Bird report - Harris Sparrow - Mon, 08 Oct 2001

This morning, we've got an immature Harris Sparrow in our West Kingston 
backyard, eating the seed spread on the ground along with about 15-20 
white-throated sparrows.  The black bib is not yet full, and the top of the 
head shows the buffy sides and fine stripes on top as shown in our 
guides.  We're guessing the strong northwesterly winds of the last day or 
so may have brought it in.  The heavy frost last night was the first this year.

Linda
bdmlhm@king.igs.net
http://www.king.igs.net/~bdmlhm/

Bald Eagles - Mon, 28 May 2001

Hi Gord,

Yesterday my daughter, Emily and I found a pair of Bald Eagles at the previous nesting site on Bob's Lake.Last year the pair succeed in raising one young that was seen into early September. I hope the pair this year will produce offspring.

From Monty Brigham
mbrigham@sympatico.ca

Not so common Grackle. - Tue, 24 Apr 2001

Hi,
On April 23 at about 6:30 PM in Bayridge, Kingston we saw a common grackle with a white patch on it's back (about 1" in diameter). This patch was most easily seen in flight. The birds center tail feathers (3 or so) were also snow white over their full length. Other than the white markings it looked normal.

It seemed strange to me, but you're the experts.

George Graves
ggraves@gsm-cart.com

CHUKAR! - Fri, 20 Apr 2001

       
I have a chukar partridge sitting here on my sidewalk, and walking along
my cement porch! (Kingston area). My eastern RTP doesn't even list this
bird, and the Birds in Canada book says they were unsuccessfully
introduced to Ontario.  Are they that rare?????  It seems almost tame,
so I wonder if someone is breeding them here and it is an escape.
Anyone that can give me information on how prevalent they are, I'd sure
like to hear from you.

Heather Bashow
bashow-d@rmc.ca

Hi Heather, Chukars were bred in Ontario to be used as game birds. Some have escaped and may eventually be considered as a wild bird. I have seen one in the Toronto area a couple of years ago. It too seemed quite tame, again indicating that it was an escapee. It is still a very interesting and colourful bird to see
Gord Gallant

Great Grey Owl Kingston - Sun, 11 Feb 2001

Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).

This morning about 10:30 Sat. Feb. 10, I saw the Great Grey Owl east of
#1553  on a post looking over the field just east of a turquoise box.
The post was about 5 feet high.

A friendly couple was there from New York City. They have flown up,
rented a car and plan to do a week or so of winter birding in the
Kingston-Ottawa area. I think ONTBIRDS should get a grant from the
Ontario government for its success in promoting winter tourism in
Ontario!

DIRECTIONS: from Hwy.401 at the City of Kingston, take exit #613 onto 
Sydenham Road and go north for 150m, then turn east (right) onto
Sunnyside 
Road. Proceed to about civil address #1553 and look in a field on the
north 
side.

No sign of the Gyrfalcon at the Dupont plant today until about 1pm.

-- 
Sandra Eadie
aved@sympatico.ca
Toronto, Ont.

Kingston Field Naturalists Sightings for Week Ending Feb. 10 - Sat, 10 Feb 2001

Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).

This report to the OntBirds system is based on sightings from the Kingston
Region that have been brought to the compiler's attention over the past
week.

The Map page numbers and location coordinates noted in square brackets [...]
below for named sites, refer to the MapArt Publishing "Ontario Road Atlas,
2000 Edition"
Map page numbers and coordinates in pointed brackets <.....> below, for
locations requiring more detail, refer to MapArt "Deluxe Street Atlas of
Eastern & Northern Ontario, 1st Edition"

The following is an copy of the Feb. 10, KFN Phone Line Announcement, with
added detail for locations:

RARE BIRD ALERTS:  GYRFALCON at Dupont Ponds and GREAT GRAY OWL at Kingston
Ken Kingdon reported: "The imm. gray morph GYRFALCON was seen today (Feb. 9)
at the DuPont Nylon Plant warm-water lagoon." "The GYRFALCON is VERY easy to
miss when it sits near a tree trunk. It preened for over an hour, during
which several vehicles drove right beside it. So, I drove to the last "T"
(with yellow guard rails), turned south (left) 100m to a point just before
the big Girl Guides Bldg., and parked 3m from the same tree. It was 10m up;
a great view, so long as I stayed in my car."
Also from Ken Kingdon: "this morning Friday, Feb. 9, 2001 the GREAT GRAY OWL
(found yesterday by Betsy & John Searight from New Jersey) was observed by
several KFN members."  Henrik Mouritsen reported seeing it on the evening of
the 9th.

DIRECTIONS: from Hwy. 401 at the City of Kingston, take exit #613 onto
Sydenham Road.
Turn north for 150m, then turn east (right) onto Sunnyside Road. Proceed to
about civic address #1553 and look in a field on the north side.
Amherst I.  [P36, E55]
Alex Scott reported: "I did a fairly complete search of the Owl Woods today
(Feb. 7). There were still 2 BOREAL OWLS, one in the Cedar Woods near the
south end in the same general area it's been for the past few weeks and one
on the east side of the Pines where it too has frequently been found. There
were at least 6 SAW-WHET OWLS. Four of these are regulars in the Pines. On
Saturday there were 3 in the Cedar Woods but only 2 were found today, at
least one of which is becoming a regular. There were at least 12 LONG-EARED
OWLS in the Pines, perhaps a few
more. SHORT-EARED OWLS are still being seen in the surrounding fields and on
the KFN property to the extreme east in the late afternoon. SNOWY OWLS are
still fairly numerous. We also saw numerous RED-TAILED HAWKS and
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS and the occasional NORTHERN SHRIKE. At least one BROWN
CREEPER is being seen regularly in the Pines too, and 1 ROBIN has been
regular all winter."
Thomas Crooks of Burlington reported finding a LINCOLN'S SPARROW on the 3rd
Concession Rd. and a MEADOWLARK on the South Shore Rd.

Dupont Hot Pond [P36, D55], 
Besides a GYRFALCON, over the past week a number of observers have reported
a PEREGRINE FALCON and BALD EAGLES as well as 2 AM. COOT, a male CANVASBACK,
PINTAIL, GADWALL, C. MERGANSERS, SWAMP and TREE SPARROWS (Gerald Paul).
>From Hwy 401 exit south at km. 615 onto Sir John MacDonald Blvd. and
continue to the end at King St. W. and turn right and continue west past the
traffic lights at Mowatt and Portsmouth Avenues to the next traffic lights
which are near the west shore of Cataraqui Bay (aka Elevator Bay). Turn left
at the traffic lights and left again onto the road through the fence. If you
park to scan the ponds and the bay, leave plenty of room for Dupont Plant
traffic. You must branch left again to drive alongside the upper Hot Pond.
You can continue on to a "T" junction where you can turn right or left to
check for birds.

Joyceville HAWK OWL [P36, C57]
The N. HAWK OWL was reported on Feb. 5 (Mark Conboy and Gerald Paul)  It is
still seen along the first one or two km. of the 6th Concession east of the
intersection of the Joyceville Rd. and Hwy 15.
Directions From the 401 Hwy: Exit north off the 401 at km. 623 and go
northeast 11.6 km. and turn right onto the Joyceville Rd.. Turn left almost
immediately onto the 6th Concession. Watch for the Owl in trees close to the
road and on any intersecting roads.

Other Sightings
The Cartwright Point Gray Morph female E. SCREECH OWL was seen basking on
Feb. 3, 5 and despite the winds, today, Feb. 10th. The SCREECH OWL nesting
box is on Woodpecker Lane across from House #3, Woodpecker Lane which runs
off to the east from The Point Rd.. I saw one and heard 2 CAROLINA WRENS
near our feeders on Feb. 5. The COOPER'S HAWK was seen again on Feb. 8,
checking our feeders.

Directions to The Point Rd.: [P36, D56]   From Kingston
take Hwy 2 east over the Cataraqui River, past RMC, Fort Henry and Hwy 15.
Turn right (south) off Hwy 2 at the Vimy Gates (2nd traffic lights east of
Hwy 15) and immediately turn right again onto Caen Crescent.. Then turn left
onto Canal du Nord and go past Lundy's Lane to Casino Court. Follow Casino
Court down the hill and on up the narrow paved road which is called The
Point Rd.

Compiled by Bob Sachs, Kingston, ON
rsachs@sprint.ca

Gyrfalcon at Kingston - Sat, 03 Feb 2001

Hi All

Today - Saturday, Feb.3, 2001 Stan Bajurny and I went up to Kingston arriving at the Dupont Hot Ponds just after sun up. The Gyrfalcon was no where in sight so we turned around and parked so that we faced the ponds and Cataraqui Bay (West side of the Dupont plant south of Front Road). While there we sat and waited and did not exit our vehicle so as not to spook the waterfowl and the Gyr if it decided to move in.

It is while we were so parked that we observed a weird phenomenon. A vehicle driven by some GOOFY GOOMER drove up and down the road continuously from the time we arrived to some time after 9am. This GOOF drove by us no less than 16 times (8 each way) (we kept count). We tried to see what was behind the wheel but each time he came up to our vehicle he sped up, so we never got a good clear look except that he had grey hair.

The reason I mention this is that within 10 to 15 minutes of him finally driving off and the 3 vehicles that sat still with the occupants inside were rewarded for their patience as the Gyrfalcon finally flew in and perched on a tree overlooking the hot pond at about 9:30am. Nine of us had great looks as it perched in the tree and on the ice and flew almost directly over us twice. I don't know if this person had any effect on the movements of the Gyr but surely the continuous mindless driving back and forth must have been observed by the Gyr. Maybe I am guessing but after the traffic died down in it came. Maybe if patience is not his long suit he should wait until someone can go get him and then point the bird out for him.

This person in my opinion was surely only thinking of himself and did not have the best interest of the Gyr or fellow birders uper most in his mind. Again maybe I am over reacting but then again maybe I am right. Either way think before you go out next time for a rarity and in closing I hope who ever you are that you were back when the bird was found at noon.

Norm Murr
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA

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