Outdoor Ontario
Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Anonymous on October 19, 2008, 10:17:03 AM
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Another great weather day to be out there beating the bushes and that Margaret Liubavicius and I did on a short visit to The Spit. Following are some of the birds we found without going along the outer areas for lake birds..
Common Loon, Northern Shovelers, Canvasbacks, Redheads, many Lesser Scaup, 11 Buffleheads, Hooded and Common Mergansers, a Cooper's Hawk chasing down a Kinglet, a well seen Northern Goshawk perched in the woods, Great Black-backed Gull, Eastern Phoebes, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creepers, Winter Wrens, Yellow-rumped warblers ( not many left now ), Eastern Towhees, Clay-colored, Lincoln's, and Swamp Sparrows among the 9 Sparrow species, 4 Lapland Longspurs, and 2 pairs of Purple Finches.
Waterfowl numbers should increase from now on as the cold weather, etc. sets in and also watch for early Snow Buntings and an increase in the Longspur sightings. Also be aware that there may be a good movement of fiches this fall. Already we are reporting Purple Finches and Pine Siskins.
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Thanks Norm, your posts are always helpful to many of us.
I was out on the spit yesterday as well, and while regretfully I did not see the Longspurs or Purple Finches (where abouts were you looking when you saw them)? There were also lots of Hermit Thrushes and atleast one Rusty Blackbird in the baselands.
-Andrew
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Good morning Andrew
We found both species along the entrance Causeway between the second gate and the Quonset Hut.
Purple Finches seem to be on the move so watch for them in other locations as well.
The best areas for the Longspurs is traditionaly along the Outer Arm (Endikement). Also listen for them as they and A. Pipits fly overhead.