Any help with this wigeon???

My Dad and I were touring Haldimand County yesterday.  Despite the crazy winds, it was still a lot of fun just to get out, especially in an area I don't go to very often and in an area that has great potential for birds at any season.

Anyways, one of the highlights was this female-type wigeon. If there are some things to say about it.
1. the bird was much brighter reddish/brown/buff in person -> the pic. doesn't do it justice
2. there were 3 drake AMWI's present and this bird didn't associate with them at all
3. that's about it.

Below is the original:

Bird is top right-ish

Below is a cropped shot:

What do people think? Is it just a 'normal' American? Eurasian? Hybrid?

We didn't have too much in the way of unusual species, though we came across a nice flock of Redpoll's. We estimate about 230 birds. With scope views we had 3 definite Hoaries -> not a bad Haldimand tick.

What's your all-time Ontario winter list???

Was alittle bored, and since I keep seeing stuff for the Ontario winter list I was thinking what my all time Ontario winter list is at. Mind you, I'm not too 'up' on the winter list, so there are LOTS of stuff that I haven't seen during the official winter listing period (December 1st-February 28/29) that with some determination and persistence I could have.

Anyways I tallied my list up, and I'm at 198 all time...with quite a few easy ones to go. Honestly I don't know if this is pathetic, good or amazing....though I think somewhere between the first two?

I've listed the 'top' 5 species I've seen during the winter, totally based on what I think are crazy rare birds to see during the 'winter'....

5. Smith's Longspur - February 5, 2002 Hagersville

Photograph - Harold Stiver

4. Smew - last December (2011) Whitby

Everyone 'should' be familiar with this thing....

3. Black-necked Stilt - December 2001 (I saw it the 28th) St. Clair River, near Wallaceburg
I think this was the 1st winter record for Ontario, also my lifer.

2. Heermann's Gull - 2000/2001 Toronto
Pretty insane, anyway you look at it (sorry Brando...)

and.....



1. Gray Flycatcher - December 2003 - Hagersville area
This has got to be my all time best winter bird that I've seen in Ontario, hands down. Jeff Skevington and company found this in some random wet area, just outside of Hagersville. And luckily enough it stuck around for about a week, allowing most of the active Ontario birding population to twitch. Check out Brandon 'the hulk' Holden's pic out....here


Now, it wouldn't be complete if I didn't include some of my more memorable/favourite finds in the winter, but honestly there aren't too many!!! lol

But anyways, below are two of my favourite finds during the winter listing period:

Yellow-headed Blackbird - December 21, 2007 - Hahn Marsh (Long Point)

I believe this was Long Point's 3rd (?) winter record of YHBL. Definitely something pretty unexpected, and still my only true 'self-found' YHBL in Ontario....

Red-shouldered Hawk - 2003 Hawkesville

I think 'red' is probably my most favourite find in the winter. While its not the 'rarest' thing I've found, its definitely the most interesting. This bird has wintered consecutively in the SAME spot every winter since 2003, making it at least 12 years old (it was a beautiful adult when I first found it). Like the article on ebird about the oldest Northern Shrike on record, my family has become accustomed to it, hoping its doing well and waiting for it every November/December when it has faithfully come back.  

King Eider....what up!

Hey Birders,

Alvan Buckley and I decided to bird a different area than normal today, travelling the Lake Huron shoreline from Kettle Point north to roughly Goderich and back to Waterloo. Our best bird by far was an immaculate adult male King Eider we found at the mouth of the Maitland River in Goderich, on the north side of the harbour. Quite a surprise. Alvan got some pretty decent shots of it, which he'll be posting on his blog (http://www.alvanbuckley.blogspot.ca/) later.

We watched the bird from about 1-2pm. The bird was easily seen the entire time we watched it, never being more than 200-300m offshore.

Other birds of note include:
Black-crowned Night-Heron -1 juv. in the harbour at Goderich, seemed very out of place, standing with the gulls out on the ice!
Hoary Redpoll -1 bird in a large flock of Common Redpoll's, just south Goderich by the 'youth centre' on Hwy. 21

We saw a number of other good birds, including 4 Glaucous Gulls, Tufted Titmouse etc.

Directions to Goderich Harbour (for the Eider): take Hwy 8 west from Stratford. Once in Goderich, take Hwy. 21 north out of town. Just after the river/bridge, turn left on Champlain Boulevard. Follow the signs for the marina. There is a gate to the entrance of the marina. Park your car, walk down the hill towards the lake (~400m), the bird was on the north side of the mouth of river, where it empties into the lake.

2012 Year in review

Linwood CBC....T-minus 1 day

Well, we're almost ready for the Linwood CBC (Sunday). I'm really looking forward to this count, in part because I compile it. Mike and I started this count, which is just NW of Waterloo in 2003, though we took a hiatus and it didn't start for 'good' until 2007. This is the 7th year that we'll have done the count. Up to this year, we've recorded 81 species, which in my opinion is pretty darn good.

This year however, with things being so mild, Conestoga Lake likely will freeze over tonight. But with that being said, we've been able to get some great count week species.

Red-breasted Merganser - 3 (1 m, 2 f) with the large merganser flock, seen everyday, until the 27th
Long-tailed Duck - 1 female with the GRSC
Greater Scaup - 4 above the dam, associating with the LTDU
Iceland Gull - 1-2 first-year birds at the dam
Glaucous Gull - 1 first-year photogaphed by David Gascoigne on the 25th
Great Black-backed Gull - 3 adults on the 26th, 1 first-year on the 27th
Common Raven - a pair south of Glen Allan yesterday
Hoary Redpoll - singles (in different locations) on the 25th and today
Pine Grosbeak - a flock of 14, below the dam on the 25th and today

Anyways, it'll be really cool to see what's found on count day - stay tuned! Below are some awesome shots of some of the above birdies.... :)

Christmas happenings

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Well 'tis the season. This morning my Dad and I took a drive up to Conestoga Lake, checking out the area, ahead of the count-week period for the Linwood CBC being held this Sunday (December 30th). Check out the link for the Linwood CBC.

We had some pretty good birds, especially for our local area - check it out:

Hoary Redpoll - we had 1 female type exilpes in a flock of about 70 CORE's just east of the town of Glen Allan

Hoary Redpoll, from the Dundalk area in early November (2012).

Pine Grosbeak  - ~10 were below the dam, at Conestoga Lake
Red-breasted Merganser - 1 female with Common Mergs on the lake (this would be a new species for the count)
Iceland Gull - 1 first-winter below the dam (this would be a new species as well)

Bald Eagles - 4 on the lake (3 adults, 1 first-year?)
Great Blue Heron - 1 below the dam, 1 in Waterloo Region on a random open creek

Waterfowl numbers are high - we estimated 700 Canada Geese and 500 Common Mergansers. 

Redpolls seem to be in good numbers, with 3 large flocks, each over 50 birds (estimated 270+). These 3 groups were widely scattered as well. 

Hawk numbers were also surprisingly in moderate-high numbers. Our drive is ~65km long, today we had 4 BAEA, 1 COHA, 12 RTHA, 13 RLHA and 1 AMKE. This is a relatively high number of birds of prey, particularly given the recent weather we've had. It will be interesting to see what happens on count day. 

Summary of what we saw, here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S12365874
 
Currently we actually need some extra help for the Linwood CBC....so if anyone is available, please let me know. 

Ken, out. 

Extreme southern Ontario birding

Hi Birders,

I was driving down, near Lake St. Clair for work today, and was able to make a small detour to the Ridgetown sewage lagoons. I didn't find the reported Blue-winged Teal, however I was pleased to see the Ross's Geese were present - though today there were 4: 3 of which appeared to be adults and 1 a juv..

The lagoons were pretty decent, with a smattering of other ducks present, though no 'stand-outs'. I was working in the Lake St. Clair area today and turned up some decent birds, most notably a single Common Yellowthroat, 2 Peregrine Falcons, 5 Cackling Geese, and two very interesting hybrids. The first appeared to be a Snow X Canada Goose, and the second was a brilliant male Mallard X Northern Pintail (something I had never seen before).

Directions to the Ridgetown Sewage Lagoons as per Jeremy Bensette: The Ridgetown Sewage Treatment Plant is located at the intersection of Mitton Line and Mitton Industrial Park Road, north of Ridgetown in Kent County.

For my other sightings, please email me privately, as these were seen on private property.

Cheers,
Ken Burrell
Waterloo ON

Juv ROGO 2nd from left, with 3 adults