Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week starting December 8, 2023 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): King Eider (Hamilton) Western Grebe (Halton) Purple Sandpiper (Northumberland) Purple Sandpiper (Toronto) Black-legged Kittiwake (Niagara) Laughing Gull (Durham) Pacific Loon (Hamilton, Simcoe) Great Egret (Chatham-Kent) Black Vulture (Niagara) White-eyed Vireo (Chatham-Kent) Philadelphia Vireo (Middlesex) Black-billed Magpie (MIDDLESEX) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Chatham-Kent) Townsend's Solitaire (Essex) Wood Thrush (Ottawa) FIELDFARE (Nipissing) Black-and-white Warbler (Elgin, Toronto) Palm Warbler (Yellow) (Frontenac) YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (AUDUBON'S) (Chatham-Kent) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Waterloo, York) Indigo Bunting (Ottawa) 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 (Hamilton): Rich Poort reported the continuing female-type bird off Fifty Point on December 10. Western Grebe (Halton/Hamilton): The bird found by Joanne Redwood off LaSalle Park on November 27 continued again this wek to at least December 11. Purple Sandpiper (Northumberland): Doug McRae found five birds on Sebastapol Island on December 10. Up to five birds were seen by many at Cobourg Harbour December 12-14. Purple Sandpiper (Toronto): One bird was seen thsi week at Tommy Thompson Park December 8, presumably continuing from last week. Black-legged Kittiwake (Niagara): At least one this week off Niagara-on-the-Lake to at least December 10. Laughing Gull (Durham): Jax Nasimok photographed a young bird at Rotary Park in Ajax on December 9. Pacific Loon (Hamilton): The one found by Keith Dieroff at Yacht Club harbour on December 4 continued to at least December 13. Pacific Loon (Simcoe): At least one bird was reported this week from the Barrie waterfront. Great Egret (Chatham-Kent): Allen Woodliffe photographed one at Keith McLean CA on December 11 that was still present December 13. Black Vulture (Niagara): Up to 6 birds were reported this week from the Queenston area. White-eyed Vireo (Chatham-Kent): Jim Burk found one at the south end of Taylor Rd east of Morpeth on December 10 that was still present December 14. Philadelphia Vireo (Middlesex): A bird found November 25th by Reuven Martin at Pottersburg Park in London was relocated December 14 and seen and photographed by several observers. Black-billed Magpie (MIDDLESEX): The bird found by Harrison McCormick at the Dingman Constructed Wetland on December 2 continued to at least December 14.. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Chatham-Kent): One bird continued in the Rondeau PP campground to at least December 14. 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 12. Wood Thrush (Ottawa): The bird found by Francine Mercier at Champlain Park Woods on December 7 continued to at least December 14. FIELDFARE (Nipissing): The bird found by Julie Belliveau Sturgeon Falls on November 29 was seen by many daily to at least December 13. For more details including guidelines and instructions for visiting see: https://ontbirds.ca/empathy/thread/VQACO2HLKSAQPLNNIS54CHKT52PZFW2N Black-and-white Warbler (Elgin): Pete Matthews found one at Lake Margaret in St. Thomas on December 10 that was still present at least to December 11. Black-and-white Warbler (Toronto): The one found by Gordon Fitch at Sunnyside Beach on December 3 was seen by several observers to at least December 10. Palm Warbler (Yellow) (Frontenac): Paul Martin photographed one on Bur Brook Rd December 8. 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 14. Rose-breasted GRsobeak (Waterloo): Neil Taylor found one near Homer Watson Park on December 9 that remained to at least December 12. Rose-breasted GRosbeak (York): One was reported December 7-9 visiting a feeder in Vaughan. Indigo Bunting (Ottawa): Tony Beck photographed a female-type at Shirley's Bay on December 8. 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 14. 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