Ontbirds subscribers,
This morning there was a fairly large movement of waterfowl past Thickson's
Woods - about 7200 Red-breasted Mergansers, 1400 Greater Scaup, 3300
Long-tailed Ducks and small numbers of Redheads were all seen moving west to
east. At times, flocks of about 500 mergansers were feeding in the bay to the
east of Thickson's Point and attracting much activity from gulls. By noon, I
had counted 146 Common Loons and 11 Red-throated Loons passing by my house
(most moving to the east as well, though some stopping to feed in the bay) as
well as 68 White-winged Scoters. I also saw my first Iceland Gull of the season.
About 1:15 a pair of birds was seen moving in the opposite direction (east to
west) after coming around the point off to the east (just west of Stevenson
Road). One of these two birds was clearly harassing the other, but when they
were well off to the east, both appeared only as dark silhouettes. As these
birds passed in front of my house and into better light, it became clear that
this was a female Northern Harrier being pursued and harassed by a juvenile
intermediate morph Pomarine Jaeger. The jaeger was an all-over dull brown with
a slightly warmer brown head that looked stout and puffy. It had a heavy bill
and was quite pot-bellied, with barred undertail coverts, mottled wing linings
and a pale flash at the bases of the primaries and primary coverts. It lacked
any of the more cinnamon tones of a Parasitic Jaeger. The jaeger continued to
pursue an aerial dogfight with the harrier until they passed Thickson Point to
the west, making me wonder if both might be seen at the Cranberry Marsh hawk
watch.
Just before 2:00 p.m, I noticed a flock of 7 White-winged Crossbills feeding in
the large spruce to the west of my house. This is the second day in a row that
I have noticed White-winged Crossbills around my house. They are clearly on the
move right now.
On the down side, I also noticed the gulls feeding on what appeared to be duck
carcasses floating in the water in seven different spots. Long-tailed Duck
carcasses, likely botulism victims, have been washing up onto the shore along
Crystal Beach Boulevard for the past week.
Glenn Coady
Whitby
To reach the lake off Thickson's Woods, take Hwy 401 to exit 412 and turn south
on Thickson Rd. S. following it to the cul-de-sac for the Waterfront Trail just
before the lake. Park here and walk further south on Thickson Rd. S. right to
the private road (Crystal Beach Boulevard) that runs east from here parallel to
the lakeshore. There are a couple of benches on the bluff above the lake in
front of the seventh house along this road. These provide a very nice view of
the lake.
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