I spent a few hours birding the waterfront in Barrie today and here are the highlights.
Around 2:20 pm, a large falcon was seen chasing Ring-billed and Herring Gulls on the Centennial Park waterfront and it perched briefly at the City of Barrie Marina. I took some record shots, but later, another birder got some better shots of this bird as it stooped on a flying drone. The heavy body, large size, grayish upperparts and relatively broad wings suggest this was Gyrfalcon, rather than a (resident) Peregrine Falcon. The better photos cannot be studied until later tonight, but initial indications are that the photographed bird lacked the stronger 'sideburns' of a Peregrine. A short time later, we relocated the bird among the high-rises near the waterfront and got some better photos. The bird vocalized half a dozen times and the call was lower pitched and raspier than a typical Peregrine call. Still later, good shots of a juvenile Peregrine Falcon were taken in the same area, so we suspect both species were present. Other highlights included a SNOWY OWL (on private property) and two adult BALD EAGLES at Minet't Point Park. A few COMMON LOONS Burke Korol Barrie, ON _______________________________________________ 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
