Old Squaws

[Axeman]

I love birding in winter at my parents' home in Port Credit...the wintering ducks. The usual suspects are red breasted and common mergansers, greater scaups, buffleheads and golden eyes...but recently I have found a number of old squaws...just wondering if this is new or I'm just ummm...not very sharp.

Two other things...I notice that there aren't any mourning doves around...most winters they remain...

And...back in the early 90's a greater black backed gull had moved into the area...and then there were 2..and then 3....and now...none...

And you know what else is missing this year? CORMORANTS !

[birddog]

Old squaws are a winter bird for us in the GTA, they will go north in the spring(soon I hope)> I have a couple of mourning doves visiting, a little less than usual. Gulls I am not too sure but with with  Black back it could be hit or miss. Cormorants depart in the fall and will return soon.
PS old squaws are now political correct being called long tails

[Axeman]

Ahhh....thanks re: pc name, longtails...I ummm....did feel a mite bit uncomfortable with the old name...

Really re: cormorants? For some reason I thought I recalled seeing them even in winter...so I was kinda elated to notice that they were not around...I knew I should have listened to my mother and not smoked crack...

You know what else I miss seeing around my feeders at home (near Ayton, Grey county)....Am. Tree Sparrow...

[Tyler]

I really hate calling them Long-tailed Ducks. The brits can keep that name. Whats next?, call the Common Loon the Great northern Diver. I always laugh at that one. Of all the loon species the Common Loon breeds the furthest south. I still call the duck by the Oldsquaw name or the french Canadian name kakawees( sounds likes their call). This species like a whole family of large predator minnows in western Canada lost their squaw name for a pc english name.  What's next calling the Hoary Redpoll the frosted redpoll?

As for Great Black-backed Gulls they use to be much more common 5 years ago. The Great lakes breeding population got decimated by Type E Botulism during 2004-2006. Most Great B's that remain around Lake Ontario are birds from the east coast visiting for the winter.

If you want to see wintering Comorants just go to the welland Canal below Lock 1. Up to a dozen birds happily winter there every year.

 Mourning Dove, those dopey things are around any wellstocked black oil sunflower seed feeder in urban areas now.  And the Cooper's Hawks LOVE to visit those feeders as well.

[birddog]

Actually I like the name "great northern diver" because that bird is anything but common. There is some debate on the name oldsquaw and being offensive to aboriginals, so I don't really mind but I like kakawees. What I don't like is attaching country names to birds, Canada goose, American robin.etc  the birds have been here much longer than the countrys.

[Jim S]

Guess I'm getting old. I still call them Old Squaw Ducks. I still call Scaup Blue Bills on occasion and once and a while I slip and call a Kestrel a Sparrow Hawk. This political correctness sure keeps one on ones toes, what next Cardinals going to be called Red Birds? Lots of GBB Gulls in the Niagara a few Cormorants also.

[GStuart]

Anyway, about my washtub...I just used it that morning to wash my turkey, which in those days was known as a "walking bird".  We'd always have walking bird on Thanksgiving with all the trimmings:  cranberries, injun eyes, yams stuffed with gunpowder.  Then we'd all watch football, which in those days was called "baseball".

Anyone remember the Maryland Yellowthroat?  At least I don't call it the Black-Masked Ground Warbler anymore.   :wink: