Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week starting October 20, 2023 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): BARNACLE x Cackling Goose (hybrid) (York) Harlequin Duck (Simcoe) Eared Grebe (Algoma, Northumberland) LIMPKIN (Lanark) Red Phalarope (Elgin, Lambton) Purple Sandpiper (Lambton) Long-tailed Jaeger (Niagara) Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton) Franklin's Gull (Brant) SHORT-BILLED GULL (Renfrew) Pacific Loon (Chatham-Kent) Pacific Loon (Simcoe) LITTLE BLUE HERON (Halton, Hamilton) Cattle Egret (Chatham-Kent) Cattle Egret (Norfolk) Black Vulture (Durham) ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (Thunder Bay) DUSKY FLYCATCHER (Timiskaming) Black-billed Magpie (ELGIN) Townsend's Solitaire (Bruce) BREWER'S SPARROW (Thunder Bay) Harris's Sparrow (Wellington) 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. BARNACLE x Cackling Goose (hybrid) (York): Jax Nasimok found one at Reesor Pond in Markham on October 25 that remained to at least October 26. Harlequin Duck (Simcoe): The bird found by Mark Jennings at Collingwood Harbour on October 19 remained to at least October 20. Eared Grebe (Algoma): Ken McIlwrick reported one at Goulais River on October 24. Eared Grebe (Northumberland): Gerard Philips reported one off Gull Island at Presqu'ile PP on October 24. LIMPKIN (Lanark): The Mississippi River bird was reported this week on October 20, 23 and 24. Red Phalarope (Elgin): Darwin Barnard found one at the mouth of Big Otter Creek on October 23 that was seen and photographed by several observers the same day. Red Phalarope (Lambton): Several observers reported one off Kettle Point on October 21. Purple Sandpiper (Lambton): Several observers had one off Kettle Point on October 21. Long-tailed Jaeger (Niagara): Laurence Blight and Ryan Griffiths reported one off Niagara-on-the-Lake on October 26. Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton): Several observers had one off Kettle Point on October 22. Franklin's Gull (Brant): The bird found by Bill Lamond on the Grand River in Brantford on October 19 was photographed by Jason Pizzey on Mohawk Lake October 20. SHORT-BILLED GULL (Renfrew): Jon Ruddy photographed a first year bird at Cobden boat launch on October 26. Pacific Loon (Chatham-Kent): Max Segler reported one over Lake Erie off Zion Rd on October 22. Pacific Loon (Simcoe): At least one bird was seen by many birders this week from the Barrie waterfront. LITTLE BLUE HERON (Halton/Hamilton): The bird found by Dave Donn and Rob Dobos on October 8 continued again this week in the Dejardins Canal viewed from Olympic Drive to at least October 21 before it relocated to Valley Inn (October 22-26). Cattle Egret (Chatham-Kent): Jim Burk found one at Erie Beach on October 25 that was seen by several others the same day only. Cattle Egret (Norfolk): Denis Lepage found one along the causeway through Big Creek Marsh on October 21. Black Vulture (Durham): Mike Ferguson found one over Bessborough Park on October 24. ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER (Thunder Bay): Thunder Cape Bird Observatory captured a possible one on October 22. DUSKY FLYCATCHER (Timiskaming): Hilliardton Marsh banded one on October 24. Black-billed Magpie (ELGIN): At least one of the birds from earlier in the fall west of St. Thomas was reported again this week. Townsend's Solitaire (Bruce): Stephane Menu reported one at Cabot Head on October 22. BREWER'S SPARROW (Thunder Bay): Allan Gilbert found one at Chippewa Lagoons on October 25 that was seen and photographed by several others on October 26. Harris's Sparrow (Wellington): The bird found by Mike Cadman at the Powerline Trail in Guelph on October 16 continued to at least October 23.. 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