Hello ONTBIRDERS, On a lunchtime lake viewing today (amazing conditions with no wind and great light from behind), I saw 1 adult Pacific Loon in basic plumage (very dark back with no white speckling, greyish-brown hindneck/crown contrasting with back, sharply contrasting white foreneck and dark hindneck and showing the slightest of necklace/chinstrap). Bird was straight out (north) from Minet's Point Park, well out on the bay. Staying to itself and diving quite frequently but staying up long enough to get good long-distance views of it. At one point it was in a group of 3 Common Loons and a Red-necked Grebe - size was closer to that of the grebe than to that of the loons surrounding it.
Scope was definitely required to see this bird as it was out in the middle of the bay (500-1000m out). Believe this is the first report of one in about a week, so I thought I'd put it out there for anyone still looking to add this rarity to their list. Also here were 400++ Common Loons (many, MANY more way out to the east on Kempenfelt Bay, towards the main part of the lake) - ~80 Red-necked Grebe, 1 Pied-billed Grebe, 200-300 Bonaparte's Gull (all on the far/north side of the bay) and other waterfowl, didn't see any white-winged gulls or Lesser Black-backed but could see hundreds of gulls on the western end of the bay at Centennial Park beach. Good birding, Frank Pinilla Richmond Hill, ON (working in Barrie) DIRECTIONS: Minet's Point Park - From Hwy 400, exit at Essa Road in Barrie, and head east 1.4km. Turn right on Tiffin Street and stay right as this turns into Lakeshore Drive. Follow Lakeshore 1.6km until the lights at Minets Point Road, turn left on Minets, follow to the park. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
