Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Rotarran on May 04, 2016, 10:22:58 PM
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Well May migration is in full swing all over Toronto and Downsview is getting some of the action too.
Today 3 of us (Dinu, myself and a relatively new birder whose name I didn't catch) saw a Warbling Vireo and a Chestnut-sided Warbler (my favourite Warbler) in the wooded area. That brings the count up to 5 for Warbler/Vireo species in May including Blue-headed Vireo (May 1), Yellow-rumped Warbler, Palm Warbler, and the aforementioned Warbling Vireo and Chestnut-sided Warbler. A modest but attractive collection to be sure.
The Brown Thrashers continue ...seemingly content in this park despite all the distractions. And all the usual suspects (Robins, Goldfinches, Blackbirds) are singing, chattering and fluttering up little storms all over the park no doubt excited by the mating season.
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28163851/medium)
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28163881/medium)
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So you found the chestnut-sided warbler - isn't it pretty? The young man's name is Rob - he captured some nice photos of the warbler. I also saw this one prowling in wooded section.
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I was out with a group today and a what I think was a cooper's hawk flew over our heads. Didn't have binoculars and only saw it for second, has anyone seen it around?
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I was out with a group today and a what I think was a cooper's hawk flew over our heads. Didn't have binoculars and only saw it for second, has anyone seen it around?
I saw it on the 23rd - chasing a spotted sandpiper at the small pond close to the train track.
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I saw one in late March. It was circling the park a bit like a Red-tail would which was kinda interesting to observe. Speaking of Red-tails they've been remarkably absent recently no doubt due to the fact that the RWBBs chase anything remotely threatening away.
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Very likely Clay-coloured Sparrow in the William Baker section of the park. Just off Sheppard. Also Lincolns Sparrow in the woods. Will post pics later.
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Lincoln's Sparrow
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28254981/medium)
And the star of today, the Clay-coloured Sparrow. Wow I'm quite thrilled with finding it although yeah I understand it is more likely during migration. It is unlikely to stick around long term but hopefully it will still be there tomorrow.
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28254961/medium)
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You're getting some great birds and great photos up there at Downsview Rotarran, congratulations!
Good birding,
Walter :)
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Thanks Walter. Yeah I'm trying to raise DV's profile a bit...hopefully it'll get people's attention. I'm not saying it'll compete with Leslie Spit or Col Smith but there is definite unexplored potential.
Passed by today for a bit and saw a Yellow Warbler, Eastern Kingbird and some Chimney Swifts...all new for the year.
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99% certain Cliff Swallow over pond. Will post pics tonight
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So I confirmed that what I saw was indeed a Cliff Swallow. An exciting find because they're not all that common. This is the best picture I could manage and ironically it was the first :lol:
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28383021/medium)
It wasn't an overwhelming day by any stretch but the rain did ground a few migrants. After the rain lifted I found a Field Sparrow, Blue-headed Vireo and a type of Flycatcher I'm still trying to ID.
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28382871/medium)
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28382681/medium)
Also first Baltimore Oriole of the year, such stunning birds but couldn't get a decent picture.
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If anyone sees (and especially photos) here an empidonax flycatcher today (Monday) please post immediately. Please read the posts under the ID section.
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I did want to raise my concern on this board about off leash dogs plowing through wildlife areas. Today I saw an especially egregious incident where a large and aggressive dog barged into some reeds and flushed ducks and song-birds.
Something needs to be done as I witness these types of incident more frequently at Downsview. Downsview is not an off-leash park and several signs do say that the dog-owners must keep their dogs on a leas at all times.
Anyway, two more warblers to add to our spring list: Black and White Warbler and a female Black-throated Blue Warbler. Also seen by Dinu.
We didn't see any flycatchers today.
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28456651/medium)
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28456361/medium)
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Yesterday was a bit slower on the Warbler front although still a good number of birds overall. Most notable birds were Common Yellothroat, Lincoln's Sparrow, Rose-breasted Grosbeak and a ton of very active and vocal Baltimore Orioles. It was an invasion. I thought with this many Baltimores that I might see an Orchard Oriole...but no luck. A birder by the name of Mirek who unfortunately doesn't report on eBird saw a Veery on Tuesday but I could not refind it.
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Wood Thrush and Veery today. Wood Thrush very hard to get though...did not manage a pic.
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Well today we added 2 new birds to the park with the Veery and Wood Thrush. As some of you already know some shorebirds are also starting to arrive including the Least Sandpipers. It's time to start checking the ponds regularly for these types of shorebirds.
Here's a pic of the Veery...but I did not manage a pic of the Wood Thrush. That thing is notoriously difficult to photograph, but what a beauty if you do manage.
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28629361/medium)
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Chimney Swifts and Barn Swallows
Today at noon spotted a nice group of Chimney Swifts at Downsview mixed in with a group of Barn Swallows.
Both groups very vocal!
:) Napper
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Good number of birds at DV recently. Today we had a new bird for the park with the Solitary Sandpiper as discovered by Dinu and Merik. Together with the Greater Yellowlegs, Least Sandpiper, Spotted Sandpiper and the Killdeer we're starting to get more intrigue in the shorebird side of things. But not to be outdone, the warblers also had a good showing with the Black and White, American Redstart, Chestnut-sided, Palm and Yellow. Other birds of note were a Catbird and the Cliff Swallow again but this time over the small pond.
Merik mentioned he saw a Green Heron by the small pond a couple of days ago but no luck refinding that. Hopefully he'll sign up to eBird and submit that report because he has some great pics.
edit: Oh I almost forgot there was a Cooper's Hawk being chased and harassed by a group of cooperating Robins, Blackbirds and Orioles. It was quite something to witness.
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Also an Eastern Wood-pewee - that was the one we were looking before I left.
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Thanks Dinu, yes the Eastern Wood-Pewee was a very nice sighting. Would be nice if one or tow of them hang around for the summer and sing their unique song.
Well despite the inclement weather, I headed out to the park today to see what I could find. And although I got pelted by hail/snow every now and then, overall it was still worth it. Found another new bird for the park, the Ovenbird, and actually managed to get pictures of a Wood Thrush which I am thrilled about. Black and White Warbler, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Palm Warbler also present. No flycatchers today but the Gray Catbird and Lincoln's Sparrow still hanging around.
Wood Thrush
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7565/27003403186_0171760c6c_b.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7536/26433192723_c444e8de54_b.jpg)
Ovenbird - not great pic but it's the only time I saw it. I heard it a few times though.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7576/27037083895_ef8c300ec9_b.jpg)
On the shorebird front we had a newcomer (for the year) with the Semipalmated Polover. Greater Yellowlegs still there and so was the Solitary Sandpiper which was kinda all over the park checking out different wet areas and puddles.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7690/27037084155_52469da997_b.jpg)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7136/26433193983_df842e117c_b.jpg)
Considering the weather, it was really not a bad day at all.
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Fantastic birds the past few days! I will be heading over this afternoon at some point
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Male Bobolink between big pond and woods. Also Lesser Yellowlegs at small pond
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At lunch today I spotted two semipalmated sandpiper's dipping in a creek/ditch on the airport property not far from the Downsview park water collection ponds. Tiny little things they are.
Barn swallows zipping really close by.
Napper :)
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Good news to report it seems as though we have a new bird (Canada Warbler) for the park as found by Randy Back. The Canada Warbler is one of my favourite Warblers but unfortunately I didn't see it today. Maybe it'll stick around or more will come.
It's interesting that I was just thinking about the Canada Warbler today and also the Bobolink. I saw the Bobolink close to the end of my 2 hours there when the rain was almost upon the park. As mentioned above it was in a grassy area between the pond (or the embankment to the pond) and the woods.
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28920091/medium)
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Yes it was great to see the Canada warbler today after seeing my first of the year yesterday! It's one of my favourite as well. It was associating with a common yellowthroat for about 5 minutes before I lost sight of it and wasn't able to relocate it. It's too bad I didn't see the bobolink though I was just thinking about it yesterday myself!
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Well today I did something that I've never done before, some early morning birding at the park. I knew I couldn't make it in the afternoon due to prior commitments so I thought I'd change it up for a bit and see what I could find in the morning. And it was very interesting but due to limited time I only birded the woods. I saw quite a few warblers including Magnolia and Nashville which were both FOTY as well as Black and White, Black-throated Blue, Palm and a bunch of Yellow Warblers.
The most interesting bird, however, was the Great Crested Flycatcher which hasn't been seen at the park since 2012...one of Jonathan's first ever sightings.
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/28979751/medium)
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Flycatcher madness continues at Downsview with a probable Olive-sided Flycatcher (waiting for confirmation in ID section) which Mirek and I observed on the William Baker Trail...in fact there were two because when one flew away, the other followed. This is bird #165 for the park...well I guess 166 because I convinced Mirek to submit to eBird the Green Heron he saw a couple of weeks ago :)
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/29139171/medium)
Overall it was a very good day of birding at the park. First Swainsons Thrush of the year and also a Veery in the woodlot. A few warblers including an American Redstart. A couple of Semipalmated Plovers at the big pond. And yesterday Mirek saw an Indigo Bunting. We looked for it today but no luck.
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Quick update, bounced in and out today just to get a quick idea of what was happening and I just happened to run into an American Coot in the big pond. Apparently (according to eBird) it's a rare bird for this location and time of the year. But it's also the first ever American Coot for the park so that was exciting. Other than that I did see a Blackpoll Warbler foraging in the bushes near the large white poll...haha some sort of pun in there somewhere (blackpoll, whitepoll). Alright so I'm no comedian ;)
(https://download.ams.birds.cornell.edu/api/v1/asset/29182251/medium)
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Well other parks are still buzzing with cool sightings but Downsview seems to be winding down with fewer migrants passing through and the resident birds settling in for the summer. Lots of Robin, Killdeer and Blackbird nests. Also the foliage in the woods at Downsview is getting thicker and making it harder to see the birds...mostly birding by ear now.
But the ponds are still worth checking for shorebirds. Yesterday I saw a Lesser Yellowlegs and the day before Mirek saw a Semipalmated Sandpiper. Yes I know they're not exactly Red Knots or Ruddy Turnstones but interesting shorebirds could still be passing through up to the middle of June.
In the field yesterday I heard and saw an Eastern Meadowlark. And I do have a feeling there may be some interesting field birds yet to be found this year...maybe a Grasshopper Sparrow or maybe a Vesper Sparrow...something to that effect.