Good evening
A beautiful day for birding The Islands and today I came up with 86 species with only 13 Waterfowl and 1 Shorebird Species but a great day it was and tomorrow will be better (I can only hope).
I started at Wards Island as usual and by the time I got to Hanlans Point 9 hours later I had found some nice birds despite the noise of the mowers, tree cutters, mulchers, airplanes and a rescue helicopter offshore most of the day. Following are some of the birds that I found and enjoyed.
Wood Ducks, 5 Canvasbacks, 2 Surf Scoters, 5 Great Egrets, Cooper's Hawk, Common Loon, Great-crested Flycatchers, many Least Flycatchers, 5 Thrushes including Veery, Swainson's, Hermit and Wood, Thrashers, Carolina, Winter, and House Wrens, 17 Gnatcatchers, 5 Swallow species, Purple Finch, 17 Warbler species including 2 Orange-crowned, Parula, Cape May, Pine, and N. Waterthrush, 9 Sparrow species including Lincoln's, many Chipping and E. Towhee, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. and 4 Bobolinks.
A nice day to be out and not stuck in an office (or what ever) and I look forward to another day on The Islands again tomorrow for what ever surprises the day holds.
Norm
PS - this is my last report on this format. I will only be reporting on the new format fro now on.
Norm Murr
In Reply to: Big Bird - what is it ? posted by JPA Clifford on May 08, 2006 at 10:06:11:
They sound like turkey vultures (especially the up to 5 together). They should appear mostly black. If you look at them while the are flying, the wings should be spread slightly above the body making them appear like a flattened out 'V' with the feathers at the end of the wing spread out like fingers. From directly underneath, the lower edge of the wings (closer to the tail) and the very tips look gray in color compared with top (closer to the head) part of the wings looking black. I have seen quite a number in the last month as they migrate. Often see them over the Don River/Bloor Viaduct area soaring both north and south as well as east over Broadview Ave. and last weekend I saw 4 over Mt. Pleasant cemetary.
Dean
In Reply to: Big Bird - what is it ? posted by JPA Clifford on May 08, 2006 at 10:06:11:
Turkey Vultures if they are dark underneath and soar with wings at a slight dihedral. They sometimes travel in packs..They have an unfeathered red head..Napper
In Reply to: Big Bird - what is it ? posted by JPA Clifford on May 08, 2006 at 10:06:11:
REDTAIL HAWKS
In Reply to: Birding Trip Saturday to Second Marsh/Thickson's Woods posted by B. Griffin on May 07, 2006 at 15:26:12:
Helen and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - thanks again. It was our very 1st opportunity to see an Owl (any Owl) and we had never seen a Dowitcher before either. Much appreciated.
I am 15 floors up facing north from Bloor St over Rosedale. There aren't many worse views if you're going to be stuck in an office. Across the street and slightly east is the Manulife building. On top appears to be the hangout for a pair of brown hawks of some kind, but they go to ground when these big monsters appear: what are these?? OK - no camera but the silhouette is hawkish (he says) and dark underside and BIG. OK so I'm not a birdwatcher !! They hang above Rosedale, turning gentle arcs at probably 500' or so, turning and turning, while moving steadily north towards Davisville and the Mt Pleasant cemetary. You can still see them when they've hit Eglinton. If they actually flap their big wings I missed it. Five together the first few days and four the last couple of days ... Like I said, the smaller brown Manulife hawks disappear when these big folks come around. Sorry - bad post I know, but (i) has anyone seen this noontime show? and (ii) what are these Big Birds??
Thx.
I would never have expected to see a pileated here in the city but luckily did yesterday morning where Taylor Creek and Charles Sauriol Conservation Reserve meet (by the "molars").
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parks_gardens/charlessauriol.htm
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/parks_gardens/taylorcreek.htm
In Reply to: Our Spring Visitors have returned!! (pics) posted by Lorena on May 07, 2006 at 17:09:00:
What great birds to have in your garden. How did you post your photos. I had wanted help identifying a bird I had spotted (which I now know was a palm warbler) but it would have been good to post the photo to have some of these expert birders on this site help me identify it.
Here are few pics of our favorite Spring Time Pics!! The House Finch is always here!! Lorena
About 20 birders met in an unusually congested parking lot Saturday morning before heading east to Oshawa to bird Second Marsh. We located 12 species of ducks while there but not any that were really unusual unfortunately. This included good views of both Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal up close and distant views of Hooded and Common Mergansers out in the marsh. Other highlights included six
species of shorebirds, the best one was a Long-billed Dowitcher in Jim's Pond, but we also had a good comparison of Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs and good looks at Solitary Sandpipers. A Great Egret was seen out in the marsh and a Green Heron did a flyby for us as well.
Three species of tern were found which included Black, Caspian, and Common. Songbirds included our first of the year Yellow Warbler, Palm Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, Veery, and a first year Orchard Oriole. Other birds seen here before leaving were Belted Kingfisher, Chimney Swift, Ruby-thr. Hummingbird, House Wren, Eastern Kingbird and a Great-cr. Flycatcher just inside the Darlington P.P. boundary.
We eventually moved on to Thickson's Woods where we spotted two Great Horned Owls (thanks Charlie) and heard both Winter Wren and Wood Thrush singing. Among the many Yellow-rumpeds there we also found a Northern Parula and a Cape May Warbler (thanks Andrew) singing. White-thr. and White-cr. Sparrows were numerous and we also had excellent close-up views of both Black-thr. Green and Black-thr. Blue Warblers. We finished the morning with ten species of warblers and after lunch we made another vain attempt to find the Gargeny and then ran out of time to head north to Pt. Perry. Although we did not get to all the spots on the day's itinerary we still finished the day with about 84 species and next weekend should be even better! Have a good week all, Brete
___________________________________________________________
Brete Griffin - breteg@yahoo.ca
Peel Birding Class - peelbirding@yahoo.ca
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PBC/ and
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/BreteGriffin/
Most posts are from the lakefront areas,so I thought I'd let people know about the birding in north Toronto. Earl Bales is at the corner of Sheppard & Bathurst. I bird the lower part of the park, by the Don River. Yesterday from 4-5:30 pm, I saw: 1 Chestnut-sided, 1 Black-throated Blue, 1 Yellow-rumped and 1 Black & White warblers (all males); 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and 1 Baltimore Oriole (all males);1 TV, 1 Cooper's hawk and 1 Red-tailed hawk; 1 Belted kingfisher; Chipping, Song and White-throated sparrows. In the past month, I've also seen an E. Phoebe, kinglets, Hairy woodpecker (Pileated are here, too) and a pair of Wood ducks.
In Reply to: Re: Long Point Summer or Scarlet Tanager? photos to follow posted by Stewart Ho on May 06, 2006 at 13:00:06:
Yes ,was in the provincial park at Lake Erie at the end of the road past Old Cut Blvd where they do the bird banding,park wasn't open yet so we walked in to the right and found the summer tanager on picnic benches along a row of trees by the parking lots.
The consensus from people i have asked and shown is a 2nd year summer tanager ,also what the Long Point observatory had at Old Cut same day
In Reply to: Long Point Summer or Scarlet Tanager? photos to follow posted by Andrew Don on May 05, 2006 at 14:44:26:
I would like to know which provincial park in Long point, is it the camp site at the end of country road to Long point? I am appreciated your reply. Thank you...
Good late evening all
Today was a short day on The Islands (I only walked 7 hrs from Wards Island to The Sanctuary as I had to meet a friend at 3pm to head up to Carden.
The Islands were fairly quiet but had to be checked and on the way I found 11 warbler species including Blackburnian, Black-throated Blue, Magnolia and my earliest by 8 days Orange-crowned warbler near the Firehall on Wards Island.
I also found Turkey Vulture, Cooper's Hawk, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Gnatcatchers, Thrashers, Blue-headed and Warbling Vireos, Carolina, House and Winter Wrens as well as the usual species down there. All the species were in low numbers including only about 75 White-throated sparrows, down from about 700 on Tuesday. Up at The Carden Alvar area we found (heard) a Yellow Rail at the Sedge Wren Marsh on Wylie Road. It was at the north end of the marsh on the west side and not too far in. Again it was very quiet there but we did hear Ruffed Grouse and a couple of Swamp sparrows only along with an A. Bittern and 3 Common Snipe.
In the Marshes on Prospect Rd we heard and saw 6 Virginia Rails, 1 Sora, 1 Moorhen, 1 Common Raven carrying food, 3 Wilson's Snipe, N. Harrier, Belted Kingfishers and both Teal. We did not see or hear any Marsh or Sedge Wrens at the two locations.
DIRECTIONS
TORONTO ISLANDS (Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km I average 18 km each time I bird there so it is a lot of walking to adequately cover the islands)
To get to the Toronto Islands from Queen and Yonge Streets on the TTC. If your on the subway southbound stay on it and get off at Union Station, walk south about 1 km to the ferry docks at the foot of Bay Street and Queens Quay and you are there. If in an auto on the Gardener Expressway or on Lakeshore Blvd, then exit at Bay Street and drive south to Queens Quay, there are lots of parking lots nearby (fee).
There is a fee for using the island ferries ($6.00 adult / $3.50 for seniors & students) and to find out the sailing times you can phone (416) 392-8193. There are washrooms on the islands as well as the city side at the ferry docks and you can pick up a schedule at the docks or check on line.
The 1st boat to Wards Island (my preferred starting point) is 6:35 am and the 2nd is 7:00 am Monday to Friday.
The 1st is at 6:35 am and the 2nd boat is at 7:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
The 1st boat to Hanlans Point is 8:00 am and the 2nd boat is at 8:30 am Monday to Friday.
The 1st is at 8:15 am and the 2nd boat is at 9:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
If arriving in early am you must obtain your ticket from a machine just inside the gate so be sure to have $1.00 and $2.00 and/or 25 cent coins before you arrive at the docks as there is no place to get change and the machine does not make change. (There is a change machine there if you want to chance it).
There are coffee shops across from the ferry docks in the building on the northwest corner and they are open early. food and beverages on The Islands when open are very expensive i.e. soft drink $3.00 plus.
For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site.
For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site.
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/springschedule.htm
PS
There is a map of the Islands at each of the Island side ferry docks and the City side.
WYLIE RD / SEDGE WREN MARSH / PROSPECT RD
Wylie Road is north of Kirkfield in Victoria County and Kirkfield itself is on County Road 48 east of Highway 12 and well north of Whitby and about 130 km from Toronto if you follow the roads and not a Crow.
From the centre of Kirkfield go north on County Road 6 passing under the Lift Lock on the Trent Canal and drive about 2 ½ km further north to where the road curves left or west. On this curve and on your right is McNamee Rd, turn right here onto McNamee and drive east for about 300 yards and you will be at Wylie Road. This road is about 9 ½ km long ending at Alvar Rd (a T intersection). Birding can be good on this road as well, either way.
The Sedge Wren Marsh is about 5 ½ km up Wylie Road, you can’t miss it as it has the only bridge along the road. Park just to the south of and overlooking the bridge and walk the road. Birding is good all along the road and I find that the best birding happens when you park and walk both ways a km or 2 from your auto.
This is a narrow road with little traffic but be sure to park in such a way as to not block the road as you don’t want to rile up the locals. This is all private property but there really is no need to leave the road.
Norm Murr
PS
You may also want to drive down Rockview Rd just west of Kirkfield on your right along County Rd 48. Past the dump road (on your right) you will come to a wet wood lot that straddles the road. This is a great place for N. Waterthrush. We heard and saw 7 there on May 5/01 and May 4/02. Also along here you should find Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow.
Continue south to Eldon Station Rd (the next road) turn right (west) and drive to Prospect Rd. Turn right (north) and drive up to a large marsh. Here you should find many Marsh Wrens along with Sora and Virginia Rail, A. Bittern and Green Heron and watch for Osprey, N. Harrier and T. Vulture. If you continue north on this road you will come upon another small marsh and pond just short of County Rd 48. Of coarse most of the roads in this and the Wylie Rd area can be very productive and it is not a stretch saying you could spend a whole day in the area, I have.
PPS
Wylie Rd south of the Sedge Wren Marsh is good for Upland Sandpiper, Vesper and Grasshopper Sparrow and lots of E. Bluebirds. North of the marsh are the same birds and near the north end of the road watch and listen for Golden-winged Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
It now looks like I left my binox at the base of Leslie Spit at 3PM April 29 after the TOC walk. If anyone found them or knows who picked them up please phone me at 416-535-1902
In Reply to: Raven posted by Cary on May 04, 2006 at 19:20:54:
Cary, the ontario Breeding Bird Atlass maps - 2001 to 2005 -- show confirmed Raven breeding in north Whitchurch-Stouffville, about the same latitude as the south end of Lake Scugog.http://www.birdsontario.org/atlas/map.jsp?map=be&species=CORA&no=5&stype=1 Also, someone posted a few weeks ago (the name eludes me) about observing ravens on the Leslie St. Spit. I questioned his sighting and his response sure indicated he knew what he was looking at. Al
In Reply to: Re: Long Point Summer or Scarlet Tanager? photos to follow posted by Andrew Don on May 05, 2006 at 14:46:50:
last photo promise :)
In Reply to: Re: Long Point Summer or Scarlet Tanager? photos to follow posted by Andrew Don on May 05, 2006 at 14:45:51:
2nd photo
In Reply to: Long Point Summer or Scarlet Tanager? photos to follow posted by Andrew Don on May 05, 2006 at 14:44:26:
first photo
Hi ,was at Long point provincial park and took photo of a very approchable tanager ,not sure if a summer or a scarlet ,would like people's opinions.
The photos will follow
We had 80 species for the day including bay-breasted and magnolia warblers ,indigo buntings ,black terns and sandhill cranes
In Reply to: Re: Cooper's Hawk in upper beach? posted by Bob Kortright on May 05, 2006 at 09:24:38:
Thanks for the tip. I looked it up and that really looks like it. The ravine
is on Gerrard St. East, just east of Coxwell. (at Coxwell it turns north
one block and continues as upper Gerrard.) The street is a mess
because of construction, and is only one way going west, so it's easier
to get to Gerrard from Woodbine. There are stairs to the ravine, and
two paths that are split by a creek and a fence. The tree is on the left/
west side of the fence, a large oak (?). There's a bit of black spray paint
on the bottom of the trunk as well. Each time I've seen it, it's been
around 7:30 am. Hope the directions are helpful!
In Reply to: Cooper's Hawk in upper beach? posted by Tara on May 05, 2006 at 08:20:28:
If it looks small it is more likely the very similar Sharp-shinned hawk, which is more common in any case, but either is possible, and the female Sharpshin averages almost the same size as the male Cooper's - about a foot long. I'll stop off there on the way home around 2:30 or 3 - can you give more precise directions? how far north of Gerrard?
See the link for ID tips
Hi, I don't know very much at all about birdwatching, but I'm trying to identify a bird near my house. I've seen it three times this week, in the same tree, in the ravine off upper Gerrard, just east of Coxwell. It's definitely a raptor, but looks small - about a foot high from where I can see. He has a white belly with a small bit of brown, but not too much. Its head is small and rounded, and very dark brown. Its back feathers are the same colour as its head. Each time I've seen it next to a really messy nest at the end of a branch. The first time I saw it, there was a squirrel going towards the nest and the bird flew down and squawked at the squirrel. The bird has been seen in the same spot since. I couldn't tell if it was the squirrel's nest or the bird's, but I've been told that hawks don't usually nest in deciduous trees. I searched on google images and a Cooper's Hawk looked closest to what I saw, though I'm not sure if they are normally found in Toronto. Any help greatly appreciated.
thanks!
We were strolling along the fence-line at Ashbridge's Bay about 3:30 this afternoon when Elton heard the characteristic "beeee-bzzz" of our golden (mostly) Vermivoran visitor ... he spotted another as he skipped down another kilometre or so, among the white-throats and white-crowns, a Baltimore Oreo, and an arboreal Ovenbird.
Anyone down that way recently? Very lively indeed ...
Heading down to Niagara Friday morning (if Aunt Margaret's meds are working like they should, and she stops shrieking "Mockingbird! Mockingbird! Gaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!")to check out the avian activity down there. I expect it will be quite thrilping.
I can quack like a Gadwall, and I've been working with Ted on Mallards and Blacks.
Thank You.
My wife and I went for a stroll in Mono Cliffs Conservation Area this past Monday (May 1) and heard and saw at least one raven. Mono is only about 80k north of Toronto. Has anyone else seen ravens this close to Toronto? Also, the park had at least a dozen turkey vultures in constant patrol over the park.
So within 2 days, two of my favorite migrating birds have returned!! The Orioles have arrived today and the Hummingbirds on Tuesday!! YYYEEESSS!!!! I LOVE Spring!
Great day in our back yard hear just north of High Park some of the high lights are
Blackburnian Warbler 1, Yellow-rumped Warbler 7 Pine Warbler 1 Black& White Warbler 1 Palm Warbler 1 Hermit thrush 5
A nice fall out that spent most of the day feeding and swimming in the watering house
hello I decided to take today off from work for mental health reasons. Today is proving to be as interesting as last night.
Sitting on my deck this morning and this afternoon I noticed a number of things. White crowned sparrows digging in the flower garden behind my house. Just now a Coopers hawk made a flyby at about 4 feet off of the ground(feeder height) and not more than 5 minutes later a pair of redtail's soaring. I plan on revisiting the new lagoons in the fields behind my house after all of the workers go home. All off the bird activity in and around is Surprising considering the amount of construction going on and the noise and dust. For those of you who have not used the new site here is my post from last night. Napper:)) (I apolgize for the spelling in the post)
http://outdoorontario.net/birds/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=87
In Reply to: PBC Outing to Miss/Burl/Grimsby on Apr. 29th posted by B. Griffin on April 30, 2006 at 17:09:03:
It was great! Thanks again for putting it all together for us.
Good evening eh.
Today Naish McHugh and I visited Presqu'ile Prov. Park during a beautiful spring day (gloat, gloat) and we found some interesting birds as we roamed around and the following list a taste of birds down there.
Green-winged Teals, Blue-winged Teals, N. Shovelers, Redheads, Lesser Scaup, Green Heron, Common Moorhens, Lesser Yellowlegs, Pectoral and Spotted Sandpipers, Bonaparte's Gulls, Hairy and 2 Pileated Woodpeckers, Least Flycatchers, Brown Thrashers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Winter and House Wrens, lots of Purple Martins, Blue-winged, Yellow, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated green, 3 Pine, Palm and Black-and-white Warblers, and also Ovenbird, Lincoln's, White-crowned, Chipping and Field Sparrows, E. Towhees and Baltimore Orioles, plus a passle of the usual birds.
There are many Caspian Terns, Great Blue Herons and Black-crowned night-Herons overhead and the place seems full of Song Sparrows.
Note: - If you are birding the Lighthouse area at Presqu'ile Point be sure to walk onto the residential street just north of the lighthouse and go to a house on the right (about 3 houses up) and you will see a bird sightings board. This is the PRIVATE residence of Birder Fred Helleiner. Stop and talk and ask to enter your better sightings on his board. I did this morning but no sign of Fred so I took the liberty of entering some sightings.
Good Birding and back to the Islands.
Norm Murr
Yestday I saw a Brown Thrasher in our bird bath sitting enjoying the water & sun. He remained for a couple of minutes before jumping over to our neighbour's thicket & shrub-filled yard. Aside from his very eerie yellow eyes he was quite beautiful! He remained in the neighbour's yard and I eventually lost sight of him in the thickets.
How common are they? I've never seen one before. If he returns today I'll try to get a pic.
Also, if someone can tell me how to post pics, just this morning a N. Flicker and Robin were fighting for rights to the bird bath. The Flicker would flare his wings (so his yellow feathers were fanned out)and squak at the Robin. It was quite the sight!! The Flicker eventually won but not 'till the Robin got some splashes in!
I also got a not-so-great pic of the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak which has returned. He was visiting our almost empty feeder 2 days ago. Hoping to see him again.
Other firsts in the last few days to our yard are the Nashville Warbler and the Blk. Throated Green Warbler.
The Wht. Crwn. Sparrows returned yesterday as did the E. Towhees after being away for 3 years.
Still hanging around are about a dozen Wht. Thr. Sparrows, a single Song Sparrow, Rby Crwnd Kinglets, Ylw-Rmpd Warblers, Blk & Wht Warbler, Brwn Creeper, & Wren.
All the usual suspects are still around too, cardinals, blue jays, rd wngs, chickadees, finches - gold & house(purple finches seem to have left), cowbird and grackles, grackles, grackles, and PIGEONS!!
In Reply to: Hummingbirds are back! posted by Lorena on May 03, 2006 at 07:16:02:
Yes they are, I took this picture last night on the shore of Rice lake when I was waiting for osprey to come in for a feeding.
http://art-mcleod.fotopic.net/p28782861.html
Hummingbirds are back!
The first male Ruby Throated Hummingbird was at the feeder last night approx 6:30 while we were bbqing!! (Willow Beach, Lake Simcoe) HURRAY!!!!!!
In Reply to: Carden Alvar Land Viewing posted by Norm Murr on May 01, 2006 at 09:12:24:
As someone who has made a modest personal contribution to the purchasing of the Windmill Ranch property and the preservation of other sensitive lands through the Nature Conservancy I strongly support Ron's work and encourage everyone to help maintain ongoing good relations with private landowners.
I would encourage everyone to financially support the continued acquisition of conservation land for the enjoyment of future generations. In addition to following Ron's good advice I would enourage everyone to make a donation to the Nature Conservancy, the Couchiching Conservancy or the conservation organization of your choice.
David
Good evening.
I went down to the Toronto Islands again today and there has been a nice change since last Friday. New migrants and increases in the earlier migrants i.e. White-throated Sparrow - up from dozens to hundreds.
During the beautiful weather I started at the Wards Island end and birded all the hot spots to Hanlans Point with 77 species despite only 7 common Waterfowl and the following are some of my finds.
Great Egret, Peregrine Falcon, Bonaparte's Gulls, Y-B Sapsuckers, Least Flycatchers, E. Kingbirds, Blue-headed and Warbling Vireos, Cedar Waxwing (1st of many on the Islands for the season), Veery, Wood Thrush, Gray catbird, 12 Brown Thrashers, Carolina, Winter and House Wrens, B-G Gnatcatchers, Purple Martins, Cliff Swallows, 8 Warbler Species including 2 Northern Parulas, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Palm Warblers, Ovenbirds, C. Yellowthroat, 11 Sparrow species including Fox Sparrows, White-crowned Sparrows, Field Sparrows and E. Towhees, Baltimore Orioles, and eastern Meadowlark.
A good day of birding and it is only going to get better as the month progresses. Still surprised that I only met 1 birder
DIRECTIONS TORONTO ISLANDS (Wards Island to Hanlans Point - without side trips is 5 km) To get to the Toronto Islands from Queen and Yonge Streets on the TTC. If your on the subway
southbound stay on it and get off at Union Station, walk south about 1 km to the ferry docks at the
foot of Bay Street and Queens Quay and you are there. If in an auto on the Gardener Expressway
or on Lakeshore Blvd, then exit at Bay Street and drive south to Queens Quay, there are lots of
parking lots nearby (fee).
There is a fee for using the island ferries ($6.00 adult / $3.50 for seniors & students) and to find out the sailing times you can phone (416) 392-8193. There are washrooms on the islands as well as the city side at the ferry docks and you can pick up a schedule at the docks or check on line.
The 1st boat to Wards Island (my preferred starting point) is 6:35 am and the 2nd is 7:00 am Monday
to Friday.
The 1st is at 6:35 am and the 2nd boat is at 7:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
The 1st boat to Hanlans Point is 8:00 am and the 2nd boat is at 8:30 am Monday to Friday.
The 1st is at 8:15 am and the 2nd boat is at 9:15 am on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.
If arriving in early am you must obtain your ticket from a machine just inside the gate so be sure to have $1.00 and $2.00 and/or 25 cent coins before you arrive at the docks as there is no place to get change and the machine does not make change. (There is a change machine there if you want to chance it).
There are coffee shops across from the ferry docks in the building on the northwest corner and they are open early. food and beverages on The Islands when open are very expensive i.e. soft drink $3.00 plus.
For a detailed ferry schedule check the following web site.
http://www.toronto.ca/parks/island/springschedule.htm
PS
There is a map of the Islands at each of the Island side ferry docks and the City side.
Another PS
If you have access to PDF then I can send an Island map if you contact me in private.
Great backyard bird...I was at a friends house in Burlington
and witnessed 2 northern Bobwhites ( male and female)
I assume they are released or escaped birds, but none the less, a great backyard sighting.
In Reply to: Humber river- Great Egret. posted by Bill Halliday on April 29, 2006 at 18:51:03:
Next time you're on the river, keep an eye out for an Osprey nest. A colleague at work says there's a nest in the marsh area of the lower Humber. Has anyone else seen this nest?
Norm Murr's account of an unfriendly landowner at Prospect Marsh is an unfortunate symptom of recent concerns among some Carden landowners that ecological values may restrict their "development rights" in future. This has resulted in considerable resistance to any form of protection for alvars and bird habitats in the proposed City of Kawartha Lakes Official Plan, and fear about the consequences of anyone finding a Loggerhead Shrike on private lands.
Through the Carden Plain Important Bird Area committee, we are working to find solutions that most landowners can live with, including offering them friendlier versions of signs. While you certainly have every right to travel on local roads and to observe birds on adjacent lands, we would suggest the following guidelines:
1) DO NOT TRESPASS on private lands - it only creates hard feelings and mistrust of birders.
2) Be aware of nearby houses and homesteads, and don't scope towards them; respect the privacy of people who live here.
3) Make sure your vehicles are not blocking traffic.
4) If you are confronted by an unfriendly landowner, respond in a polite and neutral manner, or simply move on.
5) If you are buying food or gas in the area (and we encourage you to leave some money behind), try to make sure the business knows you have come here to bird, to reinforce the connection with local economic development.
Remember that the Windmill Ranch along the west side of Wylie Road (from about 1 km north of MacNamee Road to well past Sedge Wren Marsh) is now conservation property. And most Carden landowners, even some with concerns about their landowner rights, still welcome birders to the area.
Ron
Ron Reid
Executive Director, The Couchiching Conservancy
Box 704, Orillia, Ontario, L3V 6K7
(705)326-1620
_______________________________________________
April 29, 2006, 12:30 -- hundreds swooping into Humber Bay park, landing in the water and swooping out -- and flying off northward. Amazing site.
The official start of the Spring 2006 session of the Peel Birding Class on Saturday had 18 people in attendance. We headed first for Rattray Marsh which had the resident Carolina Wren singing away as we looked around to find White-thr. Sparrows, Ruby-cr. Kinglets, Cardinals, and of course many Red-winged Blackbirds. A Common Loon, Wood Duck, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew overhead at various times during our visit there. Waterfowl were scarce but we did get Red-br. Merganser on the lakeside and Green-winged Teal, Mute Swan, and Mallards in the marsh with Killdeer, a Ring-billed and a Greater Bl.-backed Gull present on the mudflat. A Downy Woodpecker and a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker were also spotted in the area. A few early birders got a Brown Thrasher and before we left we had good looks at a Hermit Thrush.
We moved on further west to Paletta Park where we had an extended viewing opportunity with several singing Yellow-rumped Warblers. A very large accipiter cruised by overhead just above the treetops at least twice and we IDed it as a Cooper’s Hawk. We also spotted at least 3 swallow species here including Tree, Barn and Rough-winged. A few folks got to see the local Belted Kingfisher and out on the lake we saw one Horned Grebe and several Red-necked Grebes a bit further west along the waterfront. A pair of Caspian Terns flew by along the shoreline a few times patrolling the area for fish. A female Bufflehead was seen close to shore and at a distance Long-tailed Ducks could still be seen although now in much smaller numbers. Double-crested Cormorants have now become the most obvious if not the most abundant species it seems along the lakefront.
We got up to Beamer’s Point in Grimsby in the late morning after picking up our lunches to go. We got our first Broad-winged Hawk of the year at very close range (thanks Rob) while at one of the first overlooks on the escarpment trail. We also had Red-tailed Hawks and Turkey Vultures before we were distracted by our first warbler wave of the season. We found mostly Yellow-rumpeds but we also got Black-and-white Warbler and a drab, somewhat nondescript green warbler which we were leaning towards IDing as an (early?) Orange-cr. Warbler. Also in the group was a Blue-headed Vireo and a few folks also got a good look at a calling Red-bellied Woodpecker. We then proceeded to 10th Concession where we had a quick glimpse of a low flying male Northern Harrier and also saw our 2nd Mockingbird of the day. Eastern Meadowlarks were singing and visible in the adjacent fields and we could also hear a Field Sparrow singing in the distance. A Greater Yellowlegs flew across the road in front of us and Savannah Sparrows were heard singing in several locations as we worked our way back to Ridge Road. At this point we called it a day for those who were still with us and most folks started heading down the mountain and back NE. A lucky few made a quick stop at the woods near Rebecca and BurlOak and got to see the roosting Screech Owl in its usual spot. An enjoyable day of spring birding ended with us getting about 64 bird species in total, seen and/or heard during the course of the day.
____________________________________________________________
Brete Griffin - breteg@yahoo.ca
Peel Birding Class - peelbirding@yahoo.ca
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PBC/ and
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/BreteGriffin/
Good day
I noticed that no one has posted about the Wigeon today so I thought I would mention that Andrew Jano and I and a couple of other birders saw the Eurasian Wigeon in the southeast corner of Second Marsh this morning.
We also saw 22 species of Waterfowl including Ring-necked, Ruddy, Wood, both Teal, all 3 Mergansers, Common Loons, Pied-billed Grebes, and Shovelers. We also saw a Moorhen, 30+ little Gulls among the 100+ Bonaparte's Gulls, Trumpeter Swan, House and Winter Wrens, the usual birds as well as Pine, Palm, Nashville and Yellow-rumped Warblers and a Northern Waterthrush. Altogether 64 species in that small area.
We were also told about a Gray Catbird and Sedge Wren sighting.
Good birding, good weather and good company.
DIRECTIONS
SECOND MARSH IN OSHAWA
If driving east from Toronto on Hwy 401 then exit at Farewell Street (Exit 419) and drive south to Colonel Sam Drive. If planning to bird the west side of the marsh then continue on Farewell Street to Harbour Street, park on the east side of Farewell at the entrance of the paved foot trail and then follow it to the marsh. If planning to bird the east side then turn left, east on Colonel Sam Drive and drive to the General Motors Head Office parking lot. Park at the northwest corner of the lot and follow the grassy trail from that corner to the viewing tower. The trail from the tower runs north into the woods to another viewing tower with another view of the marsh and of the surrounding woods and wet area.
Norm
In Reply to: Carden Plain/Kirkfield Are-Loggerhead Shrikes, etc. posted by Norm Murr on April 29, 2006 at 16:37:14:
I am from the area and it sounds like someone was having a very bad day.
Most folks up there are friendly . Anyway I believe that there is a 66 ft
road allowance . 33 ft from the middle of the road each side belongs to
the city or municipality.
surfinbird
The Great Egret is back on the Humber river. Other sites likely to be visited include High Park and the Humber Bay areas. I believe (with no proof to speak of) that they nested on the Humber river last year. At times, while kayaking on the river, we saw upwards of 6-8. Nice to see this bird returning to this area annually.
Good evening birders.
Today Alfred Adamo and I went up to the Carden Plain area to check on early arrivals and we found some nice birds.
As we drove up Cty Rd 6 north out of Kirkfield we stopped at the lift locks where we had a close up view of an overhead Broad-winged Hawk.
Along Wylie Rd we found Common Snipe, Sandhill Crane, Upland Sandpiper, several Common Ravens, Brown Thrasher, 2 Loggerhead Shrikes (Oposide Bluebird Box 10), Purple Finch, Nashville, Chipping, and Vesper Sparrows, Eastern Towhee and many Eastern Meadowlarks. At the north end of Wylie Rd we turned left (west) and drove along Alvar Rd and along here we found Nashville, Yellow-rumped and Black-throated Green Warblers as well as Purple Finch again.
At the end of Alvar Rd we turned left (south) on Lake Dalrymple Rd and along here were a pair of Osprey building a nest.
We then proceeded back through Kirkfield on Cty Rd 6 and turned right (west) and drove to Rockview Rd and along here were more Thrashers and a Cooper's Hawk. We turned right (west) at Eldon Station Rd where Jean Iron told us about both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs in a flooded field and after locating them we drove to Prospect Rd, turned Right (north) and drove up to the southern marsh. Here at the marsh we found both Sora and Virginia Rails.
We then drove a little further up Prospect to the next marsh (just south of Cty Rd 4 and here we again found Virginia and Sora Rails as well as 2 Moorhens, American Bittern and a Belted Kingfisher.
A note of caution
At the north marsh on Prospect Rd as we stood on the public road shoulder an Aggregate Co. pickup truck pulled up and the driver stared at us with an angry look without saying a word, just stared. I went over to him, said hello and said we were listening to Rails and Bitterns calling. He still stared with a angry look and I explained that we were viewing Marsh birds and that is what the Rails were. He finally reached out and pointed at a new sign up the road (in the marsh) (It said NO TRESPASSING - PLEASE RESPECT OUR PROPERTY RIGHTS and had a picture of an Osprey and Binoculars on it). He angrily told me it was his property, I said we were not on his property but on the public road looking over the marsh. His answer was that he didn't look into my backyard and that we were not allowed to look into or over the marsh. Allowing that that was ridiculous and reminding him that we were on public property he still said it wasn't allowed I asked him if that meant that I was not allowed to look into a field as we drove by he answered it just isn't allowed and drove off. We continued recording our sightings and he never returned. This is just a heads up for that location as this man looked like he could react physically if angrily confronted (MY Opinion).
DIRECTIONS
WYLIE RD / SEDGE WREN MARSH / PROSPECT RD
Wylie Road is north of Kirkfield in Victoria County and Kirkfield itself is on County Road 48 east of Highway 12 and well north of Whitby and about 130 km from Toronto if you follow the roads and not a Crow.
From the centre of Kirkfield go north on County Road 6 passing under the Lift Lock on the Trent Canal and drive about 2 ½ km further north to where the road curves left or west. On this curve and on your right is McNamee Rd, turn right here onto McNamee and drive east for about 300 yards and you will be at Wylie Road. This road is about 9 ½ km long ending at Alvar Rd (a T intersection). Birding can be good on this road as well, either way.
The Sedge Wren Marsh is about 5 ½ km up Wylie Road, you can’t miss it as it has the only bridge along the road. Park just to the south of and overlooking the bridge and walk the road. Birding is good all along the road and I find that the best birding happens when you park and walk both ways a km or 2 from your auto.
This is a narrow road with little traffic but be sure to park in such a way as to not block the road as you don’t want to rile up the locals. This is all private property but there really is no need to leave the road.
Norm Murr
PS
You may also want to drive down Rockview Rd just west of Kirkfield on your right along County Rd 48. Past the dump road (on your right) you will come to a wet wood lot that straddles the road. This is a great place for N. Waterthrush. We heard and saw 7 there on May 5/01 and May 4/02. Also along here you should find Upland Sandpiper and Grasshopper Sparrow.
Continue south to Eldon Station Rd (the next road) turn right (west) and drive to Prospect Rd. Turn right (north) and drive up to a large marsh. Here you should find many Marsh Wrens along with Sora and Virginia Rail, A. Bittern and Green Heron and watch for Osprey, N. Harrier and T. Vulture. If you continue north on this road you will come upon another small marsh and pond just short of County Rd 48. Of coarse most of the roads in this and the Wylie Rd area can be very productive and it is not a stretch saying you could spend a whole day in the area, I have.
PPS
Wylie Rd south of the Sedge Wren Marsh is good for Upland Sandpiper, Vesper and Grasshopper Sparrow and lots of E. Bluebirds. North of the marsh are the same birds and near the north end of the road watch and listen for Golden-winged Warbler and Clay-colored Sparrow.
Norm Murr
In Reply to: Re: Northern Flicker posted by Lisabelle on April 28, 2006 at 06:42:15:
Unfortunately you can't believe everything you read on the web. While it *can* be a great source of information, you have to really be careful in judging the reliability of your sources, much more so than with printed references, since anyone can post anything they want. Unfortunately, there seems to be a great deal of misinformation out there on birds (most of it probably the result of honest ignorance, but leading readers astray regardless of intent).
A couple of brief excerpts from the Northern Flicker account in the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (1987) summarize its situation as a common species:
"There is no evidence that the distribution and abundance of the Northern Flicker have changed within Ontario in recent times."
"The widespread distribution of the Northern Flicker in Ontario reflects its capacity to breed in a variety of habitats."
"Only the American Robin was found in more [10x10 km] squares across the whole province. There are confirmed breeding records for over 60% of all southern Ontario squares, a total far higher than for any other woodpecker."
In Reply to: Prince Edward Country (just returned) posted by Sierra on April 28, 2006 at 15:08:31:
ii
beautiful down here
and May.. a birding trip
or event is taking place
..
we enjoyed our time very much
highly recommend and sure many of you go experienced birders
I go #2 highway
no 401 for me
Sierra
Hi all.
It was another slow day on The Islands today, even slower than Tuesday. I guess we are in a temporary migration slow down until the winds and temperatures change. There were a few nice birds down there though and following is a list of some of them.
Wood Ducks, Canvasback, 3 Great Egrets, Black-crowned night-Herons, American Bittern, Caspian and Common Terns, Belted Kingfishers, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue-headed Vireo, Hermit Thrushes, Brown Thrashers, Carolina and Winter Wrens, 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Purple Martins, Nashville, Yellow-rumped and Palm Warblers, and Chipping and Field Sparrows and a Fox Sparrow was reported to me.
Another good bird was only a 100 yards or so from my apartment at 5 am as I crossed a Plaza parking lot. As I approached the bus stop a Woodcock flushed off the pavement. There isn't any woods, etc. within a 1/2 mile so I believe it was a migrant bird that just got tired and landed in the parking lot. A nice start to a nice day.
Norm Murr
Yesterday evening around 6:15 pm I observed a "1st Spring Male" Summer Tanager for at least 15 - 20 minutes in High Park. The area where I observed the bird was on the set of stairs that lead up from the path along the southern edge of Grenadier Pond to Colborne Lodge Road. The advantage of these stairs is that you can get at eye level with some of the tree tops. I was about 3/5th's the way up the stairs and eye level with several of the trees on the lower part of the hill and this is where the Tanager spent most of its time flitting from one perch to another. From this vantage point I was able to observe the bird at every possible angle at distances as little as 6 meters.
Except for minor pattern variations, the Tanager I observed is virtually identical in all respects to Sibley's depiction of a "1st Spring Male" Summer Tanager in the field guide. I did consult the Peterson Field Guide which shows an immature Scarlet Tanager with some similarities to a 1st Spring Male Summer Tanager (ie. some red on the sides, back, flanks and head and irregular pattern variation) however, a significant difference is the Scarlet's black wing and tail feathers as depicted in Petersen's. The Tanager I observed had greenish wing feathers and had as much red on the head and other parts of the body as depicted in Sibley's. Sibley does not show an immature Scarlet Tanager male in the Sibley Field Guide. The other noticeable feature of the bird I observed was the long bill.
Attila Fust Toronto, ON
High Park is located in west Toronto and bordered by Bloor St. and Queensway (north south boundaries) and Parkside Drive and Ellis Ave (east west boundaries). Easily accessible by subway at Keele or High Park stations.
In Reply to: Re: Northern Flicker posted by john on April 28, 2006 at 06:25:41:
Really! Wow, I was looking on birding websites and they said only a very few were spotted in Ontario. I guess there data was old. Yes it is a really cool bird! :)
In Reply to: Northern Flicker posted by Lisabelle on April 27, 2006 at 15:03:07:
On the contrary, they are relatively common in the GTA. Still a cool bird to see, though.
I have seen for the past two days a Yellow - shafted female Northern Flicker in my backyard here in Brampton, Ont. Haven't seen the male yet. I just wanted to share this as I understand there are very few of these birds. ;)
I recently managed to photograph a European Goldfinch in the Muskoka area. Has anyone seen this bird in Southern Ontario before? I was quite astonished.
http://www.endless-films.com/eurofinch.jpg
In Reply to: Toronto Islands this Saturday? posted by Quirijn Slings on April 27, 2006 at 06:16:51:
Hi there
You may want to try the Leslie st.Spit as I believe that the TOC will be doing a guided tour there , maybe someone else will know more details.
In Reply to: Toronto Islands this Saturday? posted by Quirijn Slings on April 27, 2006 at 06:16:51:
It's not quite Toronto Island ... but if you are interested in exploring the Leslie Spit instead, you (and all others) are welcome to join the Toronto Ornithological Club outing scheduled for there this Saturday at 8 a.m. It promises to feature a good variety of waterfowl and early songbird migrants, and probably some shorebirds as well - it is usually a very productive trip. See the link below for information on other upcoming outings.
Hi,
I'm new in town and I was planning to visit the islands this Saturday (29th April). I was wondering if there is someone with the same plan that I can team up with. It's my first time in North-America, I do a fair bit of birding in Europe but have no experience with the local birds.
Tia,
Quirijn
quirijnslings@hotmail.com
Good evening.
The Islands are still fairly quiet but I did manage to dig out some birds and there are some new arrivals as well as an increase in the number of Common Terns, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers and White-throated Sparrows.
The day started windy (of course) and cool (of course) with frost on the ground down there but the birds still sang up a storm despite these conditions. Most of the better birding was between the Fire Station (on Wards) and The Sanctuary with a another good showing on Hanlans.
Following is a sample of the birding today.
Canvasbacks, Great Blue Heron, Blk-crowned Night-Herons, Common Loons, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, N. Flickers (62), E. Phoebe, Blue-headed Vireo, Hermit Thrushes, Brown thrashers, rd-breasted Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Carolina and Winter Wrens, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Purple martins, Rough-winged and Barn Swallows, Ruby-crowned Kinglets (66), Nashville, Yellow-rumped (43), Pine (3), Palm and Black-and-white Warblers, Tree, Chipping, and Field sparrows and Eastern Towhees. These and the usual species were worth the trip down there.
Can Spring be far away ?
Norm Murr
In Reply to: Re: Amazing Backyard Sightings (or is this normal?) & Lincoln's Sparrow early sighting? posted by Ron Luft on April 26, 2006 at 12:42:11:
Thanks for the tip Ron re: Col Sam Smith. I've been there many times but just cycling through or casually walking. Not birding, well, always birding right? just never have the binos and can't count on just my poor vision!
It's only 2k from me, I'm at the foot of Royal York. I'm also not much of a morning person - how early is early? Must make a point of it!! I'll check out the 'bowl' also. Is it that playing field that's kind of sunken?? I've walked through there a number of times without even realizing it was a good spot, but again maybe just in the early am?
In Reply to: Re: Amazing Backyard Sightings (or is this normal?) & Lincoln's Sparrow early sighting? posted by Ron Luft on April 26, 2006 at 12:42:11:
Thanks for the tip Ron re: Col Sam Smith. I've been there many times but just cycling through or casually walking. Not birding, well, always birding right? just never have the binos and can't count on just my poor vision! I've heard it's a good place to go. It's only 2k from me, I'm at the foot of Royal York. I'm also not much of a morning person - how early is early? Must make a point of it!! I'll check out the 'bowl' also. Is it that playing field that's kind of sunken?? I've walked through there a number of times without even realizing it was a good spot, but again maybe just in the early am? We sometimes go to Humber Bay Park and Rattray Marsh and have seen some interesting water fowl and a Kingfisher landed in a branch right by me at Rattray - very cool.
In Reply to: Re: Amazing Backyard Sightings (or is this normal?) & Lincoln's Sparrow early sighting? posted by Ann Marie P2 on April 26, 2006 at 07:29:23:
Very good sightings for a back yard. Cherish your luck! Almost in your backyard try birding in Col. Sam Smith park (all of it)especially the 'bowl'(a ring of pines surrounding an oval field just off Lakeshore). Early a.m. can be amazing.
Can someone tell me any birding spot around Guelph? I will go to University of Guelph in June. Thanks for your help..
In Reply to: Eagles-- where can they be found in S. Ontario? posted by Julie on April 25, 2006 at 15:48:28:
There is also 3 Bald Eagle nests in the Peterborough area.
The area NE of Peterborough ( Apsley, Petroglyphs P.P.) has several Balds and usually 1 Golden Eagle wintering in the area.
In Reply to: Re: Eagles-- where can they be found in S. Ontario? posted by john on April 26, 2006 at 06:49:48:
If you're in the Pelee area, a visit to Hillman Marsh should give you a sighting.
In Reply to: Re: Amazing Backyard Sightings (or is this normal?) posted by Frank Pinilla on April 26, 2006 at 05:02:51:
Hi Frank,
Thanks for your reply. Yes, I'm loving birding and being able to see so many varieties in our yard is I guess a big bonus!!
About the "Lincoln's" sparrow I thought I saw (we really, me and the hubby - my second set of eyes), I did see in the field guide that it was way too early in the season for a sighting (March 5th) but its buff chest and its grey central streak on its head dividing a quite reddish-brown cap had us tearing throught the guide trying to figure out what else it could be. It also had grey eyebrows and a whitish belly and throat and a lightly streaked chest. No noticeable wing bars. We just kept going back to that same page.
It hung out for a week and after about the 3rd day it was not shy so we got a really good look at it. Again my field guide says they're more timid than other sparrows but I could approach quite easily which again along with the early sighting, made me think it wasn't a Lincoln. I reckon I shoulda snapped a shot!!
We've had a song sparrow hanging around since mid-March and the two seem very different in colouring. What besides a song sparrow might it have been....or has there been any early sightings of Lincoln's sparrows this year???
In Reply to: st. catherines birding posted by paul on April 26, 2006 at 06:13:51:
Short Hills Provincial Park, just southwest of the city, has decent trails with good birding.
In Reply to: Re: Eagles-- where can they be found in S. Ontario? posted by Kin Lau on April 26, 2006 at 04:51:52:
We don't have BC numbers, that's for sure, but there are decent numbers of bald eagles that nest along the great lakes. Lake Erie in particular.
You can expect to see one any day of the year along most stretches of Erie.
i am going to be in st. catherines this weekend with a few hours to kill and wondered if anyone could help me with a great place to do a little birding.
In Reply to: Amazing Backyard Sightings (or is this normal?) posted by Ann Marie P2 on April 25, 2006 at 22:00:46:
Hi Anne Marie,
You have not "wasted our time" and seeing/learning about new birds is always exciting, I still get a kick out of every new returnee in the spring!
Having said that, all of the birds you've listed are "regular" migrants through the GTA although some are great on anyone's "yard" list! The one intriguing sighting is a Lincoln's Sparrow on March 5th, that is extremely early and unexpected, is it possible that it was a Song Sparrow?? Wait a couple of weeks and, by the sounds of the birds you're seeing, you should maybe see a Lincoln's Sparrow or two come through and then you can compare to the bird in March.
Cheers & good birding,
Frank Pinilla
Thornhill, ON
In Reply to: Eagles-- where can they be found in S. Ontario? posted by Julie on April 25, 2006 at 15:48:28:
Winter is the best time. A few Bald Eagles usually winter along Lake Ontario near Toronto and Hamilton, and a few near Nanticoke off Lake Erie.
A pair now winters and nests off Goat Island (I think) right at Niagara Falls.
During the fall migration, lots of bald eagles and a few goldens pass thru Southern Ont on the way south. There's quite a few hawk watches along the north shore of Lake Ont & Erie.
During spring (aka right now), the Beamer Hawkwatch has been on for over a month and should be wrapping up if not already.
So just keep your eyes open. You might just see a baldie here or there right now.
In Reply to: Yellow Bird posted by Maureen on April 25, 2006 at 20:22:14:
Hi Maureen the bird U saw sounds like it was a Palm Warbler.
In Reply to: Eagles-- where can they be found in S. Ontario? posted by Julie on April 25, 2006 at 15:48:28:
I was lucky to spot one in March 2005 while driving along the 401 in Mississauga right around Dixie Rd. I saw it in flight then it perched itself atop one of the really tall lamp post. Beautiful!
We live close to the Lake in Mimico(south Etobicoke) and along with all the regular visitors at the feeders (red-winged bbs, cardinals, goldfinches, blue jays, chickadees, etc.) and other regulars like Juncos and White-Breated Nuthatches, each Spring/Fall we seem to be getting more & more visitors to our very regular-sized yard(or maybe we're just getting better at identifing them).
Are we in a migratory path and should I be calling any of these sightings in to someone or is this normal to see these birds in a backyard? I get so excited when I see a new bird in our yard! makes it hard to get anything done!!
Here's our list from most recent:
today 04/25 18:45 - Black-And-White Warbler, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Vesper Sparrow; 04/24 - yellow-Rumped Warbler; 04/14 - Fox Sparrow; 04/13 - White Throated Sparrow, Purple Finhes, Winter Wren; 04/10 - Song Sparrow; 04/8? - female Brown Headed Cowbird 04/02 - Brown Creeper 03/06 - Northern Mockingbird 03/05 - Lincoln's Sparrow
We've also seen the following in our yard over the last few years some are regular visitors others might have just dropped by one time:
Black Throated Blue Warbler, White Crowned Sparrows, Golden Crowned Kinglets, Common Yellow Throat, Northern Shrike, Red Tailed Hawk, Hummingbirds, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Pine or Nashville Warbler (couldn't tell which, too deep in the tree branches), Eastern Towhees, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Hermit Thrush, Baltimore Orioles and Indigo Bunting.
Anything exciting and worth calling in or did I just waste your time? Sorry if so.
At Lynne Shores last Friday I saw a small yellow breasted bird (smaller than a sparrow) feeding on a pine tree. The entire chest was yellow down to its tail and it had yellow steaks above the eyes, a chestnut cap and a little bit of brown steaking on its breast. The wings are brown with a wing bar. I thought it was a pine warbler but the very distinct chestnut cap it throwing me. Any ideas? I do have a photograph.
In Reply to: Vireo vs kinglet question posted by Julie on April 25, 2006 at 15:44:51:
Hello Julie
I am glad you had a good time around the marsh. The vireo you describe is a Blue-headed Vireo. There have been a few around the marsh over the last fews days.
Cheers
Tyler
In Reply to: Re: Hooded Merganser posted by Al Johnston on April 24, 2006 at 13:58:39:
Hi all. A had a little chat with a friend from work today, He claims to have spotted "Hooded Mergansers" in the canal near his place in Queensville. I hope I don't get in trouble for this (Ravenshoe rd) He also stated that he has spotted Belted kingfishers in the general area. napper:))
hi
BC birder here again-- where do you find bald eagles in Southern Ontario? I am spoiled and used to seeing dozens out on the coast. I've only ever seen on, one Georgian Bay, in this province.
I had heard of one at Second Marsh and we thought we saw one in a fight with a crow while there this week, but it was so fast and the trees so dense all we saw was a brief silhouette of a very large bird. Is there any chance we saw an eagle there?
I assume golden eagles are pretty much unheard of in this part of the province...
thanks again
hi
We had a great if cold time birding at Second Marsh in Oshawa-- thanks to Tyler for the directions. We saw over 40 species, among them dozens of ruby-crowned kinglets-- a bit of a shock for a BC birder like me. However, I also saw a bird that looked very like a kinglet, but was a touch larger and clearly had a longer and heavier bill. The white eye ring made me think "vireo"-- in fact, it looked just like the Hutton's I saw a month ago on the coast. But those aren't found here, right? In my book the Bell's vireo looked very close to this bird. Possible?
thanks
Julie
In Reply to: Re: Col. Sam Smith Park - Warblers, etc. posted by brian on April 25, 2006 at 10:21:38:
Brian
DIRECTIONS to COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK IN ETOBICOKE -TORONTO
To get to Col. Sam Smith Park from Queen & Yonge Streets. Take the Queen Street Car #501 (Long Branch) west to Kipling Ave. The park is across from the street car stop behind the Humber College buildings. Depending on which Queen Street streetcar you board you may or may not have to transfer from one car to another at the Humber Loop, but this is no big deal.
You can also take the 44 TTC bus from Kipling subway station directly to the Col. Sam Smith Park loop.
By automobile from downtown Toronto drive west on Lakeshore Blvd, cross the Humber River Bridge at Sunnyside and drive to Kipling Ave. turn left (south) and your in Colonel Sam Smith Park..
Hope that this is useful to you.
In Reply to: Re: Col. Sam Smith Park - Warblers, etc. posted by brian on April 25, 2006 at 10:21:38:
COLONEL SAMUEL SMITH PARK IN ETOBICOKE -TORONTO
To get to Col. Sam Smith Park from Queen & Yonge Streets. Take the Queen Street Car #501 (Long Branch) west to Kipling Ave. The park is across from the street car stop behind the Humber College buildings. Depending on which Queen Street streetcar you board you may or may not have to transfer from one car to another at the Humber Loop, but this is no big deal.
You can also take the 44 TTC bus from Kipling subway station directly to the Col. Sam Smith Park loop.
By automobile from downtown Toronto drive west on Lakeshore Blvd, cross the Humber River Bridge at Sunnyside and drive to Kipling Ave. turn left (south) and your in Colonel Sam Smith Park..
In Reply to: Col. Sam Smith Park - Warblers, etc. posted by Norm Murr on April 25, 2006 at 09:54:00:
Could someone tell me where Col Sam Smith is located. Much appreciated.
In Reply to: Col. Sam Smith Park - Warblers, etc. posted by Norm Murr on April 25, 2006 at 09:54:00:
Slip of the fingers - Tennessee Warbler should be Pine Warbler. Neat trick Eh ?
Norm Murr
Good afternoon
This morning I spent 2 hours in Col. Sam Smith Park. 80 minutes sheltering from the wing & rain and 40 minutes of uncomfortable birding. When I arrived at the park it was a balmy 8 degrees and when I left it was down to 2 degrees with a cold NW wind (as usual). I was real smart and left my gloves at home. I finally said the heck with it and left (I really didn't say heck but I can't print my real words). Even though I was only able to bird a short time I did find 46 species and following are some of them.
Red-necked and Horned Grebes, Redhead (too cold on the hands to look for the Harlequin), Common Loon, Blue-headed Vireo, Hermit Thrush, Brown Creeper, Bank Swallow, Ruby-crowned Kinglet (lots), Tennessee, Nashville, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green and Black-and-white Warblers, and 7 Sparrow species including Swamp, White-throated, Savannah, Chipping and Eastern Towhee. Not a bad haul for a short visit.
The Warblers were at the south end of the sunken area (or bowl) ( or garbage dump).
Oh! and it figures, now I am at home - The Sun is out.
Norm Murr
In Reply to: A white Robin? (Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto) posted by Shel Tait on April 24, 2006 at 18:37:52:
Hi Shel
Here is a web site that might be of interest:
http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/JFO/v020n04/p0187-p0187.pdf
It's a PDF file so if you have problems use this HTML file:
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:Kh_lcbOJkwoJ:elibrary.unm.edu/sora/JFO/v020n04/p0187-p0187.pdf++%22albino+Robin%22&hl=en&gl=ca&ct=clnk&cd=4
Also another site, this one has a picture similar to what you have described:
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060414/NEWS01/604140323/1001
These sites were obtained by googling "albino robin" (use advanced search and exact phrase).
Hope these are of some help.
Mike
April 24, 2006, around noon -- From about 100 feet, I observed for 15 minutes what looked like a robin with normal colouring of a red breast and black head, but with a white back and white tail. It had spots on the white feathers, so I assume it's a juvenile. Is this a robin? I've never seen one with a white back and tail before, so i assume this is rare. I have a digital photo (fuzzy) of it if anyone is curious. Any information would be helpful.
Saw a lovely male black-throated green warbler this evening at Ashbridges Bay, near the south end of the parking lot - a little early for this bird? The yellow head and black throat were very easy to spot, but could it have been something else?
In Reply to: Re: RFI-Wrens posted by Pat Hodgson on April 14, 2006 at 07:44:51:
Thankyou for the response, sorry I havenn't gotten back to you. there are so many post now. I thought it might be. I never get to see this kind of bird in my yard. Maybe because I never new to look, now my head is on a swivel. Napper thanx again.
In Reply to: Re: Hooded Merganser posted by Al Johnston on April 24, 2006 at 13:58:39:
Hoodie & the brood skipping out in the middle of night. Sounds like a scene out of a movie ... or a country western song :)
In Reply to: Re: Hooded Merganser posted by Kin Lau on April 24, 2006 at 13:16:14:
Whitchurch-Stouffville on Bethesda Rd. between McCowan and Kennedy, an area of many ponds being a discharge zone for the Oakridges Moraine. Let me know if you spot the Hoodie and her brood in the area as I've yet to see them after the young hatch. They must bail out in the middle of the night and move from pond to pond. The only way I've determined that there has been a successful breeding is by checking the nest box the following winter with a 10' step ladder out on the ice and looking for egg shell fragments. Al
In Reply to: Re: Hooded Merganser posted by Al Johnston on April 24, 2006 at 13:00:42:
Sorry... I meant, is the general area publicly accessible? If so, where abouts is it?
I don't need the nest location, just the general area where we might see the ducklings/baby merg's later.
In Reply to: Re: Hooded Merganser posted by Kin Lau on April 24, 2006 at 10:08:14:
The first nesting was reported to Ron Fleming, the atlasser for the Ontario Breeding Bird Atlass for this square, 17PJ37 and it was recorded as the first ever confirmed breeding in this square. I'm not sure that this answers your question. Al
Harlequin still present at Sam Smith today at 1pm. See new board for details:
(http://outdoorontario.net/birds/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=1)
Iain
In Reply to: Hooded Merganser posted by Al Johnston on April 23, 2006 at 13:57:58:
Are the whereabouts of this nest public knowledge?
In Reply to: Lesley Street Spit posted by James on April 22, 2006 at 19:04:08:
Good for you James , You are a trooper 7 hours in that weather .
Rob
In Reply to: Re: Mockingbird--how common? posted by Geoff on April 23, 2006 at 18:09:16:
The 'early colonizers' were in the area as long ago as that, but it's really within the last decade that the population has increased dramatically throughout the GTA. The Toronto Christmas Bird Count has been setting new record highs almost every year for a while now, with the latest update to that being 30 last December. Thanks to a dedicated nest monitoring program coordinated by two Toronto Ornithological Club members, we know that those birds represent just a fraction of the many dozens of mockingbirds now nesting in they city every year. So far at least, many of them have favoured industrial areas, railways, etc, and as such have not been terribly conspicuous to most observers. I imagine though that as the population continues to grow, they'll be seen much more regularly throughout parks and residential areas, as they are further south.
In Reply to: Re: Mockingbird--how common? posted by Geoff on April 23, 2006 at 18:09:16:
The 'early colonizers' were in the area as long ago as that, but it's really within the last decade that the population has increased dramatically throughout the GTA. The Toronto Christmas Bird Count has been setting new record highs almost every year for a while now, with the latest update to that being 30 last December. Thanks to a dedicated nest monitoring program coordinated by two Toronto Ornithological Club members, we know that those birds represent just a fraction of the many dozens of mockingbirds now nesting in they city every year. So far at least, many of them have favoured industrial areas, railways, etc, and as such have not been terribly conspicuous to most observers. I imagine though that as the population continues to grow, they'll be seen much more regularly throughout parks and residential areas, as they are further south.
In Reply to: Mockingbird--how common? posted by Ed on April 23, 2006 at 14:24:12:
I've seen them as far back as ~1985 on the grounds of the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital (Colonel Sam Smith Park).
Several evenings ago there was a mockingbird singing on the fence at the base of the Lesley Street Spit, across the road from the parking lot. A remarkably clear and varied voice, unlike anything else around. I'm used to seeing these birds in Florida, where they're as common as house sparrows here, but this is the first I've seen in TO. When did they start moving in, and how common are they now?
Today a hooded merganser hen has been in and out of the nest box supplied by the TRCA. This'll be the 3rd. season that the hoodies have nested here in Whitchurch-Stouffville. Thank you,TRCA! Al
In Reply to: Sunday @ Leslie Street spit posted by Andreas Jonsson on April 16, 2006 at 16:14:05:
I have to withdraw the observation of the Brewer's blackbird. I don't have experience of the species, and I used Kaufmann's Birds of N. America for the ID. In this book Brewer's is glossy, while Rusty is not (it is pictured as completely dull), so I thought the ID was clear cut. However, looking in Sibley, I get the impression it is not so clear. I should have checked the beak and leg length at the time, but I didn't.
Just out of curiosity, how common are Brewer's blackbirds in the GTA?
Andreas
Today I spent 7 hours on the spit in terrble conditions (horizontal rain which soaked me through and made for a pretty uncomfortable day). I'm not sure if anything i saw was unusual but here are some of my sightings:
osprey and northern harier in off the lake over the lighthouse, yellow-rumped and palm warbler, 2 Eastern meadowlarks, several eastern towhees, red-breasted nuthatch, 2 Eastern phoebes, adult & 2nd year Iceland gull, 7 species of sparrows (most song and w-throated), 1st winter drake common goldeneye, 2 hooded mergansers, 4+ blue-winged teals, great egret.
hoping for better weather tomorrow!
James
In Reply to: yes hard to believe but you go so early.. posted by Sedona on April 22, 2006 at 14:43:46:
Sedona
If I am there I can't say where I would be at any given time. It depends on the birds and my walking speed in reaction to the bird numbers.
But rest assured that if I am down there then you are welcome to join me.
Norm
In Reply to: Toronto Islands today - April 20/06 posted by Norm Murr on April 20, 2006 at 16:08:54:
is there any way to meet up with you guys later on or something
plse advise for May or otherwise and tks
Sierra
We have had what we think is a Harris Hawk in our backyard in downtown Toronto getting water at our stream. He is obviously tame. Anyone know of a lost hawk?
In Reply to: Never seen before posted by Josh on April 21, 2006 at 17:44:02:
Hi Josh
Below is a link to some information about the Northern Flicker.
http://birdsbybent.com/ch11-20/flicker.html
At the next site you can get pictures, sounds and a video of this species.
http://www.mangoverde.com/birdsound/index.html
I hope that this is of some use to you.
Mike
In Reply to: Never seen before posted by Josh on April 21, 2006 at 17:44:02:
Hi Josh. Time to get a good quality field guide. Your description was perfect. So get out there and see what else you can spot.
In Reply to: Never seen before posted by Josh on April 21, 2006 at 17:44:02:
Almost certainly a Northern Flicker, yellow-shafted.
While I was walking my dog today around 6PM, I saw what appeared to be a Glaucous gull feeding with the usual Ring-billed gulls at Bluffers park in Scarborough. It was all white with a black tipped beak and it was much larger in wing span and length than the Ring-billed it was flying with.
The gull was feeding west of the supervised beach and directly south of the building that houses the Cathedral Bluffs Yacht Club.
Bluffers park is accessible via Kingston Rd. and heading south along Brimly Rd. until the road becomes unassumed. Trend left past the yacht club into the parking lot for the supervised beach.
This was one of those days where I wish I had my camera.
Hi. i live in Toronto at queen and spadina which is downtown and i was lookin out my window today and saw this strange bird. it was mostly tan with a weird leopard print black and white on its back. it also had a red mark on its head with black on the sides of the head. There was also a black patch across its breast. the underside of the tail feathers i noticed looked yellow. and it hard a longer black thin beak. If anyone can tell me what this bird is called it would be greatly appreciated.
Today, an adult Cooper's Hawk landed on our patio. I was sitting inside and was amazed to see it standing there, checking out the yard. It was wonderful to have such a long, close look. Also, I happen to like the current format.
In Reply to: Re: Harris's Hawk posted by Julie on April 21, 2006 at 12:55:47:
No, they're not a Buteo. Parabuteo unicinctus.
And yes, they are roughly the size and shape of a red-tail. A bit smaller, and slightly different proportions, but close enough.
They have them at the Toronto Zoo if you want to see one.
In Reply to: Sandhill Crane on The Don posted by Keith Sharp on April 21, 2006 at 14:18:50:
That should be Bayview and Rosedale Valley Road.
At about 11:30 a.m. while at the traffic lights at Bayview and Rose Valley Viaduct, I observed a solitary SandHill Crane flying north up the Don Valley.
In Reply to: Re: Harris's Hawk posted by Craig McLauchlan on April 21, 2006 at 07:28:46:
Yes, where? I've never seen one-- it's a buteo, right? Roughly the size/ shape of a redtail, or...?
In Reply to: Harris's Hawk posted by Max Perren on April 21, 2006 at 06:54:10:
Hi wear in Cabbagetown are you seening it ??
Craig
There is a Harris's Hawk in Cabbagetown. It has been around for about a month-I only saw it for the first time yesterday. My wife took pictures of it and that helped with a positive ID. My neighbours characterized it as dopey or young, but with the positive ID it is clearly an escapee. Anyone missing a hawk?
Regards,
Max
Good day people
Today Margaret Liubavicius joined me on The Islands and a beautiful day it was.
It is always nice to bird with Margaret and today she gave me a break and helped me beat the bushes and kick the birds out as they were not down there in large numbers except for Ruby-crowned Kinglets and Fox Sparrows. It was so nice out today that we almost strolled our way through The Islands.
Following are some of the birds we found - 4 Wood Ducks, 14 Canvasbacks, Great Egret, Cooper's Hawk, Caspian and Common Terns, Common Loons (overhead), 4 Kingfishers, Sapsucker, many Flickers, Brown Thrasher, Carolina and Winter Wrens, Purple Martins and Barn swallow, 43 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped and Pine Warblers, 12 Fox Sparrows, Swamp, Savannah, Field, Tree, and Chipping Sparrows.
We didn't find one E. Phoebe and the Golden-crowned Kinglet and Song Sparrow numbers are declining as they move north but Brown Creepers are still well represented as are the Dark-eyed Juncos.
All in all despite the temporary slump it was a fine day to be out.
For you others that are interested we also found Snapping, Map and Painted Turtles and 3 Red-eared Sliders and surprise finds of 3 or 4 Large Pike, Large Carp, Small-mouthed Bass and hundreds of young (approx. 4" long) Perch in one particular spot. We also spotted Mourning Cloaks, Cabbage White Butterflies and a dozen or so of Spring Azure Butterflies.
Hard to believe that so few people seem to bird The Islands.
Norm
In Reply to: FOS Blue Headed Vireo at Shell Park in Bronte(West Oakville) posted by Andrew Don on April 20, 2006 at 10:58:30:
Here's ok pic of the Vireo as he was flitting through woodlot behind the garden plots
Went for walk with couple ladies i know this morning at Shell park. Was glad i did as we found a FOS Blue Headed Vireo flitting at the back of the woodlot behind the gardens. Also saw Great horned owl, pair of Brown thrashers ,9 types of sparrows , carolina wren ,dozen or so yellow rumped warblers ,both kinglets ,hermit thrushes ,eastern phoebes and the usual everyday birds.
Migration is coming slowly :)
In Reply to: Re: Birding stores (was: Re: RFI warbler song Queens Park) posted by surfinbird on April 20, 2006 at 07:15:14:
The store is Birdwatch at 1907 Avenue Rd. The Stokes CD set is very good. I purchased my copy there.
In Reply to: Re: RFI warbler song Queens Park posted by Andreas Jonsson on April 20, 2006 at 06:29:45:
Just a hunch but since you're listening to various bird songs, check out the call of the Clay-colored Sparrow. I spotted one in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery after hearing it first.
In Reply to: Re: RFI warbler song Queens Park posted by Brian Bailey on April 19, 2006 at 19:26:14:
Stokes is 3 CDs. It is excellent.
In Reply to: Birding stores (was: Re: RFI warbler song Queens Park) posted by Andreas Jonsson on April 20, 2006 at 06:28:00:
There is a birders store on Avenue Rd. north of Lawrence on the east side but I can't recall the name.
In Reply to: Re: RFI warbler song Queens Park posted by Greg Stuart on April 19, 2006 at 23:08:26:
Thanks, those are really good web sites!
And yes, listening to the pine warbler, junco, and chipping sparrow, there is room for misstakes... I cannot in aftermath, ID the bird with certainty, from the song. It was certainly not a sparrow or junco that I saw -- the jizz was much more warbler like, however, I could have missinterpreted where the song was coming from (being without binoculars). There were certainly lots of juncos in the park.
I went back to Queens park this morning, but
unfortunately it was quite empty today (still JUNCOS,
KINGLETS, SAPSUCKER, FLICKER, REDTAILED HAWK though).
In Reply to: Re: RFI warbler song Queens Park posted by Brian Bailey on April 19, 2006 at 19:26:14:
Is there a birding store in town, where you can get these CDs? Or, is Internet your best bet?
Andreas
In Reply to: RFI warbler song Queens Park posted by Andreas Jonsson on April 19, 2006 at 13:50:28:
For what it's worth, I find the Cornell website http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/ to be quite useful. And I will second the motion that if you are sure that it was a warbler, pine warbler is the most likely. The vocalization is a repeated trill, and they are certainly one of the first warblers back from their vacations in the sunnier climes.
We spotted a large Snowy Owl Easter Sunday sitting on a fencepost near our church in Alma.We approached to within 20 ft before it flew a few yards and settled down again.It stayed around for a couple of hours before disappearing.Unfortunatly I didn't have a camera handy.
In Reply to: RFI warbler song Queens Park posted by Andreas Jonsson on April 19, 2006 at 13:50:28:
In addition to Ron's suggestions, I would add Dark-eyed Junco. They also do a trill at this time of year, and there are lots of them around.
As for recordings, a Google search will get you sites with very short samples. I have this one bookmarked: http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/songwav.html but there are lots of others.
As for CDs, the Birds of Canada series are very good, but kind of expensive. They have very (overly?) thorough coverage on most species, but still manage to omit some vocalizations that I would consider the primary ones. The Birding By Ear CDs are very useful for learning what to listen for, but they aren't very complete for an Ontario birder. I've never heard the Stokes CD, but I wonder how they can put meaningful song samples of so many species on one disc.
Al the CD's will point out, "There's no substitute for time in the field." That's very true, but the recordings can certainly give you a head start if your time in the field is limited.
BB
In Reply to: RFI warbler song Queens Park posted by Andreas Jonsson on April 19, 2006 at 13:50:28:
Guess at "Pine" because call doesn't describe like Yellow Rumped. both are around. Without a visual it's tough. A trill could possibly be a Chipping Sparrow but it is a bit longer and higher.
I passed through Queens Park this morning on my way to work. There were lots of activity in the tree tops. Unfortunately I didn't have my binoculars -- I guess one should never leave them behind this time of year!
Anyway, even without binos, I could identify lots of KINGLETS, SAPSUCKERS, SPARROWS, ROBINS ETC. I also found a singing warbler, but without a good look at it I couldn't say what species it was (I'm not very familiar with the warbler songs yet). Its song could best be described as a relatively hard "shrill" over in a second of two. The shrill was repeated quite frequently, every few seconds or so. Anybody care to suggest what I could have heard?
Also, are there any good websites around with calls/songs of Northamerican birds? I found a few, but mainly with a rather poor selection of species.
Otherwise, what is the best CD collection out there?
Thanks,
Andreas
In Reply to: High Park today posted by Julia on April 18, 2006 at 18:03:12:
I've seen bats in the south end of High Park in the middle of the day before. So either yours wasn't sick or there's lots of sick bats.
In Reply to: Toronto Islands today - April 18, 2006 posted by Norm Murr on April 18, 2006 at 15:31:06:
How big of a stick does one use to beat bushes? So far I've not tried this technique. Are there any regulations about which or how hard a bird may be kicked? Sometimes it seems a trick like this is the only way when the birds aren't co-operative and perching on a branch at eye level 20 feet away. You are without doubt "birder extrordinaire"!
Snuck in a bit of am. birding before work, at Rattray. I usualy only get out at lunch which is sometimes too late. Today I was rewarded. The waters were alive; Green Wing Teal, N.Pintail, Wood Duck, Horned Grebe + usuals. The woods though were less interesting; mating Cardinals, Flicker(s), Downy(s) Carolina Wren singing, no warblers or Kinglets, The 'usuals' were busy and vocal all around.
hello there....visited the peninsula again this past weekend nothing really to report other than the large wedge of Cormorants heading East out over the lake near Stoney Creek. We arrived in my home town and visited the lakefront first. Things were pretty much normal, tons of ring bills.. and surprisingly a single cormorant. (unusual for port colborne). On the home front, Mr/Mrs Cooper hawk continues to harrass the birds in the neigbourhoood along Derry .. Made a low pass tonight while I was outside working on/repairing the BBQ "intersting warning calls from multiple species".(image below from Monday Soaring pass)
We have two new commanders in our back yard, "Jays". they are are taking over control of my two ground feeders and the yard in general .......The Robins are still fighting off each other for control.
Went for a walk on Saturday and spotted a tiny little Woodpecker around the corner from my house, think its a Downy ..
Happy Easter for those of you who celebrate it..If your interested here are some links... to my "Personal" images.
http://static.flickr.com/56/131075601_9402ec66c2_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/56/131075599_21fa389731_b.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/55/131081628_aa511970bd_b.jpg
In Reply to: Re: RFI - duck posted by Tyler on April 18, 2006 at 14:34:28:
Thank you very much Tyler - mystery solved. My bird books don't have it listed. They were swimming in the same pond with Common Moorhens.
Spent a little while in the park today. Ruby and golden-crowned kinglets, lots of winter wrens, goldfinches and a white throated sparrow. The whole place was lousy with juncos and Northern Flickers, and I was soundly scolded by six Cardinals, male and female, on the foot bridge over Spring Creek. N. Shovellers on Grenadier, and a pair of Wood Ducks still on the duck pond, but the Great Egret I saw yesterday was not there.
I watched the Red-tailed hawk who hangs out near the greenhouses being harrassed by another, much smaller (1/2 to 2/3 the size) hawk. I don't have much experience, but I noticed the underside of his tail was barred. Sharp-shinned, maybe? They flew off into the distance, occasionally coming together Tekken-style for some mid-air wrestling.
I also saw a bat flying around near Spring Creek. A bat. At two in the afternoon. Don't know if he was sick, confused, or just elated at the fine weather. I watched him for about five minutes before being distracted by a dog who didn't seem to like my red pants.
Julia
FYI, First time in my backyard in Lorne Park Lakeshore road area.Rufous-sided towhee.Unable to note eye colour.
Good evening
Today started like a cool Fall day but ended up very nice indeed.
The birding though started slow and stayed that way all day. Last weeks wave of birds seem to have passed through and I had to beat the bushes and kick the birds out to see them but I did find some decent birds (61 species) and the following are some of the highlights.
Throughout a long day on The Islands I did find American Wigeon, 7 Canvasback, Lesser Scaup, Great Egret, 2 Cooper's Hawks (1 with an unusual white rump) (no not a Harrier), 4 Kingfishers, Sapsuckers, many Flickers, E. Phoebes, Hermit Thrushes, a not to frequent on The Islands N. Mockingbird, Winter and Carolina Wrens, Barn Swallows, Yellow-rumped Warbler, 9 Sparrow species including Fox, Swamp, White-throated, Savannah, Field and Towhees, E. Meadowlark and a singing male Rusty Blackbird.
I also saw 2 Raccoons, 16 Painted Turtles 3 Map Turtles and 1 Red-eared Slider and several singing leopard Frogs.
The Islands are a great birding area but not always with a large number of birds but when full migration (Spring or Fall) is happening it can be an exciting day down there, some days with 100 plus species not a problem and some of those days are coming.
Norm
In Reply to: RFI - duck posted by John on April 18, 2006 at 13:35:29:
You described White-cheeked Pintail perfectly. It's latin name Anas bahamensis.
We spotted several ducks in a fresh water pond when we were in the Bahamas. About size of a mallard, colouring similar to a female mallard, however, silver bill, red at the mouth, lower half of head white, upper half brown, longish tail (not as long as a long tail). Any idea?
In Reply to: Re: RFI hawk id please posted by john on April 18, 2006 at 06:51:34:
John, you're absolutely right, and as Iain Fleming pointed out in his post of the 16th. it probably is a female as indicated by the white flecking in it's wings (something that I missed). Al
The Little Gull number continue to build. This morning 22 Little Gulls and
984 Bonaparte's Gulls were counted.
This year the Little Gulls appear to be remaining in the marsh longer. They
are roosting on the gravel bar and floating logs that have been provided for
them. However if a Peregrine Falcon come by(like Monday) the birds quickly
leave the marsh and do not return for hours. At 10:45 this morning when I
left there were still 9 Little Gulls remaining in the marsh. The gravel bar
island and all floating logs are visible from the GM platform.
Other birds seen this morning include: 1 Sandhill Crane 1 Immature Bald Eagle 20 species of waterfowl ( 250 birds approx) including 5 Trumpeter Swans, 7 Northern Shovelers, 4 Redheads, 9 Ruddy Ducks, 4 Northern Pintails, and 7 American Wigeon. 18 American Coots 2 Virginia Rails 1 Sora 2 Caspian Terns 4 Pied-billed Grebes
In Ghost Road woods (forest on N side of marsh) there were 2 Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and 1 House Wren
In Lake Ontario offshore of Oshawa Second Marsh- Darlington Provincial Park the Gulls were in 3 rafts between 200 and 400m offshore. Also seen were small numbers of Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Common Loons, and 251 Buffleheads.
Also a new species for the area appeared just west of the marsh. There was 1 Wild Turkey in the field just north of Oshawa Harbour
Mammals seen this morning include Beaver, Muskrat, Mink and White-tailed Deer.
Friends of Second Marsh will be hosting Little Gull viewing April 22 and 23, starting at dawn until 10:00 a.m. each day. Scopes and binoculars will be set up, courtesy of Bushnell, on both days and representatives of the Canadian Wildlife Service and Friends of Second Marsh will be on hand both Saturday and Sunday to assist. Coffee and donuts will be available.
Directions
Exit from the 401 at the Harmony Rd. Exit(419) in Oshawa. Go south on Farewell St. Colonel Sam Drive. Turn East onto Colonel Sam Drive and follow to the parking lot at the GM Headquarters. Park in the west parking lot close to the marsh. The east (GM) platform is visible from the NW corner of the lot.
For a trail map of the Oshawa Second marsh area visit
http://secondmarsh.science.uoit.ca/ and check the link for a trail map of
the area.
In Reply to: Re: RFI hawk id please posted by Al Johnston on April 17, 2006 at 09:30:19:
thanks, tips.
but what makes this particular bird an immature?
why can it not just be a female?
Took a little stroll out down the spit this evening, saw several muskrats, three beavers, two coyotes, and a pied-billed and red-necked grebe. Also about two dozen woodcocks lined all along the road between the gate and the booth down both sides were winnowing as we walked out, and a meadowlark as we walked in. Yesterday evening I saw two long-eared owls coursing over the fields near the beaver pond for about 20 minutes, it was really something.
Bonniebrae point Oshawa Lakewatch 7-8pm
With light winds The grebe migration was on tonight. The Scoters and grebes all fly towards the west. The gulls fly towards the south west where they roost each night some where several KM offshore and return each morning
4 White-winged Scoters
118 Horned Grebes
186 Red-necked Grebes
586 Bonaparte''s Gulls
8 Little Gulls
With patience and time,I was able to spot many of the newer arrivals spotted elsewhere. Today I saw my first Osprey of the season pass reasonably low and tite to the bluffs. Daily Turkey Vultures pass within camera range of the bluffs as well.Yellow-rumped and Pine Warblers have been seen,as well as many Brown Creepers,as many as 4 Eastern Phoebes(2 males were arguing over a female today),Barn,Tree and just yesterday Bank Swallows(they nest right in the side of the bluffs),Brown Thrasher(2 days ago not seen since),Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers,several Hermit Thrushes,many Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. Down on the lake many Double-crested Cormorants can be seen flying by,as well as dwindling numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers and Red-necked Grebe. Each of the last 2 days Ive picked up one Horned Grebe.Naturally there are multitudes of Northern Flicker,Red-winged Blackbirds,Song Sparrows,Brown-headed Cowbirds and American Robins are around. A nice surprise on Sat and Sun was a Fox Sparrow. A good selection of birds of prey have been seen as well,including Kestrel,Merlin,Redtailed Hawks,Coopers Hawk,Sharpshinned Hawks,Northern Harriers,Osprey and Turkey Vultures. Please note alot of these birds move through on a daily basis,and to see what I see Im often present from 7am-3pm.
Rosetta McClain Memorial Gardens is at Kingston Rd and Glen Everest in Scarborough,one light east of Kingston Rd and Birchmount.
Hanging out at 10 york mills rd. nesting??
On Cranberry Marsh - Gadwall, A pair of ruddy ducks,Lots of Scaup and a male Eurasian Wigeon.
Also a pair of Trumpeter Swans displaying and calling. Are there any records of Trumpeters breeding at Lynde Shores ?
In the fields to the east of Cranberry Marsh, there were singing savannah sparrows, Tree swallows, a Kestrel and many Northern Harriers.
In Reply to: Re: RFI hawk id please posted by Al Johnston on April 17, 2006 at 09:30:19:
Would it help if I cropped the image and brought more of the detail out? I can crop it a fair bit without sacrifising too much of the quality.
Thanks for the help btw I wouldnt have thought of an immature N. Harrier let alone recognised one and Id rather not make a mistake with her photo history scrapbook even if it means being left as a question mark.
Great late afternoon, all through the park. By the little creek: a Towhee, Hermit Thrush, Phoebe, 1 each Yellow-rumped and Pine warblers, Brown Creeper, Flicker and Golden-crowned Kinglets. On the lake: 2 Gadwalls, many Horned and 2 Red-necked Grebes, Common Mergansers, Blue-winged Teal and a Caspian Tern. Many Tree Swallows, too. Yacht club basin: Pied-billed Grebe and a swimming Muskrat. Pond: a Coot and turtles.
In Reply to: Sunday @ Leslie Street spit posted by Andreas Jonsson on April 16, 2006 at 16:14:05:
My wife and I went on on the Spit during the afternoon. We also didn't concentrate on waterfowl, sticking mainly with some of the trails through the woods.
We saw a nice mixture of things, including our first winter wren and our first swamp sparrows. We also saw a fox sparrow, a downy woodpecker, a yellow-bellied sapsucker, two northern flickers, two barn swallows, three yellow-rumped warblers, and many tree swallows, robins, brown creepers, ruby-crowned kinglets, golder-crowned kinglets, red-winged blackbirds, grackles, cowbirds, song sparrows, and American tree sparrows.
Although we weren't focusing on waterfowl, we did see lots of scaup, long-tails, common mergansers, buffleheads, double-breasted cormorants, black-crowned night herons, and Caspian terns. There was also an American coot at the ponds.
Plus the eastern cottontails and garter snakes were everywhere.
-John
In Reply to: Re: RFI hawk id please posted by john on April 17, 2006 at 08:44:54:
John, an immature bird is one that is not old enough to have obtained it's adult plumage. This can vary from species to species --e.g. a purple martin can obtain it's adult plumage in it's second year whereas a bald eagle will take several years. Anyone else? Al
In Reply to: Re: RFI hawk id please posted by Al Johnston on April 16, 2006 at 05:44:05:
what makes it an immature bird?
In Reply to: Re: tks Norm.. appreciate u posting this .. again.. ill go when it warms up.. ps.. posted by Norm Murr on April 16, 2006 at 17:38:43:
iii
In Reply to: Re: tks Norm.. appreciate u posting this .. again.. ill go when it warms up.. ps.. posted by Norm Murr on April 16, 2006 at 17:38:43:
iii
In Reply to: tks Norm.. appreciate u posting this .. again.. ill go when it warms up.. ps.. posted by Sedona on April 16, 2006 at 07:19:45:
The Sanctuary is behind the water treatment plant on Centre Island.
The entrance is behind the new school.
I also want to make a correction.
The 16 Brown Thrashers should have read 16 Brown Creepers. Only one Brown Thrasher was found by Naish.
Norm
We had a great view of 3 Horned Grebes at Ashbridge's Bay today.
Lots of birders at the spit today. Not quite crawling with birds but quite a few migrators passing through.
I spent the major part of the day along the various trails west of the parking lot near the base of the spit, looking for Fox sparrows and pine warblers. I got a few good looks at the former species (thanks Norm) but didn't manage to find the latter. Other birders reported they had seen it though.
Other sightings that made my day a pleasant one:
Brown trasher, Hermit trushes, Kinglets (lots, both kinds), Fox sparrows, a Whitethrouted sparrow, Yellowrumped warblers, a Brewer's blackbird, a Northern mockingbird, Yellowbellied sapsuckers, Meadowlarks. Lots of Treeswallows and Caspian terns near the firsts pool on the east side.
I didn't check on the water fowl, so I can't report on that.
I looked for Iceland and Thayer's Gulls, but found none.
Thanks to all the birders out there on the trail. Very friendly atmosphere here in Toronto I must say.
Andreas
In Reply to: Re: weekend birding posted by Lynne T on Apri