Ontbirders, In the past week an additional 7 species have been seen in Ontario and brought to my attention, bringing the 2011-2012 winter list up to an astounding 207. I am not sure what the all time high for one winter was, but last year's 201 has been easily passed! There were two major highlights this past week - the Bobolink in the Hamilton Study area (first winter record in many decades), and what will be Ontario's third record of Smew, if the Whitby harbour bird is accepted by the OBRC. This Eurasian species is a mega rarity anywhere in North America outside of the Aleutian islands in Alaska so that fact that Ontario already has 2 accepted records is incredible. I have send the list to Blake Maybank and hopefully he will post the results on the website soon. A link to the webpage: http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/maybank/other/onwinter.htm
The new species to the 2011-2012 Ontario winter list are as follows: Smew (December 26) - Whitby harbour Gray Partridge (December 18) - Woodhouse CBC Barn Owl (December 23) - Durham Region Townsend's Solitaire (December 17) - Manitoulin Island and Aurora CBC Pine Warbler (December 24) - Hamilton area Bobolink (December 24) - Hamilton area Brewer's Blackbird (December 18) - Port Burwell Out of the missing species to the winter list, the most likely to be added include: Eurasian Wigeon Gyrfalcon Virginia Rail Vesper Sparrow Yellow-headed Blackbird If anyone has heard of sightings of the missing species, just shoot me an email. Good birding and happy new years, Josh Vandermeulen Guelph, Ontario [email protected] 519-222-5420 (cell) joshvandermeulen.blogspot.com (blog) _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
