sjarvie@hopserv.interhop.net
The following Birds were reported to the Tommy Thompson Park Wildlife Hotline for the week of March 15 - 21.
Hooded Mergansers Ring-necked Ducks White-winged Scoters 3 Great Horned Owls 1 Saw-whet Owl American Robin Killdeer Common Snipe American Woodcock Swamp Sparrow Red-winged Blackbirds Song Sparrow Canvasback Mourning Dove - incubating eggs Tundra Swans - 60 to 70 Great Black-backed Gull Pied-billed Grebe Eastern Meadowlark Northern Shrike Tree Swallow American Kestrel
Scott Jarvie
sjarvie@hopserv.interhop.net
On my way home from work today, April 2nd I observed a flock of tree swallows, approximately 50 to 75 birds, skimming over the Trent River in Glennmiller; also seen was a meadowlark.
Paul Thompson
pthomp@connect.reach.net
This weekend near Durham Road 2 (Simcoe St.) and Harper Road, Port Perry ON:
Great Blue Heron
Oldsquaws
Song Sparrows
Red Winged Blackbirds
American Robins
The Common Redpolls (we had them by the hundreds this winter) have dwindled to a few stragglers as have the juncos.
Brian Cook
bcook@interlog.com
Re: the Mandarin Duck reported at Toronto's Harbourfront March 29, he's been there for quite some time, and there actually used to be at least two of them. I first spotted a pair of male Mandarins in the "pool" next to the Antique Market at least a year and a half ago. According to one of the antique dealers, the Mandarins are escapees from Northern Ontario (North Bay or Sault Ste.Marie or something -- I don't remember). A Chinese immigrant apparently brought over a bunch of the ducks when he settled there.
Anouk Hoedeman
anouk@pathcom.com
I was at the Leslie Street Spit on March 30. Didn't make it as far as the foot bridge, but here's what I saw:
3 Glaucous Gulls 1 Greater Black-backed Gull 1 Mourning Dove couple Red winged Black Birds couple Crows many Oldsquaw dozen Gadwall several Buffleheads several Common Goldeneye half dozen Ring-necked Ducks several Greater Scaup couple Mallards several Canada Geese half dozen Mute Swans half dozen Common Mergansers 1 (male) Red Breasted Merganser half dozen Hooded Mergansers
The Ring-necked ducks and (all) Mergansers were to the left of the main road by the turn-around (just past the road to the marina). Had to walk to the end of a point to get a good view.
J. Chris Clark
cclark@djttd.com
Spring has finally come! In my mind, nothing indicates spring better than the call of Killdeer flying overhead. I was treated to that yesterday at Humber Bay in Toronto and again this morning at Cranberry Marsh. Cranberry Marsh is one of my favorite hotspots in Ontario. From now till mid May one can expect a great variety of species - from waterfowl, passerines, gulls, and raptor families.
Today at Cranberry Marsh, in a couple of hours, without really trying, I spotted the folllowing:
Pied-billed Grebe, Mute Swan, Canada Geese, Ring-necked Duck, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, 5 Snow Geese (4 blue phase and one white), Mallard, American Black Duck, Northern Shoveler, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Hooded Merganser, Killdeer, Ring-billed Gull, Herring Gull, Thayer's Gull, Iceland Gull, Glaucous Gull, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Shrike, European Starling, Northern Cardinal, American Tree Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow (female Gambel's race), Dark-eyed Junco, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch
Gord Gallant
gallantg@interlog.com
Highlight was a Tundra Swan (Whistling Swan) . This bird offered close up views as it swam with all the Mute Swans. White-winged Scoters and Horned Grebe also offered closeup views on the west side of Humber Bay Park - along the path behind the condos.
Gord Gallant
gallantg@interlog.com
There is a male Mandarin Duck at Toronto's Harbourfront. This species is native to Asia. I first noticed it last spring and didn't see it all winter. I have seen it several times in the last week though. It can usually be found in a little harbour between 350 and 390 Queen's Quay West (by Lower Spadina). If it isn't in the harbour, it should be somewhere close by. If you've never seen one before he is quite beautiful. Mandarin's are listed in the Peterson Bird Guide at the back under Escapee's and Exotics.
J. Chris Clark
cclark@djttd.com
Waterfowl counts for March 25th and March 27th totalled 9,231 and 7,502 individuals respectively, from 24 species. Included in these figures were 8 tundra swans, 1 pintail, 4 blue-winged teal, 10 American wigeon, 16 white-winged scoters, 8 red-breasted mergansers. Also seen were 2 horned grebe, 1 pied-billed grebe, and 6 American coot. No new reports of the common teal found earlier in the week by Doug McRae.
The Presqu'ile Waterfowl Festival is officially cancelled this weekend. Should the strike be settled before the weekend, park staff will attempt to put up some viewing stations, but no festival events will be held and no admission will be charged. The Ottawa Field Naturalist Club is scheduled to visit the park on March 30th. If the strike is settled, the Festival will be held with all activities and events next weekend.
Terry Sprague in Prince Edward County reports 500 snow geese flying over Picton and Point Petre on March 19th - an incredible number given that they usually see only small groups of 6 or so at a time.
Don Davis
by129@freenet.toronto.on.ca
On March 24 I observed a male ruddy duck near calve pasture mixed in with numerous other species like greater and lesser scaup, goldeneye both common and barrows, lots of redheads and canvasbacks, oldsquaw, ringed-necks, and a few mallards as well. I also observered a great gray owl on big island near Terry Sprague's home.
Paul Thompson
pthomp@connect.reach.net
There are for sure more than fifty plus Great Gray Owls on the peninsula north of Wiarton. They are easily observed from side of the roads. Most Landowners are happy to talk to anyone interested in owls - BUT - PLEASE HAVE THE RESPECT TO TALK TO LANDOWNERS BEFORE YOU TRESPASS. These birds have had lots of attention recently. Good photos and close observations can be had from your vehicle on the sides of the roads if you have patience and find the right spot. Have some consideration for the birds as well.
There are Rough leg Hawks moving through the area now as well as some Red-tails.
Mark Wiercinski
markw@log.on.ca
Today, Doug McRae discovered a new species for Presqu'ile Provincial Park - a common teal. This Eurasian species was discovered off of Beach #4 about 200 metres in the water. Later, assistant park superintendent Tom Mates joined Doug in viewing this bird.
Duck numbers remain high - about 8000 on Sunday and higher today. The great gray owl continues to be spotted at the foot of Ontario Street. American coot and horned grebes are new migrants.
Park officials are hoping that the O.P.S.E.U. strike will end this week, and are holding off on cancelling the Presqu'ile Waterfowl Festival. If the strike is resolved this week, the Festival will be held but with some activities downscaled or not held until the following weekend.
The Journey North Program reports that some whooping cranes have left Texas. Two were spotted at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge on March 13th. This year, a record 158 whooping cranes wintered in Texas under the watchful eye of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge Biologist Tom Stehn. Check out the Journey North web site at: http://www.learner.org/k12. Migrating monarch butterflies have also been sighted in Texas.
Don Davis
donald_davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
The waters of Presqu'ile Bay and the adjoining marsh are really starting to open up. On Monday, March 18th, there were about 12,500 ducks, geese and swans around the Presqu'ile Pensinsula, including 3 tundra swans.
A great blue heron was spotted on the 19th, and a Cooper's hawk paid a visit to the staff house feeder - no doubt looking for the mourning doves that frequent there!
A second great gray owl is occasionally seen with the other one that is reliably seen at the foot of Ontario Street near the Causeway - on the west side of the street.
Robins, killdeer, red-winged blackbirds, cowbirds, rusty blackbirds, and other migrants have been spotted.
Park officials have delayed making a decision about whether the Presqu'ile Waterfowl Festival will be cancelled or not in light of progress being made in negotiations to end the O.P.S.E.U. strike.
Don Davis
donald_davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
Recently saw a huge barred owl which landed on our gazebo outside the kitchen window and sat there looking around for a half hour. It was quite a sight! Also two female rose-breasted grosbeaks, and the first robins of the year on March 18.
Shirley McDonald
mcdonald@limestone.kosone.com
The following birds were reported to the Tommy Thompson Park Wildlife Hotline for the week of March 15th to 21st.
Great Gray Owl - near the pedestrian bridge 3 Great Horned Owls American Woodcock Downey Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker Killdeer Red-winged Black Birds Common Grackles Bufflehead Goldeneye Oldsquaw Greater Scaup Red-breasted Merganser Gadwall 200 White-winged Scoters Great Black-backed Gull 2 Glaucous Gulls
Scott Jarvie
sjarvie@hopserv.interhop.net
On Monday, March 18, 1996 at 10:30 a.m. my son & I saw & photographed a Ross' Goose at Humber Bay Park East. Two other Birders reported the sighting to the Toronto Rare Bird Hotline. Hugh Currie, President of the Toronto, Ornithological Club has confirmed the identification from the photographs taken. On Tuesday, March 19th at 7:00 a.m. it was spotted again, by another birder, in the same bay but left the area at approximately 7:20 a.m.
Barb Reid
barbreid@interlog.com
For what it's worth, there was a northern mockingbird near the Don Valley (Wigmore Park adjoining Wigmore Dr., Eglinton/Victoria Park area) on Saturday March 16. According to LPBO data, shouldn't be arriving for another month. Bird was obviously tired, never flew more than 25 m, back and forth in the same area repeatedly, attempting to hide in dense shrubbery, not eating. Identification by plumage colouration, size, beak, eye, white outer edges of tail. Wing patches not visible.
Bill McMartin
mcmartin@larva.forestry.utoronto.ca
There is a pair of Harlequin ducks at Humber Bay West that I have seen in the last two weekends near the marina. They are usually associated with a mixed flock of other waterfowl including some white winged scoters.
The Great Grey at the Leslie Street Spit has also been reported again on the Toronto rare bird hotline. It is supposed to be near the pedestrian bridge.
Carla Shapiro
cshapiro@astral.magic.ca
I have seen a male red-bellied woodpecker 3 times in the last two days in the general area of the Milne Conservation Area (Milne Park) in Markham.
ron hudson
ronhud@interlog.com
Great Grey Owls have been seen in our Town of Georgina (south shore of Lake Simcoe) during the last few weeks. We live just west of Pefferlaw, and have at least one in our part of Georgina (eastern part). One flew by our living room window the other day and settled in a tree a few yard from the house. It flew to another nearby tree for a few minutes before flying off northwards. We got good views of it. We had a Great Grey Owl in our property a few years ago, also. Today, March 14, the GGO was seen on the Weir Sideroad just south of Highway 48 (about 1 mile west of Pefferlaw.) One has also been seen south of here on Old Homestead Rd., and in other areas of Georgina. It sounds as if there are a lot of them in Southern Ontario this winter! We also had 3 Pine Grosbeaks in our backyard last week. They were first-year males, and feeding on the buds of our tamarack trees. The Red-winged Blackbird has also shown up in Morning Glory Swamp (Highway 48 & Weir Sideroad) as of Monday.
Fran and Ivan Foster
heronwd@maple.net
It was reported to me that on Monday, March 4th, there were about 11,500 ducks in the park - mosty in Presqu'ile Bay. About 8000+ were greater scaup, but there were also an estimated 2000 redhead, 400 canvasback, and 5 gadwall. The early pied-billed grebe was still around. There were excellent views of white-winged scoters from the government dock on Bayshore Road.
Steve Laforest spotted hooded mergansers, 9 ring-necked ducks, and 7 pintail west of the park at Barcovan on Friday, March 1st. Steve also reported today that a northern hawk owl was reported north of Bellville on Hwy#37 - north of the 401 in some cedar trees near the CNR overpass.
Iceland and glaucous gulls are still being seen on Gull Island. It was also reported that a lesser black-backed gull was spotted north of Brighton at the Brighton Dump.
Don Davis
Donald_Davis@stubbs.woodsworth.utoronto.ca
Update: over 25 individuals north of Wiarton - observed on March 4th, 1996 between 5:30 and 6:30 pm. They are concentrated on the Eastnor Township Flats. One Snowy Owl observed as well.
Mark Wiercinski
markw@log.on.ca
We went for a nice (cold!) walk down at Humber Bay Park East on Sunday, March 3rd and in a little over an hour saw:
- Oldsquaw (dozens)
- Lesser Scaup
- Redhead (3)
- White-winged Scoter (pair)
- Ruddy Duck (pair)
- Hooded Merganser (pair)
- Red-breasted Merganser (1)
- American Wigeon
- Horned Grebe (1)
All swimming in among many Mallards, Bufflehead and Canadas. There is also a huge flock (~75) of Mute Swans in the sheltered bay.
S.McAllister & C. Coward
Steve McAllister toj@interlog.com
Second Marsh....great horned owl...steps from the observation deck.
Lynde Shores....double digit presence of downy woodpeckers..... several black capped chicadees, two white breasted nuthatches... and several american tree sparrows.
My trip to second marsh was inspired by a report of a barred owl, and pileated woodpecker....neither were visible today. Clive Goodwin's "A Birdfinding Guide to Ontario" lists Second Marsh as a place where birders are not welcome...and actually questions the future of the area....upon inspection of the copyright date (1982)...my mind was set at ease.
Jay Morrison
jmorrison@neocom.ca
Two great grey owls sighted for the past week and a half about 20 feet from side of road; 1 bird sighted today at noon. The birds are on Molson Park Rd east of Hwy 11 (Innisfil line 12)
Nigel Shaw
Today we had Great Grey Owl at Claremont (west side), Northern Shrike and Horned Larks on territory east of Claremont, Pintail pair and female Green-winged Teal at Whitby, and Coot + Pintail at Liverpool Road. The Purple Sandpiper seems to have expired. Tree Sparrows, Song Sparrows and Mourning Doves were singing.
George Bryant
bryant@sympatico.ca
Futher to the items on Pine Grosbeaks,a male and female were spotted feeding on the berries of our neighbor's ornamental. Date and time is March 02 at just after 11 A.M. Location is just north of Mount Pelion in Trenton. A flock of a dozen birds or so fed on this tree when passing through last fall.
John MacPherson
bryant@sympatico.ca
Joe Johnson reported 7 Great Grey Owls on the Bruce Peninsula north of Wiarton
Also one in the area of Allenford west of Owen Sound, and one in the Annan area northeast of Owen Sound.
Townsend's Solitaire is still at Victoria Street at Lugan Beach south of Kincardine.
8+ Bald Eagles are still in the area of Baie du Dore, the bay north of the Bruce Nuclear Power Development south of Port Elgin. Can be seen at the bay from the eagle viewing tower at boat launch area off 8th Concession of Bruce Twp or in the pasture lands to the east.
Martin and Kathy Parker
mkparker@mail.BMTS.com