Hi, went with my friend Ian to Niagara on Sunday to look for the Eared Grebe that was reported but we had no luck searching Dufferin Island for it. While searching though in the parking lot we saw a nice little flock of passerine birds including a Pine warbler, Golden-crowned kinglets, Brown creepers, juncos and chickadees. Also in the park were Northern flicker and Red-bellied woodpecker. Then we went over to check the gulls along the river by the barge and at the control gates. Saw the Slaty-backed gull in its reliable spot across from the greenhouse between 2 pinkish rocks. Also in the are were glacous, iceland, lesser black-backed, greater black-backed, herring and ring-billed gulls. There is a hybrid Greater black-backedXHerring Gull here which looks close to the Slay-backed so be careful, has duller pink legs and no string of pearls in its wings.
For lunch we went to the feeders on Peter Street in Chippewa to look for a Tufted Titmouse and found one there. Also here were a nice pair of Purple finches, Pine siskins, House finches and another red-bellied woodpecker in with the usual species. Took a short drive up the river and saw Tundra swans, Great blue heron and many Canvasbacks. Stopped 1 last spot at the Queenston dock on our way home and found a Little gull in with the Bonapartes to make 9 gull species for the day.
A photo of the pine warbler by Ian is here at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/i-p-s/3173831548/ I have photos of other good birds from Niagara at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrew-don/ Good way to start my new year list and already have a warbler!
Good Birding Andrew Don
