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January 1999 Sightings in the Windsor Area
Tuesday, January 26: The mild weather has created some open water on Lake St. Clair and Fred Urie reports over 9,000 Greater Scaup, 7,000 Redhead and 5,000 Canvasback have moved into the ice free water east of Tecumseh.
Sunday, January 24: Two Yellow-headed Blackbirds were seen today in a large flock of several thousand cowbirds. The blackbirds were feeding in a field northeast of Amherstburg along the 3rd Concession Road at Texas Road (PD Pratt).
The Nature Centre had a bird outing on Saturday to Little River and the waterfront by Peche Island. Highlights were Great Blue Heron (2 at dock of Peche Is.), Pied-billed Grebe (1 at Little River), Horned Grebe (9), Oldsquaw (1 Lakeview Marina), Ruddy Duck (2), American Coot (3) and Belted Kingfisher (2 Little River).
Tuesday, January 19: A White-winged Scoter was seen today at the foot of Langlois Street (Fred Urie). The open water at Little River supports a large flock of Mallards and other water birds each winter. Today, 4 Belted Kingfishers, 1 Great Blue Heron, 5 American Coots and 1 Gadwall were found there by Fred Urie.
Sunday, January 17: There are good numbers of waterfowl along the upper portion of the Detroit River especially Common Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Common Merganser, Canvasback, Redhead and Greater Scaup. Four Horned Grebes were seen by Peche Island on Saturday (Paul Pratt, Randy Horvath) and off Alexander Park on Sunday (Matt Baker). Other notable weekend sightings included Great Blue Heron (1), American Coot (11), Gadwall (1), Northern Shoveler (2), Ring-necked Duck (6), Hooded Merganser (20), Mute Swan (14) and Tundra Swan (4). A single Oldsquaw was at the mouth of Little River (Matt Baker) and another four were seen off Sand Point Park (Fred Urie) on Sunday.
Wednesday, January 13: Randy Horvath reported a female King Eider yesterday along the Detroit River east of Lauzon Road. On Monday, 11 Hooded Mergansers, 4 American Coots and a Belted Kingfisher were seen at the mouth of Little River (Fred Urie). On January 6 a Yellow-headed Blackbird made a brief appearance at a feeder in LaSalle (H. Bruggink).
Saturday, January 9: Highlights of the Ojibway trip to Point Pelee today (Visitor Centre, Woodland Nature Trail, Black Willow area and park roadsides) included: Bald Eagle 1 adult, Northern Harrier 6, Red-tailed Hawk 3, Rough-legged Hawk 5 (1 dark morph), American Kestrel 1, Horned Lark 100s, Snow Bunting 100s, Lapland Longspur (5 at VC feeder), Brown Creeper 2, Winter Wren 3, Golden-crowned Kinglet 12, Eastern Bluebird +5, Hermit Thrush 4, American Robin +60, Fox Sparrow 3, American Tree Sparrow 50, Song Sparrow 10, Swamp Sparrow 1, White-throated Sparrow 15 and Dark-eyed Junco 30.
Wednesday, January 6: Mark Sadowski reported an immature Bald Eagle near Paquette Corners this afternoon. A Great Horned Owl was seen along the Wildlife Trail at Ojibway and the rufous phase Screech-Owl was peering out the nest box at 1:30 pm this afternoon.
Tuesday, January 5: The heavy snowfall on Saturday (40 cm.) and very cold temperatures have placed a severe strain on wildlife. Now is the time to keep feeders well stocked with seed. A chickadee requires four times as much food during cold winter conditions as it does during the summer! The feeders at Ojibway are very busy now. Tufted Titmice and a Red-bellied Woodpecker are usually present all day. A rufous phase Eastern Screech-Owl can usually be seen poking its head out of the highest nest box in the cottonwood stump next to the parking lot. In addition a grey phase bird was in the box in front of the Nature Centre at 5 pm tonight.
The deep snow has even forced open country birds to feeders. Snow Buntings, Lapland Longspurs and Horned Larks could be seen today at the Point Pelee Visitor Centre feeders.
Friday, January 1: Participants in the Detroit River Christmas Bird Count found 73 species today. Highlights from the Ontario portion of the count included a Marsh Wren along Turkey Creek, Northern Shrike near East Riverside Park and four Eastern Bluebirds at Brunet Park. Two lucky observers watched a Coyote hunting along the frozen Detroit River shoreline at Ojibway. Check the Christmas Bird Counts page for the complete results.
