Downsview Report - Spring 2016 Edition

[Rotarran]

Well I guess it's time for another thread as the previous one got a bit too long...kinda like our 2nd winter.  Yep we've had a bizarre April so far but this afternoon when the sun was out, it almost felt like spring.  And it's only going to get better from here on (hopefully)

At the pond I saw a couple of Herring Gulls which are rarely seen at Downsview so that was a welcome sight.  


Then I wandered over to the William Baker Trail thinking that I'd likely see some woodland migrants and I was rewarded with a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Hermit Thrush, Northern Flicker and several Golden-crowned Kinglets.  I was really happy to see the Sapsucker, first time I've seen one at Downsview.





In the coming days and weeks, it's probably a good idea to keep checking the William Baker woodlot more frequently as it will surely attract more such migrants including warblers, thrushes and sparrows.  Maybe even Indigo Bunting and Scarlet Tanager.

[Dinusaur]

That's good to know Elias. I spent about an hour Tuesday afternoon in the woodlot section of the main park and was hoping to see a Hermit Thrush. There wasn't much except for hundreds of Starlings.

[Rotarran]

Wow today was quite special at Downsview.  I saw 2 or more of nearly every bird group.  2 hawk species, 3 woodpecker species, 2 gull species, 2 shorebird species, 2 finch species, several sparrow species, 2 swallow species and on and on.  Well it has officially started, the birds should be coming in droves now.

In total I saw 35 species with the highlight being 2 Wilson's Snipes, 3 Fox Sparrow and 1 Northern Harrier.  Also many firsts of the year including 1 Ruby-crowned Kinglet and Tree & Barn Swallows.  Complete list here: http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S28972394

Took surprisingly few pictures today but this one came out pretty good.  

[Flyingbass]

Wow great day, it is nice to see the swallows back!

[Rotarran]

Brown Thrasher Will Baker

[Rotarran]

Another fantastic day at Downsview clocking in at 36 species today.  At the pond I saw a Caspian Tern for the first time this year and the 2 Herring Gulls continue to remain.  Be prepared to flush Wilson's Snipes when going through wet areas of the park ...today there were 3 and there could have been more.

Over by the Will Baker trail, I saw the aforementioned Brown Thrasher and also a Hermit Thrush, Red Breasted Nuthatch and plenty of woodpecker action with 3 Flickers chasing each other and 3 Downies doing pretty much the same thing.  I guess it's that time of year



Sorry the Snipe pic is garbage but at least you can tell what it is:


Also heard Mockingbirds singing beautifully...not every day you get to see a Thrasher and a Mockingbird in the same day.  Only the Catbird was missing to make it a hat-trick.

[Rotarran]

Forgot to post this picture...came out really cool.  If they weren't so common, Red-winged Blackbirds would be much more appreciated I think.  They're gorgeous.  

[Dinusaur]

Nice set of birds you keep on seeing. I was there this afternoon - saw more people than birds.

[Rotarran]

Thanks Dinu but keep in mind I was there for 4 hours and some of the birds I saw were on the Will Baker trail which I think is sometimes more preferred by birds because few people know of it and therefore seldomly visit it.  I went there once I noticed more and more people came streaming into the park.  Before noon it wasn't so bad.

[Leslie Kinrys]

A friend and I visited the park today, because we don't live too far from it. We saw 22 species in a couple of hours. Highlights were: 1 Eastern Meadowlark, 1 Savannah Sparrow, a pair of squabbling Flickers and I Barn Swallow. There were 17  Cormorants in the pond. Also, a gentleman showed us a Killdeer egg, which the mother had just left in her ground nest.

[Rotarran]

Visited the park for a couple of hours today and saw a couple of new migrants.  White-throated Sparrow in the woods and Palm Warbler in the William Baker trail.  The Thrasher was also still there singing his heart out.  Easily seen from the walking path.  At first I thought it was a Mockingbird but then I saw the warm reddish brown.   Well they are both in the same bird family.

[Rotarran]

Jonny and I are looking at a Great Egret right now in the pond. Great looks.

[Rotarran]

Surprising day today at DV.  I met Jonny in the woodlot and we both saw a cute Field Sparrow and not far we also saw and heard the Brown Thrasher.  Then we strolled to the pond where a beautiful Great Egret suddenly flew in but I did see on eBird that it was seen earlier in the day too.  Jonny then had to split and I decided to do a closer analysis of the several Swallows flying over the pond.  I could tell which were Tree Swallows and which were Barn Swallows but also spotted a few Northern Rough-winged Swallows...2 of which decided to pose nicely for me on a nearby tree.

Over by the William Baker trail things were a bit quieter today but I did see a couple of Blue Jays which were my first of the year.  Overall a great day.

[Dinusaur]

Nice sightings Elias. I went there this morning and saw my first of the year Spotted Sandpiper which almost ended up as breakfast for an attacking Cooper's Hawk. I also saw a palm warbler, a few ruby-crowned kinglets, quite a few Cormorrant and a pair of singing mockingbird. A few days ago I also saw a great blue heron in the pond.

[Napper]

Glad you posted the info on Swallow's at Downsview..

I spotted what I thought was a Barn Swallow on Thursday morning around 7:30  am while I was walking across the tarmac at the airfield..  
I spotted a Raven that day at Lunch time, it was near those soccer domes.


re: Swallows, I spotted Tree swallows last weekend while we were driving  Northbound between hwy 9 and 89 on a concession near hwy 50.

Napper

p.s White Throat sparrow singing in Milton this afternoon after a same day/one day  trip to
     Cottage. Not much activity up there it was xtremley windy and cold!