[Ontbirds] Hamilton Naturalists' Club (HNC) weekly bird sightings report, Friday, November 15, 2019
Hamilton Naturalists' Club (HNC) weekly bird sightings report, Friday, November 15, 2019 BARROW'S GOLDENEYE GREEN HERON WESTERN KINGBIRD WHITE-EYED VIREO YELLOW WARBLER SCARLET TANAGER Cackling Goose Tundra Swan Wood Duck Canvasback Ring-necked Duck King Eider Hooded Merganser Ruddy Duck Pied-billed Grebe Horned Grebe Red-necked Grebe Sandhill Crane Killdeer Sanderling Dunlin American Woodcock Spotted Sandpiper Iceland Gull Lesser Black-backed Gull Glaucous Gull Red-throated Loon Common Loon Black-crowned Night-Heron Turkey Vulture Golden Eagle Northern Harrier Bald Eagle Red-shouldered Hawk Merlin Peregrine Falcon Eastern Phoebe Horned Lark Ruby-crowned Kinglet Eastern Bluebird Hermit Thrush American Pipit Lapland Longspur Snow Bunting Chipping Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Eastern Meadowlark Nashville Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler The highlights from this week include a few rarities found in earlier weeks hanging on and a few very late dates for species normally long gone by mid-November. The weather turned nasty this week with a major winter storm on Nov 11 dumping lots of snow and bringing frigid temperatures. The WESTERN KINGBIRD found on Nov 3 at Canal Park and the Urquhart Butterfly Garden next to the Desjardins Canal in Dundas was being seen regularly until Nov 11 before the storm hit. Checks for it the next 2 days turned up empty and it was feared to have expired, but miraculously it was refound on Nov 14 huddling close to the water's edge of the Canal, where it was seen again today. Other birds found at the Desjardins Canal include a lingering GREEN HERON seen up to today, now providing the second latest date for the Hamiilton Study Area (HSA). This bird seems to have an injured wing so it's not likely to be able to leave. In the Canal and the West Pond east of Olympic Drive, a juvenile Black-crowned Night-Heron remains along with 2 Wood Ducks and at least 155 Hooded Mergansers on Nov 14, while a Yellow-rumped Warbler was at the nearby Dundas Sewage Treatment Plant. At Sedgewick Park in Oakville, the WHITE-EYED VIREO continues to be seen near the sewage treatment plant tanks including today. Also found here were a very late immature female YELLOW WARBLER on Nov 14, Nashville Warbler Nov 13-14, several Yellow-rumped Warblers, an Eastern Phoebe, Hermit Thrush, and Ruby-crowned Kinglets. On Nov 12, after the storm subsided and winds turned NW, a large migration of Sandhill Cranes was witnessed through the area with a total of 585 counted from Woodland Cemetery and afterwards another 250 counted from Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Aldershot, providing a record high one day count for the HSA. Sandhill Cranes were also noted migrating over Mississauga and Brantford. Migrating raptors were also counted from some of these sites and in south Burlington, with numbers of Red-tailed Hawks, some Turkey Vultures, 2 juvenile Golden Eagles over Burlington, and single Red-shouldered Hawk, Merlin and Northern Harrier. Small flocks of Eastern Bluebird and Snow Bunting and a single Killdeer were also tallied over Woodland Cemetery, while 3 Cackling Geese in a flock of Canadas were noted over Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Along the lakeshore, amongst the large numbers of diving ducks off Stoney Creek a male BARROW'S GOLDENEYE was again found off Grays Rd on Nov 13, seen again today off Confederation Park. An immature male King Eider, originally seen at Bronte last week was found at the lake end of the Burlington Ship Canal on Nov 9 continuing to Nov 14. Small numbers of Common Loon, Red-throated Loon, Horned Grebe and Red-necked Grebe were here, along the Stoney Creek Lakeshore and the north shore of Hamilton Harbour. Two Pied-billed Grebes were on the harbour off the south side of Bayfront Park today. Six Tundra Swans were seen at LaSalle Marina and some were heard going over Dundas today. Large numbers of diving ducks are now along the west end and north shore of Hamilton Harbour including numbers of Canvasbacks, Ring-necked Ducks and Ruddy Ducks off LaSalle Marina. A record late for the HSA immature male SCARLET TANAGER was found at the north end of Fruitland Rd at the lake in Stoney Creek on Nov 13 and seen up to today. It was rather tame and was feeding on the plentiful wild grape and other berries along the fence on the west side of the lookout. Note that construction is underway at the site so access may be somewhat limited at times. On Nov 12 a late Sanderling was found along the shore at South Shell Park in Bronte along with 7 American Pipits, and a Nashville Warbler was found at Burloak Waterfront Park. American Pipits have also been found the past couple days at LaSalle Marina, Bronte Harbour, the West Harbour Waterfront Trail and Bayfront Park, and along the Spencer Creek Trail in Dundas. An Eastern Phoebe has been present the past few days at the Desjardins Canal under the High Level Bridge. A Lesser Black-backed Gull was on the ice edge at Cootes Paradise near the Fishway on Nov 13. At the
[Ontbirds] Western Kingbird continues at Desjardins Canal today (& White-eyed Vireo in Oakville) - 15 Nov 2019
Ontbirders, In case anyone is wondering, the long-staying Western Kingbird continues at the extreme west end of the Desjardins Canal in Dundas. Best seen from the Urquhart Butterfly Gardens. The bird likes to stay right down low by the water and flew a couple of times while my daughter and I watched it - we first saw it at the western edge and then it flew to the north side about 50m east of the western end - it then flew back about 10 minutes later to the west end. It has lost many feathers on its forecrown (almost bald down the middle of the crown), a little worrying with -10C coming tonight again. Also of note in the same spot right by the water is an immature Green Heron - very late! At Sedgewick Forest in Oakville we also saw the White-eyed Vireo. Can be tough to find as it moves around quietly and low to the ground. We were there for an hour and about to leave when a sharp-eyed birder re-found it (they had been there for 2 hours). It was seen working low just east of the fence near the NE corner of the fenceline. Good birding! Frank & Sofia Pinilla Richmond Hill DIRECTIONS: Urquhart Butterfly Garden - if coming from the east exit Hwy 403 at Hwy 6 North and then exit to York Rd. Follow that about 5km (it changes to Olympic Drive but stay straight) to King Street East, turn right on King and parking for the gardens is on the left/south side of King. Sedgewick Forest is found along Lakeshore Road West, east of 3rd Line in south Oakville, between Sandwell Dr and Woodhaven Park Dr. Sent from my iPhone ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
[Ontbirds] Holiday Beach Hawk Watch (15 Nov 2019) 164 Raptors
Holiday Beach Hawk Watch Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 15, 2019 --- SpeciesDay's CountMonth Total Season Total -- --- -- -- Turkey Vulture 98 4438 53674 Osprey 0 0 36 Bald Eagle 1 38231 Northern Harrier21268725 Sharp-shinned Hawk 5312 5280 Cooper's Hawk3 39276 Northern Goshawk 0 0 6 Red-shouldered Hawk 5227442 Broad-winged Hawk0 6 25779 Red-tailed Hawk 28 1219 2037 Rough-legged Hawk1 14 14 Golden Eagle 1 13 16 American Kestrel 0 17 1727 Merlin 1 9116 Peregrine Falcon 0 7 58 Unknown Accipiter0 2 7 Unknown Buteo0 12 24 Unknown Eagle0 0 0 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 3 7 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 1 Total: 164 6624 90456 -- Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 16:00:00 Total observation time: 8 hours Official Counter:Maryse Gagné Observers:Dave Martin, Linda Wladarski Visitors: Thank you Noel and Juliette, Dave and Linda, and Neil and Anne for their visit and their help on the tower today. Additional thank you to Chip and Owen for bringing up an absolutely stunning adult Red-shouldered Hawk to the released from the tower! Weather: Yet another cold day on the tower with the humidity really worsening the chill. Not an easy day on the eyes with a full cloud cover creating bad lighting for identification and poor visibility all around. Winds from the South-West drove the majority of the raptors North of the marsh, forcing me to have my eyes glued to the scope. Raptor Observations: Not a bad day overall, with the usual raptors migrating past. Turkey Vultures (98) and Red-tailed Hawks (28) are still leading the charge with most migrants, followed closely by Northern Harriers (21). Other species such as the Red-shouldered Hawks, Sharp-shinned, and Cooper's Hawks are still moving past but in much smaller numbers today. Glad to count a Merlin, an adult Golden Eagle and a light morph Rough-legged Hawk as well. Lastly, today you could count 14 Bald Eagles hanging out on the frozen marsh throughout the day, often putting up the ducks and fighting over some food. Non-raptor Observations: Still counting many ducks out on the marsh, mostly Mallards. With big portions of the marsh frozen, ducks are clustered in small pockets of water and only when they fly off, say because an Eagle spooked them, can you really tell how many there are out there. Spotted a Yellow-rumped Warbler, two Great Egrets and many Tundra Swans flying over. Notable omission today were Red-winged Blackbirds. Check out our full eBird list here: https://ebird.org/checklist/S61475823 Predictions: Tomorrow we are expecting some North-Eastern winds, which could potentially bring raptors closer to the tower. Yet, raptors have a migrating mind of their own, no promises! Hoping for a good flight of buteos, Northern Harriers, and a few more Golden Eagles as they are quite low in number this year. Report submitted by Maryse Gagné (maryse.gagn...@gmail.com) Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/ More site information at hawkcount.org: http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=100 ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
[Ontbirds] Detroit River Hawk Watch (15 Nov 2019) 95 Raptors
Detroit River Hawk Watch Brownstown, Michigan, USA Daily Raptor Counts: Nov 15, 2019 --- SpeciesDay's CountMonth Total Season Total -- --- -- -- Black Vulture0 0 0 Turkey Vulture 32 3496 51704 Osprey 0 0 35 Bald Eagle 3 14 92 Northern Harrier 7 57322 Sharp-shinned Hawk 10204 4061 Cooper's Hawk1 24107 Northern Goshawk 0 0 1 Red-shouldered Hawk 5248443 Broad-winged Hawk0 0 64336 Swainson's Hawk 0 0 0 Red-tailed Hawk 30 1132 1990 Rough-legged Hawk3 9 10 Golden Eagle 4 17 21 American Kestrel 0 4702 Merlin 0 1 32 Peregrine Falcon 0 6 52 Unknown Accipiter0 0 0 Unknown Buteo0 0 1 Unknown Falcon 0 0 0 Unknown Eagle0 0 0 Unknown Raptor 0 0 0 Total: 95 5212 123909 -- Observation start time: 09:00:00 Observation end time: 14:00:00 Total observation time: 6 hours Official Counter:Kevin Georg Observers:Andrew Sturgess, Don Sherwood, John Elliot Visitors: Cupboard was bare today. Weather: What light in yonder window breaks? er...never mind. We had a few minutes where we saw the golden orb this morning only to be socked in by the suffocating blanket of a solid cloud deck that looked like light fog at times. Barometer stayed steady in the high zone. Winds seemed to be SW but were difficult to judge at our site. The snow seems to be getting wetter and shrinking in depth so the temps are above freezing but not by much. Raptor Observations: Another day of interesting diversity but diminishing returns as we reached the later afternoon hours. 32 turkey vultures came by mostly in one group and led the quantity contest. Red-tails were a close second with 30, again in many different forms of plumage. 5 red-shoulders joined them in the buteo category along with 3 rough-legged hawks, all light morphs. 10 sharpies, (good ole reliable sharpies), flew across with 1 Cooper's hawk joining them in the accipiter class. Eagles were on the move with 3 bald eagles and 4, count them, 4 golden eagles. We haven't had a big golden day and our totals are way off this year so it is good to get multiples on any given day. 7 harriers went loping by with 3 gray ghosts in that number. Non-raptor Observations: Plenty of waterfowl and swans are on the move filling the sky at times with nervous flight energy. The channel buoys were removed today and the Bonaparte's and ring-billed were feasting on the fish churned up by the wheel on the tug. An eastern phoebe paid us a visit today in our little denuded maple tree. Hooded mergansers continue to occupy the slip to our left although out of reach of the camera. Tree swallows are still working the lake. Predictions: Be still my beating heart. NE winds with a high barometer and sunny skies? Could we hope for more? We have a chance of a good day tomorrow if the forecast holds. Some of the important details have a habit of changing from day to day so let's hope they got it right this time. Report submitted by Andrew Sturgess (ajye...@gmail.com) Detroit River Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://www.detroitriverhawkwatch.org More site information at hawkcount.org: http://hawkcount.org/siteinfo.php?rsite=285 Count data submitted via Dunkadoo - Project info at: https://dunkadoo.org/explore/detroit-river-international-wildlife-refuge/detroit-river-hawk-watch-fall-2019 ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
[Ontbirds] Presqu'ile Bird Report for 8-14 Nov 2019
Presqu’ile Bird Report 8-14 Nov 2019 By Doug McRae HIGHLIGHTS: LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL There was a significant difference in birdlife between the start of the period and the end thanks to a deep freeze/snow event that hit on 11-12 Nov. The marsh is mostly frozen, ponds are frozen, and there is 10+ cm of snow on the ground. It looks and feels more like January than mid November. Coverage was limited this week as well. Two TRUMPETER SWANS were with a lone TUNDRA SWAN on 10 Nov. Two more TUNDRA SWANS were seen the next day. Three WOOD DUCKS were at Calf Pasture Cove on 13 Nov. The only other waterfowl of note was a SURF SCOTER off the Lighthouse on 9 Nov. A PIED-BILLED GREBE on 11 Nov was the last report. Single DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANTS were noted on 11, 12 and 14 Nov. BALD EAGLES were seen more frequently this week with some birds clearly migrating and others hanging around the shoreline. One imm. on 11 Nov, two (1 ad., 1 imm) seen on 12 Nov, at least 3 imm. passing the gate on 13 Nov. Another distant eagle passing the gate on 8 Nov was suspected of being a GOLDEN but was too far to be certain. A single RED-SHOULDERED HAWK passed the gate with 20 RED-TAILED HAWK on 8 Nov in just 30 minutes. The twenty plus AMERICAN COOTS that were in the marsh at the start of the week have relocated to the inner bay in response to the freezing of the marsh. A few shorebirds were still around at the start of the period but sadly there has been no coverage of Gull Is. again this week or on the beach since the storm when access to the parking areas was closed. Hopefully Beach 1 will open again when the snow melts. Two BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER on 9 Nov is the last report for that species and a late KILLDEER was on the beach on 11 Nov. A late PECTORAL SANDPIPER was on the Beach on 11 Nov. DUNLIN and SANDERLING were on the beach in small numbers till 11 Nov when 13 and 5 were seen respectively. An adult LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL with pink legs was photographed on the Beach on 8 and 9 Nov. EASTERN PHOEBES were seen regularly until the cold hit. Two seen on 12 Nov were the last reports. Two HORNED LARK were on the beach on 11 Nov. An EASTERN BLUEBIRD flew over the gate on 12 Nov and five were in Calf Pasture the next day. Two HERMIT THRUSHES on 11 Nov and one the next day were the last reported. EUROPEAN STARLINGS remain common during dawn and dusk flights with 1000 in trees around the Birdhouse Nature Store on 12 Nov. Five AMERICAN PIPITS dropped down into bushes along the main road at Beach 2 in the height of the snowstorm on 11 Nov. A single SNOW BUNTING flew over the gate on 12 Nov. A YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER came to a Bayshore Rd feeder from 11 to 13 Nov but was believed to have been killed by a COOPER’S HAWK. CHIPPING SPARROWS appeared at one Bayshore Rd. feeder starting on 11 Nov and another came to the Camp Office feeder on 13 Nov. A FIELD SPARROW was at Calf Pasture on 8 Nov. A FOX SPARROW was in the Pioneer Parking Area (between the east and west picnic areas) on 13 Nov. A few SONG and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS were also reported through the week with the more common AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS and DARK-EYED JUNCOS. RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS were reported through the week, with most sightings by weeks’ end being from feeders. A RUSTY BLACKBIRD was with other blackbirds at the Birdhouse Nature Store on 13 Nov. A small number of COMMON GRACKLES were also at area feeders through the week. Two BROWN-HEADED COWBIRDS at a Bayshore Rd. feeder on 13 Nov were the first in weeks. Finches are almost non-existent with only a small number of AMERICAN GOLDFINCHES and a few HOUSE FINCHS around. Presqu’ile allows waterfowl hunting on Mondays, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and the public is not permitted in hunting areas on those days. The areas affected are the marsh, Calf Pasture Point, Gull and High Bluff Is., and later in the season, Owen Pt. At the present time you may go to the tip of Owen Pt. on a hunting day, but not beyond the sign. Once a blind is placed on Owen Pt. in November, access to Owen Pt. will be closed. The hunt will continue until 21 December. Directions: Presqu’ile Provincial Park is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, just south of the town of Brighton. It can be reached from either Hwy. 401, or Cty. Rd. 2 and is well signed. A Park map can be found in the information tabloid available at the Park gate. Presqu’ile’s two offshore islands – Gull and High Bluff – support a large multi-species colonial bird nesting area and access is not permitted during the breeding season (10 March-10 September). Doug McRae P.O. Box 3010 Brighton, Ontario K0K 1H0 613-475-5014 H 613-243-4161 C ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS
Re: [Ontbirds] Ottawa: Tufted Duck
At 8:36 am this morning, the Tufted Duck was still present in the Shirley's Bay area of the Ottawa River in the west end of Ottawa, ON. The duck was seen well off the point east of the Shirley's Bay boat launch. To get to the boat launch and other viewing areas (should the bird move farther east), exit Carling Avenue to Rifle Road and head northerly to the end of Rifle Road. The point is visible from the boat launch. Parking is available in the area. If the bird does move easterly and follow yesterday's pattern, a viewing point could be off the NCC trail at the turnabout at the end of Riverdown - a short drive from the boat launch. >From the end of Riverdown, walk down the trail about a 100 m to a small spur trail to the left which will take you to the river's edge. Thanks Jon for the great find. Martha Burchat On Thu, Nov 14, 2019 at 2:57 PM Jon Ruddy via ONTBIRDS < birdalert@ontbirds.ca> wrote: > The female Tufted Duck continues at Shirleys Bay-east (as of the latest > report, just after 2:00 PM). It is loosely associating with a raft of > Common Goldeneyes. Birders are viewing the bird from a point-of-land along > the shoreline about 150 meters east of the boat launch. Alternatively, > birders are also viewing from Grandview Road, where it dead ends into a > boat launch just after Hastings. Both sites are accessible via Carling > Avenue. > > Good birding, > Jon > ___ > ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the > provincial birding organization. > Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca > 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 > > ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
[Ontbirds] Ottawa: Tufted Duck continues at Shirleys Bay
The Tufted Duck continues just east of Shirleys Bay boat launch. Accessed via Rifle Road, from Carling Avenue. FYI this is my final update! Good luck and good birding Jon ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
[Ontbirds] Mountain Bluebird Continues - Algoma District
Hi all, The Mountain Bluebird continues as of this morning at corner of Government Road and Smith Road in Tarbutt Township, Algoma District. It comes and goes, so often a lot of effort is needed to get the bird, but sometimes you get lucky and it's present when you arrive. It sometimes visits the feeders at 3388 Government Road, which are visible from the road and they have no issues with you looking. This intersection is approximately about 1.5km off of Highway 17 (exit at Smith Road), which is 45km east of the city limits of Sault Ste. Marie or 5km west of the town of Desbarats. Carter Dorscht Echo Bay, ON ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca 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
