop all around and peck at the ground. Presumably the mowing would stir up gnats or some such and make them easier pickings for the birds.
I have a Question that I need a answer to, jest minutes ago (2:30 pm Nov. 26 99) will watching my back yard feeder from my window I saw something that I have never seen before a B.C.Chickadee flu up and landed on the sill and stared to scold me it then snatched a spider from the comer and eat it ? I did not know that they wood eat spiders?and all the book,s that I have don't mention this. Craig McLauchlan. csam@sympatico.ca
Early this morning, 8 White-winged Crossbills and one Pine Siskin stopped at Ashbridge's before flying north into the city. Also at this location a 2nd winter Iceland Gull has been frequenting the new sand bar since November 11th, occassionally joined by an Adult Kumlien's and the odd Bonaparte's. An adult male Merlin was perched at Riverdale farm last Saturday.
Dear Fellow Birders Hi went down to the 16 Mile Creek today near Glen Abbey in Oakville, thinking the warm weather might bring out some birds and I was right. The best bird was at sunset I heard a Great Horned Owl hooting, other good birds were a Carolina Wren (my 2nd sighting from here), a Swamp Sparrow, a Song Sparrow, Kingfisher, and 2 Hairy Woodpeckers. Mike
Today I saw the first pair of Trumpeter swans in Port Credit. I have been here for 23.5 years and here they are. Once you hear them you have no doubts.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, November 21, 1999
Not quite as profitable a week in the Quinte area as last week, but a few good sightings made just the same. Eleanor and Bob Sachs of Kingston had a good day at Prince Edward Point on Monday when they checked off a late TREE SWALLOW at the Prince Edward Point harbour, a NORTHERN GOSHAWK, 13 RED-TAILED HAWKS and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. At least one, and possibly two GOLDEN EAGLES were spotted near Prince Edward Point as well as two TUNDRA SWANS in South Bay.
Lots of ducks around despite the hunting pressure in both Prince Edward County and Presqu'ile Provincial Park these days. There was a nice assortment of ducks in West Lake on Tuesday, just east of the Wellington Harbour, including 2 NORTHERN PINTAIL, AMERICAN WIGEON, LESSER SCAUP, BUFFLEHEAD and COMMON MERGANSER. There were also two DUNLIN feeding in the exposed mudflats near the harbour. The pickings were a little slimmer today with some 175 MALLARDS and 25 CANADA GEESE representing those present this afternoon. Salmon Point had a flock of over 100 BUFFLEHEAD in Soup Harbour on Wednesday, and the resident flock of approximately 50 CANADA GEESE are once again hanging around the Prinyer's Cove area. Two HOODED MERGANSERS, 12 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 14 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 10 MALLARDS, 1 BLACK DUCK, and 6 COMMON GOLDENEYE were at Peat's Point on Monday, an area that should continue to see some interesting species until freeze-up. Presqu'ile Park this weekend had AMERICAN WIGEON, GADWALL and 14 RUDDY DUCKS.
The mild weather has resulted in a few stragglers hanging on until the last moment with a DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT being seen at Peat's Point on Monday. A GREAT BLUE HERON was also seen near there on Marsh Road on Monday, and another was in the Bloomfield Creek off Wesley Acres Road this afternoon. Two PURPLE SANDPIPERS and a late KILLDEER were both at West Point on Monday and Wednesday respectively. There was still a number of lingering TURKEY VULTURES working the remaining thermals at Salmon Point on Wednesday. A correction in last week's report - the very late SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER seen by members of the Kingston Field Naturalists was not seen at Ostrander Point in Prince Edward County, but rather, on Hill Island, near Ivy Lea.
Our thanks to those who attended the Picton Birdfeeding Workshop's 10th Anniversary celebrations last weekend. A total of 127 people attended. The workshop is being repeated this coming Saturday, November 27th, at 10:00 a.m., at the Flipside Entertainment Centre on Dairy Avenue in Napanee. The same workshop will also be held on December 5th at 2:00 p.m. at the Education Centre at the Goodrich-Loomis Conservation Area, north of Brighton. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 28th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The Outdoor Rambles column this week is "Forgotten Knowledge," a rather sombre look at information we are in danger of losing as time goes by. Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net .
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
Today at 10:45 am I went back to the Britannia landfill site to look at more gulls (the dump is south of the intersection of Britannia Road and Terry Fox Way). Aside from the expected Herring, Ring-billed and Great-blacked Gulls I also saw the following:
Iceland Gull: 1 first winter;
Lesser Black-backed Gull: 2 adults;
and another interesting adult gull: Mantle darker than Herring, size similar to Herring, legs noticeably pinker than Herring, dark iris, bill yellow with red spot. The gulls flushed when my eyes were off the gull, so I couldn't see the gull in flight. The 'mirrors' on the tips of the folded wing didn't look noticeably different than Herring. A Thayer's?
There has been an adult Lesser-blacked Gull loafing among Herring and Ring-billed gulls at around 11:00 am today and yesterday in the field adjacent to the north side of the Brittania landfill site. The field is at the southwest corner Brittania Road and Terry Fox Way. You can park at that corner in the small parking lot at the colourful residential developer's show house. There was also a greater Black-backed today up on the dump itself.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, November 14, 1999
A truly spectacular week of birding in Prince Edward County, culminating with the 10th Anniversary of the Picton Birdfeeding Workshop this afternoon at the Tip of the Bay with 127 people in attendance. It was through the birdfeeding workshop that we learned of EVENING GROSBEAKS at feeders at both Wellington and east of Lake-on-the-Mountain. The county's first SNOWY OWL of the season was seen Thursday at Wellington, and today there were 40 WILD TURKEYS east of Picton along County Road 17.
Some exciting records in the county during the Kingston Field Naturalists Fall Round-up last Sunday resulting in some 126 species of birds being seen within the KFN's 50 km field study area. Among them were what will likely be the first confirmed record of a SWAINSON'S HAWK , seen in the Prinyer's Cove area by Bob Stewart, Hugh Evans and Lynn Bell. While this species is listed on the Prince Edward County Check List of Birds, the sighting unfortunately was based on a rejected record made in 1995; this latest record, if accepted by the KFN Rare Birds Committee, will now support the checklist entry.
Other species of interest seen during the fall roundup included a LITTLE GULL at the Amherstview Sewage Lagoons, and a SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, LEAST SANDPIPER and a PURPLE SANDPIPER at Ostrander Point, about seven kilometres west of Prince Edward Point. The PURPLE SANDPIPER was with a flock of 100 DUNLIN, and 10 SANDERLINGS. At Prince Edward Point, there was a late WOOD PEWEE and an EASTERN PHOEBE, along with a very late SWAINSON'S THRUSH and CAPE MAY WARBLER, and an early BOHEMIAN WAXWING and PINE GROSBEAK. A RED-THROATED LOON was also seen, and a GOLDEN EAGLE was seen at Glenora.
Also seen during the roundup at Prince Edward Point were all three species of scoters, and 75,000+ OLDSQUAW. Peat's Point on Monday had 10 HOODED MERGANSERS, 2 BLACK DUCKS, 4 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 2 COMMON MERGANSERS, 10 NORTHERN SHOVELERS and 15 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, according to observer Lloyd Paul. Meanwhile at East Lake, Albert Boisvert and Don Craighead found 2 PIED-BILLED GREBES, a GREAT BLUE HERON and 3 LITTLE GULLS on Tuesday. Their best find was a late AMERICAN BITTERN at Prinyer's Cove. On Thursday, Don Craighead noted 8 EVENING GROSBEAKS at the feeders at the Goodrich-Loomis Conservation Area, north of Brighton.
In addition to the shorebirds in the Prince Edward Point area, there was good shorebirding at Presqu'ile this week with Thursday producing 5 PURPLE SANDPIPERS, 3 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, a SANDERLING, 12 DUNLIN and 7 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. There were five DUNLIN at the Wellington Harbour, also on Thursday, and more than some 3,000 scaup comprising both LESSER and GREATER in West Lake, along with at least 700 REDHEADS, all seen within the protected waters of Sandbanks Provincial Park. Sandbanks also had a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK in the Richardson's Campground where there were also 6 COMMON REDPOLLS, 7 PINE SISKINS, and other species including SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, AMERICAN ROBIN, RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (3), GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET and SNOW BUNTING (in flight).
Lloyd Paul had a COMMON FLICKER on Monday at his home at Peat's Point along Massassauga Road, and there were a BELTED KINGFISHER and an EASTERN BLUEBIRD at Prinyer's Cove on Tuesday. All in all, some nice birds this week, including some tardy individuals, a few early birds, and our usual finds that can be expected at this time of the year.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 21st. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The Outdoor Rambles column this week is "Nearby and Natural," a look at our conservation areas in the Quinte region and what we can do to assist with increasing maintenance costs. Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net .
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Nov.8 to Nov.14, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro. This was an incredibly slow week - in fact, the numbers would even qualify as a slow day. In all only 29 hawks were seen this week. Most of the days had winds roughly from the south. Even today (Sunday, November 14) bird movement was very, very slow despite strong northwest winds, a rising barometer and good sky conditions. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 0, Osprey 0, Bald Eagle 0, Northern Harrier 0, Sharp-shinned Hawk 2, Cooper's Hawk 3, Northern Goshawk 0, Red-shouldered Hawk 0, Broad-winged Hawk 0, Red-tailed Hawk 15, Rough-legged Hawk 0, Golden Eagle 0, American Kestrel 2, Merlin 0, Peregrine Falcon 0, Gyrfalcon 0, Unidentified 7, Total raptors 29. Year to Date: 15,012. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 meters above sea level and 38 meters above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the center of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
After repeatedly missing the Ross' Goose that visited Humber Bay Park one or two
winters back, I was pleasantly surprised to find the Ross' Goose there on my first visit to
search for it yesterday. When I arrived, it was near the north shore of the lake in the
vicinity of the two condo towers northeast of the H.B. East parking lot; by the time I left
half an hour later at 10:45, it had swum over to the peninsula, walked on to shore, and
was feeding on the grassy knoll just east of the loop coming out of the parking lot. I was amazed to see what an aggressive little beast the Ross' Goose is. Time after time it
attacked Canada Geese that got too close to it, chasing after them and nipping them on the
wings. It seemed pretty much oblivious to my presence, walking straight toward me at
one point until it was less than 10 metres away. Also seen at the park was a female Ruddy Duck in the old 'Feeding Bay', and a handful of
Bufflehead and Oldsquaw offshore. The only songbirds in evidence were American
Goldfinches, which were quite numerous and active. Marcel
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Nov.1 to Nov.7, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro. No birds were seen until the weekend. We decided that we could see as many birds at home while keeping warm and dry as we could while getting chilled and soaked to the bone in the driving rain. Luckily by Saturday the skies were clear and strong northwest winds blew for the weekend. On Saturday 58 birds were seen including 50 Red-tailed Hawks and 1 Peregrine Falcon. Sunday was a great day with 561 birds of 9 species seen, including 505 Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Golden Eagles and 9 Rough-legged Hawks. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 4, Osprey 0, Bald Eagle 0, Northern Harrier 4, Sharp-shinned Hawk 15, Cooper's Hawk 5, Northern Goshawk 0, Red-shouldered Hawk 15, Broad-winged Hawk 0, Red-tailed Hawk 555, Rough-legged Hawk 10, Golden Eagle 2, American Kestrel 1, Merlin 0, Peregrine Falcon 1, Gyrfalcon 0, Unidentified 7, Total raptors 619. Year to Date:14,983. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 meters above sea level and 38 meters above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the center of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, November 07, 1999
Not as busy a week, bird-wise, as last week, but nonetheless a few good sightings around the Quinte area. Albert Boisvert and Maureen Riggs had a late OSPREY at South Bay on Friday. They also found all three species of scoters off Point Traverse (adjacent to Prince Edward Point), comprising 9 BLACK SCOTERS, 7 SURF SCOTERS, and the rest made up of WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, along with "thousands of scaup." The birders also found ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK on Kelly Road, DUNLIN at Wellington, and EASTERN BLUEBIRDS on Royal Road (6) and Point Traverse Road (6), where they also found a NORTHERN SHRIKE and another along Babylon Road. A VESPER SPARROW was seen on Kelly Road.
Reports of SNOW BUNTINGS in the county are increasing as winter draws even nearer. Sightings this past week were made at Prince Edward Point, Point Petre, Trenton, Madoc, Yarker, and Huyck's Point (west of Wellington). Other signs of winter include an increasing number of PINE SISKINS and COMMON REDPOLLS. The latter species has shown up at feeders at Picton, Milford, Napanee, Huntington Township (10 miles north of Belleville), Big Island (Demorestville), and at Peat's Point (south-east of Belleville). Peat's Point resident Lloyd Paul has literally experienced a sanctuary setting in front of his new home where this week he had 28 GREEN-WINGED TEAL, 18 NORTHERN SHOVELERS, 2 COMMON GOLDENEYE, 2 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, 12 HOODED MERGANSERS and 1 GREATER YELLOWLEGS, all seen from his front yard.
No PURPLE SANDPIPERS seen yet in Prince Edward County, but nearby Presqu'ile Park had 2 right at the lighthouse this morning, according to observer Cheryl Mound. Wellington Harbour still offers good birding, much of which can be seen right from the Harbour Restaurant. Present there this past week have been hundreds of gulls including both RING-BILLED and BONAPARTE'S, DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT, MALLARDS, DUNLIN and GREAT BLUE HERON.
On Thursday there were about 300 BUFFLEHEAD in Soup Harbour at Point Petrie, and still some TURKEY VULTURES passing through with a dozen seen today by resident Wynne Thomas. WILD TURKEYS are out and about these days with sightings made this week at Sandbanks, Black River, and a flock of over 20 near Waupoos.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 14th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The Outdoor Rambles column topic this week is "Celebrating 50 Years," a tribute to the Belleville based Quinte Field Naturalists. Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net .
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
In Reply to: Re: Leslie st spit posted by Tamara Chipperfield on October 13, 1999 at 10:41:06:
You can also see (and print) a map at the Friends of the Spit's website: http://www.interlog.com/~fos (note the dash is the tilde, or what some call the squiggle!), the click on 'How to get to the Spit'. Happy birding.
In Reply to: Birding Periodicals posted by Fifth_Day on November 03, 1999 at 10:05:50:
The birding magazine of the American Birding Association is the only one of the four or five magazines that I would really miss if I ceased to get it and Ontario Birds as well is right up there
In Reply to: Birding Periodicals posted by Fifth_Day on November 03, 1999 at 10:05:50:
Birder's World is a great mag, it comes out every 2 months as well; WildBird is great too
Check them out at the book store, very good and reputable
Does anyone know of any good general birding magazines?
I subscribe to "Bird Watcher's Digest", which is a good
mag, but it comes out only every two months, so there is
a lot of dead time between reading that I'd like to fill
with something else. Any suggestions?
Today, Nov. 1, on Page A8 in the Toronto edition of the
Globe and Mail, there is a story about peregrines Nate
and his three pals. The Canadian Peregrine Foundation
released them this past summer and is tracking them by
satellite. You can 'TRAK-EM' at the web site
www.peregrine-foundation.ca. Nate reached Colombia by yesterday, Oct. 31. Sandra
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Oct.25 to Oct.31, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H.
Shapiro. This week the big news was an juvenile Gyrfalcon seen this Sunday at 12:30. If accepted by the Toronto Ornithological Club Records Committee, this would be a first for the High Park site. The other big news was the 14 Golden Eagles seen this week making an unprecedented (for us) 41 for the year. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 22, Osprey 0, Bald Eagle 0, Northern Harrier 3, Sharp-shinned Hawk 32, Cooper's Hawk 12, Northern Goshawk 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 6, Broad-winged Hawk 0, Red-tailed Hawk 368, Rough-legged Hawk 13, Golden Eagle 14, American Kestrel 1, Merlin 3, Peregrine Falcon 1, Gyrfalcon 1 Unidentified 12, Total raptors 490. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, October 31
Prince Edward Point was hopping this weekend, and it was mainly for the birds. Warm temperatures today resulted in several birders being at the Point. An algae covered limestone shelf extending out from shore near the bird banding station contained an array of feeding shorebirds including 11 DUNLIN, 10 SANDERLINGS and six BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER. There was a GREATER YELLOWLEGS at the harbour near the boat ramp (two were there on Wednesday), and 38 MALLARDS feeding in the shallows just west of the government dock. Two BRANT drifted offshore from the lighthouse for most of the day. Waterfowl numbers were low, although COMMON MERGANSER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS, OLD SQUAW, and BUFFLEHEAD were seen. Point Traverse later in the day had PINE SISKINS, and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS. Up to 8 HORNED GREBES were recorded, most off Point Traverse where there was also a COMMON LOON and two SURF SCOTERS. Raptors seen included 6 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 1 ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK and two TURKEY VULTURES. An immature BALD EAGLE flew over our heads near the banding station, and one observer from Montreal found a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. EASTERN PHOEBE was also seen just west of the Point Traverse corner.
Albert Boisvert of Trenton and Don Craighead of Belleville also chalked up a good list at Prince Edward Point on Wednesday, including 18 HORNED GREBES, 3 NORTHERN SHRIKES, BLACK SCOTERS, 1 REDHEAD, 2 HERMIT THRUSHES, 2 FOX SPARROWS and a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK. On October 22nd, members of the Kingston Field Naturalists banded 8 NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWLS at Prince Edward Point. Member Philina English reported that teen naturalists with that group banded another three the following night. Sunday morning they found a BARRED OWL and LONG-EARED OWL as they were taking down the nets.
Lloyd Paul birding the Pete's Point area near his home, west of Massassauga Conservation Area, checked off 12 HOODED MERGANSERS, and 2 RED-NECKED GREBES on Wednesday. At his feeder today he had 2 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES and 4 COMMON REDPOLLS feeding on the seeds of his birch tree. At feeders elsewhere in the county, Joanne Dewey had a female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER at her feeder near Elmbrook on Wednesday, and also heard EVENING GROSBEAKS calling on the north shore of Big Island earlier this week.
The Frink Centre at Plainfield had BROWN CREEPER, HERMIT THRUSH, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS and one NORTHERN FLICKER on Tuesday, according to Don Craighead. Over on Amherst Island Ken Edwards came up with some great sightings on Tuesday with 2 LONG-BILLED DOWITCHERS , ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS, NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL and a hatch year BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE. To the west, Presqu'ile continues to add to its laurels as a super birding area by having a female RED CROSSBILL at a feeder operated by resident Fred Helleiner and some scattered sightings of COMMON REDPOLLS.
The Amherstview Sewage Lagoons on Tuesday had some 67 shorebirds with a WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER, 54 DUNLIN and 12 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS being among the more interesting species seen.
Nature film makers John and Janet Foster saw a PILEATED WOODPECKER at their home near Tweed feeding on wild grapes last week. John said the bird methodically worked the vines over, plucking the grapes from the stems and consuming them one by one. Other interesting sightings this week in the Quinte area included ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and SANDERLINGS at Sandbanks Provincial Park, a somewhat late MARSH WREN at Wellington Harbour on Tuesday, 9 TUNDRA SWANS in South Bay on Wednesday, and a BELTED KINGFISHER at Crofton along Highway 62, 9 miles south of Belleville yesterday.
Quinte Conservation and Picton Farm Supply will be presenting their 10th Anniversary Birdfeeding Workshop at the Tip of the Bay Hotel and Marina (Prince Edward Banquet Room) in Picton at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, November 14th. Lots of bagged bird feed to give away, free refreshments, and an excellent display of bird feeders. Presenter Terry Sprague will be discussing "Birdfeeding Into the Millennium - a look at 150 years of bird feeding." Come celebrate with us.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 07. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . This site is being totally updated this weekend with new birding areas to explore, tips on birdfeeding, new photos from our interpretive aerial tours, together with our regular Outdoor Rambles column with this week's topic being "Exploring the Frink." Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net. Terry Sprague Picton, Ontario
this afternoon on the Leslie st spit there was a strange group of fall and winter birds.Starting of with 3 add Island gulls flying over together , there wear 37 hood mergansers, 19 Black back gulls, 1 ruddy duck, 7 coots and 1 horned grebe .
at pipit point there wear 45 snow buntings and 2 Lap land long spurs, over 5000 oldsquaw's wear seen flying by and 10 com. Loons wear in the lake.only 1 great horned owl was seen but the hi light was as we wear living 3 Purple sandpiper's wear seen at the foot of the sailors club rood . great day .
Craig
It appears our fax campaign is having an impact. The issue was brought up in the Legislature yesterday. You can read the Hansard transcript at: http://www.zoo.utoronto.ca/FUN/Fmessages/9183.html To all who have faxed the letters, please send one more fax to: Frank Miller, Chair, Ontario Parks Fax: 705-755-1701 or write:
MNR Ontario Parks P.O. Box 7000 Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5 Att: Mr. Frank Miller Some media attention would also be great. Please send Letters to the Editor to: Toronto Sun:
editor@sunpub.com The Globe and Mail:
newsroom@globeandmail.ca The National Post:
online@nationalpost.com The Toronto Star:
editorial@thestar.ca The Hamilton Spectator:
letters@spectator.southam.ca We can win this, if we keep the heat on!!
In Reply to: Save Bronte Creek posted by Andy on October 27, 1999 at 15:56:59:
Hi Andy, Thanks for bringing this issue to our attention. I will always remember Bronte Creek as the place where I saw my first Kentucky Warbler - the persistently singing male that was there for over a month in spring a couple of years back, which no doubt many others reading this will remember fondly too. Before and since I've made many other trips to the east side of the park, and it has become very evident to me how important the habitat in this area is - it is one of the few places that offers such a diverse mixture of "northern" (e.g. a variety of more typically northern warblers such as Blackburnian and Black-throated Green) and "southern" (e.g. Orchard Oriole) species in the breeding season. The meadows in the park are particularly important, as this type of habitat is under-represented in southern Ontario's protected areas, and offers a valuable refuge for our grassland species. To hear that there are such extensive plans for devleopment within a provincial park is very disturbing. This is in clear violation of the park's management plan as quoted. I would like to know how Ontario Parks can justify the plans that have been announced. I hope that everyone who has enjoyed visiting Bronte Creek Provincial Park and has an interest in preserving this critical habitat will take a few minutes to print out, sign, and send the letter linked to the original message. Hopefully if enough of us take an interest, the destruction of this site can be prevented. Marcel Gahbauer
Scarborough ON
gsteve6@ibm.net
The following was prepared by the East Bronte Creek Preservation Association.
I think we need to act on this:
----------------
Ontario Parks Can't Spell "Protection"
We want to alert our fellow citizens that our beautiful, natural resource of
Bronte Provincial Park is in iminent danger of being sold out from under us,
to the highest bidder. And, moreover sold without reference to or
consultation with its legitimate owners, the taxpayers of Ontario.
We recently discovered that top officials of Ontario Parks have been
negotiating for several months with the Royal Canadian Golf Association
(RCGA). The result of these clandestine talks has been to short list the
eastern half of Bronte Creek Park as a potential 45 hole national golf
training center for the RCGA !
The target area is the natural table land of Bronte Creek Park, lying on the
east side of the creek. This upland site is bordered by
ecologically-signifigant Carolinian forest, and supports mixed planted trees
including undisturbed woodloys of oak hickory. Part of it consists of
naturally regenerating old fields and meadows, which include rare species of
prarie grasses. A provincially significant archaeological site is also
located in the area.
Prior to these golf discussions, Onatrio Parks was already talking of the
possibility of installing a fully-serviced, 400 unit campsite in this
ecologically sensitive area. While a caravan site may be the lesser
ecological disaster than a golf facility, we know that it will inevitably
damage the existing ecosystem.
The proud, self professed mandate of Ontario Parks is the protection of
Ontario's evironment. To quote from their Management Plan for Bronte Creek:
"To protect the provincially, regionally and locally signifigant biological,
geological and cultural resources of Bronte Creek Provincial Park". We see
neither a golf facility nor campground as protective of the existing
environment in Bronte Creek Park.
----------------
The Advisory Board of the Canadian Alliance of Wildlife
Partners has composed a letter to the Minister which we
hope concerned citizens will use to voice their concerns.
Please read and send the letter to the Minister with copies
to the MP's. We cannot allow this project to proceed. You
can access the letter by clicking
here.
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario.
View Period: Oct.18-Oct.24, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett.
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro
Once again strong northwest winds and cold fronts brought lots of birds on this Monday and Sunday. The rest of the week was fairly quiet. Golden Eagles were the big news this week. On Monday, October 18th a High Park record was tied when 11 Golden Eagles seen. Also seen were 696 Red-tailed Hawks and 941 total birds of 11 species. If that was not enough Golden Eagles, another 12 (a new High Park record) were seen today on Sunday when 374 birds of 11 species were also seen. Interestingly enough, a sister site to the east, Iroquois Falls, also saw 12 Golden Eagles today. Of the 27 Golden Eagles seen this year, 24 were seen this week. Also this week were large numbers of Red-tailed Hawks (1071) and good numbers of Rough-legged Hawks (9, including 5 today). Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 98, Osprey 0, Bald Eagle 2, Northern Harrier 11, Sharp-shinned Hawk 234, Cooper's Hawk 12, Northern Goshawk 3, Red-shouldered Hawk 42, Broad-winged Hawk 0, Red-tailed Hawk 1071, Rough-legged Hawk 9, Golden Eagle 24, American Kestrel 6, Merlin 3, Peregrine Falcon 1, Unidentified 16, Total raptors 1535. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, October 24, 1999
What a great week! All kinds of great stuff filtering into the Quinte area. The big news has been the arrival en masse of PINE SISKINS. It doesn't seem to matter where one is birding these days, the call-notes of siskins may be heard. Area feeders are also enjoying their presence now with PINE SISKINS being reported at feeders in Wellington, Picton, Bloomfield, Milford and the Carrying Place area. There is a flock of 60+ coming to a feeder on Montrose Road, west of Belleville. A feeder near Consecon had a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL on Tuesday.
Elsewhere there have been some large numbers of other birds. On Monday Point Petre resident Wynne Thomas had an "astonishing movement" of kinglets and warblers through the Point. By mid-afternoon there was scarcely a tree or shrub that didn't contain 8 to 10 birds, including hundreds of kinglets (mostly GOLDEN-CROWNED) and YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS interspersed with BLACK-AND WHITE WARBLER, PALM WARBLER, and a somewhat late NORTHERN PARULA. By next morning, all were gone.
Meanwhile on Amherst Island, birders Albert Boisvert, Maureen Riggs, Ken Kingdon, and Don Craighead had equally good success on Thursday coming up with high numbers of AMERICAN PIPITS and SNOW BUNTINGS. While there, a juvenile NORTHERN SHRIKE flew in and captured one of the buntings, taking it to a clump of prickly ash where the bird was consumed. Other species noted were 9 HORNED GREBES, BLACK DUCKS, MALLARDS, BLUE-WINGED TEAL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, COMMON MERGANSER, 8 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, GREATER YELLOWLEGS, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, 2 COMMON SNIPE, 1 WINTER WREN, 1 EASTERN BLUEBIRD, 3 HERMIT THRUSHES and a half dozen FOX SPARROWS. Yesterday, there were LESSER YELLOWLEGS present, along with PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, SEMIPALMATED PLOVERS and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS on Amherst Island.
A GREATER YELLOWLEGS was also seen today on the West Lake Beach at Sandbanks Provincial Park. Observers John and Sharron Blaney also got two ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS in a nearby field, 8 WILD TURKEYS at County Road 12, and a VESPER SPARROW in the park itself. As far as numbers, they did much better at Beaver Meadow Wildlife Management Area where they came across an absolute din of AMERICAN ROBINS, so numerous they at first believed them to be blackbirds. There were at least a few hundred. Near Huff's Island Road, they found a flock of AMERICAN PIPITS ineffectually harassing a RED-TAILED HAWK. The pair also found HOODED MERGANSERS in Sawguin Creek, and along West Lake Road they came upon a flock of several hundred COMMON GRACKLES and a sprinkling of EUROPEAN STARLINGS attracted by some spilled corn. Checking out East Lake from the group campground at Sandbanks, they found 4 LITTLE GULLS and at least one RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET in with a flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS in the Woodlands Campground.
There were two OSPREYS seen along the Moira River at East Riverside Park in Belleville on Monday. And along the Outlet side of East Lake, observer Brian Grimley had a treat when not one but two immature GOLDEN EAGLES floated by this afternoon in front of his binoculars.
Presqu'ile Provincial Park did very well too this past week with AMERICAN TREE SPARROW, PURPLE SANDPIPER, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPERS, RED PHALAROPE, GOLDEN PLOVER and PARASITIC JAEGERS among the more noteworthy species chalked up by various observers. At the Amherstview Sewage Lagoons this past week there were up to 40 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS seen along with a few DUNLIN and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS. There were 16 MUTE SWANS on Presqu'ile Bay Thursday, no doubt fall-out from the once again good numbers that nested in Prince Edward County waters to the east. There were reported nestings this year at Consecon Lake, West Lake, Pleasant Bay, and at least one pair that was photographed in August on Huyck's Bay. A case of my two fingers flying over the keyboard last week resulted in one error in a report of 200 BLUE-WINGED TEAL in a small lake near Glenora, along with a few GREEN-WINGED TEAL. That should have read 200 GREEN-WINGED TEAL along with a few BLUE-WINGED TEAL.
Don McLure had a RUFFED GROUSE stroll nonchalantly across a neighbour's yard one day this past week in the village of Bloomfield, and inspect the garden before moving on. And today there was a PILEATED WOODPECKER that flew across in front of our car along County Road 10, south of Picton, before gaining safer altitude and disappearing in a deciduous woodlot. Lots of birds on the move this week, albeit some of them in odd places.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be unpated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 31st. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The site will be updated again in two weeks, while the Outdoor Rambles column is updated every Sunday Night. Check out the column this evening for information on "Foaming Waters." Please e-mail your sightings to: tsprague@kos.net.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
This morning, we were treated to 15 Short-eared Owls on the Leslie St. Spit along the outer (open lake side) paved road between the blue box (dumpster) and the lighthouse (well, beacon). Later a friend told me of 8 Short-eared Owls seen around the same time on the lake at the foot of Kipling Ave. in Etobicoke. Also seen were a b'zillion Oldsquaw, a Fox Sparrow and a Shrike. Good time had by few.
A group of Eurasian Wigeons are feeding on the lake in Oakville west of the Third line. A neighbour reports seeing them for the past week. There is also an injured mute swan - broken wing- on the lake . the Human Society refuses do do anything. Can others help? Don Marshall
After a lengthy absence, due apparently to hackers, Jack Siler's Website - an automated web based posting of emails sent to maybe 30 bird related list servers across North America and beyond is back. I just checked the links for ONTBIRDS, Birdchat, NYSbirds and Frontiers of Identification - they all work. Check this site out. http://www-stat.wharton.upenn.edu/~siler/birdmail.html Mark Cranford
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario.
View Period: Oct.10-Oct.17, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett.
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. Yukich
The week was fairly quiet except for two days in which strong northwest winds blew. On Monday we had 657 raptors including 394 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 135 Turkey Vultures as well as both Eagle species. Thursday was even better with 1055 total raptors most of which was comprised of 742 Turkey vultures, 169 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 106 Red-tailed Hawks. On Sunday 44 total raptors were
seen and under 10 raptors were seen on each of the remaining days of the week. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 879, Osprey 0, Bald Eagle 1, Northern Harrier 12, Sharp-shinned Hawk 597, Cooper's Hawk 27, Northern Goshawk 3, Red-shouldered Hawk 20, Broad-winged Hawk 1, Red-tailed Hawk 158, Rough-legged Hawk 1, Golden Eagle 1, American Kestrel 57, Merlin 2, Peregrine Falcon 1, Unidentified 15, Total raptors 1777. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, October 17, 1999
Lots of waterfowl around this past week wherever one traveled in the Quinte area. At a little known lake on some privately owned land west of Glenora, there were 100 BLUE-WINGED TEAL today, along with a scattering of GREEN-WINGED TEAL, and lesser numbers of BLACKS and MALLARDS. Members of the Kingston Field Naturalists today under the leadership of Kurt Hennige found good numbers of waterfowl at Prince Edward Point despite an almost constant rain that fell all day in Prince Edward County, but ended up being only overcast for birders north of Belleville. Participant Phillina English reported both HORNED and RED-NECKED GREBES (3) all the way east from Little Bluff Conservation Area to Prince Edward Point, with both RED-BREASTED and COMMON MERGANSERS, and at one point, both COMMON LOONS and RED-THROATED LOONS. There was a raft of over some 6000 GREATER SCAUP with WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and BLACK SCOTERS, and OLDSQUAW between Prince Edward Point and the islands. Waterfowl populations were good too this past week at Amherst Island where 275 NORTHERN PINTAIL, 68 GADWALL, 18 REDHEAD and 2 BUFFLEHEAD were checked off.
Prince Edward Point also had two PEREGRINE FALCONS today, and there was a MERLIN near Cherry Valley on Thursday. Thursday also produced the first of the season ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS (2) for Wynne Thomas, north of Picton along Highway 49.
In the shorebird line, Prince Edward Point had SANDERLINGS and DUNLIN, but Sandbanks Provincial Park beaches did much better Wednesday with Yvette Bree tabulating 88 SANDERLINGS, 4 DUNLIN, 3 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER and 1 SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. Amherst Island on Friday also did very well with Bruce Di Labio finding 7 WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, and singles of WESTERN SANDPIPER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER and BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, along with the usual species.
There were also FOX SPARROWS seen on Amherst Island this past week, with another found today at Prince Edward Point where EASTERN BLUEBIRD was also seen along with "huge flocks" of PINE SISKINS. All indications point toward a very good year for PINE SISKINS as they are now being seen everywhere, with small numbers now patronizing local feeding stations. A flock of 200 was seen Wednesday along the road leading into West Point. AMERICAN PIPITS have also been in the news with several reports of large numbers being seen, including a major movement of them at Amherst Island on Friday where 450 were spotted, along with LAPLAND LONGSPURS and 3 SNOW BUNTINGS.
John Charlton, birding the Gull Pond area along the Lake Ontario shoreline of Prince Edward County on Tuesday found 3 lingering TREE SWALLOWS, where he was also able to chalk up 8 LESSER YELLOWLEGS and two RED-NECKED GREBES.
The Frink Centre today had plenty of WHITE-THROATED and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, DARK-EYED JUNCOS, RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS, and COMMON GRACKLES patronizing the centre's bird feeding station, along with the usual feeder species. The trails produced GREAT HORNED OWL, PILEATED WOODPECKER, AMERICAN ROBIN, and PINE SISKINS. There was a drake WOOD DUCK on Park's Creek near the Moira River.
And finally, a constant scratching sound in the stovepipe and chimney area at the home of Wilson Bulpit, east of Demorestville, aroused his curiosity on Monday. Thinking it was just a starling, he was surprised to reach in and pull out a SAW-WHET OWL who appeared none the worse for the experience.
And I guess that's it for this week in and around Prince Edward County. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 24th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The site is updated at the first of each month, with the Outdoor Rambles column updated every Sunday night.
Please e-mail your sightings to Terry Sprague at: tsprague@kos.net
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
Today Saturday, there was a beautiful Red-headed Woodpecker
flying between trees on Hall's Road before you
reach the paths into Cranberry Marsh. Hall's Road
is just inside Whitby after leaving Ajax off
Bayly which turns into Victoria St. In the marsh were many ducks and a couple of Pied-billed
Grebes plus a dark brown Norther Harrier which
sat watching the marsh from a four-foot trunk for about 45
minutes, at least, the whole time we were there. Sandra
Just a short announcement to let others know that I will be
leading a birding outing on behalf of the Citizens Concerned with the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront (CCFEW) at Colonel Sam Smith park on Saturday, October 16, 1999 from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Meet in the parking lot south of the old Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital grounds at the base of Colonel Sam Smith park. Admission is free to the public. Bring a field guide and ample enthusiasm! See you there! GC
In Reply to: Re: Leslie st spit posted by Mark Cranford on October 03, 1999 at 22:11:17:
Mark, There is a map of Tommy Thompson Park on the bird checklist. You can get a copy of the checklist from the gate attendant at the Park on the weekends or I can mail you one if you e-mail me with your mailing address - tchipperfield@trca.on.ca Tamara
We're beginning to notice the change in traffic at the feeder as fall sets in. Juncos have returned in large numbers, blue jays are less frequent and chickadees are more common. The past two weeks have produced 3 new species for our feeder in Maple. A Downy Woodpecker put in a one day appearance about a week to ten days ago and we had both White-Breasted and Red-Breasted Nuthatch appear briefly on Saturday, Oct. 9. We still have many of the regulars, House Finch, American Goldfinch, grackles etc. In fact, I observed a fledgling goldfinch being fed by an attentive parent in our yard only last week. Seems a little late to me. I wonder if some have produced two broods this summer. We're looking forward to the coming weeks. Jim Heffernan
thrasher@interlog.com
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario.
View Period: Oct.4-Oct.10, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett.
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. Yukich
The weather once again made hawk watching a qualitative rather than a quantitative experience. Except for Wednesday when 665 raptors of 13 different species were counted, one had to the time to admire each of the few birds that flew by. For the rest of the week only 89 raptors were seen. The highlight of the week was the first Rough-legged Hawk of the season for our site. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 352, Osprey 0, Bald Eagle 1, Northern Harrier 11, Sharp-shinned Hawk 216, Cooper's Hawk 5, Northern Goshawk 0, Red-shouldered Hawk 23, Broad-winged Hawk 5, Red-tailed Hawk 91, Rough-legged Hawk 1, Golden Eagle 1, American Kestrel 16, Merlin 1, Peregrine Falcon 2, Unidentified 19, Total raptors 744. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, October 10, 1999
An absolutely great week for birding in the Quinte area this past week. There was a SANDHILL CRANE just west
of Wannamaker's Pond (several km west of Prince Edward Point) on Wednesday, along with good flights of hawks
including SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, COOPER'S HAWK and RED-TAILED HAWK. Prince Edward Point also
had a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO last Sunday, but the best day was Thursday when birders Nick Quickert and
Nels Banting reported numbers "rivaling the best days we had ever seen at Point Pelee." Birds were virtually
everywhere with a tally of over 100 YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS and equal numbers of GOLDEN-
CROWNED KINGLETS and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS. There was one NASHVILLE WARBLER and large
numbers of DARK-EYED JUNCOS, WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, and CHIPPING SPARROWS, with
smaller numbers of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS, FIELD SPARROWS, VESPER SPARROWS and SONG
SPARROWS. Also seen were at least 50 EASTERN PHOEBES, 6 HERMIT THRUSHES, 4 BLUE-HEADED
VIREOS, 2 AMERICAN PIPITS and a somewhat late HOUSE WREN (one also seen on Amherst Island one day
earlier). There was also a group of 25 PINE SISKINS.
PINE SISKINS were also present this week at Sandbanks Provincial Park. During a canoe paddle down the Outlet
River on Tuesday, a flock of 25 or more was encountered near the park bridge. Also seen along the relatively short
stretch of river was OSPREY, GREEN HERON, GREAT BLUE HERON, 2 PIED-BILLED GREBES, TURKEY
VULTURE and numerous sparrows including SWAMP, CHIPPING, VESPER, WHITE-CROWNED and WHITE-
THROATED. The latter two species were present in good numbers this past week in the Woodlands Campground.
Also present at or near our campsite were five species of woodpeckers including PILEATED, DOWNY, HAIRY,
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER and COMMON FLICKER. John and Sharron Blaney of Belleville, also
camping in the same campground, but near the west side of the loop had numerous owls serenade them during the
first couple of nights, including 2 EASTERN SCREECH OWLS, 2 BARRED OWLS and a GREAT HORNED
OWL. They also had 6 or more HERMIT THRUSHES, WILD TURKEYS, and day time raptors tallied were 2
SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS daily, RED-TAILED HAWKS, NORTHERN HARRIERS, and up to 31 TURKEY
VULTURES. Our campsite had a rather late WOOD PEWEE and several PURPLE FINCHES. Other birds seen
during the week at the park were COMMON LOON, HORNED GREBES, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS,
GREATER SCAUPS, NASHVILLE WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER, and a BLUE-
HEADED VIREO.
John Blaney and Albert Boisvert did a birding tour of the county yesterday coming up with their best totals at
Sawguin Creek off Highway 62. Here they found 14 species of birds, among them GREEN-WINGED TEAL,
MALLARD, WOOD DUCK and BLACK DUCK. The low water provided some suitable habitat for BAIRD'S
SANDPIPER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, PECTORAL SANDPIPER, GREATER and LESSER
YELLOWLEGS, KILLDEER and COMMON SNIPE.
Shorebirds are also still turning up in respectable numbers at
both Presqu'ile and Amherst Island. Presqu'ile this past week had the usual shorebirds along with 3 LITTLE
GULLS and a PARASITIC JAEGER. Amherst Island also boasted a PARASITIC JAEGER this past week, as well
as AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, and all
the usual species still around. There were thousands of TREE SWALLOWS there on Wednesday along with
hundreds of AMERICAN PIPITS, MERLIN (chasing after warblers), NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL, and a week
ago Saturday, there were still singles of ROUGH-WINGED, BARN and BANK SWALLOWS.
Back in Prince Edward County, there was a MERLIN at Point Petre on Wednesday, and the following day observer
Wynne Thomas noted over 30 FIELD SPARROWS traveling with numbers of WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS.
At Wellington Harbour today there were close to 1,000 gulls, mostly RING-BILLED with small numbers of
BONAPARTE'S. MALLARDS and one lone DUNLIN were also amongst them. And just one hour before this
report was being compiled, over 1,000 RUSTY BLACKBIRDS had assembled in a cluster of black willow trees
along the Big Island Marsh at the corner of Sprague Road and North Shore Road. And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been
brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 17th.
Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check
out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area,
be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The site is updated at the first of each month, with the
Outdoor Rambles column updated every Sunday night.
Please e-mail your sightings to Terry Sprague at: tsprague@kos.net .
Yesterday, October 6, 1999, I had two late migrants in
Durham Region. Near the mouth of Pringle Creek I had an Eastern Wood-Pewee
and on the west side of Corner Marsh I saw an adult Loggerhead Shrike (only the second time I have ever seen this species in the Toronto Region). The shrike was not a colour-banded individual. I studied it using 30X scope and am confident of its identification and age. Despite much searching I found no Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows at Oshawa Second Marsh. I found White-crowned Sparrows to be very plentiful at Oshawa Second Marsh, Cranberry Marsh, Corner Marsh and the Hydro Marsh. At Hydro Marsh one most optimistic Song Sparrow was still occasionally singing!
Dear Fellow Birders Hi, I was at Erindale Park in Mississauga today from 12 pm
until 3:30 pm, and there were many Turkey Vultures flying
over, by the end I had counted 213, including a 3 kettles
of about 50. Also seen were 2 Red-tail Hawks, 1 Kestrel, and
2 Great Black-backed Gulls. Mike
In Reply to: ALERT!!! Oh my Gawd! posted by Anne on September 29, 1999 at 18:11:47:
Anne, I'm not sure what you mean by "gone and out", but I hope you will be able to receive this message and offer some clarification. There is no "baby" eagle (nor any other bird for that matter that I know of) that can fly. For whatever reason this appears to be a popular misconception. The fact is that by the time raptors start to fly, they are as large (if not larger, with excess weight from being well-fed in the nest) than their parents. A young bald eagle would therefore be an imposing size, and not the kind of bird that could be easily (or safely) picked up. I am very curious as to how it was determined that this bird was "lost" and missing its mother. By this time of year, nearly all birds have long since finished breeding, and the young have been independent of their parents for weeks if not months. This bird, whatever it was (more than likely a crow based on the description you provided) was perhaps not in need of human intervention at all. More often than not it is best to leave birds (and other animals) on their own unless it is evident that they are injured. I have heard too many stories of people thinking they are doing well by picking up a bird which they believe needs help, only to have it die in captivity, or become imprinted on humans, and therefore impossible to release (this is especially true for all those who "rescue" baby birds that fall out of nests by taking them inside to be raised). Anyway, Anne, if you can provide any more information on how and why this bird was rescued, I would be most interested. I am also curious just what "the right direction" for release was, given that the bird appears to have been misidentified. You can respond to me privately if you prefer at gsteve6@ibm.net. Sincerely, Marcel Gahbauer
Scarborough ON
In Reply to: Leslie st spit posted by Craig McLauchlan on October 03, 1999 at 18:27:48:
Craig:
Thanks for the report, always good to hear what others are seeing. I'm wondering if you or anyone else reading this knows of a map on the web that shows the different places (Peninsula B etc.) on the Leslie Street Spit. Just got back from trip to Pelee and Holiday Beach (part of Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) outing. Highlights for me included 40,000 Blue Jays at Holiday Beach and 1000 plus Turkey Vultures moving at Wheatley Harbour. One of the Jays became dinner for a Peregrine Falcon, the rest fled across the river to Michigan. All the best, Mark
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario.
View Period: Sept.27-Oct.3, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett.
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. Yukich Once again this was a rather slow week. The rain washed out or nearly washed out the first three days of the week. Today was by far the best day with light north winds in the morning and cold throughout the day. This brought 211 Turkey Vultures, one of the better one day records of this species ever for our site. Red-shoulered Hawks are just beginning to pass through. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 267, Osprey 6, Bald Eagle 2, Northern Harrier 33, Sharp-shinned Hawk 179, Cooper's Hawk 11, Northern Goshawk 0, Red-shouldered Hawk 9, Broad-winged Hawk 4, Red-tailed Hawk 74, Rough-legged Hawk 0, Golden Eagle 0, American Kestrel 51, Merlin 5, Peregrine Falcon 2, Unidentified 33, Total raptors 676. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, October 03, 1999
Great weather this past week had birders out and about resulting in some good reports coming in this weekend. Shorebirds continue to remain in the news with a lone LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER, BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS being checked off at Amherst Island on Tuesday by members of the Kingston Field Naturalists. The KFN also had good luck on Main Duck Island today with 1 DUNLIN, 2 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, 1 GOLDEN PLOVER, 2 BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, 6 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, 6 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, 12 SANDERLINGS and two SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS being chalked up on a boat trip out there to this island located some 19 km south-east of Prince Edward Point. There was a WESTERN SANDPIPER at Presqu'ile Provincial Park on Friday along with good numbers of SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, SANDERLINGS and DUNLIN (125). Farther to the west, Cobourg Harbour had a PURPLE SANDPIPER yesterday.
There were 2 LITTLE GULLS at Sandbanks Provincial Park's Outlet Beach on Thursday. And over at Point Petre, skeins of CANADA GEESE have been passing over that area for most of the week, in regular groups of 20 to 50 in number. A gaggle of 325 was in Soup Harbour yesterday. On Monday, there were 11 AMERICAN WIGEON there as well. The boat trip over to Main Duck Island today yielded 100 BONAPARTE'S GULLS, 1000 RING-BILLED GULLS, 6 GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULLS and 8 COMMON TERNS.
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS are everywhere in the Quinte area these days, but others are still around too despite the season. Main Duck Island today had 1 BAY-BREASTED WARBLER, 6 PALM WARBLERS, 1 COMMON YELLOWTHROAT, NASHVILLE WARBLER and 2 BLUE-HEADED VIREOS. Main Duck Island also produced a relatively early LAPLAND LONGSPUR, 20 WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, and 24 each of GOLDEN-CROWNED and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS. There were also 10 YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKERS and some 300 BLUE JAYS, the latter species also noted in "constant streams" passing over Ostrander Point on Tuesday.
John Blaney, birding the Ostrander Point area, about 10 km west of Prince Edward Point reported good success on Tuesday with WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS, WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and FIELD SPARROWS in good abundance, with small flocks of BROWN CREEPERS, WINTER WRENS and GRAY CATBIRDS, and a moderately late BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO also being seen.
Numerous reports of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were received this past week which isn't unusual; however, phenomenal numbers are now being seen congregating along the entire length of the Bay of Quinte. An estimated 1,000 were seen between Northport and Deseronto early in the week, and large flocks are seen daily passing over the Norris Whitney Bridge at Belleville, with similar numbers noted at the western end of the bay, at Carrying Place.
People dining at the Harbour Restaurant beside the government wharf in Wellington had a treat Friday when two GREAT EGRETS casually fed in the shallows near shore. Up to six GREAT EGRETS continue to be seen off and on in the wetland along 401 east of Deseronto where they have been since mid-September. A check of the area this morning revealed no sign of the birds.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 10th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The site is updated at the first of each month, with the Outdoor Rambles column updated weekly.
Please e-mail your sightings to Terry Sprague at: tsprague@kos.net .
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
Their wear some good birds on the Leslie st spit to day hi lights wear, Rusty Black bird 5 , Paragon falcon 1 add. F., Y.R. Warbler 165, Y B sapsuckers 3, W T Sparrows 75, Brow creeper 2, Osprey 1 both Kinglets in small numbers but best birds wear a Sedge wren on the base and a Yellow breasted chat in the sparrow fields (or pensile b) The Leslie st spit is found at the foot of Leslie st hear in Toronto. Craig
test
In Reply to: ALERT!!! Oh my Gawd! posted by Anne on September 29, 1999 at 18:11:47:
A what??????? A I am shear that there are lots of people that wood have loved to help you in clouding my self if you wood have giving just a little moor help, wood you give some info as to wear it was seen and Ill be their at sun rises .???? Craig
it also helps that you give your emall add.so that this could have bine a privet thing .
Alert! All residents living in Ajax, Ontario, Canada. A baby eagle has been spotted (and captured for that matter). It has been described as small, all black, and flying around the town. It seems as if it's lost it's mother and lost himself too. Luckily, a brave man caught it, and let it out in the right direction. Who knows where it is now, but it may return. This has been a reporting from Ontario. I'm gone and out!
"Late migration" Toronto Islands
Date: Saturday, October 9, 1999.
Time: 8:00 a.m. (all day)
Leader: Glenn Coady Meet at the Toronto Islands ferry docks at the foot of Bay Street to catch the 8:15 a.m. ferry to Hanlan's Point. Bring a lunch. These outings are aimed at the intermediate birder, but beginners are also welcome.
Free to the public.
In Reply to: Visible Migration of Jays posted by Tony Lang on September 21, 1999 at 12:49:04:
The Blue Jay migration is still underway...today there were over 100 seen in Muskoka near Bracebridge. Large gatherings of crows were also seen this past weekend. ~Barbara~
Yesterday (Sept 26) around 4 pm, one pair of adults was in Bronte Harbour, south of the floating picnic shelter with the striped blue and white covering. Interestingly, the pair was courting - one "stood" on the water's surface in front of the other, then both swam side by side with necks fully extended, and beaks almost touching. They also chattered back and forth during and after this, then returned to preening and diving.
In Reply to: Visible Migration of Jays posted by Tony Lang on September 21, 1999 at 12:49:04:
Although I can't remember the numbers in great detail, observers at the High Park hawk watch have also seen large numbers of Jays migrating this week. On one day the total was well over 3,000 Blue Jays and on another it was about 1,500. Today, Sunday, September 26, the total was around 800 birds.
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario.
View Period: Sept.20-26, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett.
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. Yukich This week was considerably slower than last week as winds were predominately from the west and southwest. The major migration of Broad-winged Hawks and American Kestrels is most likely over and the numbers of these two raptors this year are well below historic levels. This may be due to the weather conditions during this fall's hawk migration. There was not much in the way of north or northwest winds. From our perspective this may have favored migration over a wide front instead of the hawks being concentrated along the shores of the Great Lakes and passing our station in large numbers. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 58, Osprey 5, Bald Eagle 6, Northern Harrier 13, Sharp-shinned Hawk 562, Cooper's Hawk 10, Northern Goshawk 1, Red-shouldered Hawk 0, Broad-winged Hawk 239, Red-tailed Hawk 35, Rough-legged Hawk 0, Golden Eagle 1, American Kestrel 31, Merlin 1, Peregrine Falcon 1, Unidentified 30, Total raptors 993. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, September 26, 1999
Some good stuff in and around the Quinte area this past week. Nick Quickert and Nels Banting birding Prince Edward Point on Tuesday found a YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO near the banding station. While there, they chalked up a list of 10 warbler species including NASHVILLE, MAGNOLIA, YELLOW-RUMPED, BLACK-THROATED GREEN, BLACKBURNIAN, PALM, BAY-BREASTED, BLACKPOLL, BLACK-AND-WHITE, and AMERICAN REDSTART. They found one GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET in with large numbers of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS passing through, along with 3 INDIGO BUNTINGS and 4 ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAKS. WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were common, and the birding duo also found a WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW. Flycatchers included a number of EASTERN PHOEBE and one LEAST FLYCATCHER. Members of the Kingston Field Naturalists birding the Point the following day came up with many of the same species along with EASTERN KINGBIRDS, WOOD PEWEE, 12 TREE SWALLOWS, BLUE-HEADED VIREO, RED-EYED VIREO, and two GREY-CHEEKED THRUSHES (northwest of the lighthouse). Additional warblers included NASHVILLE, NORTHERN PARULA, CHESTNUT-SIDED, MAGNOLIA and BLACK-THROATED GREEN.
Meanwhile at Point Petre on Tuesday, there were large flocks of BLUE JAYS, and also large numbers of EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, CEDAR WAXWINGS and AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES. With the north wind there was some movement of raptors. Seen were 4 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 5 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 8 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 1 COOPER'S HAWK and 15 TURKEY VULTURES. On Thursday, Point Petre resident Wynne Thomas noted a heavy movement of AMERICAN KESTRELS . He also noted increasing numbers of DARK-EYED JUNCOS and lots of sparrows, mostly FIELD SPARROWS. Soup Harbour contained 107 CANADA GEESE, 110 RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS, and a few LESSER SCAUP and MALLARDS.
Small sprinklings of shorebirds continue to turn up in suitable locations in Prince Edward County, but the best locations are to the east and west of us. The Kingston Field Naturalists property at the east end of Amherst Island had both LESSER and GREATER YELLOWLEGS, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS, LEAST SANDPIPERS, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS, PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN and COMMON SNIPE on Tuesday, along with many AMERICAN PIPITS . Presqu'ile Provincial Park produced a RED KNOT, 1 BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER, a WHIMBREL, a RED-NECKED PHALAROPE and up to 4 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS on Thursday. There was a FRANKLIN'S GULL there last Sunday, according to the Kingston Field Naturalists Information Line.
In other bird news, RUSTY BLACKBIRDS are turning up throughout the Quinte area now. There was a BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON south of Bath Road on Thursday. And at least three of the original six GREAT EGRETS are still hanging out at the wetland beside 401, just east of Deseronto.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 3rd. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The Outdoor Rambles column is now being updated weekly, with full updates to the site being made by the first of each month. Please e-mail your sightings to Terry Sprague at: tsprague@kos.net
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
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This is not news to long-term birders, but others may be interested: this morning (08:45 h) at Lakeshore and Strachan I saw couple of hundred BLUE JAYS streaming west parallel to the lake. (I couldn't get an accurate count because I was supposed to be keeping my eyes on the road.)
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario.
View Period: Sept.13-19, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett.
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. Yukich This week provided both record high numbers of hawks and very slow days. Monday rained out our watch. But things improved when northerly winds on both Thursday and Friday encouraged large numbers of Broad-winged Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks to fly over High Park. However, the mild southerly winds and clear skies on Saturday and Sunday brought only 187 total raptors past our site this weekend. Totals for this week are as follows: Turkey Vulture 10, Osprey 22, Bald Eagle 2, Northern Harrier 77, Sharp-shinned Hawk 1593, Cooper's Hawk 6, Northern Goshawk 0, Red-shouldered Hawk 0, Broad-winged Hawk 5225, Red-tailed Hawk 43, Rough-legged Hawk 0, Golden Eagle 0, American Kestrel 357, Merlin 20, Peregrine Falcon 5, Unidentified 28, Total raptors 7202. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, September 19, 1999
Now that the fall season is upon us, there are even more signs to remind us that the summer is behind us and much cooler weather in the offing. Ducks are congregating here and there in suitable areas, and some interesting species this past week included NORTHERN SHOVELERS, RING-NECKED DUCKS and RUDDY DUCKS at the Amherstview Sewage Ponds on Friday. The previous day there were PIED-BILLED GREBES and AMERICAN WIGEON at the Kingston Field Naturalists property at the east end of Amherst Island, and COMMON LOONS, RED-NECKED GREBES, HORNED GREBES, WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and REDHEADS at Prince Edward Point on Saturday, and last Sunday. Point Petre produced over 60 immature RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS on Friday, along with numbers of CANADA GEESE.
Hawks are certainly in the news too. An OSPREY was seen at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Tuesday, and there was a MERLIN chasing a group of flickers the same day in the same area. The Kingston Field Naturalists found 4 MERLIN at Prince Edward Point last Sunday, along with SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS and BROAD-WINGED HAWKS. Friday was a profitable day for hawks and watchers of hawks at Point Petre. Wynne Thomas reported seeing approximately 40 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS pass by, mostly adult birds and many in pairs. Also seen there were RED-TAILED HAWKS, COOPER'S HAWK, NORTHERN HARRIERS and BROAD-WINGED HAWKS.
Shorebirds in the Quinte area are still doing well. There were LESSER YELLOWLEGS and SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS at the Amherstview Sewage Ponds on Friday, AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVERS, DUNLIN, BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS and a late RED KNOT at Presqu'ile yesterday. A SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER was at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Tuesday, and a WILSON'S PHALAROPE at Amherst Island on Thursday.
Northwest winds at Prince Edward Point yesterday brought in a flood of birds with 27 species banded and GREY-CHEEKED THRUSHES at 40 in number being the species of the day. Also appearing in respectable numbers were WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS and BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLERS. PHILADELPHIA VIREO, 5 RED-EYED VIREOS, 4 BROWN CREEPERS, 5 SWAINSON'S THRUSHES, 5 MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, 2 PALM WARBLERS, 2 WILSON'S WARBLERS and 2 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS were also banded, including singles of RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET, NASHVILLE WARBLER, CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER, BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER, MOURNING WARBLER, and a YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT. This was the second chat to be banded this year. Last Sunday, Ron Weir of the Kingston Field Naturalists had a LARK SPARROW at Prince Edward Point, about a half kilometre south-east of the Ducks Dive Shoppe. Other interesting sightings this past week included 200 AMERICAN PIPITS at Amherst Island on Thursday, LITTLE GULLS at Prince Edward Point last Sunday, and over 1,000 COMMON GRACKLES at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Tuesday.
As of Friday, the six GREAT EGRETS were still at the small wetland on the north side of 401 east of Deseronto. Early morning seems like the best time to see these birds, as they were not present today at 9:00 a.m., nor were they present when I flew over the site last Monday afternoon.
The Prince Edward County Field Naturalists will be holding their monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 28th at Macaulay Mountain Conservation Area, east of Picton, commencing at 7:00 p.m. Guest speaker will be Joe Eberwein from the Land Stewardship Council, who will be discussing their workshops and tree planting plans.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 26th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ . The Outdoor Rambles column is now being updated weekly.
Please e-mail your sightings to Terry Sprague at: tsprague@kos.net.
Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
The sparrows began arriving in large numbers over the weekend. Muskoka now has lots of White-crowned, White-throated, Chipping, Song, and Tree sparrows.
~
Barbara Taylor
~ The Muskoka Bird Board: http://pluto.beseen.com/boardroom/h/21826/
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Sept.17, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H.
Shapiro, & B. Yukich Up to 24 observers were treated to large numbers of migrating raptors today. There were 4802 Broad-winged Hawks and 877 Sharp-shinned Hawks today - the highest single day total for these species ever recorded at our site. In total, 5867 migrating raptors were counted today. The weather consisted of strong winds from the north to northwest. The morning temperature of 11 Celsius rose to 20 by midday. The barometer was steady and the sky was nearly completely blue for the entire day.
Traditionally, at the High Park site Broad-winged Hawks migrate in large numbers for 2-4 days. The forecast is for winds from the north tomorrow and if all goes well we could experience similar numbers of migrating raptors Saturday and possibly Sunday. Numbers for todays are as follows:
Turkey Vulture 10, Osprey 4, Bald Eagle 1, Northern Harrier 33, Sharp-Shinned Hawk 877, Cooper's Hawk 5, Broad-winged Hawk 4802, Red-tailed Hawk 8, American Kestrel 118, Merlin 4, Peregrine Falcon 2, Unidentified 3, Total 5867. High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by
the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park,
dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a
small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is
located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110
metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8
seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest
point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large
pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater
Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto
Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at
http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then
Ontario to find our Stations.
In Reply to: Broad-wing Hawks on the move in High Park posted by Howard Shapiro on September 17, 1999 at 00:27:05:
It looks like I do not understand this system well enough to make a formatted posting. What I meant to communicate was the arrival of Broad-winged Hawks at the High Park site of the Greater Toronto Raptor Watch. The highlights the day for September 16 are 406 Broad-winged Hawks, 465 Sharp-shinned Hawks, 10 Osprey, 23 Northern Harriers, 1 Peregrine Falcon and 73 Kestrels. If the weather is favorable (North or Northwest winds) than in the next few days up to thousands of Broad-winged Hawks will be seen flying past our site at High Park.
This posting is formatted for another purpose and I apologize in advance if it is confusing here. Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Sept.15, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H.
Shapiro, & B. Yukich Today there was mild weather, northerly winds, and brief breaks in the clouds.
The first big numbers of Broad-winged hawks arrived (406). With the any luck
the next few days will see even bigger numbers of hawks flying past our site.
Species Sept.15 Sept.13-Sept.15 Year to date
Turkey Vulture..............-..............-..................6
Osprey.....................10.............15.................39
Bald Eagle..................-..............-..................3
Northern Harrier...........23.............26.................46
Sharp-Shinned Hawk........465............591................653
Cooper's Hawk...............-..............-..................9
Northern Goshawk............-..............-..................-
Red-shouldered Hawk.........-..............-..................1
Broad-winged Hawk.........406............407................466
Red-tailed Hawk.............1..............2.................35
Rough-legged Hawk...........-..............-..................-
Golden Eagle................-..............-..................-
American Kestrel...........73.............89................234
Merlin................... ..2..............7.................13
Peregrine Falcon............1..............1..................3
Other.......................-..............-..................-
Unidentified...............13.............21.................32
Total.....................994...........1161...............2108 High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by
the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park,
dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a
small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is
located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110
metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8
seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest
point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large
pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded
here since 1993. The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater
Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto
Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs. Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at
http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then
Ontario to find our Stations.
In Reply to: Need to identify in a hurry posted by Graham Christison on September 14, 1999 at 15:32:32:
You have probably encountered a fancy pigeon
that has escaped from its owner. If you call the
humane society they can give you the phone number
of the pigeon fancier's club. If you would like
to see if you can see a similar type of pigeon,
there is the Milton fair north of Oakville,
south of the 401 on the weekend of Sept. 25.
They have all kinds of pigeons on display there.
I have a bird, resembling a pidgeon, in my backyard that I would like to identify. It stands about a foot tall, and stands in a decidely more vertical line than the average street pidgeon. It has a similar shape to the head, and similar markings, but its long legs and feet are completely covered in long white plummage. A brown and white one of ????? has been in my yard for a day now (making me think it may be injured), but it was first seen with a simiilar bird (grey and white, but otherwise the same). Please let me know if anyone can identify this bird but for it disappears, or we are forced to remove it.
christison.graham@ic.gc.ca
It was an excellent day for birding on Sunday, Sept. 12. On Browning Island (Lake Muskoka near Bracebridge) several warblers were found in a mixed flock along with many Black-capped Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches. The warblers included Magnolia, Pine, Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue, Wilson's, and both female and male American Redstart. One lone Red-breasted Nuthatch and a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak accompanied the loose flock. Other birds seen included American Robin, Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow, Pileated Woodpecker, Double-crested Cormorant, Common Loon, American Goldfinch, Cooper's Hawk, and Red-shouldered Hawk. There were a few Brown Creepers, but not nearly as many as last year. A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird was still visiting our flower garden...last year one stayed around until Sept. 15. The annual gathering of Blue Jays was well underway and a bit earlier than last year. More than 110 birds were counted as they flew overhead from oak trees to a stand of beech and then back again. The beechnut and acorn crops don't seem to be very good this year so perhaps the jays have moved south a little early. Last year they started to group about Sept. 20 and the largest gathering of over 150 birds didn't occur until Sept. 27. Barbara Taylor
Bracebridge, ON
muskoka_birder@hotmail.com >Birding in Muskoka:
http://members.tripod.com/muskoka/birding/welcome.htm
this morning Bev Rellin Jerry Guenther and my self spent 2.5 hours(starting at sunrises) skowering the Van Wagner's beaches east and west with know luck on finding the Piping Plover . Bev and I went of to Pear 25 to look there also now luck , the Marbled godwit and Buff breasted sand piper wear not seen there ether.
But on our return to Van Wagner's we looked in the pond jest to the south of Hutch's Restaurant (across the rood) and there was the Piping Plover we both got a great look at it before it flue to the east and out of sight , I felt that it flue to low to be living so it might still be there.
We also had 12 species of shorebirds 1 osprey 1 barn swallow and 7 juv mocking birds in this area.
Craig Mclauchlan.
QUINTE AREA BIRD REPORT - Sunday, September 12, 1999
The big news this past week was the appearance of GREAT EGRETS - at least 6, and perhaps more, in a wetland on the north side of 401, just east of the Deseronto exit. With them on Saturday was a SNOWY EGRET. The birds were first reported on Wednesday with additional sightings being made through the weekend. On Saturday, a lone GREAT EGRET was seen being chased by a resident GREAT BLUE HERON, along the Napanee River, flying towards the Bay of Quinte.
Don Craighead birding the Prince Edward Point Area on Thursday found a small number of DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS - about 2,000 in total! Hawks were also in fine form with 15 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS being seen, 5 of the latter species being observed during one passing right after the sun rose. On Friday, Wynne Thomas counted some 35 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS going through at Point Petre where he also had BALD EAGLE . There were also large numbers of SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS passing over the Gull Pond area on Friday.
There were 18 SANDERLINGS, KILLDEER, SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER and LEAST SANDPIPER at Prince Edward Point on Thursday. The Amherst Sewage Pond this past week hosted 3 STILT SANDPIPERS and 3 BAIRD'S SANDPIPERS, while at nearby Amherst Island BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, GREATER and LESSER YELLOWLEGS, BAIRD'S SANDPIPER and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER were seen. A COMMON SNIPE and five GREATER YELLOWLEGS were at Gull Pond on Friday.
Also at Gull Pond were some 50 BLUE-WINGED TEAL, 25 MALLARDS and 3 AMERICAN BLACK DUCKS.
Although there were no warblers reported from Point Petre this weekend, things were a bit different at Prince Edward Point where 12 species of warblers and 4 species of vireos were banded this week, including BLUE-HEADED VIREO, PHILADELPHIA VIREO, BLACKPOLL WARBLER, OVENBIRD, NASHVILLE WARBLER, WILSON'S WARBLER and NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH. Also banded were RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET this weekend (the first), CLAY-COLOURED SPARROW, LEAST FLYCATCHER, YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER, SWAINSON'S THRUSH, VEERY, WOOD THRUSH, WHITE-THROATED SPARROW and RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH.
Back at Point Petre, there were 65 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES seen passing through the area on Thursday, lots of TURKEY VULTURES and CANADA GEESE. Babylon Road had two EASTERN MEADOWLARKS on Thursday, while along Army Reserve Road and Hilltop Road, raptors were the order of the day with 2 NORTHERN HARRIERS, 9 AMERICAN KESTRELS, 1 RED-TAILED HAWK and five TURKEY VULTURES being checked off. Babylon Road had a MERLIN on Thursday, and AMERICAN PIPITS were seen last week at both Amherst Island and at Prince Edward Point.
And that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 19th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ .
Please e-mail your sightings to Terry Sprague at:
tsprague@kos.net Terry Sprague
Picton, Ontario
Nothing much new recently. The east family still has 4 young and are generally inside the outer harbour although they are not always together. The west family still has 2 young and are usually just west of the mouth of Bronte Creek.
In Reply to: Re: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now posted by Mark Cranford on September 07, 1999 at 23:42:58:
I, too, have been wondering about Nighthawks in downtown Toronto. When I came to Canada from England in July 1976 I spent the first two weeks in a downtown hotel and one of my most vivid memories is the eerie cry of the Nighthawks. Now, I live about 1/2 mile from that hotel, and I have heard very few nighthawks for the past few years. This year I think I have heard two. What has happened? Have the numbers declined, or has the population shifted?
In Reply to: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now posted by Sandra Eadie on September 06, 1999 at 22:23:47:
We think of Gulls as scavengers but they are more opportunistic then just that and are not adverse to moving prey (slower moving the better). Up on the Bruce Peninsula you can routinely see Ring-billed Gulls hawking insects on the wing especially after a large hatch of Mayflies or other large insect. "Seagulls" that ate long-horned grasshoppers were considered heaven-sent by early Mormon settlers in Utah during the 1840s. In 1913 Mormons built the Sea Gull Monument in Salt Lake City for $40,000 (Timothy Eaton's cost a lot less). The most likely Seagull hero was the California Gull which breeds in large numbers in modern Utah. But back in 1848 it could have been Ring-billed Gulls that came to the rescue. Things change in 150 years - a lot - no buffalo, lots of cows, no grass, irrigation, John Wayne, women's fashions. So it wouldn't surprise me if gull population patterns have changed during that time period but back in 1848 a Gull in Salt Lake City was a Sea Gull and that wasn't a bad thing even if it had green legs and a dark eye. Back to Nighthawks, does anyone hear nighthawks downtown during breeding season? I have missed them the last 2 years in the city then I haven't been downtown in two years.
I want if it´s possible information about the migration of monarch butterfly in your area.
We work in an educational program in Mexico with monarchs since 1992 and we want to be in contact with some interested people in Canada
thanks in advance
Eglantina Canales
In Reply to: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now posted by Sandra Eadie on September 06, 1999 at 22:23:47:
Last summer I saw the same thing happening in Brampton. The air was thick with ants on their mating flights and the gulls and nighthawks were snapping them up.
In Reply to: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now posted by Sandra Eadie on September 06, 1999 at 22:23:47:
I've been wondering the same about the gulls as we've witnessed this activity several times over the last year. I was quite surprised at how agile the ring billed gulls are. We first saw this along the St. Lawrence Seaway near La Salle, Quebec and again out on Prince Edward Island. It seems when the insects are plentiful, the gulls take advantage.
Tonight I was rather startled to see Ring-billed Gulls circling
over the backyard area of my house and the neighbours'
(which is not far from Dufferin Mall). Gulls often
fly over and keep going but I haven't seen them doing this
before. Then I observed at least 4 or 5, or maybe more, Common
Nighthawks circling around too. It looked as though the
gulls had learned to catch insects and were doing the same
thing as the Nighthawks. I never saw gulls go after insects before.
Has anyone else? Sandra Eadie
WEEKLY BIRD REPORT FROM THE QUINTE AREA - Sunday, September 05, 1999 There were lots of birds passing through the Quinte area this past week to keep observers happy, no matter what they were after. In addition to those migrants passing through, there were others who treated the past week as if it were spring. A WARBLING VIREO has been singing non stop for the past two days in the poplar trees at the Quinte Conservation office in Quinte West off Highway 2, just west of Belleville. There was a single BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO at Prince Edward Point on Friday and another one (dead) along the south shore of Consecon Lake late last week. Prince Edward Point had a couple of PINE SISKINS on Wednesday and Thursday, along with large flocks of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES.
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS are in the news now too with numerous flocks being seen in the Bay of Quinte from the Norris Whitney Bridge at Belleville, west to the Murray Canal at Carrying Place. About 100 were seen flying past the Glenora Ferry on Tuesday. Early in the week there were over 30 WOOD DUCKS at Beaver Meadow.
Don Craighead, surveying the Sandbanks shoreline on Monday, came across a flight of hawks, comprising some 58 birds, including OSPREY, 18 SHARP-SHINNED HAWKS, 11 COOPER’S HAWKS, 6 BROAD-WINGED HAWKS, 3 RED-TAILED HAWKS, 1 NORTHERN HARRIER, 4 AMERICAN KESTRELS, and 18 unidentified hawks.
Shorebirds continue to make the news with the Amhestview Sewage Ponds on Wednesday producing BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, SANDERLING, SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER and 4 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS. On Saturday, there was an immature LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER at the ponds.
Presqu’ile Provincial Park beaches are still doing well too with up to 6 BAIRD’S SANDPIPERS, DUNLIN, RUDDY TURNSTONES, SANDERLINGS, WILLET, RED KNOTS, STILT SANDPIPER and SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHERS among the species checked off by birders this past week.
The West Lake shoreline at Sandbanks Provincial Park yielded a WHIMBREL on Monday, while just across the dunes on the Lake Ontario side there were SANDERLINGS, SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPERS and BAIRD’S SANDPIPER.
Ray Forrester from Orono was birding this morning along the lakefront west of the Prince Edward Point lighthouse and came upon 12 LEAST SANDPIPERS, 10 SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, 2 LESSER YELLOWLEGS and a SPOTTED SANDPIPER
The Prince Edward Point Bird Observatory is engaged in its first fall migration project under Rhonda Millikin of Kingston Royal Military College. She is advancing ornithological science by integrating acoustic and radar tracking units pursuant to her PH D thesis. Mist net banding is carried on as well to support the electronic tracking. If successful, we may be able to say that those overhead peeps on a still autumn night are a flock of 122 chestnut-sided warblers, according to one of those involved in the project, Joe Victor.
Warbler flocks have been passing through almost daily including CAPE MAY, CHESTNUT- SIDED, NASHVILLE and CANADA and a single PINE WARBLER. Volunteer Don Craighead reports that 92 birds were banded last week, comprising 28 species. The biggest day was Friday with 32 birds. Among them were 2 VEERYS, 4 SWAINSON’S THRUSHES, 1 TENNESSEE WARBLER, 10 MAGNOLIA WARBLERS, 3 BLACKPOLL WARBLERS, 9 AMERICAN REDSTARTS, 2 OVENBIRDS, 17 COMMON YELLOWTHROATS, 2 WILSON’S WARBLERS, 3 HOUSE WRENS, 2 NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, and a SCARLET TANAGER.
Improvements are being made to the banding station at Prince Edward Point, but the high point are the repairs and thorough cleaning by volunteers that the notorious outdoor privy has enjoyed this past week - a building that in the past even the most daring refused to enter. New steps have been built and while far from being wheelchair accessible, at least the physically fit can undertake the arduous climb to the holding tank’s summit without tumbling over backwards!
And on that note, that's it for this week from Prince Edward County and the Quinte area. This report has been brought to you by Quinte Conservation and will be updated at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 12th. Good birding everyone, and our thanks to contributors who make this report possible. To check out the birding opportunities and outdoor interpretive events in Prince Edward County and area, be sure to visit: www.pec.on.ca/naturestuff/ .
Please e-mail your sightings to Terry Sprague at: tsprague@kos.net . Terry Sprague
Picton Ontario
Durham Birds
Posted by Joel Kits on February 21, 2000 at 20:59:27:Re: Quinte Area Bird Report - Feb. 20/00
Posted by Al Johnston on February 21, 2000 at 12:43:20:Quinte Area Bird Report - Feb. 20/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on February 20, 2000 at 19:34:08:Hermann"s gull
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on February 19, 2000 at 14:09:27:Polson Street, again
Posted by Don Peuramaki on February 17, 2000 at 08:59:48:Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 14, 2000 at 12:18:28:Quinte Area Bird Report - Feb. 13/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on February 13, 2000 at 20:03:10:Chicago Visitors
Posted by Bob Cumming on February 13, 2000 at 11:38:49:Redpoll at my feeder
Posted by Jim Heffernan on February 13, 2000 at 10:50:24:Durham birds - Feb 12
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 12, 2000 at 21:25:48:Today's Toronto gulls
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on February 12, 2000 at 16:48:42:Toronto Gulls
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on February 11, 2000 at 14:41:37:Oakville Birds
Posted by Mike Boyd on February 10, 2000 at 22:39:03:Re: Invitation to birding trip in Durham
Posted by Elizabeth McKernan on February 10, 2000 at 17:16:33:Re: duck rafts
Posted by George Wilson on February 10, 2000 at 16:22:44:Invitation to birding trip in Durham
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 10, 2000 at 09:18:30:Pileated Woodpecker
Posted by Robyn Dowsett on February 10, 2000 at 08:32:40:Re: Birds at Toronto's Western Gap
Posted by Elizabeth McKernan on February 09, 2000 at 14:25:08:Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay
Posted by Elizabeth McKernan on February 09, 2000 at 14:13:30:Re: Get a confirmation of duck
Posted by Elizabeth McKernan on February 09, 2000 at 14:07:54:Finch Migration
Posted by Joel Kits on February 08, 2000 at 18:33:06:Rough-legged hawk in Scarborough
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on February 08, 2000 at 12:26:42:Re: Get a confirmation of duck
Posted by Jim Heffernan on February 07, 2000 at 22:37:32:Get a confirmation of duck
Posted by Elizabeth McKernan on February 07, 2000 at 13:33:21:duck rafts
Posted by George Daszkowski on February 07, 2000 at 08:01:56:Quinte Area Bird Report - Feb. 06/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on February 06, 2000 at 20:20:34:Toronto Gulls
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on February 05, 2000 at 19:35:20:Albino red tailed hawk
Posted by Piers M. Perren on February 05, 2000 at 10:41:47:Toronto Gulls
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on February 02, 2000 at 17:23:39:G.B.B.Gull vearsGlaucous gull
Posted by Craig Mclauchlan on February 01, 2000 at 12:53:21:Re: protected
Posted by Craig Mclauchlan on February 01, 2000 at 12:15:24:Re: protected
Posted by Al Johnston on February 01, 2000 at 11:46:08:Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 31, 2000 at 16:30:48:Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay
Posted by Jean-François Hic on January 31, 2000 at 15:02:51:Re: Birds of Prey
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 31, 2000 at 12:56:54:Re: Sunday 30 at Humber Bay
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 31, 2000 at 12:49:28:Sunday 30 at Humber Bay
Posted by Jean-François Hic on January 31, 2000 at 09:56:59:Re: Birds of Prey
Posted by Al Johnston on January 30, 2000 at 20:42:44:Quinte Area Bird Report - Jan. 30/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on January 30, 2000 at 19:43:35:Birds at Toronto's Western Gap
Posted by Sandra Eadie on January 30, 2000 at 18:52:34:Re: Birds of Prey
Posted by Al johnston on January 30, 2000 at 18:20:30:Birds of Prey
Posted by Lynn Gibson on January 30, 2000 at 13:16:11:Birds of Prey
Posted by Lynn Gibson on January 30, 2000 at 13:15:13:Re: Tree Sparrow at my feeder.
Posted by Gerry Mielke on January 29, 2000 at 17:35:48:Re: protected
Posted by Hench on January 28, 2000 at 22:28:44:Re: Redpolls at My Feeder
Posted by Jim Heffernan on January 28, 2000 at 12:13:24:Redpolls at My Feeder
Posted by Jim Heffernan on January 27, 2000 at 22:56:45:Re: protected
Posted by Al johnston on January 27, 2000 at 20:20:12:Heermann's gull
Posted by Craig Mclauchlan on January 27, 2000 at 19:21:09:protected
Posted by mikey E on January 26, 2000 at 21:18:28:bluejay kill
Posted by Al Johnston on January 26, 2000 at 18:02:41:Re: trumpeter Swans
Posted by al johnston on January 26, 2000 at 14:58:39:Flocking House Sparrows
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 26, 2000 at 11:19:41:Polson st Gulls
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 24, 2000 at 18:50:39:Re: Polson Street
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 24, 2000 at 12:25:18:testing
Posted by Andy on January 24, 2000 at 11:49:48:Quinte Area Bird Report - Jan. 23/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on January 23, 2000 at 20:12:14:Ivory Gull
Posted by Tyler Hoar on January 23, 2000 at 19:40:04:Polson Street
Posted by Derrick Marven on January 23, 2000 at 18:39:13:Toronto Waterfront
Posted by Joel Kits on January 23, 2000 at 14:41:15:Re: Toronto gulls
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 22, 2000 at 13:49:29:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 21, 2000 at 17:53:24:Congratulations!
Posted by Fischer on January 21, 2000 at 09:27:15:Bronte Prov. Park
Posted by Mike Boyd on January 19, 2000 at 22:57:13:Re: Toronto gulls
Posted by Brete Griffin on January 19, 2000 at 17:32:54:Re: Toronto gulls
Posted by Craig Mclauchlan on January 19, 2000 at 10:00:08:Re: Toronto gulls
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 19, 2000 at 09:04:39:Toronto gulls
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 18, 2000 at 15:08:46:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 17, 2000 at 22:16:43:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Jim Heffernan on January 17, 2000 at 00:02:18:Quinte Area Bird Report - Jan. 16/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on January 16, 2000 at 19:57:14:Com. Grackle in the near north
Posted by Norm Murr on January 16, 2000 at 18:46:02:Today at Humber Bay
Posted by Jean-François Hic on January 16, 2000 at 17:08:22:Re: Toronto birds and Feeder's
Posted by Elizabeth McKernan on January 15, 2000 at 19:24:11:Re: Looking for Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings
Posted by Sandra Eadie on January 13, 2000 at 22:57:52:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Sandra Eadie on January 13, 2000 at 22:52:34:Toronto birds and Feeder's
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 13, 2000 at 17:29:23:Re: Heerman'sGull the Millennium Bird
Posted by ROSANILDA on January 13, 2000 at 10:35:48:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Hench on January 12, 2000 at 19:30:43:Re: Looking for Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings
Posted by Hench on January 12, 2000 at 19:28:00:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 12, 2000 at 15:36:01:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Glenn Coady on January 12, 2000 at 14:27:29:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on January 12, 2000 at 11:03:03:Re: Feeder visitors
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 12, 2000 at 10:01:31:Re: Looking for Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings
Posted by Chester Gryski on January 12, 2000 at 08:49:11:Feeder visitors
Posted by Andy on January 12, 2000 at 08:35:38:Looking for Common Redpolls and Snow Buntings
Posted by Jean-François Hic on January 11, 2000 at 15:21:12:Re: Money Maker
Posted by Nor Murr on January 10, 2000 at 21:22:59:Money Maker
Posted by E.Z.Money on January 10, 2000 at 20:12:08:Quinte Area Bird Report - Jan. 09/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on January 09, 2000 at 19:52:13:Additions to Ontario Endangered Species List
Posted by Tony Lang on January 08, 2000 at 09:32:55:Re: Cayuga area raptor survey
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on January 05, 2000 at 20:36:12:Re: Cayuga area raptor survey
Posted by Mark Cranford on January 05, 2000 at 19:09:44:Cayuga area raptor survey
Posted by B. Griffin on January 05, 2000 at 17:17:30:Test
Posted by Andy on January 04, 2000 at 14:42:40:test
Posted by Andy on January 04, 1900 at 14:38:42:Test
Posted by Andy on January 04, 1900 at 14:38:03:Test
Posted by Andy on January 04, 1900 at 14:26:06:Test
Posted by Andy on January 04, 1900 at 14:25:32:Re: Toronto Waterfront
Posted by Norm Murr on January 03, 19100 at 20:12:35:Toronto Waterfront
Posted by Howard Shapiro on January 03, 19100 at 17:26:33:Re: Humber Bay
Posted by Mark Cranford on January 02, 19100 at 22:56:55:Quinte Area Bird Report - Jan.02/00
Posted by Terry Sprague on January 02, 19100 at 19:58:33:Humber Bay
Posted by Joel Kits on January 02, 19100 at 13:56:47:New Century, new start
Posted by Norm Murr on January 02, 19100 at 03:53:47:Night Herons
Posted by George Daszkowski on January 01, 19100 at 18:23:21:Night Herons
Posted by George Daszkowski on January 01, 19100 at 18:23:02:Re: sighting of Pileated Woodpecker
Posted by DAN CHARLES RASH on January 01, 19100 at 18:09:41:Heerman'sGull the Millennium Bird
Posted by C McLauchlan on January 01, 19100 at 16:27:09:Local Area Birding Report
Posted by B. Griffin on December 31, 1999 at 16:13:18:Laughing gull 90% sheer
Posted by Craig Mclauchlan on December 29, 1999 at 14:44:46:Quinte Area Bird Report - Dec. 26/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on December 26, 1999 at 19:49:38:Re: Hooded Merganser on Humber
Posted by Derrick Marven on December 24, 1999 at 15:29:24:Pine Siskin's in Tronto
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on December 24, 1999 at 13:08:35:Hooded Merganser on Humber
Posted by George Wilson on December 24, 1999 at 12:23:56:Hooded Merganser on Humber
Posted by George Wilson on December 24, 1999 at 12:21:50:Alternatives to commercial seed mixes
Posted by Howard Camber on December 23, 1999 at 16:28:20:Quinte Area Bird Report - Dec. 19/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on December 19, 1999 at 20:03:36:Christmas Bird Count, Chipping sparrow
Posted by Dan Bone on December 19, 1999 at 10:50:18:Gyrfalcon heading to Toronto
Posted by Norm Murr on December 17, 1999 at 18:45:05:Re: Heermann"s Gull
Posted by Don Peuramaki on December 16, 1999 at 17:24:24:Re: Mystery bird in Mississauga
Posted by C Mclauchlan on December 16, 1999 at 12:45:19:Heermann"s Gull
Posted by C McLauchlan on December 16, 1999 at 12:39:08:Mystery bird in Mississauga
Posted by Lydia on December 16, 1999 at 11:48:50:Re: Test - Please ignore
Posted by Andy on December 16, 1999 at 09:28:14:Test - Please ignore
Posted by Andy on December 16, 1999 at 09:27:46:Heermanns gull back agane
Posted by C Mclauchlan on December 15, 1999 at 17:24:42:Van Wagners today
Posted by C McLauchlan on December 14, 1999 at 18:08:49:South Peel Christmas Bird Count
Posted by Mark Cranford on December 13, 1999 at 22:13:44:Quinte Area Bird Report - Dec. 12/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on December 13, 1999 at 05:06:07:Re: BRONTE CREEK PP - NEW TACTIC!!
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on December 10, 1999 at 08:58:50:Spotted Towhee Still @ Lynde Shores Dec.8
Posted by Dave Mudd on December 08, 1999 at 22:37:45:Re: Toronto Field Naturalists new home page - one small but important error
Posted by Glenn Coady on December 08, 1999 at 09:51:15:Toronto Field Naturalists new home page
Posted by Andre Vietinghoff on behalf of TFN on December 07, 1999 at 18:50:47:Spotted Towhee
Posted by C McLauchlan on December 07, 1999 at 17:08:30:Re: BRONTE CREEK PP - NEW TACTIC!!
Posted by Mike Boyd on December 06, 1999 at 16:41:42:BRONTE CREEK PP - NEW TACTIC!!
Posted by Fischer on December 06, 1999 at 10:40:17:Re: Northern shrike
Posted by Mark Cranford on December 06, 1999 at 07:34:30:Quinte Area Bird Report - Dec. 05/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on December 05, 1999 at 20:12:28:Heermann's Gull
Posted by Glenn Coady on December 05, 1999 at 06:54:36:Whip [a]Round
Posted by Brian Henshaw on December 04, 1999 at 23:29:13:Re: Tufted Titmouse Update
Posted by Steven Price on December 04, 1999 at 22:52:17:Northern shrike
Posted by Margaret Jack Broxholme on December 04, 1999 at 18:23:04:Re: Tufted Titmouse in Toronto
Posted by Derrick Marven on December 04, 1999 at 14:10:29:Tufted Titmouse in Toronto
Posted by Steven Price on December 04, 1999 at 10:28:16:Re: Heermann's gull
Posted by Glenn Coady on December 03, 1999 at 18:49:02:Re: Heermann's gull
Posted by Jim Heffernan on December 03, 1999 at 18:30:14:Re: Heermann's gull
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on December 03, 1999 at 15:51:17:CCFEW birding outing - Sunday, December 5, 1999
Posted by Glenn Coady on December 03, 1999 at 11:46:38:Re: Heermann's gull
Posted by Glenn Coady on December 03, 1999 at 11:02:27:Re: Heermann's gull
Posted by Derrick Marven on December 03, 1999 at 01:19:54:Re: Heermann's gull
Posted by Mark Cranford on December 02, 1999 at 22:38:38:Re: Heerman's gull
Posted by Jim Heffernan on December 02, 1999 at 19:36:49:Re: Heerman's gull
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on December 02, 1999 at 19:05:01:Re: Heermanns gull in Toronto
Posted by Tyler Hoar on December 02, 1999 at 18:05:59:Re: Heermanns gull in Toronto
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on December 02, 1999 at 12:11:08:Heerman's gull
Posted by Derrick Marven on December 01, 1999 at 19:07:42:Re: Heermanns Gull on the Great Lakes before
Posted by Glenn Coady on December 01, 1999 at 14:52:33:Heermanns Gull on the Great Lakes before
Posted by Mark Cranford on November 30, 1999 at 08:00:02:Heermanns gull Photos
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on November 30, 1999 at 03:34:26:Re: Heermanns gull in Toronto
Posted by Jim Heffernan on November 29, 1999 at 22:49:36:Heermanns gull in Toronto
Posted by Craig Mclauchlan on November 29, 1999 at 20:34:15:Re: B.C.Chickadee and spiders?
Posted by Glenn Coady on November 29, 1999 at 11:04:18:High Park Hawk Watch - Year End Totals
Posted by Howard Shapiro on November 28, 1999 at 21:25:44:Quinte Area Bird Report - Nov. 28/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on November 28, 1999 at 20:30:40:Eagle at East Humber
Posted by H. Dewyk on November 28, 1999 at 10:37:05:Re: B.C.Chickadee and spiders?
Posted by Chris Clark on November 27, 1999 at 13:04:56:B.C.Chickadee and spiders?
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on November 26, 1999 at 15:00:36:Ashbridge's Bay
Posted by Don Peuramaki on November 25, 1999 at 11:56:46:16 Mile Creek
Posted by Mike Boyd on November 22, 1999 at 20:04:04:trumpeter Swans
Posted by George Daszkowski on November 22, 1999 at 00:22:14:Quinte Area Bird Report - Nov. 21/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on November 21, 1999 at 19:48:08:More Gulls at Mississauga Dump
Posted by Tony Lang on November 19, 1999 at 13:06:30:Lesser Black-backed Gull in Mississauga
Posted by Tony Lang on November 18, 1999 at 11:50:04:Quinte Area Bird Report - Nov. 14/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on November 14, 1999 at 20:20:29:High Park Hawk Watch
Posted by Howard Shapiro on November 14, 1999 at 16:52:44:Ross' Goose at Humber Bay Nov. 12
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on November 13, 1999 at 19:19:22:High Park Hawk Watch -Nov.1-7
Posted by Howard Shapiro on November 08, 1999 at 00:05:53:Quinte Area Bird Report - Nov. 07/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on November 07, 1999 at 20:06:33:Re: Leslie st spit
Posted by Friends of the Spit, through J. Courval on November 07, 1999 at 11:12:02:Re: Birding Periodicals
Posted by Raymond Mitchell on November 04, 1999 at 14:50:52:Re: Birding Periodicals
Posted by Sue Suess on November 04, 1999 at 08:23:57:Birding Periodicals
Posted by Fifth_Day on November 03, 1999 at 10:05:50:Article about wired Peregrines in Globe and Mail
Posted by Sandra Eadie on November 01, 1999 at 06:59:04:High Park Hawk Watch-Oct. 25-31
Posted by Howard Shapiro on October 31, 1999 at 23:19:18:Quinte Area Bird Report - October 31/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on October 31, 1999 at 20:19:32:Leslie st spit
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on October 30, 1999 at 19:12:58:BRONTE PARK UPDATE!!
Posted by Fischer on October 29, 1999 at 11:32:13:Re: Save Bronte Creek
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on October 28, 1999 at 12:51:43:Save Bronte Creek
Posted by Andy on October 27, 1999 at 15:56:59:High Park Hawk Watch, Oct.18-24
Posted by Howard Shapiro on October 24, 1999 at 22:00:57:Quinte Area Bird Report - Oct. 24/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on October 24, 1999 at 20:35:59:Short-eared Owls Moving
Posted by Mark Cranford on October 23, 1999 at 19:54:59:Eurasian Wigeons
Posted by Don Marshall on October 20, 1999 at 09:57:27:ONTBIRD Summaries Online
Posted by Mark Cranford on October 20, 1999 at 07:29:32:High Park Hawk Watch, Oct. 10-17
Posted by Howard Shapiro on October 17, 1999 at 21:03:25:Quinte Area Bird Report - Oct. 17/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on October 17, 1999 at 20:14:32:Red-headed Woodpecker
Posted by Sandra Eadie on October 16, 1999 at 16:54:50:CCFEW Outing - Saturday, October 16, 1999
Posted by Glenn Coady on October 14, 1999 at 16:25:15:Re: Leslie st spit
Posted by Tamara Chipperfield on October 13, 1999 at 10:41:06:Feeder Traffic
Posted by Jim Heffernan on October 11, 1999 at 15:16:55:High Park Hawk Watch, Oct.4-10
Posted by Howard Shapiro on October 10, 1999 at 20:28:58:Quinte Area Bird Report - Oct. 10/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on October 10, 1999 at 20:14:29:Late migrants
Posted by Glenn Coady on October 07, 1999 at 13:59:42:Turkey Vultures
Posted by Mike Boyd on October 06, 1999 at 16:31:38:Re: ALERT!!! Oh my Gawd!
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on October 04, 1999 at 17:30:05:Re: Leslie st spit
Posted by Mark Cranford on October 03, 1999 at 22:11:17:High Park Hawk Watch - Sept.27 - Oct.3
Posted by Howard Shapiro on October 03, 1999 at 21:02:49:Quinte Area Bird Report - Oct. 03/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on October 03, 1999 at 20:21:16:Leslie st spit
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on October 03, 1999 at 18:27:48:test
Posted by brian wilkie on September 30, 1999 at 15:26:12:Re: ALERT!!! Oh my Gawd!
Posted by Craig McLauchlan on September 29, 1999 at 18:25:20:ALERT!!! Oh my Gawd!
Posted by Anne on September 29, 1999 at 18:11:47:Jim Baillie Memorial Bird Walks
Posted by Toronto Ornithological Club on September 28, 1999 at 00:20:36:Re: Visible Migration of Jays
Posted by Barbara Taylor on September 27, 1999 at 22:10:22:Bronte Red-necked Grebes
Posted by Marcel Gahbauer on September 27, 1999 at 11:58:51:Visible Migration of Jays also in High Park
Posted by Howard Shapiro on September 26, 1999 at 22:36:20:High Park Hawk Watch - Sept 20-26
Posted by Howard Shapiro on September 26, 1999 at 22:31:42:Quinte Area Bird Report
Posted by Terry Sprague on September 26, 1999 at 20:04:56:test
Posted by andy on September 22, 1999 at 09:29:46:Visible Migration of Jays
Posted by Tony Lang on September 21, 1999 at 12:49:04:High Park Hawk Watch, Sept13-19
Posted by Howard Shapiro on September 19, 1999 at 21:12:14:Quinte Area Bird Report - Sept. 19/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on September 19, 1999 at 20:15:54:Sparrow migration in Muskoka
Posted by Barbara Taylor on September 19, 1999 at 18:33:19:Large Numbers of Broad-winged Hawks Seen at High Park
Posted by Howard Shapiro on September 17, 1999 at 21:07:00:Sorry for confusing post
Posted by Howard Shapiro on September 17, 1999 at 00:33:57:Broad-wing Hawks on the move in High Park
Posted by Howard Shapiro on September 17, 1999 at 00:27:05:Re: Need to identify in a hurry
Posted by Gerry Mielke on September 14, 1999 at 20:21:29:Need to identify in a hurry
Posted by Graham Christison on September 14, 1999 at 15:32:32:Muskoka sightings
Posted by Barbara Taylor on September 13, 1999 at 23:02:35:Piping Plover in Hamilton
Posted by Craig Mclauchlan on September 13, 1999 at 13:50:14:Quinte Area Bird Report - Sept. 12/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on September 12, 1999 at 20:52:52:Bronte Red-necked Grebes
Posted by Gavin Edmondstone on September 11, 1999 at 19:58:11:Re: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now
Posted by Maeve Barham on September 08, 1999 at 12:45:36:Re: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now
Posted by Mark Cranford on September 07, 1999 at 23:42:58:monarch butterfly migration
Posted by Eglantina Canales on September 07, 1999 at 23:16:20:Re: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now
Posted by Bob Kubica on September 07, 1999 at 09:58:30:Re: Common Nighthawks over Toronto now
Posted by Sue Suess on September 07, 1999 at 08:50:02:Common Nighthawks over Toronto now
Posted by Sandra Eadie on September 06, 1999 at 22:23:47:Quinte Area Bird Report - Sept.05/99
Posted by Terry Sprague on September 05, 1999 at 20:14:44: