| TORONTO and Surrounding area |
Archived Birding Reports - 1999 |
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).This morning just after 10 am I found an Eared Grebe very close to shore at Humber Bay Park East in Toronto. It was swimming less than 10 metres east of the new bridge that has been installed northeast of the parking lot, and was keeping company with a number of Buffleheads (which looked remarkably large in comparison). I later learned that Jim Fairchild had discovered this bird yesterday. A Wood Duck seen at the same location for the past two days was not present while I was there, but had apparently resurfaced by early afternoon.
Marcel Gahbauer
Scarborough ON
gsteve6@attglobal.netDirections: From the west, take the Park Lawn exit from the QEW, turn south, and continue across Lakeshore Blvd; follow the park road in to the parking lot. To reach the park from the east, get off the Gardiner expressway at the Lakeshore exit (follow the motel signs) and follow Lakeshore until you reach the Park Lawn traffic lights, then turn left into the park.
There wear some very GREAT birds in and around Toronto to day .The first was seen on the Lesley St. spit at 8:30 am this morning and is what I am sheer was (at 90 %) a Adult Laughing Gull in winter plumage , it was first seen flying east to west as we wear living Pipit point and was heading for the city, bill was slender decurved black, head was wight with some streaking , wings long and slender colour grey with black primaries showing know wight at all on the tips and a wight leading edge. Size was smaller than R.B.Gull,s flight was what look a little lumbersom , it was re found with the gulls loafing on the ice off of Cheery St. but as I got my scope on to it, it flue to the foot of Cheery St.( Was on the spit at this point) and I was not abele to see the black lags ? This is why I am only 90% shear.
When we arrived at Cheery St. all the gulls wear gone but 2 birders wear looking up in the sky as we turned around to see a 2nd year Bald Eagle fly over (know wondered why the gulls wear gone) also their was a juv Cooper's hawk fly by at the same time ( we had seen it earlier on the spit)
Also seen on the spit wear 2 G. H .Owl ,4 red polls ,1 snow bunting and 3 canvasbacks. This wear the best of the walk..
Also the 1st winter Heermann's gull was seen with the R.B.Gulls in the parking lot across from the Docks restraint off of Polson ST. which runs west off of Cheery St. in Toronto.
Craig S A McLauchlan
csam@sympatico.caPlease Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
After spending all mooring looking for the Western Tanager and finally seeing it twice and the second time with even better looks! but Bob Curry has described this so well I wont go on, but to say thank you to all that help refined this bird great to see it in Ont. (there wear also 2 Hermit Thrushes there)I left there and went to Cherry st hear in Toronto and watched the Heermann's gull it was in the parking lots across from the Docks restraiont on Polson st.lets hope it stays a week for the Christmases bird count Ill be looking!!!
Craig Mclauchlan
csam@sympatico.caPlease Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
This afternoon as I left work (early) I observed a gray phase adult Gyrfalcon flying south over Richmond Hill at 4:21pm. This bird looked like it knew where it was going so maybe birders should keep an eye open along the lakeshore this weekend.Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CA
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Yesterday, during the period that Ontbirds was down, I had submitted the following update on the Heermann's Gull in Toronto. It did not appear when Ontbirds was up & running again.
Dec. 16: I observed the Heermann's Gull from 9:30 - 11:05 am this morning. It was back in the usual places at Cherry St. & Unwin. There were strong SW winds. It sat on top of the salt piles watching the garbage trucks unload and occasionally flew down for a feeding. It was on the ground on the south side of the ship canal too, but eventually came to the north side of the canal, just east of Cherry St. inside the fenced off area next to the large puddle & was with Ring-billed Gulls..
Al Wormington took photographs and I took video.
When we left, Craig McLauchlan had arrived and stayed to keep an eye on the gull.
Jean Niskanen
Oakville, ON
jniskan@vianet.on.ca
The 1 st winter Heermann's gull was seen by many birders this mooring jest north of the ship canal on Cherry st. hear in Toronto .Cherry st runs south from the lake shore blvd. if not there look on Polson st across from the Docks restraint.
Craig McLauchlan
csam@sympatico.caPlease Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
I watch the Heermanns gull this afternoon from 3:30 to 4:30 the parking loot across from the docks restraint on Polson st . At 4:30 it left with the rest and flue to the brake wall on wards Island (witch is on the Toronto Island)for a vary short time and then off to wards the lake.Great to see it agene
Polson st is off of Cherry st south of the Lack shore blvd. in Toronto ont .
Craig McLauchlan
csam@sympatico.caPlease Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
Hi Gord,Just out of interest, I thought I might mention about the hermit thrush we saw in High Park yesterday. It was flitting about in the area behind the tennis courts, just off of a path running mostly east, near the large artwork piece. We were a bit surprised by its appearance at this time, but I guess with the mild weather, there are still a few migrants hanging around.
Also seen: northern cardinal, black-capped chickadee, red and white-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker, american goldfinch, dark-eyed junco.
A. Rivers / J. Holt
Toronto
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).At 4:20pm to-day I am certain I saw the Heermann's Gull despite observing thru' pouring rain. The gull was with 9 others,mostly Herring, on the Cunningham Ave. pond (opposite a school) off Jane St. 2 streets n. of Major Mackenzie (nr. Canada's Wonderland).Cunningham runs east of Jane. The gulls flew south (to Lake Ontario) at 4:30.They had obviously been feeding at Maple Dump.
On weekends there are usually less gulls at the dump so it could be back on Cherry Street! Otherwise it should be back in the Maple area again.
Dave Milsom
milsomdave@hotmail.com
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).I checked all the usual places on Unwin & Cherry Streets, including Ashbridge's Bay between 2:00-3:30 pm today, Wed., Dec. 8, and did NOT find the Heermann's Gull in Toronto..
NOTE: The welcome mat at Cargill Salt is worn out. I asked politely at the trailer and was REFUSED PERMISSION TO ENTER. There was no truck activity at the time. I was told that they are NO LONGER allowing birders to wander around on their property and that the usual rules of full safety equipment of hard hat, safety glasses etc. are in full force.
Jean Niskanen
Oakville, Ont.
jniskan@vianet.on.ca
I have jest come back from spending a another day with this Gull (thank god I am not marred) and was reward with some great photos in great light the bird spent all day in the same area around the boat canal and the slat piles on cheery st. pleas se others derisions on how to get there (ill only get you lost). a big thanks to Rob Miller for hosting the web site wear this new shot's are being posted as we speck . I have spoken to lots of people and resaved lots of email saying what a great web sight it is, well jest wait in till you see this photos.
I hope this bird stays for all of our 2000 list.
Craig.
csam@sympatico.caPlease Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).We just came back from Toronto after seeing the Heermann's Gull, which is indeed what it is. Crippling studies may be had at the garbage transfer station along Unwin Ave. Take the Gardiner east to Leslie St. Exit south and drive to the base of The Spit. Turn west along Unwin. Drive past the generating station to 220 Unwin where there is a large Cargill Salt sign. Park on the shoulder on the south side and walk in along the east side of the transfer station and then west along the "back side". The bird was feeding right in the transfer staion (bagels were the preferred food!) or standing on the foof or in the parking lot at such close range as to make a scope almost superfluous. Lots of excited and satisfied birders in its wake. Don't know it the transfer station takes garbage on Saturdays; this may be enough of a factor to induce a suddenn illness for some of you for tomorrow. Best of luck.
Bob Curry, John Olmsted and Glenda Slessor.
Glenda_Slessor@chat.haltonbe.on.ca
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Today, Tuesday, Nov. 30 just before 3 pm I observed the first winter Heermann's Gull that had previously been reported by Craig McLauchlan. This same gull had been reported but not identified over the last couple of weeks.
I was returning from Ashbridges Bay in Toronto where I had been waiting along with several other birders for the bird to show up. My patience ran out. On my return home I stopped at the Cherry St. ship canal, a good spot to look for gulls in winter. I immediately saw a very dark small gull amongst the Ring-billed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls resting on the gravel on the south side of the canal and on the east side of Cherry St. I knew this must be the bird we were looking for.
The following is a summary of everything I noted on it which matches a first winter Heermann's Gull in every way. First I must say that I have no field experience with this species but I am basing my ID on published photographs and on the literature.
This gull was a smooth solid chocolate brown in colour. There was no pale colouring anywhere other than on the bill. I saw it briefly with raised wings but never in flight. The legs were blackish brown. The eye was dark and the orbital ring was dark. The eye was centred on the face closer to the bill. The crown was smoothly rounded and the forehead was somewhat sloping. It had an overall delicate appearance compared with all other gulls present. The bill was longish and fairly slender, and almost appeared slightly drooping towards its pointed tip. (By comparison, the other gulls present had blunter bills.) There was also a very slight swelling at the bill tip. The basal two thirds of the bill variably appeared a dull yellowish flesh or a dull pinkish flesh depending on the angle at which it held its head. There was an evenly demarcated dark tip to the bill, extending further back on the lower mandible than on the upper.
The bird had a very attenuated look with the wingtips extending well beyond the tail. The primaries and tail were a dark blackish brown, darker than the rest of the plumage. The wing coverts were fairly worn and showed none of the pale edging of juvenal plumage, and were possibly slightly paler in contrast with the rest of the plumage. I could not see any other feather wear on this bird. A good example of this plumage can be seen in the photograph of a first winter Heermann's Gull in Audubon's Master Guide To Birding. Its legs appeared proportionately longer than those of nearby Ring-billed Gulls. They were also as thick as the latter's. The combination of all the above features gave it a delicate, almost elegant look. In a brief comparison it was slightly larger than a Ring-billed Gull, but its more delicate look along with its dark colouring tended to give it a smaller appearance.
The best place to look for this bird is from Ashbridges Bay (boat launch) at the foot of Coxwell Ave. in the east end of Toronto, and westward to Cherry St.(runs south from Lakeshore Blvd. East, just west of Don Valley Parkway). The ship canal is the most southerly canal on Cherry St. Also try Commissioners Rd. which runs east-west between Cherry St. and Leslie St. This bird could also show up on Leslie St. Spit which you access from the foot of Leslie St. Check out any flocks of gulls you see.
Good Luck,
Bob Yukich
39 Lincoln Ave.
Toronto, ON M6P 1M7
(416) 769-4344
bob@kryukich.on.ca
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Today at Ashbridges bay hear in Toronto at 1:30 Rob Miller, Bev Rellin and my self re found the 1st winter Heermanns gull (that was first found 3 weeks ago ?) It was siting near the boat launch with a group of Ring Billed gulls. I have photographs of this Gull and with Robs help, have posted them on a website for all to see , although I will say that one birder that has all ready seen them by the name of Bob Curry has said that their is nothing decisive showing in them I was not going to be one of those birders that scare a rare bird away to get the shot.
My notes reed like this: Nov. 29 99 Ashbridges bay Toronto First winter Heermanns gull 1:30 to1:45pm
slightly larger than R.B.Gull, nota round head rather sloped instead, bill larger and thicker, flesh colour at base and black at the tip (thicker and larger and moor decurved than a R.B.Gull) colour was over all deep gray brown, the wings wear darker than the body. Its legs wear dark gray all most black and its eye was black showing no eye ring.What a bird ..
To find Ashbridges bay follow the Gardiner expressway east to wear it turns in to lake shore blvd. the next set of lights is coxwell ave turne hear in to Ashbridges bay and go to the boat launch.
Craig McLauchlan.
Csam@sympatico.ca
Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
I couldn't positively identify the gull by the photographs, but with Craigs reputation as a good birder and his description of the bird, I would suggest going down to see it for yourself! I was lucky enough to see one within a few feet, while I was in San Diego on business several years ago, and from I what I saw in the photos, it is likely!Gord Gallant
gord@web-nat.com
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).The Ross' Goose was still at Humber Bay Park in Torornto to day at noon. We saw it in one of the east side bays.
To get to Humber Bay Park take QEW to Parklawn Exit. It is about 3 or 4 exits east of 427. Go south on Parklawn to the lake. Humber Bay Park is at the end of Parklawn Rd.
Karl Dix
Burlington
dix@skylinc.net
I visited Humber Bay yesterday hoping to find the Ross' Goose. I expected to work for it a bit, but it couldn't have been easier. It was sitting a hundred feet from shore with a small flock of Canada Geese just north east of the parking lot. I toured Humber Bay East, and the harbour area of Humber Bay West without turning up much else of interest. Aside from the usual Mallards, Gadwall, Black Ducks, Canada's and Mute Swans, there were hundreds of Buffleheads, thousands of Oldsquaw (mostly well out in the lake), a dozen or so Hooded Mergansers, a pair of Shovelers, just two Goldeneyes, and only one Common Merganser. I don't come here very often at this time of year, but the numbers and variety of ducks and gulls were lower than I would expect in January.By the time I returned to the parking lot, the Ross' Goose was nowhere to be seen. I last saw it swimming east, close to shore. Maybe if I had arrived an hour later, I really would have needed my scope and hiking boots!
Brian Bailey
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Today, Sun.Nov.21,1999 I went down to the Leslie Street Spit in Toronto to see what's around.
Off Pipit Point in the am I found 3 Red-throated Loons in close and as I watched them one of them started calling and did this for about and hour as they drifted out into the fog. This is the first time that I have ever heard their call. Later when Andrew Jano joined me we saw another 2 flying past, one in close for a total of 5 birds. This was another first for me as I have never seen that many on the spit on one day (or one year) before.
The spit was kind of quiet today but I did see about 3 to 4,000 Oldsquaw on the lake or flying west over the lake, and between the 59 Hooded Mergansers that Roy Smith counted in the 3rd bay and the others that I saw, it appears that there were NO LESS than 73 Hooded out there, another Toronto record I think.
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CATo get to "The Spit" from Queen & Yonge Streets. Take the Queen Street Car #501 east to Leslie Street and walk south (about 2 km) or as far as you can go on Leslie Street to Unwin Avenue and you will see the gate and signage. By automobile you may drive to Lakeshore Blvd and Leslie Street and turn south or exit from the Gardiner Expressway at Leslie Street also turning south. If before 9am you can park either on Leslie Street or Unwin Avenue, after 9am the parking lot inside the gate is open.
Pipit Point is the extreme left hand (southwest) point. When walking out towards the lighthouse you will come to a road going off to the left (at the quonsut hut or tin shed). Follow this road along the outer arm as far as it goes (there is a large blue dumpster on the point).
NOTE:- The spit is only open on the weekends and on holidays, at other times you will not be able to access the area.
Hello Chatters,I saw, not the Snow but a rather large duck sized and the rare one, -the Ross' Goose, in Toronto waters this morning. It was swimmg in the company of 2O Canada in the Humber Bay East waters. About 3O' away from me. Pinkish legs and feet paddling the clear water was a pleasure to watch
Although there were few communal flocks of honkers in the bay that leads to Lake Ontario, this lost soul was not interested in them. Whereever the special 2O moved in the water, there went this small arctic goose. Although some of its larger friends honked, this visitor to Toronto remained silent
Not mistaken. No grinning patch (dark streak)on the side of the pinkish bill and the wing tips black.
I don't know if it was the same Ross' which Glenn Coady, a fellow chatter from Toronto, reported sighting couple of years ago in the general area and which I also went to see. If I can remember, that one stayed back in Toronto that winter to enlighten many curious birders.
Good Birding,
Ram Nambiar
Mississauga.ONT
CANADA
http://www.echo-on.net/~birder
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Nov.8 to Nov.14, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro.This was an incredibly slow week - in fact, the numbers would even qualify as a slow day. In all only 29 hawks were seen this week. Most of the days had winds roughly from the south. Even today (Sunday, November 14) bird movement was very, very slow despite strong northwest winds, a rising barometer and good sky conditions.
Species Nov.8 - Nov.14 Year to Date Turkey Vulture...............-.............1696..... Osprey.......................-...............57..... Bald Eagle...................-...............17..... Northern Harrier.............-..............184..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk...........2.............4050..... Cooper's Hawk................3..............100..... Northern Goshawk.............-................8..... Red-shouldered Hawk..........-..............116..... Broad-winged Hawk............-.............5533..... Red-tailed Hawk.............15.............2410..... Rough-legged Hawk............-...............34..... Golden Eagle.................-...............43..... American Kestrel.............2..............522..... Merlin.......................-...............37..... Peregrine Falcon.............-...............15..... Other(Gyrfalcon).............-................1..... Unidentified.................7..............189..... Total.......................29...........15,012.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above sea level and 38 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Howard Shapiro
email: howard.shapiro@utoronto.ca
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).The ROSS' GOOSE was still at Humber Bay PArk East this morning. At that time it was in the water behind the islands on the east side of the now empty marina.
QEW to Park Lawn. Park Lawn to the Lake.
Mike
Mike Street
Ancaster, Ontario, Canada
mikestreet@hwcn.org
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).The Ross' Goose was still in the vicinity of Humber Bay Park as of 2:30 Thursday. It was seen, with the usual flock of Canadas, on what appears to be its favourite feeding grounds, the grass lawn at the Christie's plant about 100 yards east of Park Lawn on the north side of Lakeshore Blvd. You can park in the Humber Bay Park parking lot and walk north across the new holding tanks and through the old motel properties to Lakeshore Blvd., or take a chance and park in the Christie's parking lot.
Ron Scovell
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).The Ross' Goose was present at 1 PM today at Humber Bay East. It was grazing with a large group of Canadas behind a motel a few buildings east of Park Lawn on Lakeshore. If it remains in the same place it can be seen by parking in the lot at the lake at the end of Park Lawn, walking east along the lake and looking up towards the buildings on Lakeshore.
As per Jack Alvo:
Humber Bay Park East is at the bottom of Parklawn, which is accessible (i.e. a separate exit) from the Gardner Expressway, east of Hgy. 427 if approaching from the west.Regards,
Harold Stiver
Paris,Ontario
hstiver@home.com
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Hi All,
Just came from the East side of Humber Bay Park (11:30) where I viewed the Ross' Goose. The bird was in the water at the South East end of the park. Park your car in the South-East parking lot and walk towards the CN tower. Apparently, the bird has been seen in this area of the park quite frequently. At approximately 11:45, the bird flew north, with a flock of Canada's (Probably to Mr. Christie's front lawn).
Humber Bay Park is found at the southern end of Parklawn Blvd. in Toronto.
Birds of note seen at Long Point Sunday:
-Goshawk over the entrance to the Provincial Park.
-An unidentifiable swallow at approximately 1:30, flying north over the marsh, just west of Old Cut Blvd. All I could make out was that it had a square shaped tail. I chased it for about 30 min. but could not relocated it.
-30+ Snipe along the shoreline, at the Port Rowan lookout.-Thanks to Norm and Stan for the Little Blue Heron at the same location.
Greg Salter
Stoney Creek
Kestrel33@hotmail.com
I live in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto, in a wooded area with pine trees, cedars surrounding my home. I occassionally work from my home office, on the second floor, where I am visited by winged friends darting in and out to take seeds from a hanging feeder.There is a steady stream of Black-capped Chickadees and Red-breasted Nuthatches. I occasionally see a White-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay or Cardinal. And sometimes a Downy Woodpecker visits the feeder..lands briefly and doesn't eat.
In the past week I have also been visited a few times by Common Redpolls and what I believe are a flock of Pine Warblers. I know that Pine Warblers have a few look alikes...Fall Backpolls and Fall Bay-Breasted Warblers. I have had the opportunity to study them up close and at length, but I'm still not positive what bird they are. They have black legs, white undertail coverts, olive face, yellow green breast, and two white wing bars. If I'm not moving or by the window, four or five will land on the feeder and sit and eat for longer periods of time.
I am interested to know if someone else has recently sighted these birds, in our area, and has identified them.
Gerry Kirk
grkirk@ca.ibm.com
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Nov.1 to Nov.7, 1999
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro.No birds were seen until the weekend. We decided that we could see as many birds at home while keeping warm and dry as we could while getting chilled and soaked to the bone in the driving rain. Luckily by Saturday the skies were clear and strong northwest winds blew for the weekend. On Saturday 58 birds were seen including 50 Red-tailed Hawks and 1 Peregrine Falcon. Sunday was a great day with 561 birds of 9 species seen, including 505 Red-tailed Hawks, 2 Golden Eagles and 9 Rough-legged Hawks.
Species Nov.1-Nov.7 Year to Date Turkey Vulture...............4.............1696..... Osprey.......................-...............57..... Bald Eagle...................-...............17..... Northern Harrier.............4..............184..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk..........15.............4048..... Cooper's Hawk................5...............97..... Northern Goshawk.............-................8..... Red-shouldered Hawk.........15..............116..... Broad-winged Hawk............-.............5533..... Red-tailed Hawk............555.............2395..... Rough-legged Hawk...........10...............34..... Golden Eagle.................2...............43..... American Kestrel.............1..............520..... Merlin.......................0...............37..... Peregrine Falcon.............1...............15..... Other(Gyrfalcon).............-................1..... Unidentified.................7..............182..... Total......................619...........14,983.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above sea level and 38 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Howard Shapiro
email: howard.shapiro@utoronto.ca
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).In case it has not been reported, a Ross's Goose was at Humber Bay East Park today. I believe it has been there for a few days. Today two of us saw it feeding on the grass in front of the Christie cookie family opposite the park entrance to the northeast (sorry Alfred, but I don't know your last name). It was tame and we got terrific looks with just bino's. I understand that it is sometimes found in the bays at the park as well as in the location I've described.
Humber Bay Park East is at the bottom of Parklawn, which is accessible (i.e. a separate exit) from the Gardner Expressway, east of Hgy. 427 if approaching from the west.
Jack Alvo
alvo@interlog.com
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Hello Ont Birders,
I am sending this observation on behalf of Diane Salter. Today, Saturday, at 4pm, she was at the intersection of Trafalgar Rd and Burnhamthorpe Rd in Mississauga when she saw a white Snow Goose, with a large large flock of Canada Geese, flying in a northerly direction.
Elisabeth Mihalj 49 Jardine Place Toronto,on M9R 2B8 Diane Salter, (905) 276-8714
G'day Gents.Just wanted to share with you today's find from Wilderness Park. I must have found no less than 4 or 5 bird kill sites (nothing but feathers), but only one had any obvious signs of identification (obvious to me, at any rate ;-). See the attached photo.
I suspect it is (or was) a Downy Woodpecker, but I bow to the Master Birder... correct me if I'm wrong. They are slightly less dark on the underside (more grey than black), and do have a particularly soft (downy) feel to them... particularly the cluster of 4 feathers on the right in the photo.
I wish I had as much luck finding *live* birds... but then, today's expedition was not intended to be for birding, just a walk... so I had not brought my binocs or book, much less my camera.
There was actually a stretch of bushes that were just loaded with berries of some sort. They looked very much like the "chokecherries" I love... medium-bright red with small grey flecks, and a single large seed. But these ones were larger, more clustered, and the seed was proportionally smaller (i.e., there was much more pulp & juice in these). I crushed one & it smelled like my chokecherries, but it had very little taste to it (I just licked a tiny bit of juice... I'm not that
). Probably not coincidentally, there was also a large flock of robins hanging around the area. I also found a dead fish in the creek... it must have been a good 24 inches long, but unfortunately I don't know much about fish except that they stink even when they're alive. This one was submerged, and on his back, exposing a really bright yellow underside from snout to tail. (I don't mean just "yellow-ish", I mean solid canary yellow!) I could barely reach this one with a stick, and when I turned it over I could see splotches of the same yellow (and some dark green) all over his sides, and it looked like it might just have been due to decay, but perhaps not. All in all, just not something I see every day.
--
Larry Menard
Defender of Geese and of All Things Natural
larry.menard@home.com
http://members.home.net/larry.menard
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Oct.25 to Oct.31, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro.This week the big news was an juvenile Gyrfalcon seen this Sunday at 12:30. If accepted by the Toronto Ornithological Club Records Committee, this would be a first for the High Park site. The other big news was the 14 Golden Eagles seen this week making an unprecedented (for us) 41 for the year.
Species Oct.25-Oct.31 Year to Date Turkey Vulture..............22.............1692..... Osprey.......................-...............57..... Bald Eagle...................-...............17..... Northern Harrier.............3..............180..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk..........32.............4033..... Cooper's Hawk...............12...............92..... Northern Goshawk.............1................8..... Red-shouldered Hawk..........6..............101..... Broad-winged Hawk............-.............5533..... Red-tailed Hawk............368.............1840..... Rough-legged Hawk...........13...............24..... Golden Eagle................14...............41..... American Kestrel.............1..............519..... Merlin.......................3...............37..... Peregrine Falcon.............2...............14..... Other(Gyrfalcon).............1................1..... Unidentified................12..............175..... Total......................490...........14,364.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Hello Chatters,Ram NambiarMany northern ducks have come down south to Toronto waters. Some are on transit while others like Oldsqaw here will go no farther than Lake Ontario.
This morning I saw many hundreds of Oldsqaws in several scattered flocks flying just over the lake waters and alighting and then diving under. They must have come here likely from the Arctic(Spitsbergen at about 78 degrees North) only the other day. Last week I didn't see them at this same location. The male Oldsqaws haven't fully changed into their white on the head, neck and wings, yet. Few very small flocks of Golden-eye, Buffleheads, Shovelers, Gadwall, American Wigeons are at the Humber Bay close to Parklaw rd. The Parlawn Rd East Pond had few American Wigeons, and Shovelers.
The highlight of this morning's 3 hrs trip to the Lake side was spotting a small flock made of 14 Green-winged Teals(Anas carolinensis). Smallest of the North American dabbling ducks, they were busy feeding with head down in the shallow water of Etobicoke Creek beside the exposed mudflat where the creek runs into Lake Ontario. I waited nearly an hour to see them in full figures and it finally paid.
Nine of these 14 'puddle ducks' were males. Chestnut head, dark green eye mask which runs down to the back of the neck, briliant green speculum. A beautiful sight in the morning sun light. It is possible that they, like the male mallards and American wigeons, have completed the molt or getting near to it. The females also showed their beautiful colorful green speculum. No voice was head.
How long they will remain in Toronto is to be seen. Referring to literature I find that these wary dabblers are capable of flying at a speed of 16O miles an hour during migration and can often evade the bullets of fall hunters.
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Oct.18 to Oct.24, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, & H. Shapiro.Once again strong northwest winds and cold fronts brought lots of birds on this Monday and Sunday. The rest of the week was fairly quiet. Golden Eagles were the big news this week. On Monday, October 18th a High Park record was tied when 11 Golden Eagles seen. Also seen were 696 Red-tailed Hawks and 941 total birds of 11 species. If that was not enough Golden Eagles, another 12 (a new High Park record) were seen today on Sunday when 374 birds of 11 species were also seen. Interestingly enough, a sister site to the east, Iroquois Falls, also saw 12 Golden Eagles today. Of the 27 Golden Eagles seen this year, 24 were seen this week. Also this week were large numbers of Red-tailed Hawks (1071) and good numbers of Rough-legged Hawks (9, including 5 today).
Species Oct.18-Oct.24 Year to Date Turkey Vulture..............98.............1670..... Osprey.......................-...............57..... Bald Eagle...................2...............17..... Northern Harrier............11..............177..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk.........234.............4001..... Cooper's Hawk...............12...............80..... Northern Goshawk.............3................7..... Red-shouldered Hawk.........42...............95..... Broad-winged Hawk............-.............5533..... Red-tailed Hawk...........1071.............1472..... Rough-legged Hawk............9...............11..... Golden Eagle................24...............27..... American Kestrel.............6..............518..... Merlin.......................3...............34..... Peregrine Falcon.............1...............12..... Other........................-................-..... Unidentified................19..............163..... Total.....................1535...........13,874.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Norm MurrHi
Today, Sun.Oct.24,1999 I headed down alone to the Leslie Street Spit in Toronto to do a little bit of lake watching and it turned out to be another good day at the spit.As I approached Pipit Point via the outer arm at 4:43 am I noticed a large bird over the flats and after putting it in my binoculars I found that it was an immature Bald Eagle hunting it's way only feet over the ground. A good start to the day out there. I continued on and set up my scope and myself on the point to watch the lake. Several thousand Oldsquaw and 182 Red-breasted Mergansers were the common birds here with a few Common Loons and a Red-necked Grebe for variety.
Overhead and around me at various times were a total of 141 Snow Buntings, most moving through in quick order. On the point with me and other birders that started to arrive were 2 White-crowned and 2 A. Tree sparrows that made little sounds off and on as they fed and rested. I could hear these sounds off and on so I didn't pay much attention after awhile, but finally it dawned on me that some of the little sounds were to my right. I turned and there only 20 feet away was a Purple Sandpiper, then two, then I was informed that there were 6 of them. They had been there all the time (40 minutes or so) that I was there and they went unnoticed all this time, how embarrassing! They stayed there from about 8am until around 10:45 when I left the point. I was able to phone these birds in to a contact while I was out there and while the birds were in sight (hope that's quick enough) as one of the birders had a cell phone with him, so I hope the word got out and some birders took the trouble to head out to see them. It was good that at least 8 other birders got to see these birds while I was there as they do not show up in Toronto too often and I know that 6 is a record for the spit.
While waiting for 2 birders to get into range I spotted a large raptor towards the city (at 10:25am) over peninsula D so I put it in my scope and discovered that it was an adult Golden Eagle, the first time that I have ever seen both Eagles on the spit on the same day.
This was a raptor day on the spit with 9 species, including 3 N.Goshawk and 3 dark phase Rough-legged Hawks moving through.
After this I headed for home, they seem to be stretching the spit during the week as it seems to be a long way back lately. On the way I checked out the different cells and counted a total of 242 Bufflehead, so I guess there in too. Stan and I also had a good day yesterday and I will write up our other highlights tomorrow as I am tired and maybe a little lazy right now.
To get to "The Spit" from Queen & Yonge Streets. Take the Queen Street Car #501 east to Leslie Street and walk south (about 2 km) or as far as you can go on Leslie Street to Unwin Avenue and you will see the gate and signage. By automobile you may drive to Lakeshore Blvd and Leslie Street and turn south or exit from the Gardiner Expressway at Leslie Street also turning south. If before 9am you can park either on Leslie Street or Unwin Avenue, after 9am the parking lot inside the gate is open.
Pipit Point is the extreme left hand (southwest) point. When walking out towards the lighthouse you will come to a road going off to the left (at the quonsut hut or tin shed). Follow this road along the outer arm as far as it goes (there is a large blue dumpster on the point).
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Alfred RaabSaturday between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. at Col. Sam Smith park (at the bottom of Kipling) 8 Short-eared Owls, all migrating along the lakeshore, east to west, some far out over the water. Also 2 fem. Black Scoter
Hi Gord,LeslieThis past weekend (Oct. 16-17), my backyard(Bathurst/Sheppard)was very busy. I have a suet feeder and I've filled my regular feeder with "neat seed"(peanut chips, shelled sunflower seeds, some cracked corn and hulled millet).
I've had White-Crowned Sparrows (adults and immature), Red-Breasted and White-Breasted Nuthatches, a male and a female Downy Woodpecker fighting over the suet feeder, Blue Jays, American Goldfinches, House Sparrows and Finches, Juncos, Chickadees, Mourning Doves.
Today, I looked out at the regular feeder and sitting on the pole was a male American Kestrel. I've had other hawks hanging around the yard like Sharp-Shinned, Cooper's and I've even had Red-Tails cruise over, but no bird has made itself so much at home. Needless to say, that sure cleared the yard for a while.
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Oct.11 to Oct.17, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichThe week was fairly quiet except for two days in which strong northwest winds blew. On Monday we had 657 raptors including 394 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 135 Turkey Vultures as well as both Eagle species. Thursday was even better with 1055 total raptors most of which was comprised of 742 Turkey vultures, 169 Sharp-shinned Hawks and 106 Red-tailed Hawks. On Sunday 44 total raptors were seen and under 10 raptors were seen on each of the remaining days of the week.
Species Oct.10-Oct.17 Year to Date Turkey Vulture.............879.............1572..... Osprey.......................-...............57..... Bald Eagle...................1...............15..... Northern Harrier............12..............166..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk.........597.............3767..... Cooper's Hawk...............27...............68..... Northern Goshawk.............3................4..... Red-shouldered Hawk.........20...............53..... Broad-winged Hawk............1.............5533..... Red-tailed Hawk............158..............401..... Rough-legged Hawk............1................2..... Golden Eagle.................1................3..... American Kestrel............57..............512..... Merlin.......................4...............31..... Peregrine Falcon.............1...............11..... Other........................-................-..... Unidentified................15..............144..... Total.....................1777...........12,339.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Norm MurrI went to High park in Toronto today as I naively believed the weather report about northwest winds with sunny periods. The northwest winds occured but the sunny periods were all above the clouds.
I did not want to spend too much time at the hawk watch if conditions didn't improve because once I get on the hill I don't want to leave, so I sat at the Grenedier Restaurant sipping my coffee and noted a few Sharp-shinned Hawks, a number of Robins and House Fiches flying past and at 11:21 am a Common Raven flew directly over the restaurant at no more than 100ft above me heading west. The large beak and wedge shaped tail were very noticable as it flew over and moments later some A. Crows flew past for a comparison. I am posting this sighting as I do not have John Barkers email, so I hope he reads it.
Note:- See the High park hawk watch postings for directions to High Park - The next two weeks should be exciting on the hill as the larger more visible raptors such as red-tailed hawks and Golden Eagles are now heading through. Watch for North and Northwest winds and head for the hill, you won't (or hopefully won't) be disappointed.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Norm MurrHi Ontbirders
Today Sat.,Oct.16,1999 Alfred Adamo, Stan Bajurny and I birded the Leslie Street Spit and it was a day full of variety and that included 20 waterfowl species.It started off well as Stan and I spotted an adult N. Goshawk along the causeway as we headed for Pipit point.
We observed a female Peregrine Falcon on the point as we first arrived there. Alfred joined us right after this and we stood at the tip watching the lake, winter is coming! We saw 2000+ Oldsquaw, 29 White-winged Scoters, 121 Red-breasted Mergansers and a Short-eared Owl (this is the 3rd week in a row for migrating short-ears here) passing by offshore and a single Snow Bunting flew over our heads. Don Perks joined us out here for a short talk and informed us of a Northern Shrike on the base.
We left the point heading towards peninsula B and on the way were 100+ A. Pipits, 4 Lapland Longspurs and 4 or 5 A. Tree Sparrows. On peninsula B we found 3 Orange-crowned Warblers and 2 Fox Sparrows among the White-crowned Sparrows.
After leaving Peninsula B we birded our way towards the base and at the 1st bay there are still 2 White-rumped Sandpipers
To get to "The Spit" from Queen & Yonge Streets. Take the Queen Street Car or Bus #501 east to Leslie Street and walk south (about 2 km) or as far as you can go on Leslie Street to Unwin Avenue and you will see the gate and signage. By automobile you may drive to Lakeshore Blvd and Leslie Street and turn south or exit from the Gardiner Expressway at Leslie Street also turning south. If before 9am you can park either on Leslie Street or Unwin Avenue, after 9am the parking lot inside the gate is open.
Pipit Point is the extreme left hand (southwest) point. When walking out towards the lighthouse you will come to a road going off to the left (at the quonsut hut or tin shed). Follow this road along the outer arm as far as it goes (there is a large blue dumpster on the point).
The other areas are displayed on a map at the second gate.
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Oct.4 to Oct.10, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichThe weather once again made hawk watching a qualitative rather than a quantitative experience. Except for Wednesday when 665 raptors of 13 different species were counted, one had to the time to admire each of the few birds that flew by. For the rest of the week only 89 raptors were seen. The highlight of the week was the first Rough-legged Hawk of the season for our site.
Species Oct.4-Oct.10 Year to Date Turkey Vulture.............352..............693..... Osprey.......................-...............57..... Bald Eagle...................1...............14..... Northern Harrier............11..............154..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk.........216.............3170..... Cooper's Hawk................5...............41..... Northern Goshawk.............-................1..... Red-shouldered Hawk.........23...............33..... Broad-winged Hawk............5.............5532..... Red-tailed Hawk.............91..............243..... Rough-legged Hawk............1................1..... Golden Eagle.................1................2..... American Kestrel............16..............455..... Merlin.......................1...............27..... Peregrine Falcon.............2...............10..... Other........................-................-..... Unidentified................19..............129..... Total......................744...........10,562.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Hi Gord,LeslieWith the weather changing, I've had different visitors in my Wilds of Willowdale backyard (Bathurst and Sheppard). Today (Oct. 7), I had a small flock (10) of male and female Juncos (the first I've seen this fall.) Also, the White-throated Sparrows have been hanging around. There were about eight in my yard today. Besides the Chickadees, today there was a male Golden-Crowned Kinglet in my evergreen. We also have a tailess Blue Jay hanging out at the feeder.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Howard ShapiroStation: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Oct.6, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counter: N. McHughA good day in High Park today. The best bird of the day is a our first Rough-legged Hawk of the season. And we had 13 different species - our best variety ever. The totals are:
High Park Site Description
- Species Oct.6
- Turkey Vulture.............330
- Osprey.......................-
- Bald Eagle...................1
- Northern Harrier.............8
- Sharp-Shinned Hawk.........188
- Cooper's Hawk................1
- Northern Goshawk.............-
- Red-shouldered Hawk.........23
- Broad-winged Hawk............5
- Red-tailed Hawk.............77
- Rough-legged Hawk............1
- Golden Eagle.................1
- American Kestrel............13
- Merlin.......................1
- Peregrine Falcon.............1
- Other........................-
- Unidentified................15
- Total......................665
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Norm MurrHi again folks
This morning I decided to bird the spit as I hoped for some new migrant arrivals and the spit is always a place to spend a day. At 8:23 am as I was approaching Pipit Point I decided to walk to the lake edge to see if any Plovers were about and to my surprise and to the birds surprise, as it almost flew off, I spotted a bird below me and when I put my binoculars on it I discovered that it was a nice Red Phalarope. I quickly backed off as the bird was very nervous and looked like it may fly. I again very slowly approached the edge and it again jumped, but this time it took off and flew past me, heading towards the lighthouse. The last time I saw it was as it passed off the lighthouse heading for Detroit or somewhere.
I continued onto Pipit Point where I found 5 N.Harriers hunting, but on closer inspection I discovered that one of them was a Short-eared Owl, as I was admiring these birds I noticed a bird high above them and it turned out to be an immature Bald Eagle. About 5 minutes later I heard a call behind me and turned to see a Whimbrel flying past about 20 feet off the road and only about 50 feet from me.
I was already feeling pretty good about all this great activity when about 30 minutes later a single canada Goose flew over heading south and with it was a blue phase Snow Goose and minutes later a N.Pintail flew past.
I now took a bit of time to check the many sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers and to count the American Pipits (59), most on the ground. In among them was a Lapland Longspur so on that note I felt that I had been granted too much luck already, so I headed towards the wooded side of the spit where there were more common birds.
At the 1st bay (just to the right, north of the Quonset hut were 12 Dunlin, 1 Sanderling, 1 A.Golden Plover, 4 Blk-bellied Plovers and 4 Semipalmated Plovers and while standing there an immature N.Goshawk flew past at hat height. That was enough so I headed home.
To get to "The Spit" from Queen & Yonge Streets. Take the Queen Street Car or Bus #501 east to Leslie Street and walk south (about 2 km) or as far as you can go on Leslie Street to Unwin Avenue and you will see the gate and signage. By automobile you may drive to Lakeshore Blvd and Leslie Street and turn south or exit from the Gardiner Expressway at Leslie Street also turning south. If before 9am you can park either on Leslie Street or Unwin Avenue, after 9am the parking lot inside the gate is open.
Pipit Point is the extreme left hand (southwest) point. When walking out towards the lighthouse you will come to a road going off to the left (at the quonsut hut or tin shed). Follow this road along the outer arm as far as it goes (there is a large blue dumpster on the point).
PS - There are no phones on the spit.
Station: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Sept.27 to Oct.3, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichOnce again this was a rather slow week. The rain washed out or nearly washed out the first three days of the week. Today was by far the best day with light north winds in the morning and cold throughout the day. This brought 211 Turkey Vultures, one of the better one day records of this species ever for our site. Red-shoulered Hawks are just beginning to pass through.
Species Sept.27-Oct.3 Year to Date Turkey Vulture.............267..............341..... Osprey.......................6...............57..... Bald Eagle...................2...............13..... Northern Harrier............33..............143..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk.........179.............2954..... Cooper's Hawk...............11...............36..... Northern Goshawk.............-................1..... Red-shouldered Hawk..........9...............10..... Broad-winged Hawk............4.............5527..... Red-tailed Hawk.............74..............152..... Rough-legged Hawk............-................-..... Golden Eagle.................-................1..... American Kestrel............51..............439..... Merlin.......................5...............26..... Peregrine Falcon.............2................8..... Other........................-................-..... Unidentified................33..............110..... Total......................676.............9818.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Howard Shapiro
email: howard.shapiro@utoronto.ca
Howard Shapiro 14 Oriole Crescent Toronto, Ontario M5P 1L5 email: howard.shapiro@utoronto.ca voice: (416) 488-2203
- Sun, 3 Oct 1999 Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).CraigTheir wear some good birds on the Leslie st spit to day hi lights wear, Rusty Black bird 5 , Paragon falcon 1 add. F., Y.R. Warbler 165, Y B sapsuckers 3, W T Sparrows 75, Brow creeper 2, Osprey 1 both Kinglets in small numbers but best birds wear a Sedge wren on the base and a Yellow breasted chat in the sparrow fields (or pensile b)
The Leslie st spit is found at the foot of Leslie st hear in Toronto.
Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic
thank you for your understanding.
Craig
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Sept.20 to Sept.26, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichThis week was considerably slower than last week as winds were predominately from the west and southwest. The major migration of Broad-winged Hawks and American Kestrels is most likely over and the numbers of these two raptors this year are well below historic levels. This may be due to the weather conditions during this fall's hawk migration. There was not much in the way of north or northwest winds. From our perspective this may have favored migration over a wide front instead of the hawks being concentrated along the shores of the Great Lakes and passing our station in large numbers.
Species Sept.20-Sept.26 Year to Date Turkey Vulture..............58...............74..... Osprey.......................5...............51..... Bald Eagle...................6...............11..... Northern Harrier............13..............110..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk.........562.............2775..... Cooper's Hawk...............10...............25..... Northern Goshawk.............1................1..... Red-shouldered Hawk..........-................1..... Broad-winged Hawk..........239.............5523..... Red-tailed Hawk.............35...............78..... Rough-legged Hawk............-................-..... Golden Eagle.................1................1..... American Kestrel............31..............388..... Merlin.......................1...............21..... Peregrine Falcon.............1................6..... Other........................-................-..... Unidentified................30...............77..... Total......................993.............9142.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Please Excuse my spelling ,I am Dyslexic thank you for your understanding.this mooring from my front window hear in north Toronto ( Mountplesant and Laurence) a murder of crows flew by that numbered 43 and I know I mist some. this was quite the sight in a area that I see only 3 or 4 on a good day.
Craig
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Sept.13 to Sept.19, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichThis week provided both record high numbers of hawks and very slow days. Monday rained out our watch. But things improved when northerly winds on both Thursday and Friday encouraged large numbers of Broad-winged Hawks and Sharp-shinned Hawks to fly over High Park. However, the mild southerly winds and clear skies on Saturday and Sunday brought only 187 total raptors past our site this weekend.
High Park Site Description
- Species Sept.13-Sept.19 Year to Date
- Turkey Vulture..............10...............16.....
- Osprey......................22...............46.....
- Bald Eagle...................2................5.....
- Northern Harrier............77...............97.....
- Sharp-Shinned Hawk........1593.............2213.....
- Cooper's Hawk................6...............15.....
- Northern Goshawk.............-................-.....
- Red-shouldered Hawk..........-................1.....
- Broad-winged Hawk....... .5225.............5284.....
- Red-tailed Hawk.............10...............43.....
- Rough-legged Hawk............-................-.....
- Golden Eagle.................-................-.....
- American Kestrel...........212..............357.....
- Merlin..................... 14...............20.....
- Peregrine Falcon.............3................5.....
- Other........................-................-.....
- Unidentified................28...............47.....
- Total.....................7202.............8149.....
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Today I went down to the Spit and found no regular birders but did meet a friend that I had been missing. Good to see you again Sandra, hope you can make it down more often than of late.
Some of the other high lights were 54 American Pipits, 53 of them on Pipit Point, 18 Palm Warblers, 8 of them in the same small tree together, 1 Gray -cheeked Thrush, 78 Rusty Blackbirds, 32 Lesser Scaup, 11 Sanderling, 2 Golden Plovers, 2 Lincoln's Sparrows, 62 Song Sparrows, plus 12 White-crowned, 31 White-throated, Savannah and Swamp Sparrows and my first 3 Brown Creepers of the season.
Norm Murr
Richmond Hill, ON
NORMURR@SYMPATICO.CAP.S. A regular birder did show up, Naish McHugh and his wife came out of the woods and filled me in on the weather that is expected in mid week. Naish tells me that a front will be passing through bringing cooler northwest winds and probably a movement of raptors over High Park again and maybe including eagles. If you get a chance try to get to the hill and if there are favorable winds then you should be rewarded with lots of action overhead and in the morning a good movement of passerines could occur. The social side of the hill can be rewarding too.
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Sept.17, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichUp to 24 observers were treated to large numbers of migrating raptors today. There were 4802 Broad-winged Hawks and 877 Sharp-shinned Hawks today - the highest single day total for these species ever recorded at our site. In total, 5867 migrating raptors were counted today. The weather consisted of strong winds from the north to northwest. The morning temperature of 11 Celsius rose to 20 by midday. The barometer was steady and the sky was nearly completely blue for the entire day.
Traditionally, at the High Park site Broad-winged Hawks migrate in large numbers for 2-4 days. The forecast is for winds from the north tomorrow and if all goes well we could experience similar numbers of migrating raptors Saturday and possibly Sunday.
Species Sept.17 Sept.13-Sept.17 Year to date Turkey Vulture..............10............ .10...............16 Osprey...................... 4..............19...............58 Bald Eagle...................1............. .1................4 Northern Harrier............33..............59...............79 Sharp-Shinned Hawk.........877............1468.............2088 Cooper's Hawk................5...............5...............14 Northern Goshawk.............-...............-................- Red-shouldered Hawk..........-...............-................1 Broad-winged Hawk.........4802............5208.............5268 Red-tailed Hawk..............8..............10...............43 Rough-legged Hawk............-...............-................- Golden Eagle.................-...............-................- American Kestrel...........118.............207..............352 Merlin.......................4..............11...............17 Peregrine Falcon.............2...............3................5 Other........................-...............-................- Unidentified.................3..............24...............35 Total.....................5867............7028.............7975High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Sept.16, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichToday there was mild weather, northerly winds, and brief breaks in the clouds. The first big numbers of Broad-winged hawks arrived (406). With the any luck the next few days will see even bigger numbers of hawks flying past our site.
Species Sept.16 Sept.13-Sept.16 Year to date Turkey Vulture..............-..............-..................6 Osprey.....................10.............15.................39 Bald Eagle..................-..............-..................3 Northern Harrier...........23.............26.................46 Sharp-Shinned Hawk........465............591................653 Cooper's Hawk...............-..............-..................9 Northern Goshawk............-..............-..................- Red-shouldered Hawk.........-..............-..................1 Broad-winged Hawk.........406............407................466 Red-tailed Hawk.............1..............2.................35 Rough-legged Hawk...........-..............-..................- Golden Eagle................-..............-..................- American Kestrel...........73.............89................234 Merlin................... ..2..............7.................13 Peregrine Falcon............1..............1..................3 Other.......................-..............-..................- Unidentified...............13.............21.................32 Total.....................994...........1161...............2108High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioHoward Shapiro
View Period: Sept.6 to Sept.12, 1999.
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. YukichMild weather and southerly winds predominated this week and the much anticipated migration of large numbers of Broad-winged Hawks did not develop.
Species Sept.6-Sept.12 Year to Date Turkey Vulture..............3................6..... Osprey.....................14...............24..... Bald Eagle..................1................3..... Northern Harrier...........11...............20..... Sharp-Shinned Hawk........408..............620..... Cooper's Hawk...............4................9..... Northern Goshawk............-................-..... Red-shouldered Hawk.........1................1..... Broad-winged Hawk..........50...............59..... Red-tailed Hawk.............8...............33..... Rough-legged Hawk...........-................-..... Golden Eagle................-................-..... American Kestrel...........60..............145..... Merlin..................... 3................6..... Peregrine Falcon............2................2..... Other.......................-................-..... Unidentified...............11...............19..... Total.....................576..............947.....High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
I am new to the internet but want to let you know what I have seen today. I went for a brief walk along the creek in Shell Park (Oakville) and saw several Black and White warblers, female Redstarts and a few Magnolia Warblers. Then later that evening along the lake just west of Bronte Harbor I spotted an Osprey, what I think was a spotted sandpiper and a belted Kingfisher. Thanks for the birding site!Karen Olech
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Howard ShapiroStation: High Park, Toronto, Ontario
View Period: Aug.18 to Aug.29,1999
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: J. Barker, D. Barnett, H. Currie, M. Gahbauer, N. McHugh, H. Shapiro, & B. Yukich
Total Aug.30-Sept.5 Year to Date Turkey Vulture - 3 Osprey 4 10 Bald Eagle 2 2 Northern Harrier 1 9 Sharp-Shinned Hawk 82 212 Cooper's Hawk 3 5 Northern Goshawk - - Red-shouldered Hawk - - Broad-winged Hawk 3 9 Red-tailed Hawk 2 25 Rough-legged Hawk - - Golden Eagle - - American Kestrel 3 85 Merlin 3 3 Peregrine Falcon - - Other - - Unidentified 5 8 Total 107 371High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region: City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.
Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Greater Toronto Raptor WatchPosted by:
Event: Hawk Open House
Location: Hawk Hill, High Park, Toronto
Time: 10 am to 4:pm
Date: Saturday September 11,1999From late August through November, Hawk Hill in High Park provides an excellent location to observe thousands of raptors - Birds of Prey - during their fall migration. An annual migration is conducted during this period just north of the Grenadier restaurant parking lot.
Hawks,Eagles,Falcons and Turkey Vultures migrate south from their nesting grounds in central and northern Ontario and Quebec. When they reach the north shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, they continue westward before turning south at various narrow crossing points and fly on to the southern United States, Central America and South America.
High daily bird counts occur in mid-September and coincide with winds from the north-west and rising Barometric Pressure.
To Celebrate this natural event, the Greater Toronto Raptor Watch is holding an open house on Hawk Hill on Saturday September 11 from 10:am to 4:pm. Entrance to High park is restricted to the Bloor Street gate on Sundays. Bring your binoculars and you will have a wonderful experience.
Don Barnett
Station: High Park, Toronto, OntarioPosted By:
View Period: Aug.18 to Aug.29,1999
Station co-ordinator: Don Barnett
Counters: Don BarnettHPRW Totals
Aug 18 : Hours = 2 , No Hawks
Aug. 21: Hrs = 4, OS 1, Total 1
Aug. 28: Hrs = 5, TV 2, OS 1, NH 1, SS 25, CH 1, RT 11, AK 10, Total 51
Aug. 29: Hrs = 8, TV 1, OS 4, NH 7, SS 105, CH 1, BW 6, RT 12, AK 72, UR 3, Total 211Totals To Date:
TV 3, OS, 6, NH 8, SS 132, CH 3, BW 6, RT 23, AK 82, UR 3, Hrs. 19,
Total 263High Park Site Description
High Park is located just west of Downtown Toronto. The park is operated by the City of Toronto Parks Department. This is a 400 acre wooded park, dominated by a Black Oak Savannah. The Count site (Hawk Hill) is located on a small hill at the north end of the Grenadier Restaurant parking lot. It is located about 1.5km (1 mile) north of Lake Ontario, at an elevation of 110 metres above Lake Ontario. The site location is N 43 degrees 37 minutes 03.8 seconds, W 79 degrees 28 minutes 56.5 seconds. This station is at the highest point and near the centre of the park; a steep slope that descends to a large pond is immediately west of the station. Full time counts have been recorded here since 1993.The following are partners in our raptor migration monitoring in the Greater Toronto Region:
City of Toronto Parks and Culture Department, Toronto Ornithological Club, and Local Naturalist's Clubs.Please visit the Hawk Migration Association of North America website at http://www.hmana.org for directions to our sites. Click on watchsites, then Ontario to find our Stations.
Hi Gord,Marcel GahbauerMorningside Park wasn't exactly teeming with life this morning, but there were some interesting sightings. As usual, the best area was north of the second parking lot (especially the northwest end of the beaver meadow today).
Two young Sharp-shinned Hawks (one male, one female) were practicing their hunting skills on the Blue Jays and Common Flickers at the edge of the beaver meadow. In the same area I observed a pair of Purple Finches (close to where they were last fall...), at least half a dozen Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and a few lone warblers: Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Redstart, and Wilson's. Two juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeaks were in a nearby tree, and there were two families each of Gray Catbird and House Wren.
Spotted 9:30am Wed. August 25 at Derry Road and Third Line flying west towards the Town of Milton. It was tree top level just south of Derry Road. It looked like a Grackle pulling nesting material until it was beside my car. It was unmistakbly a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.Dan Tobias
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Eric BeresfordAbour half an hour ago, my wife and daughter were doing some work in the front when a hawk flew into a tree across the street. I was called out to identify and found it to be an immature Cooper's Hawk. It skittered around the tree a little when cars passed, but hung around for about 15 minutes before taking off over the house opposite. It made a pleasant highlight for the day and underlined the fact that in the High Park area you don't even have to go birding to bird.
"For Questioning is the piety of thinking."
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Craig.S.A.McLauchlanWhile barbequing in the rain tonight from 5:15 to 5:45 I watched 38 night hawks and over 150 swifts flying at times at eye level here in north Toronto.I have never had such a good look at this species as I have had tonight , it pays to go out in the rain .
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Craig .S.A.McLauchlanFor the last 2 weeks and right on time to night I have had 2 and 3 screech owls calling, heard from my back yard in north Toronto , I know that they have nested at the Rosedale golf course for the last 8 years and am sure that this is from the same family , this is to me a true sign of fall.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).It was a peculiar morning on Toronto's Leslie Spit - typical "winter species" outnumbered fall migrants! The strangest find was in a mixed flock of 18 Brown-headed Cowbirds and 17 finches, located in the flats east of the main road, south of the pond cells on the east side of the Spit. While most of the finches were House Finches, close examination revealed that at least three of them appeared to be juvenile Common Redpolls! The entire flock was very active, never resting in one place for more than a minute or two, and eventually headed off toward the lighthouse.
Other early arrivals included a male White-winged Scoter near shore just south of where the finches were discovered, plus a female Bufflehead and a female Hooded Merganser in the second pond cell from the north. Nearby there was a pair of Canvasbacks; there was a second pair in the northernmost cell, plus a female and a half-grown male (?) duckling in the last small pond east of the road before the lighthouse.
Other species of note today included 2 Horned Larks along the rocky eastern shoreline, a single Ruby-throated Hummingbird and a female Osprey over the area where the finches were spotted, and a female and a juvenile Harrier patrolling the length of the peninsula.
Good birding,
Marcel Gahbauer
Scarborough ON
gsteve6@ibm.netDirections: To reach the Leslie Spit, take the Gardiner Expressway through downtown Toronto to Leslie, then head south to the end of Leslie. Parking is available inside the park gates after 9 am on weekends and holidays, and on the street outside at other times.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Hello Ontbirders,
Today, 19 August, Winnie Yung and I birded the Toronto waterfront and Rattray Marsh in Clarkson.
At Humber Bay East and Colonel Sam Park in Toronto, we saw good numbers of 14 species of warblers: Nashville, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia (lots), Cape May, Black-throated Blue, Yellow-rumped, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Bay-breasted, Black-and-white and Canada Warblers, Common Yellowthroat and American Redstart.
We also saw numerous Warbling Vireos and Least and other Empidonax flycatchers.
A juvenile Northern Mockingbird was at Humber Bay East, and in the east bay there were three Common Goldeneyes: a male in eclipse plumage and two females.
On Lake Ontario off Rattray Marsh, there were about 40 Red-necked Grebes in breeding plumage.
Humber Bay East is at the south end of Park Lawn Road off Lakeshore Blvd. Colonel Sam Park is at the south end of Kipling Avenue off Lakeshore Blvd. Rattray Marsh is at the end of Bexhill which is off Lakeshore Road in Clarkson.
Good birding,
Jean
Jean Iron President, Ontario Field Ornithologists 9 Lichen Place Toronto, Ontario M3A 1X3 Canada jeaniron@globedirect.com Web Page: www.interlog.com/~ofo
This summer I have spotted what appeared to be a peregrine falcon. Flying in the Toronto High Park area.CheersToday I was allowed to see a nice show.
Two adults and 1-2 adolescents having fun.
They landed on the roof of the high rise next to me. I am on the 20th floor and over-look the park and lake. My binoculars confirmed the sighting, and my camera, may show a little when developed.
They seemed to play for about 15 minutes. Crows playfully chased the young adolescents, and in a blink of an eye, the falcon was in a different location, looked like they were just having fun.
I'll try to be prepared with the camera tomorrow, if they show.
Hi Gord,Marcel GahbauerMigration in Morningside Park still seems to be slow, but there is no doubt it has started. Warblers this morning included Ovenbird (north of the second parking lot), Chestnut-sided (west of the second parking lot), and Magnolia and Black-and-white in the orchard. Most of these were in the company of chickadees.
Breeding birds are also still around. Several half-speckled Robins were in the grassy areas, two young Wood Thrushes were north of the second parking lot, and a young Red-eyed Vireo was begging for food on a branch overhanging the road west of the second parking lot. Two families of 6 House Wrens each were making quite a racket in separate territories north of the second parking lot.
I didn't find any hummingbirds yet, but there are large patches of jewelweed in places, and I expect them to arrive any time now. If this year is anything like the past couple of years, there should be 10-15 hummingbirds around from now to around Labour Day. More warblers will certainly be coming in soon as well.
Good birding,
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Mike StreetAn adult Little Blue Heron was seen briefly yesterday, Tuesday, Aug. 17 in the area of Old Derry Rd near the Credit River in Meadowvale, west of Toronto (Mississauga). It flew almost immediately and was not seen again. Checks of the area last night found nothing. Birders should keep an eye out for this one.
Mike
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Mike BoydDear Fellow Birders
Went to Rattray Marsh today and the best bird was a Common Loon well offshore, it was likely a juvenile, but could of been a winter plumaged adult. It was too far offshore to tell which one it was, but I could see the the white throat and belly and a grayer bill, however the back and wings looked uniformly black, which would make me lean towards a winter plumage adult if it were not for the time of year. Also offshore were 44 Red-necked Grebes, and at least 10 G. Black-backed Gulls, but most likely double that, as they were all over the place. In the marsh was not as many birds as I thought there would be but that is likely because there was so much distubance from people. There were however 2 Great Blue Herons, 3 imm. Green Herons, 1 adult and 2 imm. Black-crowned Night-heron, also 8 Least Sandpipers, 5 Semi. Sandpipers, 1 Lesser Yellowlegs, 1 juv. Short-billed Dowitcher, and 2 Killdeer.
To reach Rattray Marsh exit the QEW at Erin Mills Pkwy/Southdown Rd and head south to Lakeshore and turn left, continue until Bexhill Rd, and make a right and at the end of the street there is a sign and path into Rattray Marsh and you can park there.
Hi Gord,Marcel GahbauerWarblers are already on the move! This morning at Morningside Park there were 3 Blackburnian Warblers and 1 imm. Chestnut-sided on top of the big hill east of the last parking lot. An Indigo Bunting was also singing near the summit. Yesterday (Sunday), I had two Canada Warblers moving through my front yard near Kingston & Guildwood Parkway.
Good birding,
Hi Gord,Marcel GahbauerThis morning I finally had a chance to do some birding along the bluffs for the first time in well over a month, and while many of the birds were predictable summer residents, there were some pleasant surprises among the 44 species I located.
I began at Sylvan Park, where birds included Cedar Waxwing, House Wren, Bank Swallow, and a female Kestrel flying along the edge of the bluffs.
At Bluffer's Park there was another female Kestrel, hunting along the bluffs to the west, and giving the dozens of starlings perching on the bluffs quite a good scare. There were at least two families of Warbling Vireos west of the parking lot, and young RW Blackbirds and Grackles were numerous. Other highlights here included 1 Willow Flycatcher, 9 Killdeer, 14 Common Terns, 2 Caspian Terns, 3 Gr. Black-backed Gulls. Without a doubt, however, the best birds were the 2 Pileated Woodpeckers I saw flying east over Brimley as I was driving out of the park, about halfway up the hill.
Having had a bit more time to kill, I headed back to Cudia Park (midway between Bluffers and Sylvan). For half an hour I wandered about without adding any new species for the day. Then suddenly I heard the unmistakable song of a Rufous-sided Towhee. It was near the southwest end of the main part of the park, a bit below the edge of the slope, and was singing quite persistently - the first time I've found one in the city in the summer!
Good birding,
Hi Gord,Marcel GahbauerA brief evening trip into Morningside Park a couple of nights ago produced all of the regular species, plus a singing Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a singing Wood Thrush, both north of the second parking lot. Also of note, the Cooper's Hawks have again nested on the hill southeast of the third parking lot. There is at least one fledgling flying about in the nearby woods, being scolded by other birds including vireos and crows.
Good birding,
YOUR LAST REPORT FOR TORONTO AREA, SOMEONE THOUGHT THEY SAW A TURKEY VULTUREIRVINGTHERE ARE AT LEAST A HALF DOZEN VULTURES RESIDING NEAR RAVENSHOE (JUST NORTH OF NEWMARKET)
IF ANY BODY WANTS TO SEE THEM GO UP 404 TO END DAVIS DRIVE TURN RIGHT TO WARDEN, LEFT ON WARDEN TO RAVENSHOE SIDE ROAD
THE VULTURES ARE IN THE FIELD BETWEEN THE ABANDONED FARM HOUSE AND THE GARBAGE GARAGE
THEY LOOK FREIGHTENING WHEN THEY STAND ON THE OLD HOUSE
Dear Gord,LeslieOn June 10, I was down at the Beaches. From the car, I thought I caught a glimpse of a Turkey Vulture flying over the large cemetery there. But, I thought nah, they aren't around Toronto.
Well today, June 14, a Turkey Vulture flew over our house in the wilds of Willowdale. (Bathurst and Sheppard)
I'd been watching and hoping for the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird to return to our yard, I didn't expect something so big instead. Has anybody seen any hummers in Toronto?
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Between 6:45 and 7:45 p.m., on May 19, a good mix of late spring migrants were observed at the base of the Leslie St. Spit in Toronto.
Highlights:
Other warbler species included Tennessee (female), Bay-breasted (female), Mourning (male), Wilson's (female), Redstart (male).
- 2 Willow Flycatchers (1 calling)
- 1 Yellow-breasted Chat (rattling)
- 1 Connecticut Warbler (brief ringing song)
- 3 Lincoln Sparrows
To reach this site, take Leslie St. south from the Gardiner extension or Lakeshore Rd. in East Toronto. Park where Leslie St. ends at Unwin St. Walk southwest a few hundred metres to a large clump of tall Cottonwoods trees. The birds are mainly in the red-osier dogwood understory and can be difficult to find. Try pishing.
This area is a renowned migrant trap and can be a very productive visit even if you have only an hour or so available to bird.
Good luck!
Alfred Adamo
1500 Grazia Ct. #703
Mississauga, ON
L4W 4Z9
(905) 238 5166
aadamo@purolator.com
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Adam ElliottA secret for all those stuck in Toronto during migration. The Glen Stewart Ravine which runs south of Kingston Rd. between Glen Manor Dr. and Beech Ave. is a small but significant park in the beaches. The old oak growth mixed with a wide varity of new growth and a small creek make an excellent resting spot for migrating songbirds. You can typically see 10 types of warblers or more. The Red Fox is well known to the locals and a PAIR OF RED-HEADED WOODPECKERS have nested there for at least the last 5 years.
Today there were at least 5 pairs of SCARLET TANAGERS.
This well kept little birding spot is now yours to enjoy!
Happy birding
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Sandra Kaufman,Hello Ontbirders,
I was with a group of five others including Carole Sellers and Louise Orr on Wards Island in Toronto today. Around 10:00 am. we watched a male Kentucky Warbler easily for about 15 min. It was in the bushes on the left side of the little restaurant called "The Rectory".
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Sandra EadieOn an OFO trip led by Norm Murr on Saturday were 10 or more Lapland Longspurs in full breeding plumage. At least 3 males. Near the tip on the east side. Quite a sight.
Not a big thing, but for the third year in a row I've observed Northern Mockingbirds setting "up shop" at the TTC Humber Loop in Toronto. In the previous two years I've seen them raising young in July & August. They appear around the third week in April & are gone by mid-August. Within the GTA I've only ever seen single birds on Ward's Island & in Southern Etobicoke (Titan Rd. Garden Allotments)(once each time)(in very disparate years). The logical conclusion is that they are moving north out of the Hamilton area. Global warming?????Jim Milne
Many people who live downtown don't realize that the Don Valley park system, running from the Lake all the way north, can have some excellent birding during the migration. My spot is right in the Riverdale Farm, at the end of Winchester Street downtown, and in the St. James Cemetery right across the street. The cemetery opens around 8 a.m. or earlier, the farm, not until around 8:30 a.m.(side gate, not main entrance which doesn't open until 9 a.m.), but still the birding is great. The main reason for this is that the park and trees have been established here long before the city was built. Also, if you go down into the lowest parts of the farm, there is a small protected marsh and a naturalized pond. All of them have lookouts. It's a beautifully small area with loads of treasures. The marsh birds stay all summer.T. DobkoHere are the birds I saw on May 6th and 7th:
Wood Duck (1), Common Pintail (2), Mallards (resident population of about 6), Canada Geese (resident population of about 6-8), Green Heron (1), Black-Crowned Night Heron (1 -- there will be more soon), White-Crowned Night Heron (3), American Bittern (1), Virginia Rail (1 - nesting at the most southern edge of the Riverdale Farm pond)
Belted Kingfisher (2), Pileated Woodpecker 1 - heard but not seen those days, seen on other days), Downy Woodpeckers (2), Flickers (at least 6 on the ground in the cemetery), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1), Least Flycatcher (1), Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (1), Swallows (Purple Martin, Tree and Rough-Winged, about 6 at the pond), Brown Creeper (2), Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (2-3), Golden-Crowned Kinglet (at least 10, probably more, mostly on the 6th of June), Hermit Thrush (1), Veery (1), Warbling Vireo (1), Yellow-Throated Vireo (1), Solitary Vireo (at least 2), Baltimore Orioles (2-3), Orchard Oriole (1, my first), Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (2)
of the Warblers: Northern Parula (1), Black-Throated Green (3-4, 1 stayed in a tree right next to me singing and showing off to me for more than 20 minutes!), Black and White (6-8), Yellow-rumped (dozens), Blackburnian (1), Nashville (1) (there will be more species before migration is finished)
of the Sparrows: White-Throated (3), White-Crowned (1), Chipping (1), Swamp (2), Song (several, they are all through this area)
And in my century-old maple, in my back yard, May 7th, an American Kestrel, having breakfast (species unknown)
So don't forget about the inner city -- head to the Riverdale Farm until migration is over, or all summer for more herons -- the St. James Cemetery, esp. at the back of the cemetery, the entire Don Ravine system.
Happy Birding,
Hi Gord,Marcel GahbauerThis morning I spent about an hour in Guildwood Park, hoping to find some birds brought in by the rain last night. While the most common migrants continued to be "early" species (18 White-throated Sparrows, 15 Ruby-crowned Kinglets, 11 Yellow-rumped Warblers), there were also many new arrivals.
The best spot today was at the south gate of the Guild Inn property. Here there were 9 species of warblers, including one very obliging male Parula singing from a low branch, 3 Black-and-white, 5 Black-throated Green, 2 Black-throated Blue, 1 Magnolia, 2 Chestnut-sided, 1 Tennessee, 1 Yellow, and most of the Yellow-rumped mentioned above. Also in this area were 3 Least Flycatchers, 1 House Wren, 2 Baltimore Orioles, and 3 Chimney Swifts.
The only other part of the park with any noticeable level of activity was the forest beyond the west gate of the Inn. There was a Nashville Warbler singing there, as well as a Great Crested Flycatcher, and one Veery. Out on the lake there were again 15 - 20 Red-breasted Mergansers, and 4 Loons flew north overhead during the time I was in the park.
Good birding,
While walking our dog this morning between 6:30 and 7:15 I spottedGord Gallant
21 COMMON LOONS flying north from the lake through the Malvern area (NE Scarborough). The movement tends to stop a little after 7:00.
Hi Gord:Joyce Collier-BrownThings are heating up here in the middle of Willowdale. I heard a black-throated green warbler singing yesterday, and black-and-white this morning along with a white-throated sparrow singing tentative incomplete songs, and an indigo bunting has been coming to our feeder off and on all day.
Good birding,
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Garth RileyIn the short span of about 45 minutes this morning I saw &/or heard a good variety of spring migrants. The location was the woodlot west of the greenhouse at Centennial Park in Etobicoke. The greenhouse is located on Elmcrest Road north of Rathburn Road.
Here is a partial list:
Warblers: Tennessee, Nashville, Black-throated Blue, Blackburnian, Yellow-rumped, Chestnut-sided, Black and White, Ovenbird.
Philadelphia Vireo, Baltimore Oriole, White-throated Sparrow.
So if you don't have a morning meeting I suggest you get out there this morning I'm sure something rare will turn up.
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Last evening (May 5), I had a female Brewer's Blackbird in my backyard. Unfortunately it did not stay long and has not reappeared so far today.
Theo Hofmann 199 Arnold Avenue Phone: 905 889-1554 Thornhill Ontario Fax: 416 978-8548 Canada L4J 1C1 e-mail: theo@hera.med.utoronto.ca
Hello Chatters,Ram NambiarFirst I heard only its scolding 'chirru--rrup'. It was coming from inside of a weeping willow along the 'Discovery Walk' which is on the south east shores of Granadier Pond in Toronto. On the up hill is the High Park woodlands.
Droopy willow leaves are practically yellowish at this time of the year. I walked under the tree to see the source of that sound and there it was, the fire-hangbird, -the Baltimore Oriole, in its most fabulous orange and black plumage, perched on a branch. Its gorgeous colors made the bird even more conspiceous among the yellow background. My binocular was foccused on this icterid for some time until at last it flew away towards the easterly direction. Some distance away on the north end of High Park woodland I heard and spotted another male Oriole perched on an elm tree announcing its territorial claims by its piping songs. No female orioles are seen.
I was around this area only couple of days ago. In all probability the orioles must have arrived in Toronto only last night.
Good Birding,
Dear Gord,Laura Berman & Michael BowserI'm pleased to report the faithful return of our resident nighthawks on May 5th. They have returned between May5 and 8th every year that we have lived here (Spadina & Eglinton) and at our previous home (Spadina & College), a total of about 9 years. I've been trying to find more information on the migration habits and family grouping of nighthawks to learn whether this consistency of return date is normal. Can anyone help?
Hello Chatters,Ram NambiarThose much coveted warblers are gradually making their way north to Canada. It is only a matter of few days perhaps before we could see the Magnolia, the Blackburnian, the Wilson's, the Canada and others in our woodlands here.
This morning I walked through the thickly wooded areas of Lake Side Park and Jack Darling right along Lake Ontario in Toronto.
The songs of warblers are the ones that enchant me more than their colors. But the combination hypnotises me. I met these new arrivals in Toronto today.
- Yellow
- Black&White
- Yellow-rumped
- Warbling Vireo
- Hermit
- Wood
Good Birding,
- White-throated Sparrow
Hi Gord,Ram NambiarThey say 'Nature' will always have some surprise for you. For me, this May morning's birding trip was one of those many.
I was so excited by the sight and sound of this all yellow male songster once again that had reddish streaks on its breast, -the male Yellow Warblert(Dendroica petechia). The location was Marie Curtis Park in Toronto.
From a distance I almost discarded it thinking it was nothing more than a female Goldfinch. Then came that lively, pleasing, high pitched songs somewhere from the middle of the alder tree situated along the Waterfront trail.It is only the first week of May in this 42 degree north latitude. Not yet the time for true far southern warblers to be in Toronto. But it was already here.
At close range I saw the yellow patches in the tail also. Unmistakable. A male Yellow Warbler. It was busily moving from one foliage to the other searching for insects. I didn't see his female counterpart anywhere. In between feeding from the foliage he Turned his head 45 degree skywards before utteringfrom the those sweet notes.
Call it a coincidence. Few minutes earlier to this and few trees before I saw a male Cow B performing in front of its female and finally mounting her. The Yellow Warbler making more storeys above its nest as a means of getting rid of cowbird eggs and all flashed in front of me. Looking at this beautiful warbler I wished the brood parasite never locates its nest this year or ever.It was few years ago that I discovered and photographed the active cup nest of a Yellow which was not infested. The white eggs with dots on the broad side were kind of glued to the smooth cotton which was incorporated into the nest by the parents.
Good Birding
Hi Gord,Paul FletcherOn the evening of May 3rd I spent about an hour in Lambton Woods. Among the birds I saw there were, Black and white Warbler (3), Yelow-rumped Warbler (4), Black-throated Green Warbler (2), Eastern Phoebe (2) and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (1).
Best wishes
Dear Gord,My husband and I were in the Cedarvale ravine (Bathurst between St. Clair & Eglinton West ) on Sunday, May 2, 1999 at mid day and were amazed to see what we are pretty sure was a great blue heron sitting in a tree quite near to a small swampy area alive with "singing" frogs. We had come to this area to see if last year's nesting flickers had returned (no sign yet).
Unfortunately, we didn't get to see him/her fly. This ravine is an extremely busy one, a lot of dog walkers, bike riders, joggers, as well as Bathurst St. overhead right near by. A crowd gathered as people realized what we were looking at, so we decided to move off to give the heron some peace & quiet.
This same ravine has been home to a coyote this spring, as well as at least one fox, ducks, many red-wing black birds, yellow flickers, downy woodpeckers, cardinals, robins, goldfinches, various sparrows & house finches & I'm sure I've missed plenty other species. What I find so amazing is that it is so close to very busy city streets.
After we saw the heron we came home to find confirmation for our sighting on the web & found your excellent website.
Thanks,
Laura Berman & Michael Bowser
Sighting reports originating from the ONTBIRDS mail server network are repeated courtesy of the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO).Marc JohnsonA great-crested flycatcher was present today in a mixed forest woodlot west of Newmarket at the north end of Dufferin st (i.e. Joker's Hill, U. of T. research station).
Hi Gord,Eleanor Thomson
First time on your site. I think it's great. Last night (April 29th) about 7:15 pm a large dark bird swooped in front of my car and landed in a maple tree at the side of the road. I was very excited to see a pileated woodpecker. We can hear their distinctive hammering almost every day, but this is my first sighting in years. The site is on the western outskirts of Newmarket in York Region - actually in King Township. At our feeder we have many goldfinches, juncos, chickadees as well as many blue jays and a pair of cardinals.Last year a pair of bluebirds managed to raise a brood of four in one of our boxes.
Will check your site often from now on.
Hi Gord,Guildwood Park was unusually quiet this evening. Not a single duck or grebe out on the lake, and only a handful of gulls (all of them Ring-billed). Land birds were not much better - White-throated Sparrows (silent