Greetings everyone. The frigid weather and increasing ice cover on the lakes have resulted in huge concentrations of waterfowl on the Detroit River of late. As an example, yesterday afternoon, I estimated a total of 1500 to 1600 Canvasbacks alone in a survey of a 5-km stretch of the river between Alexander Park and the Lakeview Marina. While methodically studying a raft of ducks from the Abar's Tavern parking lot -- a large group very close to shore -- I observed a female Goldeneye sp. with what was clearly a very steep forehead. I studied it carefully in the scope, trying NOT to make it into a Barrow's, but the more I observed it, the more I became convinced that its appearance made it a perfect match for a first winter female of that species. Since it was so close to shore and afforded nice, leisurely comparisons with the obvious female Common Goldeneyes, I was able to see that in addition to the almost vertical forehead, its bill appeared more short and stubby a la Barrow's, and it had the puffy mane look and Barrow's head shape. The bill was about 50 per cent yellow at the tip, yellow to the nares. When I finally turned my attention back to other birds, I was pretty much convinced that this individual had to be a Barrow's -- my smidgeon of doubt stemming from the fact of the species' extreme rarity in Essex County and my never having seen one before. Hence the word "possible" in my subject line.
Local birders who may want to try their luck finding what may be a proverbial needle in the haystack should scope the river from the Abar's location at the intersection of Riverside Drive East and Lauzon Road, or the Lakeview Park Marina further east at Riverdale Road. The stretch of river in between is where the bulk of all the waterfowl are concentrated, and where a good winter gull may often be found. (I've had Glaucous, Iceland, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls the past few years.) Be sure to scan the trees on Peche Island for raptors including Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcon. Randy Horvath, Windsor [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fri Jan 28 14:26:39 2005 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from mx2.magma.ca (mx2.magma.ca [206.191.0.250]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 257A464197 for <[email protected]>; Fri, 28 Jan 2005 14:26:39 -0500 (EST) Received: from mail3.magma.ca (mail3.magma.ca [206.191.0.221]) by mx2.magma.ca (8.13.0/8.13.0) with ESMTP id j0SJRWZD005631 for <[email protected]>; Fri, 28 Jan 2005 14:27:33 -0500 Received: from jurmain (ottawa-dial-206-191-1-148.d-ip.magma.ca [206.191.1.148]) by mail3.magma.ca (8.13.0/8.13.0) with SMTP id j0SJRLF6031706 for <[email protected]>; Fri, 28 Jan 2005 14:27:31 -0500 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: "Bob Jurmain" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 14:27:57 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1409 X-MIMEOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1409 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]GGO's west of Ottawa X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 19:26:39 -0000 Yesterday I cruised Klondike Road off March Road and spotted some = vehicles on the side of the road (a good sign). Unfortunately as I = passed by I saw a semi-circle of 5 observers around the front of the = GGO about 30 ft away but before I could park and tell them to observe = from a distance to the side, they broke off. Also saw a Brown Creeper at = Baskin's Beach, a very shy little bird. Today on my way to my project without going out of my way, I saw 4 = GGO's. One near the off ramp of Hwy 20 to the new 417(not a good = location for the bird or observer). Another one on Kinburn Side Road = and Torbolton Road. At noon on my way back home there were two at = Kilmaur Road and Dunrobin Road. One was right on the fence post and I = was able to stop and observe briefly out my driver's window about 15 ft = away. What a treat! It was sunny so I imagine they must hungry. I = don't imagine there is too much movement of voles in the bright light. = In such circumstances we should keep our distance.=20 Bob Jurmain, M.Arch. Designer and Builder 305 Klondike Road, Pakenham Ontario, K0A 2X0 613-256-0160 Fax: 256-7182 www.designerbuilder.net From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Fri Jan 28 16:33:10 2005 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from server.PHCS.local (dsl1465.rba1.pppoe.execulink.com [66.203.191.192]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id DA83663E7B for <[email protected]>; Fri, 28 Jan 2005 16:33:09 -0500 (EST) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 16:38:20 -0500 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft Exchange V6.0.6249.0 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> content-class: urn:content-classes:message X-MS-Has-Attach: X-MS-TNEF-Correlator: Thread-Topic: Gray-cr. Rosy-Finch - Yeah!! Thread-Index: AcUFga910dXnKIIwQy+kIg2LCLfjLQ== From: "Dr. Gordon Payne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: [Ontbirds]Gray-cr. Rosy-Finch - Yeah!! X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 21:33:10 -0000 I saw the Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch this morning (Friday). I saw it at = 0750, again at about 0830 and again about 0910. I drove up last night and stayed in Sudbury - very cold last night = (-30C). My brother, Doug, from Timmins met me in Chelmsford this = morning. My suggestions if you're going: 1. Check the weather. 2. Bring extra windshield washer fluid. 3. If you're staying overnight, plug in your block heater if you have = one (bring an extension cord). 4. Get there early! Mr. Somerset says your best bet is just before = 0800. 5. It likes the covered tray feeder but sometimes feeds on the ground = under the feeder or in the driveway (there is seed thrown there). 6. Watch the two birch trees in the front yard. It went there all three = times I saw it - before (and in-between) feedings. I modified the excellent directions*. Good luck! Gord Payne London, ON [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Directions to Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch When arriving at Sudbury, coming north on highway 69, take the "new"=20 Trans-Canada Highway 17 Bypass west (Southwest Bypass). From the=20 Trans-Canada Highway 17 west of Sudbury, just past the Lively turn-off,=20 take Highway 144 north to Chelmsford. Continue through lights (at=20 highway 35) north on County Road 15 and follow it past a big curve until = you get to Montee Principale (*about 6.6 km), in a small cluster of homes = Turn left on Montee=20 Principale (opposite direction from the Sudbury Downs Race track). and follow to the end, where it curves off to right onto Seguin Rd. The feeders are at the first house, number 374. Name on the mailbox is Somerset.
