Mark Cranford just called, asking me to post a flock of seven, yellow rump warblers. They are chirping like mad and moving along the beach at the end of Huronatario St. at Lake Ontario, in Mississauga.
Sue Edwards From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 16 16:50:34 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from web88002.mail.re2.yahoo.com (web88002.mail.re2.yahoo.com [206.190.37.189]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id 095EB6389C for <[email protected]>; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 16:50:34 -0500 (EST) Received: (qmail 30691 invoked by uid 60001); 16 Dec 2006 21:50:34 -0000 Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=rogers.com; h=X-YMail-OSG:Received:Date:From:Subject:To:MIME-Version:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding:Message-ID; b=1rBdRH7ejIt6DgQSiuFx2Q8oIwpsGnc0kO26Agr4ng392tWWUG5c3+Rmfw5J3VaIiUE60KzDSPqRXgYIzyItba8DSxhb+nPZ8tIjr3MZWei69xo7+WnyGGGYAArvU7eZa0xh9F2HgJyDCNhMKi/9+C+bYsyRrBuGrrbN4DUJAH8=; X-YMail-OSG: 8qKeSbsVM1m5FceeumVjum07HfhSg4yGc_v_xgmYa3QyY0rjca_WKM4eSVIc7wFCGNbwpw3g13B0KLNMQdO6BXeGpDAorEg0NnU0ouxDhlrc_o5ceeAvTMxYjkmvSXenk5Q6WTjEzl7x9oE- Received: from [74.120.196.115] by web88002.mail.re2.yahoo.com via HTTP; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 16:50:34 EST Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 16:50:34 -0500 (EST) From: RON FLEMING <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: OFO Bird Sightings <[email protected]> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]Snowy Owls, Snow Goose, 14 Harriers - York Region X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 21:50:34 -0000 After several unsuccessful attempts to find the Snowy Owl in south Keswick that Keith & Chris Dunn have been seeing since mid-November, I finally found it today and, as a bonus, it was in the company of another Snowy. Both birds stood out conspicuously against the brown soil of the vegetable fields on the east side of Yonge Street when I was there this afternoon around 3:00. The closest bird - a strikingly white adult male - was about 100 metres from the road while the second bird - a barred female/juvenile type - was another 100 metres back. They were almost in line with each other as I looked east from property #22094 (easily found since it is marked by the last two storage garages on the road). There is an irrigation canal that runs straight east into the field from this point; both owls were sitting on its south side. This short section of Yonge Street runs south from the western end of Ravenshoe Rd., which runs east-west along the the southern perimeter of Keswick. I did not find much on Ravenshoe Road itself, but Keith and Chris Dunn have observed both Rough-legged Hawk and Northern Raven along this stretch during the last three weeks. Just now (4:45 p.m.), Keith phoned me from Yonge St. to say he was looking at one of the two Snowies and had just witnessed the remarkable spectacle of 14 Northern Harriers (a mix of males, females and juveniles) criss-crossing the large marsh area that sits at the southern end of Yonge Street! Earlier this afternoon I checked the Holland Landing lagoons and found 4 Black Ducks, one Bonaparte's Gull, ten Mallards, and about 200 Canada Geese (all in the last cell). Feeding and napping with the Canadas was an interesting-looking Snow Goose, possibly the one Bruce Brydon observed in nearby Soldier's Bay last month. It appears to be a white juvenile bird, but it lacks the "grin patch" you would expect to find on a Snow Goose. Additionally, the bill appears to be on the smallish side. Still, it is a fairly large, robust bird that I feel is too large for a Ross's Goose, but I wonder if the bird is not a hybrid. If anyone else gets a chance to see this bird, I'd be interested in other opinions. I also checked the Holland Marsh today in hopes of finding the Snowy Owl I saw on Keele Lane back in November but had no luck rediscovering it. I then drove around to Strawberry Lane to try for the one Garth Baker had last Saturday (same bird?), but could not locate it. I did have small groups of Snow Buntings at three different places and found an American Kestrel, but turned up nothing else. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Keswick, Holland Landing, and the Holland Marsh are all north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. The Holland Marsh is right beside Hwy. 400; exit onto Canal Road and follow it eastward. Keswick is north and east of Newmarket. Take Leslie Street north, then turn left (west) at the stoplights when you get to Ravenshoe Rd. Follow Ravenshoe straight west... but stop before you go into the river. From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 16 20:02:34 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from simmts12-srv.bellnexxia.net (simmts12-qfe0.srvr.bell.ca [206.47.199.141]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0DFAE6346F for <[email protected]>; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 20:02:34 -0500 (EST) Received: from [10.0.1.3] ([70.51.80.20]) by simmts12-srv.bellnexxia.net (InterMail vM.5.01.06.13 201-253-122-130-113-20050324) with ESMTP id <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> for <[email protected]>; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 20:02:34 -0500 Mime-Version: 1.0 (Apple Message framework v752.2) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-Id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed To: "Ont \"birds\"" <[email protected]> From: Doug McRae <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 20:04:29 -0500 X-Mailer: Apple Mail (2.752.2) Subject: [Ontbirds]Niagara Razorbill, Bl Kittiwake, GBB x Herring? X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 01:02:34 -0000 Hi all, Diane Whitman and I spent the day birding the Niagara River from the control dam above the falls to NOTL and saw a few goodies. R-throated Loon - at least 5 birds off the river mouth. Razorbill - seen beautifully in the usual spot between the fort and the green marker from 1430-1500. Black-legged Kittiwake - a very tame immature was sitting on a dock, just upriver from the marina at NOTL, where you watch the fly-by from. It eventually got up and flew upriver at about 1420h. 5 LBB Gull - one at Adam Beck and 4 above the falls. 2 Kumlien's Gull - both adults at Adam Beck, one of which had almost no markings on the wingtips. 1 probable Herring x Great Black-backed Gull hybrid. This bird was standing on rocks above the falls, just above the barge where there is a dead tree trunk forming an arch. It was there for 2 hours mid- morning. The bird is a near adult, as big as a GBB Gull, mantle colour is slightly paler than a LBB, legs flesh, bill yellow with a dark spot near tip of lower mandible, almost no streaking on head and neck. We considered a few options including Western but the bill is not heavy enough (more like Herring sized bill). Wingtips project well beyond the tail. It was a most interesting looking bird - if anyone sees it and has opinions regarding ID I would be most interested. The best I can come up with is a likely hybrid. What I am sure of is that it was not the Slaty-backed, which we failed to find! Cheers, Doug McRae From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 16 20:42:52 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from smtp108.rog.mail.re2.yahoo.com (smtp108.rog.mail.re2.yahoo.com [68.142.225.206]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id BF9F06349B for <[email protected]>; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 20:42:51 -0500 (EST) Received: (qmail 18908 invoked from network); 17 Dec 2006 01:42:52 -0000 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=s1024; d=rogers.com; h=Received:X-YMail-OSG:Message-ID:Date:From:User-Agent:MIME-Version:To:Subject:Content-Type:Content-Transfer-Encoding; b=VfLzFpkXAnyIdC8S6ScRqo+9p9y+EfNPag67wctAc6eFjU1Trx0r81DIFxlKA+I82f1aENefsw1OgOaNiRpXYfzKjiNV9rVbvRbvc05abKFaB6aCj9piLH57E6hP3UdA63tAsrHe1JKspLPqyCHgcFRJ6942/PoNDwnCLul6PGk ; Received: from unknown (HELO ?74.96.236.163?) ([EMAIL PROTECTED]@74.96.236.163 with plain) by smtp108.rog.mail.re2.yahoo.com with SMTP; 17 Dec 2006 01:42:51 -0000 X-YMail-OSG: zCGkOk0VM1mlReJxtIO.WxhZACC_d9yhoO1Oogn7vlCvyobed4smY8xCGAV9FGBEm3SnjNKeqWOtKbeGhhUbBSaPl8c6mhV_a5Nt3wnQTMS1WpzeG8FULA-- Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 20:42:51 -0500 From: Mark Cranford <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.8 (Windows/20061025) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Ontbirds <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: [Ontbirds]Rose-breasted Grosbeak Mississauga X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 01:42:52 -0000 A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak was seen and photographed today on the South Peel Christmas Bird Count. It was seen by Bruce Kennedy and Andy Morgan. I did not see the bird or have yet to see the photos. The bird was seen well on top of cedars along the north side of the cemetery that is on the west side of Clarkson Road south of Truscott Drive. The South Peel CBC was completed today. Results have not be compiled but the impression was of average to above average diversity and lower than normal numbers. The Yellow-rumped Warblers reported earlier today were still near the gazebo at the bottom on Hurontario St. at 5pm. Grosbeak location : exit QEW at Southdown/Erin Mills Parkway. Go south on Southdown Rd. about .5m south turn left at the lights at Truscott Dr. Continue on Truscott until the stop sign at Clarkson Road. Turn right on Clarkson Road then right at the first entrance to a cemetery. Inside the cemetery follow the road to the right park where the road start to turn to the west. Walk towards houses along the northeast edge of the cemetery. Study your female Grosbeaks. I am unaware of any Purple Finches reported on today's count. -- Mark Cranford Mississauga, Ont. Peel-Halton Counties CBC compiler mark.cranford at rogers dot com From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 16 21:50:18 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from smtp106.rog.mail.re2.yahoo.com (smtp106.rog.mail.re2.yahoo.com [68.142.225.204]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with SMTP id EE4B9634BD for <[email protected]>; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 21:50:17 -0500 (EST) Received: (qmail 8138 invoked from network); 17 Dec 2006 02:50:18 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO ?74.96.236.163?) ([EMAIL PROTECTED]@74.96.236.163 with plain) by smtp106.rog.mail.re2.yahoo.com with SMTP; 17 Dec 2006 02:50:18 -0000 X-YMail-OSG: xSRmu5MVM1mbgwINSFcDUzNZ1vkl7dyJNPSVyrCD015qpaPfggfJclAvZAXI_k8Sxozocjsbq3RddhTMMrooinUfv34ePntv3__fdf.w7IS7FWVIRrBQyA-- Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 21:50:17 -0500 From: Mark Cranford <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> User-Agent: Thunderbird 1.5.0.8 (Windows/20061025) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Ontbirds <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Subject: [Ontbirds]Black-legged Kittiwake still at Erieau X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 02:50:18 -0000 Posting for Allen Woodliffe whose email address has changed. The immature Black-legged Kittiwake was still at the Erieau harbour today. I and others saw it this morning at about 1030h and in spite of the periodic disturbances to the flock of Bonaparte’s Gulls it was with which caused all birds to flush up frantically, the birds invariably returned to the same location. The kittiwake was still present when I left at about 1330h. Erieau is about 30 minutes southeast of Chatham, Ontario, on Lake Erie at the mouth of Rondeau Bay, just west of Rondeau Provincial Park. Once you arrive at Erieau, enter the village and follow the one way street to the ‘T’ intersection. Make a short jog to the left and then immediately turn right to access the street which is adjacent (and on the north side) of the main slip of the marina. The feeding frenzy of mostly Bonaparte’s Gulls can take place almost anywhere in this channel, but most recently have been active at the west end. There have occasionally been one or more Little Gulls in with this flock of gulls as well. Allen Woodliffe allen.woodliffe at ontario.ca Chatham, ON -- Mark Cranford ONTBIRDS Coordinator Mississauga, Ont. [EMAIL PROTECTED] 905 279 9576 From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sat Dec 16 22:56:25 2006 Return-Path: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Delivered-To: [email protected] Received: from smtp2.execulink.net (smtp2.execulink.net [199.166.6.52]) by king.hwcn.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A16DD6349B for <[email protected]>; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:56:24 -0500 (EST) Received: from peat3k7xxjb5or (ppp6.a1-1.56k.execulink.com [209.239.1.6]) by smtp2.execulink.net (8.13.1/8.12.11) with ESMTP id kBH3uNti030580 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:56:23 -0500 Message-Id: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> From: "Pete Read" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2006 22:56:24 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2962 Thread-Index: Acchj1HoXXEnu2vfSf2IUoV6NwPZag=Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.1 Subject: [Ontbirds]London CBC Possible Rose-breasted Grosbeak X-BeenThere: [email protected] X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 03:56:25 -0000 Hey everyone. I noticed that South Peel had a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak reported. Coincidently there was one at a feeder for a few days this week in London. It was last seen on Wednesday, putting it into our Count Week. Although I heard it wasn't seen today at the feeders that it frequented recently, the people doing the woods near there have not reported in yet. So there is hope that she is still about and got onto our count. As our count, our 97th consecutive count, which was held today, Saturday, Dec 16, has a large number of participants, and feeders, all the data is not in yet. Due to mild conditions, birds were generally widely dispersed, and few were reported coming to those feeders that have reported in today. However, those who took part in driving and walking routes found a good variety of species. Only 67 species has been reported thus far but should end up at about 72 or so. Some highlights and trends included more than usual number of waterfowl species, due to our water being open.Bufflehead 1, Greater Scaup 1, near record number of Common Merganser 450, Mallard 800+, Tundra Swan 9 (5th count), Hooded Merganser 30+, Ruddy Duck 7, American Coot 22, all above average, and pretty good for an inland count. A large group of Canada Geese (450), out in a harvested corn field, had two with orange neck collars, indicating Arctic races, and they had the Tundra Swans with them. Interesting to find such migrants in our area this late. Our raptor numbers were elevated but not extreme, though more Northern Harrier and Redtails than usual. Northern Shrikes 3, were higher than usual. More than 1800 Ring-billed Gull, over 100 Herring Gull, 3 Glaucous Gull, mainly found at our large dump. Numbers of Brown Creeper were much higher than average at about 30, but Golden-crowned Kinglets were down. We had few robins this year, even though mild temperatures. Junco, American Tree Sparrows, and Mourning Doves were lower than the 10 year average. A few Cowbirds and Grackles were noted, about 5 each so far. Quite good birds included a Common Yellowthroat (9th count) and a group of 5 Vesper Sparrows (5th count). No redpoll or siskin, nor other winter finches. Over the next few days should have the rest of the data in.and will make more complete check on highs and lows. Will report on any additional goodies, and if the Rose-breasted Grosbeak was found again. Pete Read
