Hello Ontbirders, We had a rather amazing day on the Fisherville Christmas Bird Count today. Great birds were seen by most groups. Im sure that John Miles will post all of the exciting finds. Our two highlights were Least Sandpiper and Gray Flycatcher. I'll start with the sandpiper. Take highway west of Cayuga, turn north (left) on Decewsville Road. Proceed through small town to cattail wetland. From the culvert where the stream crosses the road, head right (east) towards the lake. The Least Sandpiper was feeding where the stream enters the lake this morning at about 9:00am. It was finding lots of food and didnt appear to be in a hurry to leave.
Now for the Gray Flycatcher: Follow highway 3 west of Cayuga. Turn north (left) on River Road. Follow a few kilometers to Indiana Road W. Turn west (the only choice) onto Indiana Road W. Drive 1.9 km and pull off on the north side of the road. Walk across the field (this is private property it would be nice to contact the owner Im afraid we didnt). About 100 m across the field and beyond a hedgerow is a pond. The bird was along the creek where it enters the pond between 12:45 and 13:45 today. It was feeding busily on insects (flying and aquatic), seemed healthy and also did not appear to be in a hurry to leave. Coordinates for the bird are: 42 58 46 N, 79 54 17 W. I will post some photos that I took tomorrow when I get back to my computer. In the meantime, the following brief description will have to suffice: A long billed, long tailed Empidonax regularly pumping its tail down in a Phoebe-like fashion. Call a soft whit, slightly softer than that of a Least. Main features: gray crown contrasting strongly with greenish back; pale throat, pale yellowish breast and belly; narrow white eyering almost perfectly round; bill narrow, long, black above, yellow below; 2 creamy wing bars; tail with obvious white on outer rectrices; black legs. That's enough for now I hope. I'm sure that my Dad would want me to point out that he spotted both of the above birds. John Harvey and I were the other observers. Good birding, Jeff ===== Jeff Skevington, Invertebrate Biodiversity Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada K.W. Neatby Building, C.E.F. Ottawa, ON, K1A 0C6, Canada Phone: 613-759-1647, FAX: 613-759-1927 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] alternate e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ______________________________________________________________________ Post your free ad now! http://personals.yahoo.ca Jeff Skevington <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Visit http://www.ofo.ca/ontbirdsguide.htm for information on leaving and joining the list. As well as general information and content guidelines.
