Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week starting November 17, 2023 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): Eurasian Wigeon (Chatham-Kent, Hamilton) Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) (Chatham-Kent) King Eider (Leeds and Grenville, Niagara) PURPLE GALLINULE (Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry) Red Phalarope (Chatham-Kent, Essex, Simcoe) Purple Sandpiper (Essex, Niagara, Toronto) Pomarine Jaeger (Lambton) ANCIENT MURRELET (Halton) Black-legged Kittiwake (Essex, Lambton) Pacific Loon (Halton, Prescott and Russell, Simcoe) Western Cattle Egret (Chatham-Kent) Black Vulture (Niagara) Townsend's Solitaire (Essex, Thunder Bay) EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Algoma) BREWER'S SPARROW (Thunder Bay) Harris's Sparrow (Thunder Bay) LeConte's Sparrow (Norfolk) Dickcissel (Algoma, Toronto)
Details: I have tried to indicate the finder, where known. My apologies to those who I have left out. You can help me by giving the finder's name(s), if known, in your eBird checklists. Eurasian Wigeon (Chatham-Kent): The male found by Steve Charbonneau off Erieau on November 10 remained to at least November 19. Eurasian Wigeon (Hamilton): The male that Rob Dobos found off Princess Point in Cootes Paradise on November 6 continued again this week to at least November 19. Eurasian x American Wigeon (hybrid) (Chatham-Kent): The male found by Allanah Vokes off Erieau on November 11 was seen again on November 18. King Eider (Leeds and Grenville): Sandy Vandervalk found one at Lake Eloida on November 18 that was seen by several other observers again on November 19. King Eider (Niagara): Mourad Jabra and Rob Palin found one off Fifty Point on November 18 that was seen by several others the same day. PURPLE GALLINULE (Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry): The immature found at Farran Park in Ingleside on October 29 was seen by many to at least November 23. Red Phalarope (Chatham-Kent): Steve Charbonneau and Blake Mann had one off Erieau on November 21. Red Phalarope (Essex): Cameron Chevalier found one at the tip of Point Pelee on November 22. Red Phalarope (Simcoe): Paul Forde found one at Minet's Point in Barrie that was seen by many on November 23. Purple Sandpiper (Essex): Cameron Chevalier reported one off the tip of Point Pelee on November 20. Purple Sandpiper (Niagara): Up to two birds were at Port Weller this week November 18-20. Purple Sandpiper (Toronto): Up to two birds were at Tommy Thompson Park November 18-21. Pomarine Jaeger (Lambton): Matt Parsons and James Holdsworth photographed a juvenile from Ipperwash Beach on November 19. ANCIENT MURRELET (Hamilton): The bird found by Keith Dieroff off Van Wagners Beach late on November 16 was seen by several observers early on November 17 around Beachway Park in Burlington. Black-legged Kittiwake (Essex): Kit McCann reported one off the tip of Point Pelee on November 18 and several others reported one there again the next day. Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton): Several observers reported up to three individuals from different locations along Lake Huron on November 19. James Holdsworth reported one off Ipperwash Beach on November 22. Pacific Loon (Halton): Brett Fried reported one off Beachway Park on November 17. Pacific Loon (Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry): Nina Stavlund & Tony Beck photographed two off Hawkesbury on November 17 with at least one seen by several other observers to at least November 20. Pacific Loon (Simcoe): At least one bird remained off the Barrie waterfront this week. Cattle Egret (Chatham-Kent): Steve Charbonneau photographed one in Shrewsbury on November 20 that was apparently first found November 19. Black Vulture (Niagara): Up to two were reported this week from the Queenston area. Townsend's Solitaire (Essex): Jeremy Bensette and Kate Derbyshire found one at DeLaurier in Point Pelee on November 19 that was seen by many to at least November 20. Townsend's Solitaire (THunder Bay): Three different individuals were found this week: Allan Gilbert found one on Spruce Drive near Slate River Valley on November 18, Al Harris found one at Little Pigeon Bay on November 19 and Lindy Wagenaar found one at Pass Lake on November 21. EURASIAN TREE SPARROW (Algoma): The bird that Trent Massey originally photographed in Thessalon on November 9 continued this week to at least November 17. BREWER'S SPARROW (Thunder Bay): The bird Allan Gilbert found at Chippewa Lagoons on October 25 was refound this week and seen by several to at least November 18. Harris's Sparrow (Thunder Bay): Pegg and Mark Campbell photographed one in Terrace Bay on November 23. LeConte's Sparrow (Norfolk): Adam Timpf reported one near Walsingham on November 18. Dickcissel (Algoma): Ken McIlwrick reported three from Goulais River on November 21. Dickcissel (Toronto): Will Heikoop found one at Don Valley Brick Works Park on November 19 that was seen by many to at least November 23. Report compiled by Mike Burrell from a variety of sources, primarily eBird; most other sources are listed here: http://ofo.ca/site/content/ontario-hotlines-and-news -- Ontbirds and Birdnews are moderated email Listservs provided by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) as a service to all birders in Ontario. Birdnews is reserved for announcements, location summaries, first of year reports, etc. To post a message on Birdnews, send an email to: [email protected]. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the Birdnews Moderators by email at [email protected]. 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