Wednesday, January 13, 2016

January 1,2016 Oriole and Tanager start the year!

Hi Everyone 
Happy New Year! 

For many birders the list goes back to zero at the start of a new year. After an amazing 2015 it will be almost impossible to have a better year. Eastern Ontario dominated the birding starting in early June with the Little Egret and it continued into the late fall with the Pink-footed Goose, Bullock's Oriole, Mountain Bluebird, Northern Fulmar and finished with Smew. An incredible run!
I was able to add three species to my all time January list so far including Double-crested Cormorant, Bullock's Oriole, Summer Tanager. With the river wide open and not much snow there were still lots of late lingering species, particularly waterfowl. Between the Champlain Bridge and Shirley's Bay there was an amazing selection of ducks including 1 White-winged Scoter, 1 Long-tailed Duck,1 Bufflehead, 1 Greater Scaup, 3 Lesser Scaup, 1 Northern Shoveler, and 3 American Wigeon. Other water birds included 1 Red-necked Grebe, 2 Common Loon, and 17 Ring-billed Gull. During a normal winter most of these birds wouldn't be in the area. 

Good birding,
Bruce



Many birders got their first ever Summer Tanager for January.

The Bullock's Oriole was seen by many on January 1st. Another first for the month and year! 

No comments: