Outdoor Ontario

Discussion => General Discussions => Topic started by: Leslie Kinrys on February 08, 2011, 05:20:15 PM

Title: Great Backyard Count-Canadian Portal
Post by: Leslie Kinrys on February 08, 2011, 05:20:15 PM: Hi all,

This year Bird Studies Canada has put together a site just for Canadian counters. You can check it out at

http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/canada (http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/canada)

Let's hope it is a little warmer, so we can get out to see lots of great birds!
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Post by: Bird Brain on February 08, 2011, 06:36:03 PM: Hi Leslie. Thank You for posting the link. Can't wait! :D
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Post by: Reuven_M on February 08, 2011, 06:44:49 PM: Never have before, but I'll submit my sightings that weekend.
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Post by: angieinto on February 08, 2011, 06:51:28 PM: We're taking part this year too. :D
Title: GBBC Survey
Post by: Napper on February 15, 2011, 09:10:41 PM: Hey Leslie

Thanx for the reminder. I get a ton of email about GBBC related events.

Did anyone else receive an email from "Cornell Lab of Ornithology" regarding a 15 question survey? They are offering a

complimentary subscription to the Birds of North America Online (BNA) through March 2011?

Did you complete the survey? Without a guide?

Napper :D

12 out of 15 Darn Shorebird!!
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Post by: Andreas Jonsson on February 18, 2011, 03:57:00 PM: I just submitted a list from the Trinity Bellwoods feeders. I noted only one other report in Toronto so far. My list was pretty meager, as the warm weather has allowed birds to find food elsewhere.
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Post by: Reuven_M on February 18, 2011, 04:06:29 PM: My list for this afternoon at Erindale Park had all of 8 species, and only 22 non-mallard individuals
Title: Friday's count
Post by: Leslie Kinrys on February 18, 2011, 04:43:43 PM: I've had 8 species today and they are just the regulars. I'm hoping some of the interesting birds, which have been in my yard over the past few days, will come back.
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Post by: Bird Brain on February 18, 2011, 04:50:46 PM: I had 14 species this morning between 9am - 11:30am at Plowman's Park and Lake Wabukayne. Will report sightings later tonight. My favourite guy "Woody" (male Wood Duck) was not there and no Woodpecker sightings either. Bummer! Hopefully will see some over the next few days.
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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 18, 2011, 05:07:31 PM: I did the outskirts of Lambton (James Gardens) since it was right after work and I didn't have proper footwear (muddy trails). 10 species. I will submit these sightings tonight.

I didn't notice a 15 question survey in my e-mail. I get lots from Cornell and Bird Studies Canada.
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Post by: feathered on February 18, 2011, 06:25:59 PM: It was very busy (and muddy!) at Lambton Woods today: I got 25 species including a couple of overhead gulls and a Cooper's (and later a Red-tail) harassing the pigeons on the rail bridge. Also, four species of woodpecker! Didn't find the wren, though.
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Post by: Sahria on February 18, 2011, 06:32:08 PM: I had a total of ten species today. Hopefully I'll have the chance to get out tomorrow morning.
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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 18, 2011, 06:47:30 PM: Four Woodpecker species? Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and don't tell me the Pileated. :shock:
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Post by: feathered on February 18, 2011, 07:04:44 PM: Quote from: "Rob'in'To"
Four Woodpecker species? Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and don't tell me the Pileated. :shock:

No, I wish! :D A female Northern Flicker.
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Post by: Reuven_M on February 18, 2011, 07:46:32 PM: Quote from: "feathered"
Quote from: "Rob'in'To"
Four Woodpecker species? Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and don't tell me the Pileated. :shock:

No, I wish! :D A female Northern Flicker.

In winter, that is probably rarer (if not quite so spectacular!)
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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 19, 2011, 09:20:13 AM: The high winds are going to make it a tough day for the GBBC. I still plan on getting out after lunch though.
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Post by: Reuven_M on February 19, 2011, 01:35:23 PM: Much more birdy today at Riverwood, and not as cold as I expected. Still only eleven species, but they were in very good numbers (6 white-breasted nuthatch, 28 chickadee (conservative count), 6 downies, 3 hairies, 8 cardinal), and 3 white-throated and 1 swamp sparrow were nice.
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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 19, 2011, 04:21:12 PM: I went out despite how the weather was. The high winds and blowing big fluffy snow made sighting difficult and had to use the ears to find things until the sun broke through the clouds. While not a whole lot of species to report, the numbers were great with some including 9 Cardinals in one spot, at least 15 Chickadees (all hand feeders mobbing me), 2 Red-breasted Nuthatches, 3 Crows, 1 Red-tail, 1 Downy, 8 Mourning Doves, 40 to 50 Goldfinches, 1 very vocal male House Finch and 2 Long-eared Owls.
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Post by: angieinto on February 19, 2011, 04:29:50 PM: I haven't been able to go out yet because I'm fighting a nasty cold. :(
Fingers crossed for tomorrow. This was the first year I was going to take part and I was really looking forward to it.
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Post by: Bird Brain on February 19, 2011, 04:38:42 PM: I finally bundled up at 1pm and headed out the door for Maplewood Park - there until 2:30pm. A total of 9 species and low #'s. Bummer! Hopefully tomorrow will be better - will be counting at Lake Aquitaine.
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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 19, 2011, 04:55:39 PM: My backyard has the lowest numbers this winter. I wonder if it's got something to do with the recent thaw? 4 species today... Pine Siskin (2), Goldfinch (14), Chickadee (1) and Blue Jay (1). The past 4 days have just been poor for sightings in the yard.
Title: GBBc
Post by: Napper on February 20, 2011, 10:21:45 AM: Hey

I submitted a count for Milton. Not much to report just the few regulars that we have had all winter.

Two Northern Cardinals were singing at 7:30 this morning and Mourning doves were calling.

We have an engagement in the Niagara region today. I might have another report from down along the river.

We will heading home early as there is a Winter Storm watch in effect for the region.

Am a little dissapointed, No Robins or Waxwings this weekend.

Napper:))

If I can convince the family we might visit Peter Street.
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Post by: Bird Brain on February 20, 2011, 12:28:39 PM: Much better today! 8:30am - 11:45am at Lake Aquitaine.
15 species and higher # of birds. :)
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Post by: Reuven_M on February 20, 2011, 12:41:49 PM: Quote from: "Rob'in'To"
Four Woodpecker species? Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied and don't tell me the Pileated. :shock:

Guess which woodpecker species i had today :D

Quote from: "Bird Brain"
Much better today! 8:30am - 11:45am at Lake Aquitaine.
15 species and higher # of birds. :)

I couldn't agree more (24 species vs. 8 friday and 11 yesterday, and way more individuals than the last 2 days combined if you don't count the many mallards on friday)! I would say today is probably my best ever winter day at Erindale. The obvious highlight was a pair of flyover redpolls, but the numbers of birds were simply amazing!
Many species paired up, singing and/or displaying today, the most interesting being crows' aerial acrobatics and a singing female cardinal.
2 red-tails and 1 coop
6 ring-billed and 4 herring gull - I wouldn't normally mention them, but these are new arrivals, I've only seen the occasional solitary herring all winter
Loads of woodpeckers: 1 pileated, 2 red-bellied, 7 hairy and 10 downy! :D
25+ crows and 15+ jays
35+ chickadees
7 w-b nuthatch and 1 creeper
2 robins
30 junco and 5 tree sparrow
finches: 2 house, 12 gold, 2 redpoll

also a 6 point buck surrounded by 15 does
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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 20, 2011, 03:40:12 PM: Things were better for all of us today. Sweet! My yard has been rocking today but I do wonder where the Cardinals disappeared to? Haven't seen them in almost a week.

We saw one of the Pileateds at Jack Darling as we did a Lakeshore trek and count. :P

Angie got to see the Shrike along with a White-winged Scoter (both firsts for her) and we found the group of Horned Larks off Wyecroft Rd in Oakville that someone mentioned on the photo section. Neat birds but they blended in way too good with the ground lacking snow.
Title: Sunday GBBC
Post by: Leslie Kinrys on February 21, 2011, 12:11:23 AM: We went with friends to Burlington. At the Burlington waterfront, notables we saw were: Ruddy Ducks, female White-winged and Surf Scoters, Redheads. At LaSalle Marina, we saw the Trumpeter Swans and an immature Bald Eagle! It was found along the boardwalk, sitting high in a tree. I think it will be THE bird of my count this year.
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Post by: Rob'in'To on February 21, 2011, 11:42:23 AM: Final day of the GBBC and we decided to stay home. It's been a good count so far this morning with...

9 Juncos
2 Common Redpolls!
14 Goldfinches
2 Cardinals
2 Blue Jays
3 Pine Siskins
4 Chickadees
1 Sharp-shin (who ruined the visit from the Redpolls... I was just going to take some pics and the Hawk flew out of the cedars and went right at the feeder they were on)
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Post by: Andreas Jonsson on February 22, 2011, 02:15:38 PM: I had 12 species in altogether in Trinity Bellwoods Park: http://sonofjon.wordpress.com/2011/02/2 ... ird-count/ (http://sonofjon.wordpress.com/2011/02/22/great-backyard-bird-count/)