Winter Finches, 2020's final throw before the end

 Ah, 2020, the year of the global pandemic and the year of some of the more interesting birding I have personally done. But, I will touch up on that in my "year-end view" I'll do in 2021 (hopefully the year of the cure). 

The last solace of 2020 is the amazing irruption of finches that have bombarded the Eastern Seaboard all the way down to Florida believe it or not. This has been my year to see some of those tricky birds that have been seen by other birders when their populations were much higher down here including both species of Crossbill. 

To really talk about the finch irruption let's take a trip back to September of this year. Looking at a chronological timeline this isn't that long ago, just over 90 days which in hindsight isn't long at all. This is when we started seeing birds like Purple Finch in mind-boggling numbers, and quite early in the year. Then we move on to Pine Siskin and Evening Grosbeak in October, crazy large flocks of around 1,000 grosbeaks flying past Hawk Cliff in Elgin County. Now, we land here in November with accounts of Hoary & Common Redpoll, Pine Grosbeak, and White-winged & Red Crossbills. 

With the eruption, I have been able to reap the spoils here in Haldimand County with some of the first documented records of White-winged Crossbill since 2017 where our very own Rick Ludkin reported one out of Ruthven Park, and another one of the first records (to my knowledge) of Red Crossbill since 1985! That is 35 years! And of course, these are both lifers for me! I am now 2 species away from 275 birds seen in Ontario and also 2 birds away from 230 species seen in Haldimand County (if they both happen simultaneously I won't be sad about it). 

These 2 recent sightings along with a pair of non-lifers but 2 very overdue year birds: Snow Bunting and Common Redpoll, bring my total for the year up to 259 birds! So close to 260 I can almost taste it! By the end of the year, I can shoot to nab birds in the likes of Saw-whet and Long-eared Owls, possibly a Pine Grosbeak if I try hard enough, and hopefully some other wintery birds like Barrow's Goldeneye, Harlequin Duck, and maybe even a Goshawk. 

Until next time guys, enjoy a couple photos I got today in my outing to Selkirk Prov. Park! 

American Tree Sparrows are back and it seems like just yesterday I was counting them in the small pines on my family's property. 

We had a little staring contest, and I think since my shutter went off it won. 

Buffleheads like this female take the Lake Erie shoreline by storm in the winter, always nice to see one of our smallest ducks hanging around. 

Probably the last Shorebirds I'll see this year (14-Nov-2020)

During my Lake Survey this past weekend with the impending storm around the corner I ended the night in Rock Point. Although there weren't many birds around (unfortunately) but I did get to see what I'm thinking are the last shorebirds of my year! Dunlins! I always seem to get a few this time of year so it's not unexpected but I doubt I'll see any other shorebirds this year. After a long fall with lots of shorebirds! It's been an awesome few months that have finally come to an end. Here is the final look of shorebirds for the year! 

This droopy billed bird is a Dunlin, not the flashiest shorebird but still awesome! - Haldimand ON

Ducks upon Ducks

 There is no comparison in Ontario to Lake Ontario Duck watching. Not only can they have the insane sightings of King Eider and Harlequin Ducks yearly but they have some of the highest density of ducks in the whole province coming to that lake. In Hamilton, this spectacular view can be viewed from some of the lookouts in Stoney Creek (my personal favourite being Millen Rd). Though I am definitely partial to Lake Erie and its unpredictability there is something that just stands out about Lake Ontario. 

Now some of you might be curious about what separates Lake Ontario from the other Great Lakes. This is the presence of Zebra Muscles in large quantities and the sheer depth of the lake as close to the shoreline as it is. This is heaven for diving ducks, which happen to be the most common ducks in the winter here in Southeastern Ontario. It's particularly loved by Long-tailed Ducks and Scoters for multiple species. 

This brings me to this past weekend. Sunday, the day after my survey I got some info about 3 King Eider hanging around in Stoney Creek. It was a bird I needed for the year and from what I heard they were easy to find. This was a little something unexpected when I got there though, over 30,000 ducks were seen from that spot (and that's being conservative). I have never seen a concentration that high in my life!

If you're looking for ducks right now Millen Rd is the best place to visit! 

Here is the exact list for the day: Millen Red (08-Nov-2020)

Female King Eider with a patch of Zebra Muscles in its mouth - Hamilton ON

Another shot of the King Eider - Hamilton ON

Still loving these King Eider shots! - Hamilton ON

A second King Eider resting her head as she floats away - Hamilton ON

Crazy cool looking male Long-tailed Duck - Hamilton ON

New Project

 In the past couple of weeks, I have taken on a new project for citizen science. I have been surveying the 40 km stretch of Lake Erie between Nanticoke and Dunnville. This will give me and any other birder that would like to see these birds the best time and location to see those birds.

    I plan on conducting these counts weekly until the end of the year (depending on how much ice is covering the lake). This will also be conducted every year for the time being to see how populations of these birds flux from year to year. 

If you'd like to follow the progress of my study it will be posted here.