Hey Folks, Before I begin this report I'll state that I recently ran over my phone with my car, and while I do have a new one, I have very few numbers on it so I was unable to text anyone of my findings today!!
I was at Bayfront Park early this morning to enjoy the weather and try for the various warblers that had been seen there in the past. About 600 metres down the Waterfront Trail I heard a crow calling relatively far away in the direction of the parking lot - it was giving the throaty, two part "uh-uh, uh-uh!" typical of a Fish Crow. Of course, I only realized this later and besides briefly noting it, did not pay any attention to it. After coming back from walking the trail, I decided to walk around the Marina a little bit, and then I was immediately drawn to a single crow that was sitting on some rocks near the shore. It strongly resembled a Fish Crow - it had a short-legged, short-billed look to it. Unfortunately it had clouded over so I could not pick up any kind of gloss. I took some pictures and it is possible to see that the upper mandible ends in what looks like a relatively strong hook, a feature that many Fish Crows possess (though I'm sure there's some overlap with American) I have seen many of these before, in New Jersey, New York and Florida, and have seen them adjacent to American Crows as well, so it looked at least different enough for me to notice it. This was also when I realized that I'd heard what was perhaps this Fish Crow at the beginning of the day. This being said, these are all very subtle field marks and it could be that this was just a short-legged, short-billed looking American Crow, as I did not hear it call while I was watching it. It flew off shortly afterwards towards the marina, where it joined another crow and they both disappeared. If, however, it is a Fish Crow, it would coincide with observations that were made of this species yesterday, where eleven Fish Crows were seen near Rochester, NY. The warmth of the past few days (except yesterday!) may have been enough to send some migrant Fish Crows north into the northern parts of their breeding range, like central New York. These Rochester birds (and this one if it's a Fish Crow) were likely "overshoots". You can try to decide yourself, here are the pics - http://www.flickr.com/photos/levfrid/6637088749/sizes/l/in/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/levfrid/6637088115/sizes/l/in/photostream/ - Note the "hook" here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/levfrid/6637087493/sizes/l/in/photostream/ Oh well - interesting to keep an eye and ear out for when you're there anyhow! I'd like to know your thoughts or if you see/hear the bird yourself out there. In terms of other birds, many good Winter Birds were had, but alas, no warblers. I didn't spend an awful lot of time looking as I had to leave at noon. Northern Mockingbird - Three birds in various locales on the Waterfront Trail. Carolina Wren - One at the beginning of the Waterfront Trail and one at the metal bridge. Belted Kingfisher - One at the metal bridge. Ruddy Duck - A flotilla of 222 birds was present at the metal bridge. Ring-necked Duck - 13 birds were with a bunch of Redheads in the water near the Marina. White-winged Scoter - A flock of about 20 birds flew by at the 1600 m marker on the Waterfront trail. Black-crowned Night-Heron - the juvenile bird was in the cattails right in the beginning of the Waterfront Trail. Double-crested Cormorant - One bird at the metal bridge on the Waterfront Trail and two at the Marina. Other than these, there was a great assorted platter of typical winter waterfowl there as well. So folks, with Common Goldeneye displaying and Robins in full song this afternoon in Maple, is it Spring yet???? Good Birding! Lev Frid Maple, ON 647 883 0169 Directions - Take QEW Hamilton to Burlington Street and go west to James and south to Strachan which leads to Bayfront Park parking lot. Follow the trail running adjacent to the rail yard - this is the Waterfront Trail. The crow was seen on a different trail that circles the little peninsula opposite a Marina. It's the only other trail there. When I saw it it was about 200 m down the trail from where it begins in the Parking lot, past the Marina a little bit, but it probably moves around a heckuva lot. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
