shrike-birding

Weekly Roundup November 30th to December 6th 2020

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 13:53:54 GMT

As we begin to get into the winter months, the number of rarities begins to decrease. However, this is also somewhat exciting, as often the rarities that are found are much more unique. This was very true this week, as there were a couple of very significant birds found.

For our waterfowl, numbers have begun to decrease fairly substantially as inland lakes are starting to ice over and many of our wetlands are closing up rapidly. There were a few WOOD DUCK earlier in the week and a GADWALL and GREEN-WINGED TEAL stuck around the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons for much of the week. The continuing rare LONG-TAILED DUCK and RED-BREASTED MERGANSER have also been seen at Muskoka Wharf.

The star of the gulls was the continuing SLATY-BACKED GULL refound on Monday by Aaron Rusak. Originally found by Regan and David Goodyear, the gull may stick around until the Christmas Bird Count and would be a great pick up there. ICELAND, GREAT BLACK-BACKED, and GLAUCOUS GULLS also made appearances across Muskoka. Checking the Gravenhurst Wharf or the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons has yielded several of those birds and continues to prove to be a good location for finding them.

The absolute all-star of the week though, was the TOWNSEND’S SOLITAIRE found by Dale Wenger at Hutcheson Beach Road. The bird was originally found Tuesday morning and stuck around until about noon until disappearing. There were several great views of the bird before it disappeared and although it was not refound, there is definitely a chance for it to be lingering somewhere around Huntsville.

Townsend’s Solitaire, Huntsville, Aaron Rusak

There are a few other late birds of note as well. RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS have been seen at a couple feeders in Georgian Bay, as well as a feeder in Bracebridge. A CAROLINA WREN has also made a reappearance at a feeder in Bracebridge and will also hopefully join us for the Christmas Bird Count. Another late RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET was spotted along Doe Lake Road, becoming the second latest record of the species. An EASTERN MEADOWLARK was also discovered up in Huntsville, the latest record for that species. Finally, a continuing WHITE-THROATED SPARROW is being seen in Bracebridge, a species that seems to be hanging around for longer and longer each winter.

What to Look for this Week

The Christmas Bird Count is coming up very soon, so stocking up your feeders will prove to be very helpful for this event. This provides a food source for any lingering birds and also provides an opportunity for the counters to find any of those late birds. As the snow begins to get deeper, feeders will be one of the best places to search for birds anyway, so stock up on bird seed now to keep you through the winter months.

Evening Grosbeaks at feeder, Bracebridge, Aaron Rusak

Got a rare sighting of your own? Feel free to send it to aaron@shrikebirding.com and it may be used in our next weekly report. We’re hoping to add additional information in our future weekly reports, so unusual sightings within Muskoka are hugely appreciated.

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup November 23rd to November 29th 2020

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 13:36:44 GMT

Winter is coming soon, but this past week offered potentially the last snow-free days of birding until the spring. Several lingering birds are still around and a few rarities are also popping up.

Although waterfowl numbers are decreasing, there are still quite a number of continuing birds. There are still some lingering GREEN-WINGED TEAL, GADWALL, WOOD DUCK, and LONG-TAILED DUCK. There are also a few RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS on various lakes throughout Muskoka. Many of our lingering birds have begun to move on, so opportunities for waterfowl viewing are going to become limited.

A pretty exciting bird was seen in the raptor family as well. One of the few GOLDEN EAGLES reported this year was seen up near Huntsville. It was seen early in the morning and offered some good views while migrating. Beatrice Townline Road has once again produced some ROUGH-LEGGED HAWKS which are becoming somewhat of a regular visitor in the spring and fall. Once the snow hits in earnest, our raptor watching is going to become quite limited, so these were a last few good sightings to round out the year.

Gulls are the highlight of this week, with several different rarities being seen out on the larger lakes at dawn or dusk. Once ice begins to set in, checking the iced edges of lakes might turn up a few additional rarities. The highlight of this week was the SLATY-BACKED GULL found, a Muskoka first and a rare bird across all of Ontario. There’s also been ICELAND, GLAUCOUS, GREAT BLACK-BACKED , and LESSER BLACK-BACKED seen this week in various locations, so be sure to check all gull flocks you see for some odd looking ones.

A few lingering rarities are still being seen throughout Muskoka, with the continuing RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS being seen well in Georgian Bay. Two CAROLINA WRENS have also continued into this week, with the Bowyer’s Beach bird being fairly regular in the area.

As for our warblers and sparrows, there aren’t too many of them around anymore. There was a single YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER in downtown Bracebridge near some feeders this week, the latest date for that species in Muskoka. Another late bird, a RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET , was seen in Georgian Bay as well, the second latest date for that species. The warmer fall we’ve been having seems to have kept around a few birds that may normally be much further south at this point.

As for finches, well it’s continuing to be a banner year for them. You can’t seem to throw a rock without hitting a PINE GROSBEAK and EVENING GROSBEAKS are frequently feeders across Muskoka. Spruces are a great place to find either of your CROSSBILL species and REDPOLLS are being seen in all manner of locations in Muskoka. Be sure to be scanning REDPOLL flocks for that elusive HOARY REDPOLL. They can be difficult to differentiate from the Commons, but clean undertail coverts and a frosty appearance help make that ID a bit easier.

What to Look out from this Week

As mentioned above and last week, gulls are a pretty big highlight of this time of year. Lakes and open fields are great places to check for them. Make sure you’re taking your time and really looking closely at every gull you can. There are several similar looking species and sometimes the extra time looking is all you need to find that one rarity.

As it appears there will be plenty of snow this week, boreal birds may begin to expand their range southward. Look for BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS in spruce swamps or conifer islands in forests. CANADA JAYS and maybe even a SPRUCE GROUSE are possibilities up in Huntsville and northern sections of the county. Be sure to dress warm and prepare for seeing way less species than you’re used to!

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup November 16th to November 22nd 2020

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 13:30:10 GMT

Rare birds were showing up all across Ontario this past week and Muskoka was no exception! Several rarities popped up, following the waterfowl theme we’ve had in the last few weeks. A few lingering migrants are still around, kept here by the warmer weather the week prior.

The highlight waterfowl this week was a BLACK SCOTER originally found by Stan Fairchild on Mary Lake. The bird only stuck around for a day, but offered some very good views of quite an uncommon duck. RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS were almost plentiful this week, being seen in several different lakes around Muskoka. Lingering LESSER SCAUP, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, NORTHERN SHOVELER, and WOOD DUCKS all made an appearance this week, being seen primarily at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons, but also at several smaller lakes.

A few good gulls have returned to Muskoka, giving a good start to the gulling season. An ICELAND GULL was spotted at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons, which is a great place to check before it completely freezes over. Two different groups of four BONAPARTE’S GULLS were spotted out at Georgian Bay, appearing to be a little late in departing for further south. Additionally, a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL also showed up on Kahshe Lake. A great week for gulling! There should be several species continuing to arrive throughout the next few weeks, so checking out the edge of open water might turn up something good.

A ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK was also seen in the usual location, Beatrice Townline Road and a few other hawks might still be passing through. Other raptors of note are a few owls being seen across Muskoka. Due to the sensitive nature of owls, we won’t be releasing any specific information about them. However, we’ll let you know when there is an increase of sightings!

A couple continuing rarities are still here this week. A second RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER has been found in the Georgian Bay region and both have been regular visitors to feeders. The Bowyer’s Beach CAROLINA WREN is also continuing and showing fairly well. Additionally, a late HERMIT THRUSH popped up at some feeders but hasn’t stuck around.

Finally, our finches are continuing to show well. No HOARY REDPOLLS were seen this week, but all our other finches have been seen throughout Muskoka. We’re even hearing PINE GROSBEAKS in downtown Bracebridge!

What to Look out for this Week

Gulls are starting to move through in larger numbers, so start checking any ice on larger bodies of water. Often gulls will hang out around there at noon and in the evening. Several gulls are showing up south of Muskoka, so it’s possible they’ll continue even further up.

No photos with this post, as all my bird photography is distant and blurry. If you’ve got bird photos you want to be featured feel free to submit them.

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup November 9th to November 15th

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 13:26:33 GMT

This week had fairly few rarities in Muskoka, so I’m going to begin with a bit of Ontario rare birds before diving into Muskoka. My rare bird scouting in Muskoka was short a day this week because I decided to join some friends for a last minute trip to Ottawa to twitch for a TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE.

We left Muskoka at around 10 pm on Saturday night, driving through Algonquin Park and arriving in Ottawa at 3 am. A quick power nap later, a bit of coffee, and we were up and at the site where the bird had been seen the previous day. We arrived there at 7 am, climbing a steep, but small hill to look out at a group of around 4000 CANADA GEESE. Other birders had located the bird that morning, but it took a bit of time to pick it out from all the surrounding birds. One of my friends found it a lot quicker and we shared a scope to all get a look at the amazing bird. The goose hung around for about 45 minutes, often swimming around in the water and disappearing within the large flock of geese. If your eyes ever left the goose, it took a few minutes or longer to refind it, even though it never moved too far. There was just so many geese!

Though the TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE was the highlight of the day, there were still a few other highlights. We managed to get a HOARY REDPOLL at one of the other stops we made, as well as finding a flock of over 15,000 SNOW GEESE landing in a field. Photos don’t do the scene of that many SNOW GEESE landing at once, but it was quite the sight!

Snow Geese in Flight, Ottawa, Aaron Rusak

Moving back to Muskoka, waterfowl are also the focus here. This week no new rarities popped up, but we had several continuing birds. LESSER SCAUP, LONG-TAILED DUCK, NORTHER SHOVELERS, and RUDDY DUCK all continued into this week.

A couple of our usual culprits, CAROLINA WREN and RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER are still sticking around in their usual areas. We’ve even got some lingering RED-WINGED BLACKBIRDS moving around in various places in Muskoka. Most of our migrant breeding birds have left however, so some of our smaller birds are few and far between.

Red-winged Blackbird, Bracebridge (2019), Aaron Rusak

Finches are having a similar showing to last week, with both GROSBEAK and CROSSBILL species being seen in fruit and conifer trees across Muskoka. COMMON REDPOLLS are moving through in large flocks as well, and there was even a CANADA JAY seen near the edge of Dwight.

What to Look for this Week

What more do we have coming to Muskoka, now that many of our finches have arrived? Well, with the arrival of both PACIFIC and RED-THROATED LOONS in Simcoe, there is the potential for either of those species to be seen on any of the larger water bodies. There’s also still a chance for one or more of the SCOTER species to make an appearance.

There are also odd vagrants still popping up across Ontario, like a VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER and the TUNDRA BEAN-GOOSE we saw this past weekend. Keeping an eye out for unusual birds is a very good idea these days, as you never know what might be turning up in your neck of the woods. Note: A day after this was written, I woke up crazy early and went to find the VARIEGATED FLYCATCHER myself. Success!

I call it find the flycatcher in the snowstorm (hint: it’s the blob in the center)
Variegated Flycatcher, Brooklin, Aaron Rusak

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup November 2nd to November 8th 2020

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 13:13:26 GMT

The first week of November has been a good one, with several rarities showing up. As the days get colder, we’ll be seeing a larger movement of birds down south with most migrating birds leaving Muskoka.

Waterfowl have been continuing through this week, the warmer weather at the end of the week keeping them around. There’s been continuing LESSER SCAUP, NORTHERN SHOVELER, WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, and RUDDY DUCK , but there have been a couple unusual additions that have joined them. A few LONG-TAILED DUCKS joined them later in the week and have been seen at a couple different locations. Additionally, a HORNED GREBE was seen in Georgian Bay, migrating through a bit later than usual. Finally, a SNOW GOOSE was spotted by Barbara Taylor early in the week along Golden Beach Road. It was relocated the next day on Beaumont Farm Road and was hanging around with a group of CANADA GEESE.

Snow Goose, Bracebridge, Aaron Rusak

A few rarer gulls have cropped up in Muskoka this week as well. A pair of BONAPARTE’S GULLS were seen off the Georgian Bay coast and a GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL has been seen in the Bracebridge area. A couple late CAROLINA WRENS were also picked up, one continuing at Bowyer’s Beach and another at our bird feeders! A new yard bird for us, one that we’re hoping to try to keep until the Christmas Bird Count.

Carolina Wren, Bracebridge, Aaron Rusak

Finches everywhere! This week was a crazy week for finches, and it was possible to see all of our winter finches in just a couple days. PINE GROSBEAKS have migrated down in a big way, being seen across Muskoka. Trees with fruit are a good place to check for them and you might be able to grab some of the BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS that are being spotted as well. Other notables are COMMON REDPOLLS, EVENING GROSBEAKS, WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS, and RED CROSSBILLS. We’ve even had a couple HOARY REDPOLLS spotted at Bangor Lodge and the Sewage Lagoons. Take advantage of the last couple of warm days to pick up your finches if you haven’t already!

Pine Grosbeak, Bracebridge (2019), Aaron Rusak

What to Look for this Week

The first two days of warmer weather bring some interesting possibilities, as there’s a lot of potential for a variety of mega-rare species. There’s the chance for anything really, a BEAN GOOSE has even shown up in Ottawa! Lakes are a good place to be checking for rare birds, but I’d take advantage of the warmer weather to take a few hikes. Since anything could pop up, anywhere is a good place to look.

As the weather gets colder, we may see a few more boreal species moving south. BOREAL CHICKADEE, SPRUCE GROUSE, or BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS are all potential birds that might make the trip down, so if you’re looking for those, checking up at Limberlost or other more northern locations are good places to start.

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup October 26th to November 1st 2020

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 12:57:28 GMT

This week didn’t see many rarities show up, but it did have a number of odd lingering birds. Of the several late species were recorded, most showed up at feeders.

Rare waterfowl have continued in several places this week, with the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons being a very good place to be checking. Both BLACK and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS showed up on the larger lakes, but the rest of the rarities were seen at the lagoons. Another RUDDY DUCK appeared at the lagoons, joining the continuing GREATER SCAUP and NORTHERN SHOVELERS. A late AMERICAN BITTERN was also seen at the sewage lagoons, though will most likely move on now that some of the smaller ponds are icing over at night.

American Bittern, Beatrice Townline, Aaron Rusak

A couple raptors passed through Muskoka on there way south as well, a welcome change from a lack of them last week. A PEREGRINE FALCON was spotted at the sewage lagoons and a late BROAD-WINGED HAWK passed through Georgian Bay on its way south.

Feeders were full of a variety of birds this week, with many different species sticking around still. CAROLINA WREN, GRAY CATBIRD, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and CHIPPING SPARROWS were all observed at various feeders across Muskoka. The continuing RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is still coming to a peanut feeder in Georgian Bay and will most likely be continuing there for some time. Much of our other migrants have moved on, but feeders are still good to check even into December.

Baltimore Oriole, Point Pelee (2018), Aaron Rusak

Finches are showing well in several different locations across Muskoka. We even had a flock of around 60 EVENING GROSBEAKS stick around our feeders for a few days. Other notables are COMMON REDPOLLS , BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS, and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS which are all migrating further south. There will be resident finches for much of the winter, so start stocking up on bird seed now. David and Regan Goodyear also found a HOARY REDPOLL , so hopefully those may show up at a couple feeders this winter as well.

Bohemian Waxwing, Gravenhurst 2019), Aaron Rusak

One final interesting record, though not a rarity was a leucistic DARK-EYED JUNCO that has been showing up at our feeders for the past week. An all white forehead and a lot of white in the tail makes for a very interesting looking bird!

Dark-eyed Junco, Bracebridge, Aaron Rusak

What to Look for this Week

It’s tough to give a bunch more advice that hasn’t been given, so check in with some of the past weeks for waterfowl and finch viewing advice. However, this next week is when some of the rarer gulls have been seen in the past, so checking farm fields for gull flocks is a great idea.

Additionally, feeders are going to be a very good place to check once the weather starts to stay cold. Black oil sunflower seeds and suet feeders will be welcome places for birds to feed once the snow flies. A nice variety of feeders will allow you to attract a large number of species, even in the winter.

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup October 19th to October 25th 2020

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:51:29 GMT

This past week has been an interesting one, with lots of rain and days with quite heavy winds, so this may be a shorter report than normal. Waterfowl are here in large numbers now, so several rare ones have also shown up. This weekend also brought the first snowfall of the year and it’s starting to feel a lot like winter.

Waterfowl abound! A summary of locations is probably the best way to break down what’s been seen this week. The Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons is a great spot for ducks of all varities, with a LONG-TAILED DUCK, GREATER SCAUP, REDHEADS, and NORTHERN SHOVELER all being seen there and sticking around for several days, with the exception of the LONG-TAILED DUCK. The gorgeous male was discovered on October 23rd by Janice House and was only seen that day. Muskoka Beach has seen both RED-BREASTED MERGANSERS and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS and Bowyer’s Beach had HORNED GREBES earlier in the week.

Greater Scaup, Bracebridge, Aaron Rusak

A late BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER was seen in a field in Gravenhurst and could be viewed for several days quite well. In addition, CAROLINA WRENS are having an incredible year in Muskoka, with several continuing this week at select feeders.

Carolina Wren, Bracebridge, Aaron Rusak

Warblers and sparrows had a few rarities pop up this week, most of which were late birds. A COMMON YELLOWTHROAT , NASHVILLE WARBLER, and BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS all continued into this week, but only a few individuals were seen of each species. A FIELD SPARROW was spotted on Fairy Vista Trail in Huntsville and a LAPLAND LONGSPUR is continuing at the causeway at Beatrice Townline Road. HORNED LARKS were also seen at several different spots this week, with a few larger flocks being spotted on golf courses.

Finches saw some big movement this week, with EVENING GROSBEAKS being seen at feeders and flying over almost everywhere in Muskoka. This year is an irruption year for them, so it’s likely that we’ll continue to see numbers increasing. Both WHITE-WINGED and RED CROSSBILLS were also seen in smaller numbers and there were a couple of reports of flyover BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS . Finch numbers should be increasing until the winter, so it’s a good time to be checking out conifer stands.

Red Crossbills, Muskoka Lakes, Aaron Rusak

What to Look for this Week

B oreal species are on the move, with finches irrupting across Muskoka. Keep your eyes peeled for flocks flying over and practice your flight calls to make identification easier. We may also see some rarer boreal species this winter, so check chickadee flocks for BOREAL CHICKADEE and conifer stands for BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKERS or CANADA JAYS.

Black-backed Woodpecker, Baysville (2019), Aaron Rusak

It’s the height of waterfowl migration in Muskoka, so check last week’s post for waterfowl watching tips. There are a couple rarities that haven’t shown up this year and are moving through areas north of Muskoka. Both BLACK SCOTER or RED-THROATED LOON might be appearing on larger bodies of water in the coming week.

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup October 13th to October 18th 2020

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 12:43:59 GMT

This week had a pretty slow start for rare birds in Muskoka. Just a few got reported, but it definitely was made up for in the second half of the week. Plenty of waterfowl starting to show themselves, despite the rainy and gloomy days.

A RUDDY DUCK seen by David and Regan Goodyear at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons on Monday offered a really strong start to the week. However, despite the strong start, not too many additional waterfowl stopped by during the weekdays. The weekend is when we really started to see good waterfowl movement. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, SURF SCOTER, REDHEAD , RED-NECKED GREBE, and NORTHERN SHOVELER all made their appearance. These birds all came through a few good hotspots: Beausoliel Island, the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons, Spence Lake, and Bowyer’s Beach. There should be several more waterfowl spotted off beaches in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep a scope on hand.

White-winged Scoter, Spence Lake, Aaron Rusak

A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is still continuing in Georgian Bay, a great place to pick one up if you’re still looking. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was also seen on Fairy Vista Trail in Huntsville, an unusual place for one to show up. An early NORTHERN SHRIKE was also picked up at the same location, further evidence for northern birds starting to move south.

Red-headed Woodpecker, Georgian Bay, Aaron Rusak

AMERICAN PIPIT and HORNED LARKS continued into this week, but no LAPLAND LONGSPURS were sighted. All three species should be continuing to move through, but the height of their movement has probably passed. A late BALTIMORE ORIOLE is also being spotted at a feeder north of Bracebridge, one of the last lingering summer birds.

Huge numbers of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS moved through this week and some birders were blessed with 100+ sparrows feeding in certain areas. A VESPER SPARROW was also seen up in Huntsville and a FIELD SPARROW was spotted on Beausoliel Island. Sparrow movement will most likely start slowing down soon, so check your sparrow hotspots for the last few stragglers.

White-crowned Sparrow, Bracebridge (2019), Aaron Rusak

Warbler migration is pretty much wrapped up, but there are still a few colourful yellow birds moving through. ORANGE-CROWNED, TENNESSEE, and NASHVILLE were all seen this week and kinglet numbers have reached their potential peak. As for finches, we’re seeing COMMON REDPOLLS coming south in greater numbers, but no other winter finches were spotted this week.

What to Look for this Week

Waterfowl, waterfowl, waterfowl. They’re the name of the game for the next few weeks, but you’re going to have to spend a fair bit of time scoping open water to get them. Scan slowly and multiple times, as many of the waterfowl moving through now are diving species, so the first scan may not catch them. Look in the swells and take your time. Beaches around Gravenhurst and Bracebridge have historically been successful, but any larger body of water with a good lookout might turn up some rarities like BLACK and SURF SCOTERS or a RED-BREASTER MERGANSER.

Large open fields are also a fantastic place to be checking out, as geese and gulls are feeding frequently in the wet fields. Flocks of both species should be quite numerous in the coming weeks, so be sure to inspect them for odd looking individuals. BRANT and SNOW GEESE may potentially be joining some of the larger flocks and we may start seeing GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULLS shortly.

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup October 5th to October 12th 2020

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 12:38:34 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving to all our Canadian readers! This roundup is a little delayed due to our staff enjoying the holidays. Birds don’t take holidays though, so there were plenty of rarities still showing up in Muskoka.

Now is the time of year for larger numbers and more various species of waterfowl, with some trickling in early this week.

S ome HORNED GREBES and LONG-TAILED DUCKS showed up in outer Georgian Bay and large numbers of ducks are still showing well at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons. BUFFLEHEADS are increasing in several different locations and are being seen at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons and Upjohn Nature Reserve. We are still a bit out from peak numbers and numbers will be increasing into next week.

Horned Grebe, Gray Island, Aaron Rusak

Hawks and owls are being seen or heard throughout Muskoka, but a lone PEREGRINE FALCON up in Huntsville was the only rarity seen. Large kettles of TURKEY VULTURES are still being seen throughout Muskoka and hawkwatches are reporting good numbers moving through, so keeping your eyes to the skies is still a great idea.

Several robin-sized birds have made a brief appearance this past week. A trio of CANADA JAYS were seen north of Huntsville. A late YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO was still continuing near Bala, perhaps one of the last individuals from what has been one of the best years for cuckoos in Muskoka in quite some time. Additionally, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is still being seen regularly at feeders in Georgian Bay.

Canada Jay, Algonquin Park, Aaron Rusak

Our smaller birds are where we’re seeing some good movement across all the species. Late warblers have made a potential last push south, with NORTHERN PARULAS, MOURNING WARBLERS, BLACK-THROATED-GREEN WARBLERS, and several other species still migrating through Muskoka. A couple late vireos have also been seen mixed in with these flock.

LAPLAND LONGSPURS and HORNED LARKS are still being seen somewhat frequently and should continue to move through the next week. It may be worth checking farm fields or open spaces near Georgian Bay, as large numbers are moving there. VESPER and FIELD SPARROWS have been spotted at several areas, with rock barrens being one of the best places to pick up late sparrows.

The real highlight of the week is the beginning of a large finch movement. EVENING GROSBEAKS and WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS have been spotted in several areas around Hunstville and Baysville, a good sign of a strong finch migration. Some early COMMON REDPOLLS have been spotted as well in mixed flocks with PINE SISKINS. A trio of possible HOARY REDPOLLS were also seen moving in one of these flocks, and if these trends continue, we’ll be in for a great winter for finches.

Common Redpoll, Southeast Wood Pine Island, Aaron Rusak

What to Look for this Week

A going theme for fall birding is scanning larger bodies of water for rare ducks and waterfowl. This will be true for this week and several upcoming weeks as well. CANVASBACKS and BLACK SCOTERS are two species that have been seen starting around this time in past years. However, all three SCOTER species remain strong possibilities, as well as other ducks or geese. Kirby and Muskoka Beach are two fantastic places to start scanning with a scope and a trip out to Georgian Bay may turn up a lucky find.

Finches are coming back! Be sure to brush up on some flight calls, so that you can identify any wayward flyovers. You can expect any of the finches seen this past week and there’s even a chance for a bird like the BOREAL CHICKADEE or PINE GROSBEAK to show up. Huntsville is the best place to start looking for them, then moving further south throughout the week as they begin to move. Monitoring what’s being seen in Algonquin may also provide quite useful in seeing some of the more uncommon finches.

White-winged Crossbill, Algonquin Park, Aaron Rusak

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup September 28th to October 4th 2020

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 12:31:50 GMT

This week was the perfect time to observe fall colours and fall birds! Fewer rarities made their appearance this week, but there were still several to be seen and several still to hopefully migrate south. Here were the highlights for the week.

The CACKLING GOOSE continued at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons on Monday, but wasn’t seen again after that week. There were some other possible ones that showed up, but nothing that could be confirmed. GADWALLS, NORTHERN SHOVELERS, and a PIED-BILLED GREBE continued and were joined by several AMERICAN WIGEON later in the week. Waterfowl numbers are still increasing, with a big variety available in open water and at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons.

Northern Shoveler, Aaron Rusak, Bracebridge (2019)

Another PEREGRINE FALCON was seen in Georgian Bay at South Bay, but other than that, few unusual raptors were seen. COOPER’S, SHARP-SHINNED, and RED-TAILED HAWKS are being seen somewhat regularly throughout Muskoka, so be sure to check any larger perching birds you see. Owls have been heard calling as well, so if you stay up a bit later you may hear a few.

The AMERICAN COOT continued into the week and several more BLACK-BELLIED PLOVERS were seen flying over the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons. Unfortunately, with the water level of the lagoons so high, the birds aren’t stopping and are only flying over. A trio of PECTORAL SANDPIPERS were seen near Baysville and a few other shorebirds are lingering. Shorebird migration is coming to a close in the next few weeks, but there’s still a chance for a few late arrivals.

RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS are still being reported at select feeders in Georgian Bay and you may still luck out with a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER if you check the areas as well. Some lingering SANDHILL CRANES were also seen by Bala. Additionally, a lone MARSH WREN was seen by Janice House up on Raymond Road; a fantastic sighting at this time of year!

Red-bellied Woodpecker, Aaron Rusak, Bracebridge (2019)

Several rarer robin-sized birds were also observed this week. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES are still being seen in woodlots around Muskoka. LAPLAND LONGSPURS, HORNED LARKS, and AMERICAN PIPITS have shown up at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons, Limberlost Reserve, and at Gray Island in Georgian Bay. Now is the time to be checking fields, gravel pits, or other areas were they’re historically seen.

Horned Lark (left) and Lapland Longspur (right), Aaron Rusak, Gray Island

We’re still seeing some smaller birds migrating, with many species of warblers and both kinglets being recorded this week. A couple late PHILADELPHIA VIREOS were observed at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons as well. However, warbler migration is almost completed, so your chances of finding those pockets of migrating warblers is getting lower.

What to Look for this Week

F arm fields and open water are the keys to finding rare birds this week. HORNED LARKS and LAPLAND LONGSPURS have had steady movements this past week and should be continuing for awhile. Raptor migration is ongoing, so farm fields are good places to get a view of the largest amount of sky and may turn up some rarities. Waterfowl may start making an appearance and you might be able to find an early SCOTER species or RED-BREASTED MERGANSER . There have also been three different NORTHERN WHEATEARS across Ontario is the last week, so checking a farm field may turn up that mega-rarity.

Lapland Longspur, Aaron Rusak, Gray Island

Checking those small birds flitting through the alders is still worth it as well. There have been reports of both WHITE-EYED and PLUMBEOUS VIREOS in Ontario recently, so it’s possibly one might make the trek up to Muskoka. Late warblers are always a possibility and there’s still chances to get a rare sparrow.

Finally, turning your eyes to the skies to catch migrating flocks is always a good habit in the fall. BRANT, CACKLING, and SNOW GEESE are continuing possibilities, as are TUNDRA SWANS or early winter gulls. Check all your flocks carefully for any odd looking birds.

Happy birding!

Weekly Roundup September 21st to 27th 2020

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:23:45 GMT

A very exciting week for birding in Muskoka! It included a new bird for Muskoka, as well as several other rare species. Fall migration appears to be in full swing and several species are beginning to move through Muskoka, so there’s a chance for several rarities to pop up.

The most exciting bird this week was a HUDSONIAN GODWIT which was briefly seen at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons by David Goodyear. Due to the lack of shoreline at the lagoons, the bird didn’t hang around and continued to migrate further south. This is a first for Muskoka and brings the total species of birds seen in Muskoka up to 303. Several other shorebirds are moving through Muskoka as well, with other notable species being a juvenile BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER observed by Dale Wenger in Huntsville and an AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER , BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER , and SANDERLING observed by Aaron and Jim Rusak on Gray Island in Georgian Bay.

American Golden-Plover [back] and Black-bellied Plover [front], Aaron Rusak, Gray Island

Raptor species are increasing as well, with several common and uncommon species being seen in kettles moving south. Notable species were a PEREGRINE FALCON and a pair of BALD EAGLES both seen out on Gray Island by Aaron and Jim Rusak. TURKEY VULTURES can also be seen in large numbers on sunny days and their numbers have been steadily increasing throughout the week.

Peregrine Falcon, Aaron Rusak, Gray Island

Fall migration usually brings large numbers of waterfowl and this week several uncommon species have been seen at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons and other large waterbodies. In the last week, GADWALL , LESSER SCAUP , NORTHERN SHOVELER , and PIED-BILLED GREBE have all been observed in water bodies around Muskoka. An AMERICAN COOT has taken up residence at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons and has been seen there for the better part of the week. Geese numbers are increasing as well and large flocks are being seen migrating or on open areas like golf courses or farm fields. A probable CACKLING GOOSE was observed at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons, so now is the time to get out looking for those rare goose species.

Cackling Goose[left] and Canada Goose [right], Aaron Rusak, Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons

Moving onto the thrushes, warblers, and sparrows, we had a few stand-outs this week. A LECONTE’S SPARROW was found by Aaron Rusak at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons. This is the third record, but like the Godwit, it could not be refound. A NELSON’S SPARROW was also recorded at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons; it also wasn’t refound. GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSHES were seen at several locations including along Taylor Road, Arrowhead, and near Bigwind Island. Finally, a LAPLAND LONGSPUR was seen as well at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons on September 26th.

LeConte’s Sparrow, Aaron Rusak, Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons

What to Look for this Week

With birds starting to move, this upcoming week will be a fantastic time to look for rare migrants coming into Muskoka. A high number of sparrows were moving last week, so this upcoming week should be prime time to find those rare wandering sparrow. NELSON’S, CLAY-COLOURED, and LECONTE’S SPARROWS are all continuing possibilities coming into this week. Since geese numbers are increasing, there may be a few early migrants coming in this week. Check farm fields and golf courses for CACKLING, ROSS’, and SNOW GEESE , with an early BRANT also being a possibility.

Vireos and warblers are still moving through in good numbers, though we’re getting later in the season for them. Next week may be the last time to grab your PHILADELPHIA VIREO, TENNESSEE WARBLER, or any of the other uncommon warblers seen in Muskoka. Any deciduous stand is a good possibility for these birds and if you’re looking for them, be sure to listen for BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES . They move in mixed flocks, but the chickadees tend to be the most vocal of the birds.

With the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons’ water level being high, you may have more luck at Henry Marsh if you’re looking for shorebirds. It’s late in the shorebird migration, but DUNLIN and PECTORAL and WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPERS may still be moving through. They’re going to be tricky to find unless you can make it out to Georgian Bay, but it’s worth a look along any beach that you can find.

Finally, a couple duck species may start moving through in the next week. SURF and WHITE-WINGED SCOTERS may be appearing on the big lakes. Kirby’s Beach, Bowyer’s Beach, and Muskoka Beach Road are all good places to be checking, but you’ll definitely need to take a scope. Several other waterfowl species may also be moving through, so it’s probably worth checking some open water every day.

Muskoka Top 10’s - Part Three

Fri, 06 Mar 2020 12:17:24 GMT

At the beginning of a new year, it’s nice to reflect back on the best birds of the previous one and look forward to the birds we hope to see in the new year. Last year was a fantastic year for rare birds in Muskoka and because I was doing a Muskoka Big Year, I managed to see a lot of them. I saw 212 species in Muskoka last year, which was above 90% of the birds seen last year. Below are a list of my top 10 birds of 2019, in no particular order.

10. Eastern Screech-Owl

Before 2019, the last time a screech owl had been seen in Muskoka was back in 2014. I had counted this among birds I would see, but in May I was headed to bed and letting my dog back in the house when I heard a monotonic trill in my backyard. I do amphibian surveys, so I knew it wasn’t a frog which left the only other possibility being an owl. And it was an owl I hadn’t seen yet that year, as I struggled to recognize the call. Thirty minutes of checking audio recordings and listening to the bird allowed me to definitively ID it as an Eastern Screech-Owl, this first record in Muskoka in about 5 years. I texted all the other birders in the area, but seeing as it was already 11:30 pm, no one could come. I went to sleep listening to the trill of the owl and it wasn’t heard again until December. (And then it called for six hours straight, two nights in a row, so other birders managed to get it.)

9. Great Horned Owl

On two separate occasions I managed to find a Great Horned Owl in Muskoka, once heard and once seen. The first instance was originally reported by Janice House and it was about 2 hours that we needed to wait before we found it again. It was early April that it was seen and the lighting was fantastic for viewing. It stuck around in the same area for another couple hours before flushing and flying further down the river. My second record was a Great Horned Owl heard at the last stop of our Nocturnal Owl Survey. Another April bird and hooting very softly in the distance. It was a great finish to an owl route that had numerous Barred Owls as well.

8. Black-backed Woodpecker

Every bird after you hit 200 species in Muskoka is a rare one and the Black-backed Woodpecker was no exception. It was reported over Christmas, and since I was with family, I had to wait three days before trying to see it. The first trip had no luck, with two hours of searching turning up nothing. An early drive the next morning did produce a lovely male Black-backed Woodpecker, a different individual than previously reported. This bird was my 212th species that year for Muskoka and my last new species of the year. Stunning views from under 10 feet away made it an incredible last bird for my checklist.

7. Ross’s Goose

The second ever report of a Ross’s Goose was almost an hour away, but that time seemed much longer on the drive there. It had been showing up regularly at a golf course and was spotted that day. I left as quickly as possible, but the drive appeared agonizingly slow, especially when I had to stop for gas along the way. Luckily, the bird was still around when I got there and was peacefully grazing on grass with no apparent worries. A hundred photos later and after a discussion with some experts, it was confirmed for sure as a Ross’s Goose and a welcome addition to my list of birds for the year.

6. Black-crowned Night-Heron

Georgian Bay is an incredible spot for rarity and this bird was no exception. We were out for a paddle at our cottage and had made it to a large open water marsh. Earlier that day, I had joked about seeing a Black-crowned Night-Heron and lo and behold, as soon as we entered the marsh I saw one flush from the reeds. There was no time to take a photo or appreciate the bird with how quickly it flew away. Luckily, when we returned two weeks later, the bird was still around and gave us much better views before flying out of sight.

5. Golden-winged Warbler

Another Georgian Bay bird, but one that was a bit more inland. Another birder had reported a Blue-winged Warbler and a Golden-winged Warbler down near Honey Harbour and I resolved to wake up at 4 am and drive there before work to check it out. The first thing I heard as I arrived and rolled down my window was a Blue-winged Warbler. I found the Golden-winged Warbler a short period later, singing it’s traditional song. Despite being a rarer bird, the Blue-winged Warbler doesn’t appear on this list for a reason. When I first heard the Golden-winged Warbler, it was calling on the left hand side of the road and the Blue-winged Warbler was calling on the right. When I looked to the right, I only managed to see a Golden-winged Warbler, which was odd because I was also seeing a Golden-winged Warbler to the left. In total, I spent about two hours recording, videoing, and watching this birds and realized it was a pair of Golden-winged Warblers, one of which was calling exactly like a Blue-winged Warbler. A very good experience in dealing with birds that have a history of hybridizing.

4. Red-bellied Woodpecker

This bird was one of the few I had to stakeout for a long time. In February, a pair of volunteers came to the Muskoka Conservancy office and mentioned a Red-bellied Woodpecker coming regularly to their feeders. They kindly offered to let me come to their house and wait for the bird to show up. So I did. And I waited for two hours in their house before the bird showed for all of two minutes. They were gracious and offered my coffee and tea while I waited in their living room for a single bird. I’m not sure if they thought I was crazy or not, but they seemed to understand how important it was. It ended up being a really fun stakeout all things considered and I got some very nice photos and views of the bird before it disappeared.

3. Bohemian Waxwing

Bohemian Waxwings are not unusual birds for Muskoka, but mine were a bit unusual. I had tried multiple times throughout the year to find a roving Bohemian Waxwing flock and every time I turned up empty. People would report them a day before or a day after I found them, but I could never find them myself. I had given up in late April because most of the flocks had already moved northward, but it seems the birds were destined to find me, instead of me finding them. On May 5th, a pair popped up while I was walking Coopers Falls Trail and I was lucky enough to get photos of them or I would have written them off as Cedar Waxwings, thinking it too late for them to show up. But birds have a habit of appearing when you least expect them, so I learned quite quickly to inspect everything you see thoroughly so as to not overlook any unusual birds.

2. Great Egret

Two Great Egrets appeared in Muskoka in 2019, one in spring and one in fall. I caught the fall one, mainly due to a lucky post around Easter. We were driving back from our family’s Easter Gathering on April 21st and I just so happened to get an email about a Great Egret sighted on our way home. With a little convincing of my parents, we made a short detour to view the bird. I sent out a text to the other birders, none of who had received the post yet and because of the distance we needed to drive, they beat me to the bird. It hung around until I arrived 10 minutes later and we had some stunning views of a gorgeous bird. It was very unconcerned about the nearby road and birders and we got to see it catch prey and show off it’s magnificent plumage.

1. Gray Island Birds

Gray Island is a small island off the coast of Georgian Bay and an absolute gem. I found so many birds here that it’s easier to lump them all together, as I’d have close to 10 just off this list. We didn’t start visiting this island until late July, so we missed all of spring migration, but fall migration definitely made up for it. The first visit there pulled out both a breeding plumage Bonaparte’s Gull and a pair of Sanderlings. Sanderlings are unusual for Muskoka and most of the past records were found out in Georgian Bay. In fact, we probably recorded more Sanderling sightings here this year than we have in the past historical records. Sanderlings were seen at Gray Island until October, which is an incredibly long time to see such an unusual bird for Muskoka. Our next outing yielded both a single Black-bellied Plover and a Ruddy Turnstone, again unusual birds for Muskoka. A little later in the year, we brought out a couple more birds and pulled a group of Semi-palmated Plovers, a Prairie Warbler, and a Peregrine Falcon off the rock, with a record number of Sanderlings as well. A few days later, a Baird’s Sandpiper showed up on our almost daily survey of the rock. Finally, we got a count of 60+ American Pipits among the various rocks around Gray, ending the year in a spectacular fashion. This island is one such a productive birding spot and very tough to access if you don’t cottage nearby. Luckily, our family cottage is within about a 15 minute boat ride, so I’m already dreaming about what I’ll find on spring migration this year.

Muskoka Top 10’s - Part Two

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 12:13:12 GMT

Some of these birds will be repeats from the birds previously mentioned in Muskoka’s Top 10 published earlier today, while others will be birds that I have added to my personal list that I did not think had as big an impact to the overall birding of the county. Birds included in this top 10 could be deemed important for several factors. Self-found rarities, life birds and birds that I feel I “worked” hard for are all among this list. Although I narrowed down the list to a short 10, there are several birds I feel deserve a mention as they elicit excitement as I look back to them and think about the people I shared the memories with.

Note Worthy Birds: Barrow’s Goldeneye, Great Horned Owl, Ring-necked Pheasant, Sedge Wren and Red-headed Woodpecker. All of these birds happened to be lifers in Muskoka over the course of 2019, however all were expected at some point if one birds long enough. Now on to the short list.

10. Golden-winged Warbler- This bird had been on my radar for a while and was a bird I knew I would run into at some point in 2019. All my favourite birding sites contain habitat that are just prime to have Golden-wing on occasion however after striking out several times in May, I would take any chance I could get. When one was reported near Baxter Sewage Lagoons in late May I decided I would chase it as an early birthday present to myself. Thus on May 29th, I saw my first Golden-winged Warbler in Muskoka and my third in the province that month. This marked my 209th bird in Muskoka!

Golden-winged Warbler

9. Ross’s Goose- This bird was the second Ross’s Goose to ever be found in Muskoka and my 215 species for the county. This bird was unexpected as they are uncommon in the province, never mind the county. I would have expected to see a Snow Goose years before I would ever see a Ross’s in Muskoka, yet this was not to be the case.

8. Wilson’s Phalarope- A bird that I have chased before, to Hamilton of all places. The Wilson’s Phalarope was bird number 213 on my Muskoka list and number 296 on my Ontario life list. I did not only learn the lesson about memory cards while chasing this bird, I had just sat down with my soon to be wife and mother-in-law for dinner right before dashing out the door to chase this bird. I can’t say this will be the last time I run out on dinner for a bird, but definitely the last time I forget my memory card.

7. Red-necked Phalarope- County bird 214 was a great bird with a new friend. I showed up to see this bird while on my way to chase a Black-bellied Whistling Duck near Point Pelee on route to a friend’s bachelor party. While viewing the three phalarope I got to spend an hour talking and birding with Will Lockhart, one of Muskokas young, up and coming birders. Always great to grab a lifer while meeting someone new, who is also adding a lifer.

Red-necked Phalarope – Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons

6. Great Grey Owl- What a fun bird! Over the course of the month of February 2019, a Great Grey Owl was seen regularly by many in Bracebridge on almost a daily basis. I drove down on several occasions to try and find this bird to no avail. On February 6, I spent three hours at the Bracebridge location searching for the owl before moving on to accomplish some of the days errands. Shortly after leaving I got a message from another Muskoka birder stating that the bird was back at the location. As I was over 100 kilometers away at this point I would not be able to make it back that day.

Not realizing this at the time, but it was actually to my benefit that I would not be able to make it back to this location on that day. I went about the rest of my day paying little attention to the bird as I knew I would have a few hours the following morning to search for the bird. At roughly 5:00 pm that evening as I had just got home and started to shovel the driveway, I noticed an owl fly into a tree a couple hundred meters down the road. AS we have a resident Barred Owl I thought nothing of it an went back to shoveling. After another ten minutes the bird flew again and I got a better look. This bird was much to large to be a Barred Owl, however I did not get a great enough look to feel comfortable with an absolute ID. I waked the few hundred meters down the road to where a large Great Grey Owl was sitting road side, looking down on me. I rushed to grab my fiance Emma and messaged a few birders who lived one road over so that we could all get a look as it was getting dark.

With all the hours I had spent over the previous week looking for one and to think, one would find me. This bird spent the following three days around my place before it was last seen on the morning of February 10th, never to be seen again. This would be Muskoka life bird 200 for me. A great bird to be number 200! Great Grey Owls are know to be elusive and hard to find however in eruptive years many can be found throughout Ontario if one knows where to look. One the day of February 6, I know of four birds seen in Muskoka.

Great Grey Owl – Muskoka #200

5. Northern Goshawk- On May 11, 2019 the Muskoka Field Naturalists had their annual Big Day. It “officially” starts at the Bracebridge Sewage Treatment Plant, however many people start counting birds as soon as the wake up that day. After spending about three hours at the lagoons, we were just about to leave when we noticed a Cooper Hawk flying over, which was a new species for the day. This is when we noticed another raptor flying slightly above it that did not fit any of the boxes we initially tried to put it in. Luckily, this bird circled for several minutes and gave ample time to study. I was able to get several photo’s that we were able to confirm our already excited expectations. For several in the group this was a Muskoka lifer. Including myself as bird number 206. Northern Goshawk was a bird on my radar for Ontario as it is a regularly occurring bird in the province, however I expected it to be some time before I would ever see one.

Northern Goshawk – Bracebridge Sewage Treatment Plant

4. Northern Hawk Owl- This bird was another lifer for me and one that I thought would be the last of the year. Muskoka life bird number 216 was an awesome one! The news had gone out a week earlier of a Northern Hawk Owl in Schomberg and due to the droves of people I had told myself to be patient. I had hopes that either I would find one myself or someone close to me would find one that would be kept a secret between a close group of birders. On December 15 as the Bracebridge-Gravenhurst Christmas Bird Count was winding down I received a tip from Bill Dickenson that a Northern Hawk Owl was in the area. With little daylight left my group rushed over to where the bird had been seen so that we could spend several minutes viewing the bird before leaving to go to the tally roundup. Now the best part about this bird is that I had been telling my group the entire day that we would see one before the day was out. I had hoped that a Northern Hawk Owl would be found by my party, however this being the last bird of the day and a lifer for the members it made for a special way to cap off the day. It was cause for celebration at the roundup and made for a very memorable CBC.

Northern Hawk Owl – Back of camera

3. Blue-grey Gnatcatcher- Not one of the most outstanding birds in the province, Blue-grey Gnatcatchers are a rare annual occurrence in the county. This bird was memorable as I was leading a group walk shortly after Aaron and I had finished a Warbler Workshop and several participants had braved the rain in hope of finding a few spring warblers. Not long into our walk I heard a familiar weezy song that Will Lockhart noted sounded like a gnatcatcher. Within ten seconds of him mentioning this a blue ball with a floppy long tail appeared in front of us on top of an alder. The bird hung around long enough for our groups participants to view it before moving deeper into the marsh. Unfortunately, other Muskoka birders did not get to see the bird and because of the rain I had not brought my camera so no pictures of this bird were taken. An unexpected bird, the Blue-grey Gnatcatcher was Muskoka lifer number 208.

2. Ivory Gull- MEGA!!! As stated in my previous post this bird was a mega rarity for the county and a significantly rare bird for the province. One of my most memorable birds seen in both the province and the county to date. The Ivory Gull is a bird I thought I was not going to see until later on in life when I traveled north with the express purpose of seeing this birds. This was Muskoka lifer number 216 and Ontario lifer 300!

Digiscoped Ivory Gull – Rosewarn Landfill Site

1. Black Vulture- For me this was the best bird seen in Muskoka over the 2019 calendar year. As the Black Vulture is my first species that I have added to the Muskoka list, it is an experience I hold close to my heart. The experience of seeing this bird really solidified my love for rare birds and birding. It bolstered the knowledge within myself that I am a competent birder. The circumstances of driving up the highway, seeing a bird flying out in front of me and knowing something was off and that it was not a typical Turkey Vulture has created a confidence in myself that will help me grow further. This Black Vulture will be a special bird for me where ever I go in my birding career. The only regret I have is that I did not have a friend or a birding companion to share it with, but that’s birding sometimes.

Black Vulture – Muskoka 204

After writing this post there were two more birds that I added to my Muskoka life list in the final days of the 2019 year; a Black-backed Woodpecker near Baysville and an Eastern Screech-Owl in Bracebridge. Muskoka life bird 218 and 219 respectively. As the screech-owl was a heard only, I do not have a picture of the bird.

Black-backed Woodpecker- Muskoka 218

Lets see what 2020 has in store!

Muskoka Top 10’s - Part One

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 12:02:00 GMT

I am using this as an exercise to both relive some of my favourite memories of the year 2019 but also to practice writing so that I can grow as a writer. As the year comes to a close we see top’s/rankings everywhere. Instagram has its top nine. We also see Instagram stories full of top tracks from Spotify, sports channels have plays of the year and as birdwatchers many of us have top 10 birds, places and experiences. The following will be my personal Top 10 Birds seen in Muskoka (which I consider my county), Ontario and my personal Top 10 birds in both Ontario and Muskoka. Originally I had planned on making this one post but after seeing how long it is going to be I have decided to split it into several.

Muskoka’s Top 10

Below are a list of what I have considered the cumulative Top 10 birds species seen in Muskoka through the 2019 calendar year. Honourable mentions go to Great Egret with two records in Muskoka this year and Great Gray Owl as both species put on a great show, to the delight of both birders and non-birders alike.

10. Wilson’s Phalarope – This bird was a one day wonder, showing up on August 21 at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons. Originally seen by David and Regan Goodyear around 6:30 pm. The word quickly went out and several people got to see it, including myself. Many searched however the bird was not seen in subsequent days. On this occasion I would learn a valuable lesson; never leave your memory card in your laptop. The previous night I was going through some pictures before bed. With the fading daylight when the bird was reported, I jumped up from the table and grabbed my camera, only to realize upon trying to take a photo that my memory card was still sitting at home. Thankfully there is digiscoping.

Wilson’s Phalarope– Bracebridge Sewage Lagoon’s

9. Red-necked Phalarope – Now all the Phalarope species are fairly unlikely to see in Muskoka so to have two in one year feels great. This species was not only a Muskoka Lifer (first time ever seeing a bird) for me, but an Ontario Lifer and it is always great to get an Ontario Lifer in ones home county. Two birds were first observed by Barbara Taylor on the morning of September 4, 2019, giving time for several people to get out and see them that day. The following morning when Janice House went back to look for the birds a third bird was present and the three remained until September 6th. I was able to get down and see the birds on the evening of September 5th. Red-necked Phalarope was species number 214 for me in Muskoka.

Red-necked Phalarope–Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons

8. Grasshopper Sparrow – The fourth record for the county, this report was the first since 2003. Another awesome bird found by David and Regan Goodyear on April 27 along Sparrow Lake Rd D. This section of farmland/alder thicket is an under birded area of the county. With some luck, maybe the next Grasshopper Sparrow seen in Muskoka will be found along this section as it is relatively close to where they are commonly found in the Kawartha Lakes. I know a few birders who will looking next spring.

7. Eastern Screech-Owl – Another fourth record for the county, this bird was also a one day (more like night) wonder. Originally heard at around 10:45 on May 4th by Aaron Rusak, who sent an alert out. However, due to the time of day no one arrived to hear the bird leaving Aaron being the only one to enjoy the haunting trill. Thankfully Aaron grabbed a quick recording that we all good to enjoy in the following days.

* Somehow an Eastern Screech-Owl was heard the last few days of December 2019 by Aaron. This time most birders who tried for the bird were able to hear it.

6. Ross’s Goose – The second record of Ross’s Goose comes at you from Muskoka Woods. Found by Janice House after a tip from one of the workers of a white goose on the lawn with the more popular Canada’s. This bird was seen from October 17-20 and was seen by anyone who traveled to see it. I ran from work to see this rarity. Another one of those times you are reminded to bring your camera everywhere you go. I had to settle for a digiscoped shot through my binoculars. The first time I have ever tried this and the results speak for themselves. In the image below you can see the obvious size difference between the Ross’s and Canada Goose with little other detail.

Ross’s Goose– Muskoka Woods

5. White-eyed Vireo – Only the second record for this species in Muskoka. A White-eye Vireo was seen by Barbara Taylor at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons on October 25. The second record for the county, the first being at Arrowhead Park in the spring of 2005. This late fall record makes one wonder when the next bird will appear. Hopefully not as far between years. This bird was a one minute wonder as Barbara a got good but brief view of the bird before it continued on to the south.

White-eyed Vireo– Point Pelee

4. Red-throated Loon – This species made it too the number four spot not because of how rare it is, although pretty rare but because of the timing of the bird. Records from the Georgian Bay coast date back to the 1970’s with some regularity but no Red-throated Loons have been seen in years. Then on October 25, 2019 one was seen out on Lake Muskoka that was not chaseable. The real kicker was that on the following day, October 26, 2019 (my wedding day) a Red-throated Loon was observed from shore by Janice House and David and Regan Goodyear from Muskoka Beach on Lake Muskoka. The timing of this bird was taken into account as I was not made aware. The group decided it would not be great added stress on a rather stressful day. As long as the next one appears at a more appropriate time all will be forgiven.

3. Eurasian Collard-Dove – This is where the MEGA’s!! begin. Our Top 3 are all county first and all made for great birds to add to the county list. This bird showed up at the feeders of Janice House on May 15. It was not until the following day when the bird had not been seen again that Janice found out from her neighbours that the bird had been coming to their feeders for three weeks. The bird was observed for about an hour at Janice’s feeder with only the Goodyear’s getting to see the bird before it disappeared forever. The Eurasian Collard-Dove was not a huge surprise as a species added to the list as they have been expanding their range. It was not on the top of peoples lists, although in their minds.

2. Black Vulture – For most of the year I would have thought this was the best bird seen in Muskoka throughout the calendar year. Partly because it is a very good bird indeed, not expected to show up and one that was my first addition to the Muskoka list. Both a county and provincial lifer for myself this bird would have been written off as just another Turkey Vulture moving north on April 23. I was rushing up the highway after chasing the Great Egret near Gravenhurst and late for work. I had seen several Turkey Vultures along the way and when I saw this bird up ahead I noticed that its glide did not perfectly resemble the previous Turkey Vultures I had seen that day. “Is it an eagle” I thought to myself. After watching it for several seconds I realized it was different than any eagle I had seen before and slowed down. I believe it was the fact that I have spent some time over the past few years in Central America that even allowed Black Vulture to come to mind. This is when I hit the brakes. After taking several record shots I called a few fellow birders and gave the location however no one else got to enjoy this bird. Black Vulture became number 290 on my Ontario List.

Black Vulture–Huntsville

1. Ivory Gull – This bird was Amazing! What else can I say. Originally found by Dave Goodyear at the Rosewarn Landfill in Bracebridge, Ontario. Found shortly after 2:40 pm, David quickly got the word out to local birders who rushed to see this once in a lifetime bird. I was able to grab my camera and arrive at the landfill around 4:15 to see the bird, leaving only several minutes before the dump closed. This is a bird that any of the viewers will never forget, and for the ones that missed it, a bird that will not be forgotten either. The one downside to this bird, is that it was seen in a restricted area and the viewing agreement that Muskoka birders have with the landfill states that we do not report sightings. Meaning the greater birding community did not find out about this bird until weeks after it departure.

Ivory Gull– Rosewarn Landfill

After completing the Top 10 birds of Muskoka over the past week, I have two birds that has come in under the wire to be added to the list. As I am pretty happy with my Top 10 to this point I am going to add this species and an addendum and you can feel free to place it where you would like in the list.

* Northern Hawk Owl – Originally showing up on December 15, the Bracebridge-Gravenhurst Christmas Bird Count this long staying rarity has been around for any Muskoka birder to see. As the Northern Hawk Owl is considered a sensitive species by eBird the exact location will not be shared. The one this I can say for sure is that us Muskoka birders were sure excited to have this bird around. The famous Schomberg bird was something that not many of us wanted to go partake in.

* Black-backed Woodpecker – Another Christmas Bird Count bird, a male Black-backed Woodpecker was seen on December 17 the day of the Huntsville CBC by Rick Stronks. After several attempts to refind the bird in subsequent days a bird was finally located on Christmas Day by Stan Fairchild. The crazy part about all this though, was that the refound bird was in act a different bird. A female! Since the second bird was seen on Christmas both birds have been seen sparingly on and off, leading one to wonder if we may have a mating pair here in Muskoka. That would be a treat for sure.