Ontbirds subscribers,
Hurricane Sandy has put on quite a nice birding show so far. After very calm
morning conditions, with light winds and no rain, at about 12:10 very brisk
south winds began for a couple of hours with a heavy bank of clouds and rain
coming across from the south side of the lake.
Although the numbers of birds were not as impressive as in the morning, new
groups of birds continued to pass by Thickson's Point. Around 1:30 a military
search and rescue helicopter made a pass from west to east just 100 feet above
the surface of the lake about a kilometre out over the water. The noise from
the rotors began to flush virtually every bird under its path. Along with many
loons and ducks, it flushed a large alcid (possibly, but not necessarily, the
one seen several hours earlier separately by Geoff Carpentier and Tyler Hoar)
out near the horizon to the west of my house. I was able to pick this bird up
in the scope and watched it fly across the length of the bay and land well out
in the lake near the point to the east. I was able to determine that it was an
adult Razorbill (all black dorsally, all white ventrally, very heavy, thick
bill with pronounced arching curve (though I couldn't discern any white band on
the bill), long curled-up tail, and white trailing edge to the secondaries
forming a distinct white line on the sides between the back and folded
primaries at rest. In the heavy waves, I eventually lost sight of this bird
after a few dives, as was typical of many of the loons seen all day as well. It
has not been re-found again. Other birds seen this afternoon included two
distant 1st-winter Black-legged Kittiwakes, an additional flock of 200+ Brant
as well as another lone Brant, another Red-throated Loon and several flocks of
Snow Buntings (120+ in total). In sadder news, the top of one of the younger
white pines in my backyard broke off about 70 feet up and one of the quite
large white pines (125-150 years old) just west of the bird sightings book
broke off right at the base and is across the south path of the woods. Glenn
CoadyWhitby, Ontario To view Lake Ontario off Thickson's Woods, take highway
401 to exit 412 (Thickson Road) and take Thickson Road S. south about 2 km. and
park at the cul-de-sac at its terminus. Walk further south off the cul-de-sac
on Thickson Rd. until you reach the private road (Crystal Beach Boulevard).
Birders are welcome to observe from the benches in front of my house (#330).
However, please do not drive onto Crystal Beach Boulevard.
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