tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33882268919607605602024-03-05T09:38:11.675-08:00North Shore NatureAn appreciation of life on the upper Great Lakes of Ontario, Canada.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.comBlogger281125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-51773004071524784522017-12-21T12:41:00.000-08:002017-12-29T02:37:43.069-08:0045th Tobermory Christmas Bird Count (Dec 29 update)<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuu54PXEyo7te3jspmr2pmZTHdqCTsgY8J9zMRMxtkJXs440etPkAmwX5TP8hV-4ptW8YDc5EYkZeeVMT3vhGYrWzgGqE1OrDEFwCYjbGPkMsmyupQ9NTBB5fmvIRpfwRwliU7CDwFsLbm/s1600/Red-breasted_Nuthatch_Michael_Butler.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuu54PXEyo7te3jspmr2pmZTHdqCTsgY8J9zMRMxtkJXs440etPkAmwX5TP8hV-4ptW8YDc5EYkZeeVMT3vhGYrWzgGqE1OrDEFwCYjbGPkMsmyupQ9NTBB5fmvIRpfwRwliU7CDwFsLbm/s400/Red-breasted_Nuthatch_Michael_Butler.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A record high!</td></tr>
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<b>Date</b>: Dec 20, 2017.
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<b>Participants</b>: 40.
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<b>Weather</b>: Temps: -5.3º C to 0.3º C. Wind: NW, 27.4 km/h to 59.5 km/h. Mixed sun and clouds. No precipitation. [Data from <a href="http://www.weatherlink.com/user/billcb/index.php">Bill Caulfeild-Browne's Tobermory weather station</a>, thanks Bill!]
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<b>Total Species</b>: 41 (average=40). Additional Count Week species seen (so far) include: Green-winged Teal, one near Cape Hurd.
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<b>Total individuals</b>: 1108 (average=1646).
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Counting forest birds at Emmett Lake, BPNP. Photo: Martha Allen.</td></tr>
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<b>Noteworthy Highs, Lows and Misses</b>:
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<b>Wild Turkey</b>: 29. Record high. Wild Turkey was first detected on the Tobermory count in 2008 and the growing numbers on the Peninsula reflect an ongoing increase throughout the Great Lakes area over the past decade.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7QcFL7EouPpRlQ6cKZGFpt1l6aeBq7uj9U07OLDY5xas3L3YEVVMAxuOPFhFjSFz81G9rQFi11_gmc9pUaaCHtnobrIaTEV9vdpxwl2XNSu2Y18yltQW4F7b6sZ6GcdXzngmuEwmDnPV/s1600/%2521EASO_Mar_25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="670" data-original-width="1000" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ7QcFL7EouPpRlQ6cKZGFpt1l6aeBq7uj9U07OLDY5xas3L3YEVVMAxuOPFhFjSFz81G9rQFi11_gmc9pUaaCHtnobrIaTEV9vdpxwl2XNSu2Y18yltQW4F7b6sZ6GcdXzngmuEwmDnPV/s400/%2521EASO_Mar_25.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Eastern Screech-Owl</b>: 4. Tied for the second highest count (four were also detected in 2012). In 2013, seven were recorded (average=0.7).
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<b>Red-breasted Nuthatch</b>: 155. A record high (average=41).
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<b>Common Raven</b>: 13. Lowest count since 1975 when six were recorded (average=58).
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<b>Great Black-backed Gull</b>: 0. This marks only the second time in 17 years that the species was absent from the count (average=4).
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTCz46IwAGS7amOUT5KEAFCLZO7ajXmQ8JoK7rshsMbXmmEOKWUo88-BKXvroZDCv3RAb681RG0IiN59SXvATrtfxRCW6b1ETspexN9fPKq06YZXw4DP2kjJFgRRsuICFibxZOXrt4N5P/s1600/slb_goldeneye.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="800" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYTCz46IwAGS7amOUT5KEAFCLZO7ajXmQ8JoK7rshsMbXmmEOKWUo88-BKXvroZDCv3RAb681RG0IiN59SXvATrtfxRCW6b1ETspexN9fPKq06YZXw4DP2kjJFgRRsuICFibxZOXrt4N5P/s400/slb_goldeneye.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Goldeneye. A staple of the Tobermory CBC.</td></tr>
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<b>Summary:</b> Individual birds were scarce although the species total (41) was close to the 45 year average and up from last year's tally (36). You may recall that extreme winter weather last year made for tough birding conditions on count day.
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The low totals for <b>Common Raven</b> and <b>Herring Gull</b> may reflect changes in how our municipal waste is managed at the St. Edmunds Landfill site. While I have no direct knowledge of how things are done at our dump, many landfills have recently adopted the practice of compacting and covering freshly dumped waste at the close of each working day. Not surprisingly, such sites are far less attractive to scavenging birds. We'll watch for this in the coming years.
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Once again thanks to all who contributed to a fun and successful day.<br />
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<b>Trivia</b>: Only seven species have been recorded on every Tobermory CBC conducted since 1973. They are: <b>Common Goldeneye</b>, <b>Herring Gull</b>, <b>Downy Woodpecker</b>, <b>Hairy Woodpecker</b>, <b>Common Raven</b>, <b>Black-capped Chickadee</b> and <b>Golden-crowned Kinglet</b>.
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-56225419742394762042017-08-23T18:01:00.003-07:002017-08-26T16:55:55.723-07:00Mystery bird quiz - a confusing late summer warbler?This was one of three very recently fledged birdlings begging for food at my campsite at <a href="https://www.ontarioparks.com/park/whitelake">White Lake Provincial Park</a> yesterday, Aug 22, 2017. 'Quite surprising to see baby warblers at this late date - there's a frost warning tonight! Any guesses as to the ID of this smudgy specimen? Answer to follow.
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...and the answer
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-50771962165845820082017-04-21T18:02:00.000-07:002017-04-24T15:25:31.954-07:00A Ruff in Chatsworth! [updated Apr. 24]Yesterday, in miserable weather, Jarmo Jalava spotted a spiffy looking calico coloured <b>Ruff</b> hanging out with <b>Greater </b>and <b>Lesser</b> <b>Yellowlegs</b> along the Grey-Bruce County line. He wasted no time getting the word out and by early morning today birders from all over southern Ontario mingled with us local types at the roadside, enjoying distant scope views. Even from afar, the bird was a stunner.<br />
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Later I was fortunate to find the bird much closer to the (busy) roadway, allowing for some acceptable record pics and video.
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<b>Ruff</b>, the gaudy male especially, is the most frequently documented euro-shorebird in Ontario. Lynne Richardson from the Grey-Bruce Bird Records Committee filled me in on past occurrences in our area. Thanks Lynne.<br />
<ul>
<li>Sept 25 1949, Meaford, Lloyd Beamer; </li>
<li>Apr 27 1972, Amabel, John Miles, Tom Murray; </li>
<li>May 22-23 1988, Wiarton Sewage Lagoon, Joe Johnson; </li>
<li>May 28 1988, Purple Valley, G Shemilt.</li>
</ul>
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Did this bird just arrive from Muskegon Co., Michigan, some 420 km WSW of Chatsworth? Between April 4th and 18th a very similarly coloured <b>Ruff</b> was observed there. Excellent photos of the MI bird can be seen <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35672319">here</a> and <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35766592">here</a>. Given how much <b>Ruffs</b> vary in their ruffage - displaying myriad combinations of red, white and black - the similarities are striking. What do you think?<br />
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What an awesome find by Jarmo! Hopefully more birders will get out to see it, in full sunlight, this weekend. </div>
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[Located at: 44.431648, -81.099859. <a href="https://www.google.ca/maps/search/44.431648,+-81.099859?sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjmjuSzm7jTAhUF0YMKHb_aACEQ8gEIIjAA">Google Map</a>. ]
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[<b>April 24th update:</b> The bird continues to be seen each day although with the fields quickly drying, I suspect the Ruff will soon move on, as have most of the Greater Yellowlegs seen over the weekend. Today, the Ruff fed with a mixed yellowlegs flock, north of Sideroad 1. Before I left at 3:30 pm, the Ruff/yellowlegs flock flew to the creek edge and fed among American Wigeon, Northern Pintail and Canada Goose.
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<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-44489800454930549822017-02-07T17:32:00.001-08:002017-02-09T09:53:25.703-08:00An unexpected goldeneye in Lion's Head.My drive to town this afternoon wasn't much fun. As happened through much of southern Ontario, the road conditions deteriorated quickly with the arrival of freezing rain and dropping temperatures. I stopped several times to clear ice from my side view mirrors and wiper arms. My plan was to pick up some provisions and head home before the highway became impassable. I passed a freshly ditched pick-up.<br />
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My typical winter milk run through Lion's Head takes about twenty minutes and ends with a grocery stop at Foodland followed by a quick scan of the sheltered harbour. Some <a href="http://northshorenature.blogspot.ca/2017/01/fowl-highlights-from-cbc-season-on.html" target="_blank">interesting ducks</a> hung out here over Christmas and a few years ago Bob and Ann-Marie Taylor encountered a <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/canada/view/checklist/S24094759">Common Eider</a>, a Bruce County first. With its excellent lines of sight from the public beach and marina, the harbour can be thoroughly searched in only a few minutes.
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Given today's crappy weather, I very nearly decided to skip the usual pause at the harbour. I'm glad I didn't. There were no oddities among the 90 or so <b>Herring Gulls, </b>but accompanying the handful of the usual <b>Common Mergansers</b> and <b>Common Goldeneyes</b> was a very fine looking male <b>Barrow's Goldeneye</b>! These photos are the best I could do given the rain, wind, surface chop and frequent dives by the duck.<br />
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Small numbers of <b>Barrow's Goldeneye</b> show up each year in Ontario, most reliably in the Ottawa area. There have been far fewer sightings on the upper Great Lakes. The most recent observations for Bruce County, <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/canada/map/bargol?neg=true&env.minX=-75.92787014746136&env.minY=45.38107444160338&env.maxX=-75.39571987890668&env.maxY=45.55323083112536&zh=true&gp=true&ev=Z&mr=1-12&bmo=1&emo=12&yr=all">as recorded in eBird</a>, were in 1979 and 1981.
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<b>Common Goldeneye,</b> a few anyway, find the Lion's Head Harbour pretty hospitable and I suspect the <b>Barrow's Goldeneye</b> will stick around for a while. I'll post an update should there be more sightings in the coming days.<br />
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-80128461243132382172017-01-26T16:39:00.000-08:002017-02-09T09:51:48.328-08:00Fast moving Snowshoe HareI crossed paths with this rabbit flying up Dorcas Bay Road at Singing Sands this afternoon.
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-44326244972909871732017-01-08T04:23:00.003-08:002017-01-08T07:49:13.788-08:00Fowl highlights from CBC season on the Bruce PeninsulaWinter so far has offered a few goodies for the many birders who ventured out on any of the five Christmas Bird counts on the Bruce Peninsula. A highlight for me was this lovely male <b>Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser</b> hybrid found at the the Sauble River mouth by Jarmo Jalava on the December 22nd Wiarton CBC. What a beauty! Needless to say, this was a count first and indeed the first such county record in eBird.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 1, 2017.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGPwiX-JeFg4tlLyXqDxtO6_Mmw4CMYUHqFeWac6T1XxdsnDpA6Af_06m6xjFCfq8EIrNdsoZgZg1-f1_nT4pPq0zVJD8np_VtKtZBlS2JQqqwNrf8-A80_ibaG-aDoatNAS2TnzURz-z/s1600/%2521HOME_hybrid_02_Jan_01_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGPwiX-JeFg4tlLyXqDxtO6_Mmw4CMYUHqFeWac6T1XxdsnDpA6Af_06m6xjFCfq8EIrNdsoZgZg1-f1_nT4pPq0zVJD8np_VtKtZBlS2JQqqwNrf8-A80_ibaG-aDoatNAS2TnzURz-z/s400/%2521HOME_hybrid_02_Jan_01_2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 1, 2017.</td></tr>
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There have been other noteworthy ducks. An immature male <b>King Eider</b>, a species uncommonly seen on the upper Great Lakes, was first reported by Andrew Keaveney on New Year's eve day. It's been present at the Sauble River mouth for several weeks although it can be tough to observe in a big swell.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDe33Y35l6wAesyaa0UfrMMcWFASJF2-W4fQCi5LZ6WdExZcY63FSNhKHz__52ft5YE17xUVxCqitWl0oPrBQTxAOvjVWYxyaNhpaPkohssSHiv5fXZsQgWAixMYqmzZeHDurNv8PKOk-f/s1600/%2521KIEI_01_Jan_01_2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDe33Y35l6wAesyaa0UfrMMcWFASJF2-W4fQCi5LZ6WdExZcY63FSNhKHz__52ft5YE17xUVxCqitWl0oPrBQTxAOvjVWYxyaNhpaPkohssSHiv5fXZsQgWAixMYqmzZeHDurNv8PKOk-f/s400/%2521KIEI_01_Jan_01_2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 1, 2016.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 3, 2017.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwLZPvJWluxderhJKI5nilhgCNS3BO8UoTwN1zsPEoNo5_02teroSiMJDW4E2k-wTR0wkieT-1kEz6ZqfwaX4eRaGmX27dYZ0QXHV6FrldrUVDqpZ-19tolfZXO8fVSa-I-O5_5YipQgM/s1600/%2521KIEI_02_Jan_3_2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijwLZPvJWluxderhJKI5nilhgCNS3BO8UoTwN1zsPEoNo5_02teroSiMJDW4E2k-wTR0wkieT-1kEz6ZqfwaX4eRaGmX27dYZ0QXHV6FrldrUVDqpZ-19tolfZXO8fVSa-I-O5_5YipQgM/s400/%2521KIEI_02_Jan_3_2017.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 3, 2017.</td></tr>
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The Bruce Peninsula National Park CBC, held on December 14, may be remembered by most for the punishing winds and blinding squalls. Two waterfowl species - a <b>Green-winged Teal</b> hunkered down in the Crane River and a flock of <b>Tundra Swans</b> flying south over Tobermory - were count firsts.
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<b>Tundra</b> and <b>Trumpeter Swans</b> typically don't overwinter on the Bruce Peninsula. A mixed trio, again at the Sauble River mouth, has provided a great opportunity to compare the two species.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 3, 2017.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEpY7d-3xXXK06U-rV9OjIJXKwz-3hxjxrtZGLkHHKhR9Tu9JR60UvLQuDe4kZhyQD4w69vQlcmCe-0YJ9enlGzUv6ImXwLXX9580hxtCE3PgUX0fzOsA1qiDc7zA9omzAocB3rB4W1pBP/s400/%2521TRUS_02_Jan_3_2017.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 3, 2017.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 3, 2017.</td></tr>
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The town of Lion's Head, which falls just outside of the recently inaugurated Pike Bay and Cape Chin CBC circles, has hosted a confiding <b>Ruddy Duck</b> since December 23rd, providing a first winter record for the Bruce Peninsula.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 23, 2016.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 30, 2016</td></tr>
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<b>Northern Pintail</b> have been reported from scattered locations.
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">January 1, 2017.</td></tr>
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Somewhat surprisingly, the species richness in waterfowl hasn't been matched by an increased abundance. For example, the two <b>Common Goldeneye</b> reported on the Bruce Peninsula CBC was a record low for this long-standing count.<br />
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No doubt, some good winter birding remains for those with a set of snow tires and the gumption to trudge through a squall or two!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">December 14, 2016.</td></tr>
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-15079580815703954372016-11-10T19:21:00.000-08:002016-11-17T08:36:06.630-08:00Mountain Bluebird and other notes from the field ♩ ♬ ♪Late October through mid-November is, of course, prime time for vagrant birds around the Great Lakes. With this in mind I pulled over to check out an interesting looking songbird perched beside Dyer’s Bay Road midday on Tuesday (Nov. 8th). Was it a sparrow? A late Eastern Phoebe? I raised my bins and found myself looking at the familiar face of a <b>Mountain Bluebird</b>. Sweet!<br />
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It sallied out over the pasture, hovered for a very long time, and plunged into the grass before perching on a stem with its sky blue back towards me. I fumbled for my camera and managed to take a few blurry shots before it took flight and disappeared from sight across the pasture. Three times I scanned the distant field edge but the bird was gone, gone and gone. Crap!<br />
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But I'd seen it well so I took few minutes to jot down some notes from the too brief encounter - lat. & long., thin black bill, long primary projection, hovering flight - and alerted the local birders. As I readied to continue towards Cabot Head, I saw that something bluebird-like had materialized atop an apple tree on the other side of the road, only 20 metres or so from the car. It was back!<br />
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For the next twenty minutes the <b>Mountain Bluebird</b> hunted for insects over the pasture, returning time and again to the apple tree, seemingly unconcerned about me. I took a series of backlit photos. Perhaps these can be improved with some more processing.<br />
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If accepted by the <a href="http://ofo.ca/site/page/view/obrc.guidelines" target="_blank">Ontario Bird Records Committee</a>, this will be the third Bruce County record of the species. The others were both seen in December, in Wiarton, in 1979 and 1999.<br />
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Here's my eBird checklist: <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/canada/view/checklist/S32440070" target="_blank"> http://ebird.org/ebird/canada/view/checklist/S32440070</a><br />
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Since that November 8th sighting, I and others have not been able to relocate the bird.<br />
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The MOBL wasn’t the only memorable bird I’d seen along Dyer’s Bay Road this week. On Saturday morning (November 5th) a <b>Golden Eagle (</b>not especially rare here) allowed uncommonly good looks as it perched over farm field.<br />
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Some other nice birds have popped up in the neighbourhood. On October 27th friends invited me to see a <b>Tufted Titmouse</b> visiting their backyard feeder in Tobermory. They were thrilled and so was I!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cdXfvTNfa0ffYY5sHvRB6E6c3piejNjLKtZ9E9Bk18GXkfhl6OKFChcJf5ivHj9MWENuYugXj2fpYII6cBCVEf-N3EAjmd7G2oIQKU3yjBNfKYIJxPrjMUYebwPOG1uBDv7J-gR1XS6U/s1600/Oct_27_Tobe_Tuti_Don_Wilkes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cdXfvTNfa0ffYY5sHvRB6E6c3piejNjLKtZ9E9Bk18GXkfhl6OKFChcJf5ivHj9MWENuYugXj2fpYII6cBCVEf-N3EAjmd7G2oIQKU3yjBNfKYIJxPrjMUYebwPOG1uBDv7J-gR1XS6U/s400/Oct_27_Tobe_Tuti_Don_Wilkes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of Don Wilkes</td></tr>
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Two more have been seen recently in Kincardine at the south end of Bruce County, all part of <a href="http://www.blog.peregrineprints.com/2016/10/titmouse-movement.html" target="_blank">a minor irruption</a> of the species into southern Ontario this fall.<br />
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I wonder what’s next?Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-69210038911012520872016-07-21T17:10:00.000-07:002016-07-21T17:12:14.757-07:00Woodpeckers vs Hydro One in TobermoryOn June 23rd Bob Tulk and his Hydro One crew, based in Lion’s Head, arrived in Johnson’s Harbour to complete the installation of a new utility pole. The old wooden pole had been damaged by fire and, some time in the past, woodpeckers had excavated two large cavities close to the insulators.<br />
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The work proceeded quickly. The new unit, of woodpecker-resistant composite material, was set upright in the recently prepared cribbing. But, as Bob’s crew prepared to transfer the transmission wires, a large adult Pileated Woodpecker swooped low over the truck and landed below one of the cavities. On cue, three hungry, red-crested, half-grown chicks stuck their heads out into the daylight, begging for food.<br />
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What to do? There are some rules that address such conflicts. Woodpeckers and other native birds are offered protection under both federal and provincial statutes. Nesting activities get special mention under the Migratory Birds Convention Act and interrupting them violates the act, even if done incidentally. There are, however, exemptions from these protections when bird activities threaten our safety (think airport runways) or infrastructure.<br />
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I don’t know how such laws and policies guide Hydro One’s response to opportunistic woodpeckers but I suspect that field technicians can exercise a measure of discretion. In this case, Bob directed his crew to remove only the uppermost section of the wooden pole, leaving the nest cavity intact. He told me they’d return in a few weeks, after the young birds had fledged, to complete the job.<br />
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Later in the afternoon I observed and photographed the woodpeckers. The parents fed the brood every ten minutes or so and all seemed unaffected by the recent human activity so close to their nest.<br />
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Hardened utility poles of composite construction are still the exception in our neighbourhood, and so, should these young birds survive into the 2017 breeding season, they’ll find a good selection of accommodating, old-style wooden hydro poles to choose from.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-25359567593906252142016-04-15T14:19:00.000-07:002016-05-17T04:02:26.155-07:00Lunch(es) at Cabot HeadAfter dipping on a <b>Townsend's Solitaire </b>observed at the <a href="http://bpbo.ca/" target="_blank">BPBO</a> this a.m., I headed over to the nearby <a href="http://www.cabothead.ca/" target="_blank">Cabot Head light</a> to eat my lunch (salmon salad on a bagel). What a relaxing scene. No people, scores of <b>Turkey Vultures</b> kettled overhead and the gorgeous blues and greens of Georgian Bay spread out beyond.<br />
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As noted in my <a href="http://northshorenature.blogspot.ca/2016/04/snowed-birds.html" target="_blank">last post,</a> lingering winter weather on the Bruce Peninsula has made life tough for migrants. Today, the lighthouse attracted swarms of sluggish cluster flies which in turn attracted insectivorous birds including a <b>Brown Creeper,</b> four <b>Eastern Phoebes</b> and five (!) first-of-season-for-me <b>Pine Warblers.</b><br />
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Bring on the warblers!<br />
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-18156510839153222222016-04-12T05:39:00.000-07:002016-04-12T05:39:13.206-07:00Snowed birds.A lean week for some early migrants.
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Change is coming...Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-62188247430626015222016-04-01T18:42:00.000-07:002016-04-01T18:42:18.657-07:00Farewell ye SnowiesThere's been an uptick of Snowy Owl numbers on the Bruce in the last few weeks. On most days, with little effort, one can easily spot several on the Ferndale Flats between Wiarton and Tobermory - easier since fields turned brown.<br />
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There has been a steady turnover of birds since the solstice, presumably a result of migrating northbound birds.<br />
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March 17, Pike Bay Road.
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March 17, Little Pike Bay Road.
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April 1, Little Pike Bay Road.
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More on spring movements of Snowy Owls, as revealed through satellite telemetry, from <a href="http://www.projectsnowstorm.org/blog-posts/" target="_blank">Project Snowstorm</a>.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-79399700892319335252016-02-19T06:49:00.000-08:002016-02-19T12:08:52.140-08:00Autofocus fail...a quiz of sorts.There are many upsides to keeping a zoomy point-and-shoot within reach. Most notably, so-called bridge cameras like our ca. 2014 <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canon-powershot-sx50-hs" target="_blank">Canon PowerShot 50 SX HS</a> are cheap and compact. Ours fits easily in a daypack or a small dry bag and travels everywhere with us.<br />
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Much has been <a href="http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/56321867" target="_blank">written</a> about the pros and cons of p-and-s (vs. SLR) photography. One little known fact about bridge cameras is that the autofocus technology was engineered by a cadre of savvy botanists such that the focus algorithm selects plant matter at the margin of the field rather than the mega-rare creature in the centre. Really.<br />
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Inadvertently I document flora when I'm gunning for fauna. Feel free to ID the blurry incidental fauna, all captured in Canadian National Parks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmKbN7ANh6ICKdje24np57TgpmcMDLB2qJpjtOmQHAfvgXVXH2jcbd86mqNE3bwMJDQzQzJaxUU0iE0NfW8C5FaKes1p3mOgLg3lesoQNuEBbSlk4HyOYuG0V4z3Xqy-IinzJyDOuWVCR/s1600/AF01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcmKbN7ANh6ICKdje24np57TgpmcMDLB2qJpjtOmQHAfvgXVXH2jcbd86mqNE3bwMJDQzQzJaxUU0iE0NfW8C5FaKes1p3mOgLg3lesoQNuEBbSlk4HyOYuG0V4z3Xqy-IinzJyDOuWVCR/s400/AF01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Osier Dogwood (<i>Cornus stolonifera</i>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcVWMPSrNVH5d4zkjpp3d67afWiMDKgke79UEK7_R47zu4ZwX0pgXr9Uqiwymhyphenhyphen40UCS5MqeM7nh6ccNlzaZcGFcJ0dQ8ZjLHl7jRcaGGOs1Gm9qYPQg9RsBdF6wtBvYjDdic7oBpF7Ps/s1600/AF02.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcVWMPSrNVH5d4zkjpp3d67afWiMDKgke79UEK7_R47zu4ZwX0pgXr9Uqiwymhyphenhyphen40UCS5MqeM7nh6ccNlzaZcGFcJ0dQ8ZjLHl7jRcaGGOs1Gm9qYPQg9RsBdF6wtBvYjDdic7oBpF7Ps/s400/AF02.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Spruce (<i>Picea glauca</i>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7Nqg3olouxSBpXM8_8zdksLqAnsz8k5mf7i-F6R_Li-3RfJaEyYGoTEXRNOkXsEw1LZoPu8T9mJw1wjx-ZK_TTAlOdgtHjAyP-bzFzqAchyphenhyphen5-4OqaAzbW78Ue0u3tJYMIRBgbBJQOrz6/s1600/AF03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-7Nqg3olouxSBpXM8_8zdksLqAnsz8k5mf7i-F6R_Li-3RfJaEyYGoTEXRNOkXsEw1LZoPu8T9mJw1wjx-ZK_TTAlOdgtHjAyP-bzFzqAchyphenhyphen5-4OqaAzbW78Ue0u3tJYMIRBgbBJQOrz6/s400/AF03.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prickly Wild Rose (<i>Rosa acicularis</i>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXrIuXjcATpWRb6x8Xued2iacn1Uz0wzuVKjl5Amvj4ykM2xYvKKXnyhAt9oK3WX6BfUmSwnP5Jm7Nb1PRLSnK4RiIAZEF2em8jYCpCUu2y-TbaX-0C7m8NMfERd6mLrUGuZJNZnYTvfv/s1600/AF04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFXrIuXjcATpWRb6x8Xued2iacn1Uz0wzuVKjl5Amvj4ykM2xYvKKXnyhAt9oK3WX6BfUmSwnP5Jm7Nb1PRLSnK4RiIAZEF2em8jYCpCUu2y-TbaX-0C7m8NMfERd6mLrUGuZJNZnYTvfv/s400/AF04.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silver Sagebrush (<i>Artemisia cana</i>)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPW8dKgBrtv0n_hIOg7NnOnhFQtZcJBvBkT6mCytqs65MuExEXjJuDa0CQY5HxHDKu9ScMmD-CQ1KhzzjHgaTbrVlwe6e4NjQkO5Yxtd5BNI6ASBAjgWvGm7VFuuZfF8Ch6ilx0jf_IUWZ/s1600/AF05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPW8dKgBrtv0n_hIOg7NnOnhFQtZcJBvBkT6mCytqs65MuExEXjJuDa0CQY5HxHDKu9ScMmD-CQ1KhzzjHgaTbrVlwe6e4NjQkO5Yxtd5BNI6ASBAjgWvGm7VFuuZfF8Ch6ilx0jf_IUWZ/s400/AF05.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Willow (<i>Salix</i> sp.)</td></tr>
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-62218883379249941482016-02-13T10:58:00.000-08:002016-04-25T20:04:16.916-07:00Sharpnado!Many in southern Ontario will remember early autumn 2015 for the unusual weather pattern that saw consecutive days of strong and sustained NE winds. Birders were rewarded with seldom seen numbers of <b>Sabine’s Gull</b>, <b>White-rumped Sandpiper</b>, <b>Hudsonian Godwit </b>and <b>Eurasian Dotterel</b>.<br />
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At the north end of the Bruce Peninsula we experienced a very different and highly localized phenomenon. But first a little background…of course we're accustomed to <b>Sharp-shinned Hawks</b> migrating over our yard along the Lake Huron shoreline. Similarly, our feathers aren’t ruffled by the irregular depredations by <b>Merlin</b> and various accipiters at our feeders. This was different. Our patch became occupied by an increasing number of <b>Sharp-shinned Hawks</b>. I say “occupied” in the sense that the sharpies just seemed to be hanging out here. They’d loaf on our dock, preen outside the bedroom window and congregate next to the septic bed. They weren’t at all skittish. Weird.<br />
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The interplay between the forces of nature - atmospheric and biological - sometimes has <a href="https://youtu.be/QDFvv8mqrfQ" target="_blank">awesome and terrifying consequences</a>. Here I provide photographic documentation of a very rare <b>Category 5 Sharpnado</b>. All photos were taken through our windows.<br />
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Hanging out on the dock.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">October 5, 2015</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">September 25, 2015</td></tr>
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A two-fer over the septic bed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">October 9, 2015</td></tr>
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Preening outside the bedroom window.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVxN7YlTdtmxk5_Ynqa8yOGpRnCvgV3b4hDhoBJ6dt4lTc7K3pdm62jLBl7q3lIxKeGdPX7RHTJ-fQyeYEbf8GWv7AWrtwuj1rIgrmpr0WQfbWHnTFsEiTEvUPLMx6OH6w_BmV0Sa3PyA/s1600/bedroom+sharpie.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLVxN7YlTdtmxk5_Ynqa8yOGpRnCvgV3b4hDhoBJ6dt4lTc7K3pdm62jLBl7q3lIxKeGdPX7RHTJ-fQyeYEbf8GWv7AWrtwuj1rIgrmpr0WQfbWHnTFsEiTEvUPLMx6OH6w_BmV0Sa3PyA/s400/bedroom+sharpie.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">October 2, 2015</td></tr>
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Sharpnado.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdfcCqzOlYIflmV1g0gsGwe7voKhqvEc3WnsZ-STcW7w6DJsofyaRg9ENu8Q4mm0D7-R0ZHav35cCFpqv90-wpECuOb-LgfnFpoznxHMgSf_CLbmU5UjVSodeIxLQoU03AUrWWyjDD7t4/s1600/SSHA%2526COGR.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrdfcCqzOlYIflmV1g0gsGwe7voKhqvEc3WnsZ-STcW7w6DJsofyaRg9ENu8Q4mm0D7-R0ZHav35cCFpqv90-wpECuOb-LgfnFpoznxHMgSf_CLbmU5UjVSodeIxLQoU03AUrWWyjDD7t4/s400/SSHA%2526COGR.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Enough said!<br />
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<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-37340060786724745732015-10-03T11:55:00.005-07:002015-10-20T22:53:05.364-07:00Eurasian Dotterel in Bruce County, ON.I came upon this interesting little plover in Bruce County this morning. It was somewhat smaller and more pot-bellied than nearby Black-bellied Plovers. Notable were: pale supercilia converging at the back of the neck, yellow-green legs, pale ring on breast and buffy underparts. All seem to fit for <b>Eurasian Dotterel</b>, a rarity in North America. My ID is very tentative. I welcome other opinions.<br />
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[<b>Edit</b>: Okay, everything seems to check out. Thanks Alan Wormington and Mike Burrell for confirming the ID - I'm a stranger to Eurasian shorebirds.]
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I've been having some difficulty uploading images to Flickr and eBird so I thought I'd share some photos here.<br />
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The bird was feeding on a mudflat on Lake Huron in the community of Oliphant, at the T-intersection of Spry Lake Road and Shoreline <strike>Road</strike> Ave., waypoint 44.74937, -81.27946.<br />
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Oliphant is about 13 km west of Wiarton. Nearby were <b>Greater Yellowlegs</b>, an <b>Hudsonian Godwit</b>, <b>Black-bellied Plovers</b>, <b>Dunlin</b> and <b>White-rumped Sandpipers</b>.<br />
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What do you think?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGaYH5_EJAYrYbocuMMV5JDmi_mkcHaXHZXe6GA9wfk0gOjg3ZskhzazqfO6bZUBf95lmHvnq6J3fVEs_gqSFkdXjXEOc2a1YW4gt3GEbq1lA-eRMz4APIJ3CoOc-r0zr7LxhrcU4cBc5/s1600/1-IMG_3915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGaYH5_EJAYrYbocuMMV5JDmi_mkcHaXHZXe6GA9wfk0gOjg3ZskhzazqfO6bZUBf95lmHvnq6J3fVEs_gqSFkdXjXEOc2a1YW4gt3GEbq1lA-eRMz4APIJ3CoOc-r0zr7LxhrcU4cBc5/s400/1-IMG_3915.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2NYfoSn4XHtjmANqjAvcHVMng9NPyJSkLO8gmgjq70jK7DuLFaSDJJ7uX6R2zzCC4KKHTVf7LtUwgNY9zgYN14PeMo-NQXy1RBJ9xSValizJ9dPAbHk6IgOAWG4IkWb_vIXa6-TwwrRO/s1600/2-IMG_3917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH2NYfoSn4XHtjmANqjAvcHVMng9NPyJSkLO8gmgjq70jK7DuLFaSDJJ7uX6R2zzCC4KKHTVf7LtUwgNY9zgYN14PeMo-NQXy1RBJ9xSValizJ9dPAbHk6IgOAWG4IkWb_vIXa6-TwwrRO/s400/2-IMG_3917.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkuEVLI0KCiDmt0fCo1-mrhm7HuF_kZs0WL4djlUbPU7_m_CSE0flbVGIrbir9Df1xeLvqzr7hn5474SlOhYc_vME9IAxK363AIhRVOZYUR2GTnlbhkNYvq7ovkAmrkvS0_WMSjIaeg1f/s1600/3-IMG_3950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkkuEVLI0KCiDmt0fCo1-mrhm7HuF_kZs0WL4djlUbPU7_m_CSE0flbVGIrbir9Df1xeLvqzr7hn5474SlOhYc_vME9IAxK363AIhRVOZYUR2GTnlbhkNYvq7ovkAmrkvS0_WMSjIaeg1f/s400/3-IMG_3950.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv33jmadhyE8ViUDYG8sXqNP21GRzMrURn5waaj6hb55r8SBEFkMqV7jK50IUeBXGGGwQbH7wGKLPOo0s1m5aj1j5drMqrLmTTY3YxzVPv3hVbtcV3wc3QBkiDGtSI-aJn_019NRE82ba5/s1600/4-IMG_3952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv33jmadhyE8ViUDYG8sXqNP21GRzMrURn5waaj6hb55r8SBEFkMqV7jK50IUeBXGGGwQbH7wGKLPOo0s1m5aj1j5drMqrLmTTY3YxzVPv3hVbtcV3wc3QBkiDGtSI-aJn_019NRE82ba5/s400/4-IMG_3952.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIS-9_65mKv7pWhkkbnR4LK7ZgVlgMRCGjlxmg0y3eY7YmxHkbJ7e6M5evEizXALfLGQX5zoqk5RwLdAFMd9f8tZpyHoGZ6VdB2RANyvTKQDJXO2MokkkLu28IOFGekLao6zaySNT0jAC/s1600/5-IMG_3954.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYIS-9_65mKv7pWhkkbnR4LK7ZgVlgMRCGjlxmg0y3eY7YmxHkbJ7e6M5evEizXALfLGQX5zoqk5RwLdAFMd9f8tZpyHoGZ6VdB2RANyvTKQDJXO2MokkkLu28IOFGekLao6zaySNT0jAC/s400/5-IMG_3954.JPG" /></a></div>
Here are a few more pics from the morning.
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Eurasian Dotterel and Dunlin.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FHGf-e4w-YtSDqi-UHv4iASogZ-Yb5RYnXoAJcuxzJBoro8eMWyUmpRwaz0F4pkDbk5B-9nGVs3GUp1Nhk-ToNT14saUaJwkkFrdkDtnHX07aZea_qCPvXpr15xFshPFk9m9EqH_t9GB/s1600/1-IMG_3949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8FHGf-e4w-YtSDqi-UHv4iASogZ-Yb5RYnXoAJcuxzJBoro8eMWyUmpRwaz0F4pkDbk5B-9nGVs3GUp1Nhk-ToNT14saUaJwkkFrdkDtnHX07aZea_qCPvXpr15xFshPFk9m9EqH_t9GB/s400/1-IMG_3949.JPG" /></a></div>
Hudsonian Godwit
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94aPg1PmqM-Ck45twE1_0WY2fLG6QbrOifgHIEtJEf5wNrGpAsdao-mNFGBwrfG_haVVTOBL3_gvKdaflLv7y1sZjcs0HYcmSbYK2gO6S5vMcJd2_0qlLs1GQ0hInyzNkLJuvWsYBinSg/s1600/2-IMG_3948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94aPg1PmqM-Ck45twE1_0WY2fLG6QbrOifgHIEtJEf5wNrGpAsdao-mNFGBwrfG_haVVTOBL3_gvKdaflLv7y1sZjcs0HYcmSbYK2gO6S5vMcJd2_0qlLs1GQ0hInyzNkLJuvWsYBinSg/s400/2-IMG_3948.JPG" /></a></div>
Peeps! White-rumped (2) and a Western?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHgIfK6gegXolTF7HuXzgDQXAb93l662ZSLTEzvIw9HM-3XpXDyV5HJh-LocOnxGZRdOnPamuqU4qIqMd61ZxySjyFJ6NNv4XaMY9imrjt3FyCm6jBuOPpuPKHq_FbEVZP_rlA_WgK8SL/s1600/3-IMG_3923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxHgIfK6gegXolTF7HuXzgDQXAb93l662ZSLTEzvIw9HM-3XpXDyV5HJh-LocOnxGZRdOnPamuqU4qIqMd61ZxySjyFJ6NNv4XaMY9imrjt3FyCm6jBuOPpuPKHq_FbEVZP_rlA_WgK8SL/s400/3-IMG_3923.JPG" /></a></div>
Western Sandpiper?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yHPB0tj7p3hqSDzrLxfsmVqlOy7kO69012Y5NG50IxkUJAwpSRFlCVh9s2P7vFXCsKcqlHk7eywB1G-NuHYeFtAVKNmWMo7lxdd4jQSDi0dsZSE9eC1aRDNATepaCDKFfbJn2-Q0ym29/s1600/4-IMG_3927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2yHPB0tj7p3hqSDzrLxfsmVqlOy7kO69012Y5NG50IxkUJAwpSRFlCVh9s2P7vFXCsKcqlHk7eywB1G-NuHYeFtAVKNmWMo7lxdd4jQSDi0dsZSE9eC1aRDNATepaCDKFfbJn2-Q0ym29/s400/4-IMG_3927.JPG" /></a></div>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-69366986496273273322013-12-03T16:41:00.001-08:002013-12-10T17:17:50.756-08:00Anna's Hummingbird, new to northern Ontario - updated Nov 10What a great autumn, bird-wise, for the Thunder Bay District! A few weeks ago a <a href="http://northshorenature.blogspot.ca/2013/11/thunder-bay-slaty-backed-gull-continues.html" target="_blank">Slaty-backed Gull</a> was added to the district (and Northern Ontario) list(s). Now comes the discovery of an <a href="http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/annas_hummingbird/lifehistory">Anna's Hummingbird</a>, a first for northern Ontario, and a second for the province, visiting a feeder in Thunder Bay. More details, from OntBirds <a href="http://birding.aba.org/message.php?mesid=572078&MLID=ON&MLNM=Ontario">here.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNraKHo97BU1w0TdDooAPPK8uPkV5X90NHBBvV5c4RksSQ14lr71OZs43v2L_3rLcrPiDMsOTrqCDu3p3bMAEx2xQdeqUGvEseYUnd_3Ltl7tMkDL73RcXMJyjSvnE052idSkppyP_RCuo/s1600/ANHU_Glenn_Stronks.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNraKHo97BU1w0TdDooAPPK8uPkV5X90NHBBvV5c4RksSQ14lr71OZs43v2L_3rLcrPiDMsOTrqCDu3p3bMAEx2xQdeqUGvEseYUnd_3Ltl7tMkDL73RcXMJyjSvnE052idSkppyP_RCuo/s400/ANHU_Glenn_Stronks.tiff" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dec. 3, 2013. Courtesy of Glenn Stronks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsv1jKdkmHlzcUsptowcCqGcz9AASsIGxzru0rXICKvNAHfFtJ-al3j0zehYOoHXwAREbct2KegZ6RXN7BKuABYNUE03155EjzG2LfKcqXUBOhWsJeilaSdTLK6x0jm7mAR_pjX1Gsgyc/s1600/ANHU_GL_Coady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsv1jKdkmHlzcUsptowcCqGcz9AASsIGxzru0rXICKvNAHfFtJ-al3j0zehYOoHXwAREbct2KegZ6RXN7BKuABYNUE03155EjzG2LfKcqXUBOhWsJeilaSdTLK6x0jm7mAR_pjX1Gsgyc/s400/ANHU_GL_Coady.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dec. 5, 2013. Courtesy of Glenn Coady.</td></tr>
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The first provincial record of <b>Anna's Hummingbird</b> was documented for October 25-30, 2010, in Essex County.
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<b>Dec. 10 update:</b> The <b>Anna's Hummingbird</b> has not been seen in several days, following the onset sub-30 C temperatures. Apparently the bird was present for months (15 September - 7 December)
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Acknowledgements: Many thanks to Sophie and Gary Wiggins for sharing their sighting and also to the Glenns, Stronks and Coady, for sharing their photos.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-86208213900795420932013-11-14T18:18:00.000-08:002013-11-14T19:35:51.322-08:00The latest Western Kingbird The intrepid Alan Wormington, who has an uncanny knack for turning up interesting birds during his annual forays across the north shore, found this <b>Western Kingbird</b>, a casual visitor to the district, on October 18, 2013 at the Schreiber-Terrace Bay landfill, a stone's throw from the Trans-Canada Highway. Thanks for sharing your photos Alan.
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-NL6p4aK3VnQJBOGIYERSPQjPZwoprMMQ1NhZECkT9-8sW91fQNF6K8wwKfwOxfOeItIxyUlSs_RXpND2djPSKY5wktALysp2vV0jG9G7DQNz3AJalz9QNuu-vsK1DeeO6QE1tXBE5tc0/s1600/Western+Kingbird--183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-NL6p4aK3VnQJBOGIYERSPQjPZwoprMMQ1NhZECkT9-8sW91fQNF6K8wwKfwOxfOeItIxyUlSs_RXpND2djPSKY5wktALysp2vV0jG9G7DQNz3AJalz9QNuu-vsK1DeeO6QE1tXBE5tc0/s400/Western+Kingbird--183.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">October 18, 2013. Courtesy of Alan Wormington.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdM6oKgbPqdG4QgwRhgv-KCye3NOwBkjyXiyvfilQhVkaRWlYTHr6TZcr_jiYWQBK-PKGHAaWrsBpSSEhT4dh-Yl88bDj-CLVTdiD-sYSmoi43nfli1bKOgL7iY-AjotiYdfp6A9qej5BM/s1600/Western+Kingbird--189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdM6oKgbPqdG4QgwRhgv-KCye3NOwBkjyXiyvfilQhVkaRWlYTHr6TZcr_jiYWQBK-PKGHAaWrsBpSSEhT4dh-Yl88bDj-CLVTdiD-sYSmoi43nfli1bKOgL7iY-AjotiYdfp6A9qej5BM/s400/Western+Kingbird--189.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">October 18, 2013. Courtesy of Alan Wormington.</td></tr>
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Other photo-documented sightings of <b>WEKI</b> along the north shore include:<br />
<ul>
<li>Sept. 10. 2010, <a href="http://northshorenature.blogspot.ca/2010/09/western-kingbird-at-marathon.html">at Marathon</a>. </li>
<li>Aug. 21, 2012, a new addition to the Pukaskwa National Park checklist. James Telford's eBird checklist and photo <a href="http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S11489332">here</a>.</li>
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...and some older autumn records adjudicated by the <a href="http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/obrc.obrc" target="_blank">OBRC</a>, again courtesy of AW.
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<ul>
<li><b>November 2, 1996</b>: Thunder Bay (Nick Escott -- found by?) --- accepted by OBRC.</li>
<li><b>October 12, 1993</b>: Thunder Cape (Nick Escott) --- accepted by OBRC.</li>
<li><b>October 13, 1992</b>: Terrace Bay (Alan Wormington) --- accepted by OBRC. </li>
</ul>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-37590418725803034792013-11-10T17:59:00.000-08:002013-11-10T17:59:09.417-08:00White-eyed Vireo strays to ManitouwadgeTammie Hache of Manitouwadge, at the east end of the Thunder Bay District, found a very unusual passerine in her yard today (November 10th, 2013). Tammie wrote:
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<blockquote>
I discovered this beautiful little bird in my backyard today. I sadly thought it was a window strike casualty when I found it on the ground half tucked under the last piece of siding on the garage but when I picked it up, it blinked at me. :) It has incredibly beautiful eyes!</blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPJXrLzafqlWmlHFUZFtHIsDLJEoFS2jFfL-u3j8RQCw6QKrAkRVSF8LcBu1lTOgbPmqQmHeRo1_niERnmqeHxyCFFSp1LFogaPfsUj0Njm1ay-yHiNwR-JPixp5XbRjOr7vdvTkke3J3/s1600/WEVI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPPJXrLzafqlWmlHFUZFtHIsDLJEoFS2jFfL-u3j8RQCw6QKrAkRVSF8LcBu1lTOgbPmqQmHeRo1_niERnmqeHxyCFFSp1LFogaPfsUj0Njm1ay-yHiNwR-JPixp5XbRjOr7vdvTkke3J3/s400/WEVI.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">November 10, 2013. Courtesy of Tammie Hache</td></tr>
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This is only the fourth occurrence of <b>White-eyed Vireo</b> in northern Ontario. All have been in the T-Bay District: Marathon, Thunder Cape and Rossport, all between Sept. 29 and Oct 21. Definitely a pattern of fall vagrancy here. This is likely the northernmost record for Ontario. Thanks for sharing the sighting Tammie!
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-70288675438339710702013-05-02T07:49:00.000-07:002013-05-29T20:42:57.821-07:00New (and overdue) in northern Ontario, White-faced Ibis (updated May 3)In the last week came the exciting report of a <b>White-faced Ibis</b> that's stopped over on a lawn along side the Trans-Canada Highway in Oxdrift, in the Kenora District. Ursala Wall noticed the ibis on April 23 as it foraged on Alane Sken's lawn. Carolle Eady from nearby Eagle River was able to get some excellent photos confirming the first occurrence of the species in northern Ontario.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciwNQE-fX7A2YKlposEytnX_4IRwc2y0u_o-23x0qSlg2wUZflyPjSmWRQjxdWEbMPfJ6Vky-9fbwHIzkOjkIv5Pg6lFqTBFVAlsoKSZe9yqqNad5REGuB4_o-5c5pm8NwfnFLyCJ3iFF/s1600/wfib_best_cr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhciwNQE-fX7A2YKlposEytnX_4IRwc2y0u_o-23x0qSlg2wUZflyPjSmWRQjxdWEbMPfJ6Vky-9fbwHIzkOjkIv5Pg6lFqTBFVAlsoKSZe9yqqNad5REGuB4_o-5c5pm8NwfnFLyCJ3iFF/s400/wfib_best_cr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Carolle Eady</td></tr>
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The record is exceptional and yet not so surprising. Let me explain.<br />
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It is exceptional in that only a dozen or so WFIB have been documented for the province and never before for northern Ontario. The bird's behaviour and site-fidelity have resulted in excellent documentation photos that leave no doubt as to the species. Note the complete white border to the face, the red eye and reddish legs - clinchers for WFIB (vs. the closely related <b>Glossy Ibis</b>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gsr7ck0eFQ-JkVP7GxgZ1N9XCjy6yf3XyXEm1MdoHxY0iqL-Z8eWvslwHivL60f5i4tQQWKXmTpgojSurB46158Th0iMlDfvrSZckiPY3xWJyvjwMHSd_rtE1a7_XeUfHI5AEBGjvk-Y/s1600/WF+Ibis+with+food+Oxdrift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0gsr7ck0eFQ-JkVP7GxgZ1N9XCjy6yf3XyXEm1MdoHxY0iqL-Z8eWvslwHivL60f5i4tQQWKXmTpgojSurB46158Th0iMlDfvrSZckiPY3xWJyvjwMHSd_rtE1a7_XeUfHI5AEBGjvk-Y/s400/WF+Ibis+with+food+Oxdrift.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Carolle Eady</td></tr>
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Alas, not all dark <i>Plegadis</i> ibis are as mature, cooperative and distinctively marked. Following review, many Ontario sightings are officially recorded, ambiguously, as <i>Plegadis</i> sp. or Glossy/White-faced Ibis. Autumn juveniles can be especially difficult to identify.<br />
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As of November 2012 the <a href="http://www.ofo.ca/webapp/site/page/view/obrc.obrc" target="_blank">Ontario Bird Record Committee</a> had reviewed 129 <i>Plegadis</i> ibis reports of which only 70 supported specific ID,<i> i.e</i>.,<br />
<ul>
<li>11 White-faced</li>
<li>59 Glossy</li>
<li>59 Glossy/White-faced aka <i>Plegadis</i> sp.</li>
</ul>
The only other ibis reported from northern Ontario, one from Gowganda, Timiskaming District, in October of 2001, was reviewed and assigned to <i>Plegadis</i> sp.<br />
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The range of the White-faced Ibis has been steadily expanding northwards over the last century. Breeding has been documented in nearby Manitoba, Minnesota and North Dakota. A quick glance at an eBird plot of occurrences from the region - red points indicate recent sightings - suggests to me the addition of WFIB to the list of northern Ontario birds was due, if not overdue.<br />
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<b>Update: May 3. </b><br />
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On May 2, Evan Timusk turned up a <i>Plegadis</i> ibis at Pither's Point Park in Ft. Frances. The encounter lasted only a minute or so but Evan was able to observe a thin white border to the face and a dark, but not red eye. Thus, the bird might have been northern Ontario's first <b>Glossy Ibis</b> although Evan notes that a second year <b>White-faced</b> is a possibility. In either case, this is the first occurrence of a <i>Plegadis</i> ibis in the Fort Frances District. Well done Evan!<br />
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In recent days Andy Nyhus from Winona, MN has been enjoying a great showing of ibis in our neighbouring state. The most remarkable find was an apparent <b>Glossy Ibis</b> in Olmstead Co. (a county first) on April 30th.
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYgmovBGjfDe5iGzgNXAFpmGh3PL4ttt2B-o2nMahepMK2u0swnHv1v4YaxFFmCHyCn89Fv_1v13QH2fvUcbgIdRk3Ans-oBY-MYhsje3UIGysCWHaTwi88zVuIcEWPgBU9gIdgDMVvA2/s1600/Nyhus_2013-04-30_163046-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYgmovBGjfDe5iGzgNXAFpmGh3PL4ttt2B-o2nMahepMK2u0swnHv1v4YaxFFmCHyCn89Fv_1v13QH2fvUcbgIdRk3Ans-oBY-MYhsje3UIGysCWHaTwi88zVuIcEWPgBU9gIdgDMVvA2/s400/Nyhus_2013-04-30_163046-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glossy Ibis. April 30, 2013. Olmstead Co., MN. Courtesy of Andy Nyhus.</td></tr>
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On April 27th Andy also photographed <b>White-faced</b> and <b>Glossy</b> together in Houston Co. just south of La Crescent. Whereas <b>White-faced Ibis</b> is now a well established breeder in MN and elsewhere in the upper Mississippi watershed, <b>Glossy Ibis</b> is considered accidental in MN.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JJJYOgZAOGvZlNUQzzaNuBH9J4OO5VtgUfS_Om78Toko5AVAEleq-3AT1xIanRlAY_K5DfNYU_RDwQC8IU2P7weCNdCn_0QL6OQb687GoSg04eFJ4m4cdcLTNVJgX2GAyb_K9OTABxiz/s1600/Nyhus_2013-04-27_091717.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JJJYOgZAOGvZlNUQzzaNuBH9J4OO5VtgUfS_Om78Toko5AVAEleq-3AT1xIanRlAY_K5DfNYU_RDwQC8IU2P7weCNdCn_0QL6OQb687GoSg04eFJ4m4cdcLTNVJgX2GAyb_K9OTABxiz/s400/Nyhus_2013-04-27_091717.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GLIB and WFIB. April 27, 2013. Houston Co., MN. Courtesy of Andy Nyhus</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b>Acknowledgment:</b>
Many thanks to Carolle Eady, Evan Timusk and Andrew Nyhus (here's Andy's <a href="http://www.andrewnyhusphotography.com/" target="_blank">photography website</a>) for sharing news and/or photographs of their recent ibis encounters.
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<b>Related:</b>
Shaffer, J.A., Knutsen, G.A., Martin, R.E. and J.S. Brice. 2007. Pattern and potential causes of White-faced Ibis, <i>Plegadis chihi</i>, establishment in the northern prairie and parkland region of North America. <i>Canadian Field-Naturalist </i><b>121(1)</b>: 46-57. (<a href="http://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/download/392/392" target="_blank">pdf</a>)<br />
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<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-36454059992686210522012-11-10T16:46:00.000-08:002012-11-14T10:49:37.199-08:00A moment to appreciate the Pine GrosbeakThere's a decent movement of <b>Pine Grosbeaks</b> along the north shore this week. We have a dozen or so visting our feeders. Along the Lake Superior coast, they can be seen and heard flying northwest on most days.<br />
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Last year we had a bumper crop of Mountain-Ash fruit and we enjoyed <a href="http://northshorenature.blogspot.ca/2012/01/feast-of-mountain-ash-in-town-of.html" target="_blank">an abundance</a> of Pine Grosbeaks through the winter. This year during our drought, very little fruit was set and all of that has been eaten. I'll be surprised if any <b>Pine Grosbeaks</b> remain here for the winter.<br />
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The first photo was taken today - I've never noticed pink in the wing bars before. The others are older. What a beautiful creature...<br />
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Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-90951301183250638092012-11-10T02:00:00.000-08:002012-11-11T19:57:08.261-08:00Hornemann's Hoary RedpollWe've had a mixed assemblage of 150+ redpolls in our yard for a few weeks. Most have been <b>"Southern" Common Redpoll</b> (<i>Acanthis flammea flammea</i>) with a smattering of <b>"Greater" Common Redpoll</b> (<i>Acanthis flammea rostrata</i>).<br />
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A couple of "<b>Southern" Hoary Redpoll</b> (<i>Acanthis hornemanni exilipes</i>) were joined today by a <b>"Hornemann's" Hoary Redpoll</b> (<i>Acanthis hornemanni hornemanni</i>). These photos give a sense of the larger size of <b>Hornemann's Hoary Redpoll</b> relative to the <b>Common Redpoll </b>in the foreground.<br />
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Over the previous two winters I've spent some time observing Ontario's four recognizable redpoll forms - you'll find notes, tons of photos and related links <a href="http://northshorenature.blogspot.ca/2011/01/hornemanns-hoary-and-greater-common.html">here</a>.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-55780318416020048212012-11-09T17:56:00.000-08:002012-11-09T17:57:02.157-08:00Summary of the 2012 North Shore Round-upOnce again Nick Escott and the Thunder Bay Field Naturalists coordinated the autumn bird round-up. Six parties spent at least part of Saturday (Nov 3) or Sunday (Nov 4) counting birds between Thunder Bay and Manitouwadge. Martha and I covered the Lake Superior coast between Rossport and Marathon.<br />
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A total of 77 species were tallied. Waterfowl viewing conditions were particularly good. While no real rarities were turned up, an ongoing <b>Eastern Towhee</b> was a good sighting in Nipigon. Many thanks to all who participated.
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Here's the tally, posted per Nick's request.
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<center>
<br /><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; table-layout: fixed; width: 424px;"><colgroup><col class="xl24" width="165"></col> <col class="xl24" width="27"></col> <col class="xl24" width="35"></col> <col class="xl24" width="180"></col> <col class="xl24" width="27"></col>
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<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12" width="165">Snow Goose </td> <td align="right" class="xl24" width="27">5</td> <td class="xl24" width="30"></td> <td class="xl24" width="180">Downy Woodpecker </td> <td align="right" class="xl24" width="27">18</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Canada Goose </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">347</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Hairy Woodpecker </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">13</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Wood Duck </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">3</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Am.3-toed Woodpecker </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Gadwall </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Blk-backed Woodpecker </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">American Wigeon</td> <td align="right" class="xl24">7</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Pileated Woodpecker </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">American Black Duck </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">35</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Northern Shrike </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">4</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Mallard </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">480</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Gray Jay </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">14</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Blue-winged Teal </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Blue Jay </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">45</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Green-winged Teal </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">American Crow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">206</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Redhead </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">6</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Common Raven </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">250</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Ring-necked Duck </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">20</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Horned Lark </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">3</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Greater Scaup </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">23</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Black-capped Chickadee </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">425</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Lesser Scaup </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">95</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Boreal Chickadee </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">11</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">White-winged Scoter </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Red-breasted Nuthatch </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">30</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Black Scoter </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">White-breasted Nuthatch </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Long-tailed Duck </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">17</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">American Robin </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">25</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Bufflehead </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">114</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">European Starling </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">128</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Common Goldeneye </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">159</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Eastern Towhee </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Hooded Merganser </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">162</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">American Tree Sparrow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">13</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Common Merganser </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">44</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Vesper Sparrow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Red-breasted Merganser </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">18</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Savannah Sparrow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Ruffed Grouse </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">32</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Swamp Sparrow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Common Loon </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">4</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">White-throated Sparrow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Red-necked Grebe </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">White-crowned Sparrow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Horned Grebe </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Dark-eyed Junco </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">19</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Pied-billed Grebe </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Bohemian Waxwing </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">10</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Bald Eagle </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">54</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Lapland Longspur </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Northern Goshawk </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Snow Bunting </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">279</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Rough-legged Hawk </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Red-winged Blackbird </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Merlin </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Rusty Blackbird </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">American Coot </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">13</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Pine Grosbeak </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">103</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Wilson's Snipe </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">4</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">House Finch</td> <td align="right" class="xl24">12</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Bonaparte's Gull </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">35</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">White-winged Crossbill </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">10</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Ring-billed Gull</td> <td align="right" class="xl24">240</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Common Redpoll </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">364</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Herring Gull </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">562</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Pine Siskin </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">2</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Thayer's Gull </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">American Goldfinch </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">6</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Iceland Gull </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">1</td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">Evening Grosbeak </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">30</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Rock Pigeon </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">413</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24">House Sparrow </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">30</td> </tr>
<tr height="12"> <td class="xl24" height="12">Mourning Dove </td> <td align="right" class="xl24">8</td><td class="xl24"></td> <td class="xl24"></td> <td align="right" class="xl24"></td> </tr>
</tbody></table>
</center>
<table>
</table>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-4408501892227681822012-10-29T18:48:00.003-07:002012-10-29T18:48:28.964-07:00Leucism...who knew it was contagious?These two showed up today.
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<a href="http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/AboutBirdsandFeeding/Albinism_Leucism.htm">More</a> about leucism and albinism from Cornell.
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-15511432632372123042012-10-28T19:12:00.002-07:002012-11-10T05:23:03.068-08:00Finches on the move!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq6CXSguVDTSCzNvlsHyZwLM6LG_C2nOPGcWomss3M4I4ZkSea9H5J6zgei_joYC6umsgn9PaMOQ4AvWatejuBTLW-4QfJKdIgATqvRfZmtzmyzlWv0Ct6Z7R71cbavsEZTUez6Gr6d2d/s1600/treatment_pond_track.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwq6CXSguVDTSCzNvlsHyZwLM6LG_C2nOPGcWomss3M4I4ZkSea9H5J6zgei_joYC6umsgn9PaMOQ4AvWatejuBTLW-4QfJKdIgATqvRfZmtzmyzlWv0Ct6Z7R71cbavsEZTUez6Gr6d2d/s320/treatment_pond_track.jpg" width="187" /></a></div>
I went for an excellent hike this morning along the Lake Superior coast south from Pebble Beach in Marathon to the mill effluent treatment ponds and then back along the CPR tracks and saw a tonne of birds. As Alan Wormington discovered back in the day, NE winds along the north shore can trigger large migratory movements of passerines in the late fall. Among the rarities Alan turned up on this stretch have been <b>Cassin's</b> and <b>Field Sparrows</b>, <b>Townsend's Solitaire</b> and <b>White-eyed Vireo</b>.<br />
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I didn't cross paths with any megas but I was awed by the tide of <b>Common Redpoll</b> - one super flock had more than 300 birds. I estimated more than 1,300 COREs in 2.5 hours. Last year in late October I saw similar movements of redpolls moving NW along the coast. Then, as in most years, the migrating flock passed high over head, stopping periodically to feed in the tops of white birches. This year our drought-stressed birch failed to set seed so now most of the migrating redpolls are sweeping through at eye level, pausing to feed on abundant Green Alder cones.<br />
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Smaller flocks of <b>White-winged Crossbill</b>, <b>Pine Siskin</b> and <b>Pine Grosbeak</b> were also conspicuous this morning. The flock of nine <b>Bohemian Waxwings</b> and two <b>Northern Shrikes</b> added some contrast.
I was surprised not to see a single <b>Rough-legged Hawk</b> passing by Hawks Ridge.
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An <b>Indigo Bunting</b> continues to visit our backyard feeders.
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<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3388226891960760560.post-61339614139448452402012-10-27T20:08:00.000-07:002012-10-29T18:10:20.449-07:00Indigo Bunting in Marathon & rarities around Lake SuperiorWe had a very drab looking <b>Indigo Bunting</b> show up in our Marathon yard today - late-ish but not the latest autumn record in the Thunder Bay District for this neotropical migrant.<br />
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Also in our yard were all of the regular winter finches: <b>Pine</b> and <b>Evening Grosbeak</b>, <b>Pine Siskin,</b> <b>Common </b>and <b>Hoary Redpoll</b>, <b>White-winged Crossbill</b> and <b>Purple Finch.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVAXU2x-XK31UnneufL3Yv0xKoZlOVxDrnDOYX0y6SkQiekPVuEL-8dvMFVucXS6YgURQkzetZFH2Et8CLABlBWcMuOSJSckfLdrpa4PXwVn_ha6QWfZYBp_umiN8p4M94D4hlSdUQMmM/s1600/inbu_collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXVAXU2x-XK31UnneufL3Yv0xKoZlOVxDrnDOYX0y6SkQiekPVuEL-8dvMFVucXS6YgURQkzetZFH2Et8CLABlBWcMuOSJSckfLdrpa4PXwVn_ha6QWfZYBp_umiN8p4M94D4hlSdUQMmM/s400/inbu_collage.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indigo Bunting in Marathon, Oct. 27, 2012.</td></tr>
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Of late some true rarities have been reported from the Lake Superior basin. At Grand Marais (MN), only 128 km from Thunder Bay, a <b>Cassin's Kingbird</b> was photographed today.<br />
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Photo here:<br />
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<a href="http://moumn.org/cgi-bin/recent.pl?op=rare">http://moumn.org/cgi-bin/recent.pl?op=rare</a>.<br />
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In Alger Co., Michigan, only a few hundred open water kms south of Terrace Bay, a <b>Vermilion Flycatcher</b> was seen today.<br />
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Report here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/Michigan_Listers/1280467?">http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Mail/Michigan_Listers/1280467?</a><br />
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photo here:
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/guitarmom/8129162469/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/guitarmom/8129162469/
</a><br />
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On October 25, a <b>Cave Swallow</b> was photographed at the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory in MI.<br />
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Photo here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.wpbo.org/node/26807">http://www.wpbo.org/node/26807</a><br />
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East of Minneapolis, in Eau Claire, Minnesota, a <b>Bewick's Wren</b> showed up at a feeder today.<br />
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Photos here:<br />
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/ageraghty83/BackyardWrenOctober272012?authkey=Gv1sRgCPeQ1Zz7gqWReA">https://picasaweb.google.com/ageraghty83/BackyardWrenOctober272012?authkey=Gv1sRgCPeQ1Zz7gqWReA</a><br />
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So...it's that time of year when just about anything can show up in the western Great Lakes. Keep your eyes peeled!Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15410092136057119995noreply@blogger.com0