[Ontbirds] Slaty-backed Gull- North Bay

Hi all, Frank Pinilla and I had the Slaty-backed Gull come in very briely this evening at 4:36 pm from Olmsted Beach at the west end of Trout Lake. It landed on the water for only minutes before taking flight with the entire group of about 75 Herrings, several Great-Black Backed and Glaucous

[Ontbirds] Ruff- Minesing

Hi all, The Ruff was still present along McKinnon Road as of 7:30 am. It was feeding on the West side of McKinnon Road about 750 m north of County Road 90. (West of Barrie) Good birding, Dave Szmyr ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field

[Ontbirds] Lincoln's Sparrows- Square One Mall- Mississauga

Hi all, Further to Luc's previous post, I visited this same location before noon today. I was quite surprised to find not 1, but instead 2 Lincoln's Sparrows present! It would be interesting to know the number of times more than a single individual has been confirmed overwintering while in

[Ontbirds] King Eider- Squires Beach, Pickering

Hi all, The female King Eider is currently still present among the raft of Long-tailed Duck just to the east of the termination of Frisco Road at the lakeshore. Best views can be had by following the waterfront trail 150-200 m to the east. The water is quite choppy but the bird is very

[Ontbirds] Pacific Loons- Barrie, Minet's Point

Hi all, I am currently looking at 2 adult breeding plumaged Pacific Loons off Minet's Point in Barrie. Both birds can be seen in the same scope view at times and are absolutely stunning! They are at about 2 O'Clock across the bay from the park among the hundreds of Common Loons. One Little

[Ontbirds] Cattle Egret- Colborne

Hi all, This afternoon just after 2 pm I observed a Cattle Egret fly from a livestock pasture on the south side of Highway 401, just west of Veronville Road. The bird flew north over the highway as I passed it heading East. Considering the close proximity to the Presqu'ile Provincial Park

[Ontbirds] Little Gulls- Kempenfelt Bay- Barrie

Hi all, This morning I received a call from Josh Mandell saying he had observed 2 adult Little Gull's just offshore of Minet's Point Park in Barrie. When I arrived it was raining quite hard, however I was able to get a scope on at least one of the birds to the East of the park feeding among

[Ontbirds] Snowy Egret- Matchadash Bay- Simcoe County

Hi all, The Snowy Egret found yesterday morning by Ken MacDonald in the Matchadash Bay Area of Simcoe County is still present as of this writing. It is currently perched on a snag in the heronry about 250-300 m to the West. A scope is necessary for satisfactory views. Likely only the 2nd

[Ontbirds] RUFF- Simcoe County- Cookstown

Just a correction, the flooded section is at the NW corner of the 13th Line and highway 27 and not the the NE section. My apologies. Dave Szmyr ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - the provincial birding organization.

[Ontbirds] RUFF- Simcoe County-Cookstown

Hi all, I have just found a male Ruff in an area of flooded field just south of Cookstown. It is currently present among several hundred Canada Geese and a few Greater Yellowlegs. The flooded area is on the north side of the 13th Line at the NE corner with Highway 27. Good birding! Dave

[Ontbirds] Western Grebe- Midland

The Western Grebe is still present off of Midland Bay Landing Park (288 Bayshore Drive). It was swimming between 50-75 meters offshore of the park and occasionally diving but not straying far. It did start to slowly drift eastward before I left so checking the Harbour may not be a bad idea

[Ontbirds] 7 Greater White-fronted Geese- Minesing

Currently being viewed in the flooded field at the corner of Sideroad 18 & 19 Sunnidale and Concession 7 Sunnidale. This location can be reached by heading West on Highway 26 and turning south on Strongville Road until you reach the above mentioned intersection. Good birding, Dave Szmyr

[Ontbirds] Pacific Loons- Minet's Point Park, Barrie

Ontbirders, Just after 9:20 am this morning I received a message from Burke Korol in reference to 2 Pacific Loons being observed about 400 m offshore from Minet's Point Park in Barrie. I arrived not long after, and the two of us, along with Donald Sutherland, were able to observe both birds

Re: [Ontbirds] Arctic Tern- Barrie, Minet's Point

As per previous directions: Minet's Point Park can be reached by making a "left" and not a right on Lakeshore Dr. Thank you Bruce Wilson for catching that. Regards, Dave Szmyr Birders, Just after 5:05 pm this evening I observed a single adult bird foraging among Bonaparte's and Little

[Ontbirds] Arctic Tern- Barrie, Minet's Point

Birders, Just after 5:05 pm this evening I observed a single adult bird foraging among Bonaparte's and Little Gulls off Minet's Point Park in Barrie. It's small rounded head and short bill/neck were immediately quite noticeable, as well a thin black trailing edge to the primaries which

[Ontbirds] Little Gulls- Kempenfelt Bay, Barrie

Birders, Just after 5:45 pm this evening I observed 6 adult Little Gulls feeding among several hundred Bonaparte's Gulls very close to shore, just off the Barrie Marina. This is a rather early date for this species on the bay as they typically do not appear until late September at the

[Ontbirds] White-faced Ibis- Norfolk

Ontario birders, The two White-faced Ibis are still currently present on the north side of Lakeshore Rd, about 500 m west of the hamlet of Port Royal. No need to trespass as they are no more than 50 meters from the roadside and can be viewed quite well. Regards, Dave Szmyr

[Ontbirds] Ross's Goose- Minesing, Simcoe County

Josh Mandell called me this afternoon with regards to potentially having a Ross's Goose near the village of Minesing shortly after 2:30 pm. I decided to take a drive to see if I couldn't pick out the distant bird in question a little better with use of a scope. Around 3:00 pm I was able to

[Ontbirds] Ross's Goose- Barrie

This afternoon, shortly after 12:30 pm, I observed an adult white phase Ross's Goose just off Minet's Point Park in Barrie. It was found among the hundreds of Canada's, and numerous other waterfowl west of the park. Other notable sightings included a juvenile Bald Eagle stirring up gulls over

[Ontbirds] Ross's Goose- Bradford

At first light this morning, an adult white phase Ross's Goose was present at the Summerlyn Pond in Bradford. It was accompanied by several hundred CAGO, MALL, and two adult white phase Snow Goose. Directions: Exit the 400 at the 88 and head east until you reach Summerlyn Trail. The Pond is

[Ontbirds] King Eider- St Chatherine's Marina

?As of 3:00 pm this afternoon the male King Eider could be viewed very well from just off the breakwater. The eider was still swimming just off shore near the lighthouse at the entrance to the marina. Directions as per Richard Skevington's post: From Lansdown Ave (Lakeshore Rd.) in St

[Ontbirds] Black-legged Kittiwake- Barrie

The juvenile Black-legged Kittiwake first suspected by Dave Lord on Oct.16, and confirmed by Brennan Obermayer yesterday Oct.17, was still present this morning around between 8:05 and 8:20 am, in the Barrie Marina?. Burke Korol and I watched the bird hover around the marina diving repeatedly,

[Ontbirds] Black-legged Kittiwake Still Present- Barrie

?Around 12:30 pm this afternoon I observed the bird sitting on the water among several Bonaparte's Gulls, roughly 150 meters off the marina break wall. Some notes to consider if looking for this juvenile: its considerable size difference in comparison with the Bonaparte's Gulls it may be in

[Ontbirds] Buff-breasted Sandpipers- Beeton Sod Farms

Just before 12:00 pm today I observed 3 Buff-breasted Sandpipers in a recently harvested sod farm on the south side of the 12th line, SE of Alliston. The Buff-breasted Sandpipers were loosely associating with the other shorebirds present but for the most part stuck to the field divide between

[Ontbirds] Greater White-fronted Goose, Orillia

Hi all, This morning just after 9:30 am I found a group of 4 Greater White-fronted Goose sitting among Mallard and Black Duck in a small area of open water in Orillia. The birds were south of the bridge that passes over the creek running out of the Orillia Waste Water Treatment Plant.

[Ontbirds] Barrow's Goldeneye Washago, Still Present

Hi all, The male Barrow's Goldeneye was present this evening from the previously noted location off Centennial Park in Washago. At 5:35 p.m. I found the bird swimming in the open water amongst the Common Goldeneye. As stated in the previous posting by Karl Konze, the goldeneye do not start

[Ontbirds] Harlequin Duck- Collingwood Harbour

Ontbirders, At 2:35 pm this afternoon I observed an adult male Harlequin Duck in full breeding plumage, about 50 feet off the break wall from the parking lot of Millennium Park, on the East side of Collingwood Harbour. After a couple minutes of observation the bird flew north out onto the

[Ontbirds] Beeton Sod Farms- Red Knot, Buff-breasted Sandpiper etc.

Yesterday evening at approximately 6:45 pm I spent an hour on the 12th Line of New Tecumseth and was delighted to find a great diversity of shorebirds totaling 12 species. 200+ American Golden Plover, with mixed adults and juveniles were the greatest shorebirds present in numbers, with at

[Ontbirds] Glossy Ibis- Angus

Ontbirders, I have just discovered a Glossy Ibis foraging in the marsh along McKinnon Rd and Concession 2 Sunnidale just south of the Minesing Conservation Wetlands. A scope would be an asset as the bird is located deep into the marsh on the west side of the road. McKinnon Rd is located west

[Ontbirds] Whitby Thickson's Woods- Merlin, Saw-whet

Spent a couple of hours searching the woodlot and meadow on this beautiful afternoon, fairly quiet but there were a few notable species: Northern Saw-whet Owl- tucked in deep within a spruce on the bike trail beside the first meadow entrance Common Raven- 3 flew over the woods calling, shortly

[Ontbirds] Avocet - Oshawa Second Marsh

Ontbirders, The Avocet was still present at 3:45 on the sand spit West of the GM platform. Although briefly startled into flight by a passing harrier along with 3 Dunlin, it returned to the spit shortly after. Dave Szmyr ___ ONTBIRDS is presented

[Ontbirds] Wild Turkey in Clarington and Greater White-Fronted Goose at Bondhead

this morning. Also of note the long staying exotic Swan Goose was also present but not associating with the Greater-White Front's. Good birding, David Szmyr ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding

[Ontbirds] Boreal Chickadee- Presqu'ile Provincial Park

Ontbirders, This morning around 11:30 am I had a Boreal Chickadee amongst 2 dozen chickadees along Bayshore Rd in the wood lot adjacent Lilac Lane in Presqu'ile Provincial Park. It is traveling within a mixed flock of black-caps, kinglets and creepers. Dave Szmyr

[Ontbirds] Peregrine Falcon and mixed Icterid flock: Whitevale

the North flushing a group of half a dozen Morning Dove. Also of note the junvenile Red-headed Woodpecker is still present at the dead end offshoot of North Rd just North of Whitevale Rd and South of the 407. David Szmyr ___ ONTBIRDS is presented