Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week starting December 1, 2023
Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list):
King Eider (Chatham-Kent)
King Eider (Essex)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Grey, Ottawa, Prince Edward)
Western Grebe (Halton/Hamilton, Huron)
Red Phalarope (Simcoe, Toronto)
Purple Sandpiper (Hamilton, Northumberland, Toronto)
Black-legged Kittiwake (Essex, Hamilton, Niagara)
Pacific Loon (Hamilton, Simcoe)
Black Vulture (Niagara)
Black-billed Magpie (MIDDLESEX)
Townsend's Solitaire (Essex)
Wood Thrush (Ottawa)
FIELDFARE (Nipissing)
Black-and-white Warbler (Toronto)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) (Chatham-Kent)
Dickcissel (Toronto)
Details: I have tried to indicate the finder, where known. My apologies to
those who I have left out. You can help me by giving the finder's name(s),
if known, in your eBird checklists.
King Eider (Chatham-Kent): Blake Mann found an adult male off Rondeau PP on
December 5 that was seen by a few others later the same day. This is
possibly the same bird seen the day prior in Chatham-Kent.
King Eider (Essex): Cameron Chevalier photographed an adult male off Point
Pelee on December 4.
Barrow's Goldeneye (Grey): THe male continued this week at Owen Sound to at
least December 6.
Barow's Goldeneye (Ottawa): At least two males continue, one near the
Hurdman Bridge and another off Dick Bell Park.
Barrow's Goldeneye (Prince Edward): The male found November 26 off Big
Island by Paul Jones continued this week to at least December 6.
Western Grebe (Halton/Hamilton): The bird found by Joanne Redwood off
LaSalle Park on November 27 continued again this wek to at least December 5.
Western Grebe (Huron): James Lees photographed two birds together of the
pier in Bayfield on December 3, with at least one bird remaining to at
least December 4.
Red Phalarope (Simcoe): One bird was seen by many at Minet's Point in
Barrie December 2 and 3.
Red Phalarope (Toronto): One bird was at Colonel Sam Smith Park December
1-3.
Purple Sandpiper (Hamilton): Up to two birds were off Van Wagner's Beach
December 2-3.
Purple Sandpiper (Northumberland): Up to three birds were seen by many at
Cobourg Harbour December 1-4.
Purple Sandpiper (Toronto): Up to two birds were seen thsi week at Tommy
Thompson Park December 5-7 and one was at Colonel Sam Smith Park on
December 1.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Essex): Vicki McKay and Brett Groves reported a
juvenal from Hillman Marsh December 2.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Hamilton): Rich Poort reported one off
Confederation Park on December 2 and Liam Thorne and Markus Legzdins
reported two off Van Wagner's Beach December 3.
Black-legged Kittiwake (Niagara): At least one was seen by many off
Niagara-on-the-Lake December 3-5. Another was reported from Port Weller
pier on December 3.
Pacific Loon (Hamilton): Keith Dieroff found one at Yacht Club harbour on
December 4 that was seen by many to at least December 7.
Pacific Loon (Simcoe): Up to two birds were reported this week from the
Barrie waterfront.
Black Vulture (Niagara): Up to 12 birds were reported this week from the
Queenston area.
Black-billed Magpie (MIDDLESEX): Harrison McCormick photographed one at the
Dingman Constructed Wetladn on December 2 that was seen by many to at least
December 4.
Townsend's Solitaire (Essex): The bird found by Jeremy Bensette and Kate
Derbyshire at DeLaurier in Point Pelee on November 19 continued again this
week to at least December 7.
Wood Thrush (Ottawa): Francine Mercier photographed one at Champlain Park
Woods on December 7.
FIELDFARE (Nipissing): The bird found by Julie Belliveau Sturgeon Falls on
November 29 was seen by many daily to at least December 7 (but not seen
some days this week). For more details including guidelines and
instructions for visiting see:
https://ontbirds.ca/empathy/thread/VQACO2HLKSAQPLNNIS54CHKT52PZFW2N
Black-and-white Warbler (Toronto): Gordon Fitch found one at Sunnyside
Beach on December 3 that was seen by several observers to at least December
7.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (AUDUBON'S) (Chatham-Kent): The bird found by Blake
Mann at Rondeau PP on November 30 was seen again this week on December 1.
Dickcissel (Toronto): The bird found by Will Heikoop at Don Valley Brick
Works Park on November 19 was seen by many to at least December 6.
Report compiled by Mike Burrell from a variety of sources, primarily eBird;
most other sources are listed here:
http://ofo.ca/site/content/ontario-hotlines-and-news