Today's OFO Outing began with about 50 birders in the Palgrave Conservation Area. Highlights included an immature Goshawk, Wild Turkey with 5 young, adult Broad-winged Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, 10 warbler species, Purple Finch. On the Tottenham sod fields an adult Golden Plover, juv. Baird's and Pectoral sandpipers, and about 15 adult Black-bellied Plovers were seen with many Killdeer and Horned Larks. At the Schomberg Lagoons were 2 juv. Baird's, one Least sandpiper, Lesser Yellowlegs, Spotted Sandpipers, plus an immature Merlin. Altogether, 77 species were seen, as well as several dragonflies, butterflies and spiders. Directions: Palgrave Conserv. Area is in Palgrave off #50, west on Patterson Sideroad, then n. on Duffy's Lane to the parking area. Tottenham sod farms are n. of Tottenham, east of #10 along the 9th, 10th & 11th lines. Schomberg Lagoons are at the foot of Proctor, east of #27, one street s. of #9. Dave Milsom [EMAIL PROTECTED]
References 1. mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sun Aug 22 19:49:17 2004 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from tomts5-srv.bellnexxia.net (tomts5.bellnexxia.net [209.226.175.25]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 586D348023 for <[email protected]>; Sun, 22 Aug 2004 19:49:17 -0400 (EDT) Received: from jean-bapu1sw48i.sympatico.ca ([64.229.211.136]) by tomts5-srv.bellnexxia.netESMTP <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for <[email protected]>; Sun, 22 Aug 2004 20:04:43 -0400 Message-Id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> X-Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 5.2.1 Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2004 20:04:47 -0400 To: [email protected] From: Jean Iron <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Subject: [Ontbirds]Long-billed Dowitcher at Townsend X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 22 Aug 2004 23:49:17 -0000 This morning (Sunday) Kevin McLaughlin, Andrew Jano and I saw a Long-billed Dowitcher at the Townsend Sewage Lagoons. It was an adult in mostly worn breeding plumage. It had a gray face and upper throat (new basic feathering) which is typical of many Longbills beginning their definitive prebasic (postbreeding) molt. We were able to identify this bird by plumage characters, but I was pleased to hear its diagnostic call several times. If you see an adult dowitcher or molting one at this time of year, it is likely a Longbill. Adult Shortbills (hendersoni subspecies) are rare after mid-August in Ontario and they don't molt in Ontario and probably not until they reach the wintering grounds, unlike Longbills. Other shorebirds at Townsend: Semipalmated Plover, 10 adults and 1 juvenile. This afternoon we had 2 adults and 2 juveniles at Rock Point Provincial Park. Short-billed Dowitchers, 4 juveniles which is a typical count for this time of year. Stilt Sandpiper, 1 juvenile Baird's Sandpiper, 6 juveniles. We also had another 5 juvenile Baird's at Rock Point this afternoon. Yesterday, 24 juvenile Baird's were reported at Presqu'ile. Today at least 22 juvenile Baird's were seen near Ottawa. These are high numbers of juveniles suggesting an excellent breeding year. Pectoral Sandpiper, about 20 adults and 1 juvenile (our first of the year). A normal ratio for this date. The first juveniles are just arriving. Least Sandpiper, 1 adult and about 30 juveniles. A normal ratio for this date. Semiplamated Sandpiper, 1 adult and 10 juveniles. At Rock Point we had 2 adults and 3 juveniles. These numbers are many fewer than previous weeks with most adults having departed and a poor showing of juveniles. Usually at this time of year, juvenile Semipalmated Sandpipers are the commonest shorebird, greatly outnumbering all other shorebirds. *Other birding listserves in various provinces and states are reporting numbers and ratios of adult and juvenile shorebirds. In a month or two we'll have a better knowledge of the nesting success of northern shorebirds this year. If you're reporting the ages of shorebirds, please don't guess. Better to say that you're uncertain. The 4th edition (black cover) of the National Geographic Guide (2002) and the Sibley Guide (2000) are both excellent for aging shorebirds. A scope is recommended too. **Cattle Egret: Kevin and I saw the Cattle Egret with cattle about6 4:00 pm near Rock Point at the corner of King Road and Regional Road 3 east of Dunnville. Happy shorebirding, Ron Pittaway Minden and Toronto E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] P.S. Jean is in England and Wales visiting relatives. She's also studying and photographing European gulls and shorebirds. So far she's seen Mediterranean Gulls, Yellow-legged Gulls, Common Gulls, and lots of European Herring Gulls and Lesser Black-backed Gulls of all ages. Great preparation for the OFO gull trip to Niagara this fall.
