With exams starting up this week and next week, I've had to cut back a bit on birding but you can always find time to bird even if it's just glancing out to your feeders for a few minutes, or going for quick stroll around the neighborhood. I've made it a routine for me to check some storm water ponds just across the street from my school, and have actually found some neat things in them, including a Snow Goose in 2022! Usually the ponds consist of Mallards, Canada Geese (large numbers only on very cold days), and the occasional Bufflehead and Hooded Merganser. So on Wednesday I made the quick trip out to check the ponds again, as the key to finding rare birds is being consistent! This time of year combined with recent weather systems have resulted in constant overcast days throughout Ontario. When I arrived at the ponds I was astonished to find a group of Wood Ducks (two males & one female), bringing me some joy to a gray, gloomy day.
On Saturday, my mom and I finally got out to Fifty Point CA, hoping to lay eyes on the King Eider that has stuck around since January 1st. We arrived just after 9am, and began our search on the Niagara Side of Fifty Point, scoping from a nice observation deck. Dave Don had arrived just a few minutes before us, also searching for the eider. The lake was choppy, making it a bit easier for eider to hide but we were determined to find it! About 20 minutes later, Dave spots it way out with a group of White-winged Scoters. It takes me a quick minute to find it in my scope, but eventually we are seeing it, a successful chase! Our luck didn't end there for the day, we also saw a Red-necked Grebe, a Black Scoter and two Northern Saw-whet Owls, all being new year birds.
Northern Saw-whet Owl - Fifty Point CA
After wrapping up at Fifty Point around 11am, we headed up the escarpment to hopefully find a Northern Shrike that had been reported in the general area. After driving around for about an hour, we finally located it perched at the very top of a tree! Took a picture of it, then headed back home.
Northern Shrike - Stoney Creek
It wasn't only a good day for birds, we also had quite a nice time observing some mammals! A beautiful Red Fox was the first one we saw, followed closely by a coyote and then a deer!
HSA Year List: 83
Recent rare bird sightings: Snow Goose at Valens CA (Rowan Keunen; Jan 22)
Awesome stuff!
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