Outdoor Ontario

Birding Reports => Toronto Reports => Topic started by: Napper on February 10, 2012, 04:22:44 PM

Title: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Napper on February 10, 2012, 04:22:44 PM
Today at 3:25 pm, as I was walking across inside parking area of the plant

A beautiful all white Snowy flew above and just in front of me and landed atop one of our hangers

after brief circle over the nearby neigbourhood.  

When I left at 3:30 it was perched atop the South East corner of the tall (gray) hanger nearest to

Ancaster rd and Home road. If you find the Grumman tracker and the Tutor look up.

Cheers :!:  Napper :D

sorry no photo's
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Flyingbass on February 10, 2012, 04:34:42 PM
I talked to someone who saw the snowy owl on three different occasions over the last two weeks, mostly north of you near the farmers merchant building actually in Downsview Park.    I didn't see any owls today but I did see a Northern Mocking Bird, a couple of American Kestrels, 4 mourning Doves, 2 cardinals and a couple of circling hawks. A co-worker saw a woodpecker today as well, don't know what kind though.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: feathered on February 10, 2012, 04:35:33 PM
Nice! I know they've been seen elsewhere in the park but I've never been to the south end.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Napper on February 10, 2012, 04:47:58 PM
Hey!

It is inside  the security fence.
Security is really tight lately due to a rash of vehicle break-ins.
You have to show a security badge to be present in any
of the parking lots.

Napper:

Correction  it was near  Ancaster rd and Powell Rd.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Flyingbass on February 14, 2012, 04:13:51 PM
Hello,

A co-worker took a picture of what he thought was an owl  perched on a fence post outside of the sports hangar.  Not a very good picture at all but let me know if you if you think it is the snow owl or if you have any other ideas.  It was seen today around lunch time.



Flyingbass[attachment=0:3bkc3p35]IMG00227-20120214-1353.jpg[/attachment:3bkc3p35]
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: feathered on February 14, 2012, 04:33:30 PM
Looks like a Snowy.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Napper on February 14, 2012, 04:50:32 PM
Hey!

It looks like it could be a Snowy Owl but I can't tell for sure

from the the image supplied.

This is not what I saw. I saw an  completely white bird/Owl.

Cheers  :D

Napper
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: feathered on February 14, 2012, 05:17:33 PM
There have been at least two in the north end. This one looks like an immature.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: little frank on February 18, 2012, 07:32:37 PM
Saw the immature today near the runway on a rusty light box. Behind the farmers market building. Also 2 A. kestrels and a red tailed hawk.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: little frank on February 19, 2012, 10:49:23 PM
Saw the owl again today on the ground near the runway but close to the big rusty light box....was hard to spot without binoculars as it blended into the surroundings so well.....4 Amer. Kestrels all along the fence in the same area as well as a Red Tailed Hawk.

No sighting of the other all white one.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: bird_guy on February 19, 2012, 11:04:44 PM
One of the adult snowy owls was very close to Wilson avenue for most of the day about 300 ft from the sidewalk at the south end of the airport which made for some decent pics.

I also saw 3 red tail hawks, one kestrel and a mourning dove on the northwest corner of the airport.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Flyingbass on February 20, 2012, 05:49:15 PM
I got really close (with in 20 ft) to one of the owls on Friday just outside of the sports hangar.   Another person from my work took a better picture on Thursday, the picture is too big to upload and I don't have a flicker account, oh well.  Saw the usual Kestrel and red tail action, curious if anyone has seen any Mockingbirds hanging about?  

Flyingbass
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Flyingbass on February 21, 2012, 03:41:45 PM
Just did a quick tour around the park.  Saw a couple of Red Tailed hawks, 4 of 5 mourning doves, 2 cardinals and a large all white Snowy Owl.   As I write this I can see it out of my window, it is perched on a streetlamp  just off of Cannuck Ave.  

Cheers,

Flyingbass
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: thouc on February 21, 2012, 05:45:16 PM
What parts of Downsview are publicly accessible?
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: thouc on February 22, 2012, 11:55:53 AM
I checked out Downsview today, but couldn't find any Snowy Owl. It was a bit tricky to get around there with all the construction.

Had a close encounter with a juv. Red-tailed Hawk. I was standing beside my car, first watching it go after a squirrel without success and then it perched in a tree. Suddenly it went straight towards me and just over the car. Can't have been more than 1-2 m away from me when it was at its closest.

There was also an adult RTH around.

/Thomas
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: newfoundlander61 on February 22, 2012, 12:49:05 PM
Snowy owl it is in the pic.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Flyingbass on February 22, 2012, 02:41:16 PM
Downsview is scheduled to officially open on July 1st, but there are sections of the park that are currently open to the public.   All of the roads are open which gives you access to good deal of the park.   The road along the airport is very reliable for kestrel and red tail aciton, it is also where I have seen the snowy owl the most.  After July 1st the the forest and the lake will be open, that is where most of the song birds will be found.  

Cheers, Flyingbass
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: thouc on February 22, 2012, 06:36:14 PM
Thanks for the info!
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Napper on February 22, 2012, 06:57:39 PM
Hey

A Co-worker said he spotted a "small all white Snowy owl" near Transit rd and Wilson rd inside the fence this morning on his way in to work.

I had not mentioned anything about Snowy's to him. I am not sure what time he arrives but it is probably close to 7:00 am.

I am there far too early to see anything flying about unless its snowing (5:40 am)

Napper :D
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Napper on February 26, 2012, 01:45:54 PM
Hey!

This morning 1 Coyote standing on top of a berm as the sun was rising was a cool silhouette.
Looked big and healthy.

At 9:00 am Adult all white Snowy  Flew North west from our hangers, over the Tracks toward the new large
earthen sound barriers along the railway.

At 12:20 another Coyote along the runway looked skinny and possibly has Mange.

Napper  :)
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Flyingbass on March 01, 2012, 03:44:20 PM
Hello,

A large white Snowy Owl is perched on top of a lamp post as I write this (that is his usual spot).   The lamp post is in the middle of a field (currently under construction) to your left as you walk down Canuck Ave from John Dury road.   I have also seen 4 kestrels and some red tail hawk action.   I was just wondering if anyone has seen any snow buntings in Downsview, if so wear?   Also today on the air stip I saw a raptor with a dark front perched on a post.  I didn't have my binoculars so I couldn't get a closer look, bigger than a kestrel but smaller than a Red Tail, any ideas?

Thanks, Flyingbass
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: thouc on March 01, 2012, 05:15:35 PM
I guess a Cooper's Hawk could appear dark depending on the light.

Rough-legged Hawk has a dark morph, but it's the same size as a Red-tail.

/Thomas
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: Napper on March 01, 2012, 05:38:15 PM
Quote from: "Flyingbass"
Also today on the air stip I saw a raptor with a dark front perched on a post

Flying bass!  Tuesday I saw something similar on the "windsock" at south end of runway 5:40 am "very large"

Later in the day I saw a large bird on top of one of the lights at the soccer field.

Today a very large all dark bird on top of a railing on one of the old assembly fixtures by the back fence near the soccer dome.

I swear it was a turkey vulture, I didn't see it  fly-off.

Does the wildlife rehab centre release birds locally?

napper


Snow buntings, yes over near the new ponds.   Not this week thou
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: little frank on March 01, 2012, 06:22:33 PM
Went to Canuck near where you saw the snowy at about 4:15 PM but no snowy. Did see what looked like a great horned owl however in the trees. It was much too large for a red tail, but way too dark for the snowy. Other than that did see the ususal red tails, Canada Geese and kestrals.

Managed to see the female or juvenile (not sure which) about 10 feet away on the fence close to the "Hanger" on my drive out of the park. Was nice of it to pose for me so I got a great picture.
Title: Re: Snowy Owl! Downsview
Post by: feathered on March 01, 2012, 07:08:39 PM
Quote from: "Napper"
Does the wildlife rehab centre release birds locally?

They're released close to where they were found, by law, as well as seasonally with regards to migrants.