Weekly Roundup October 13th to October 18th 2020
This week had a pretty slow start for rare birds in Muskoka. Just a few got reported, but it definitely was made up for in the second half of the week. Plenty of waterfowl starting to show themselves, despite the rainy and gloomy days.
A RUDDY DUCK seen by David and Regan Goodyear at the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons on Monday offered a really strong start to the week. However, despite the strong start, not too many additional waterfowl stopped by during the weekdays. The weekend is when we really started to see good waterfowl movement. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER, SURF SCOTER, REDHEAD, RED-NECKED GREBE, and NORTHERN SHOVELER all made their appearance. These birds all came through a few good hotspots: Beausoliel Island, the Bracebridge Sewage Lagoons, Spence Lake, and Bowyer’s Beach. There should be several more waterfowl spotted off beaches in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep a scope on hand.
White-winged Scoter, Spence Lake, Aaron Rusak
A RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER is still continuing in Georgian Bay, a great place to pick one up if you’re still looking. A RED-HEADED WOODPECKER was also seen on Fairy Vista Trail in Huntsville, an unusual place for one to show up. An early NORTHERN SHRIKE was also picked up at the same location, further evidence for northern birds starting to move south.
Red-headed Woodpecker, Georgian Bay, Aaron Rusak
AMERICAN PIPIT and HORNED LARKS continued into this week, but no LAPLAND LONGSPURS were sighted. All three species should be continuing to move through, but the height of their movement has probably passed. A late BALTIMORE ORIOLE is also being spotted at a feeder north of Bracebridge, one of the last lingering summer birds.
Huge numbers of WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS moved through this week and some birders were blessed with 100+ sparrows feeding in certain areas. A VESPER SPARROW was also seen up in Huntsville and a FIELD SPARROW was spotted on Beausoliel Island. Sparrow movement will most likely start slowing down soon, so check your sparrow hotspots for the last few stragglers.
White-crowned Sparrow, Bracebridge (2019), Aaron Rusak
Warbler migration is pretty much wrapped up, but there are still a few colourful yellow birds moving through. ORANGE-CROWNED, TENNESSEE, and NASHVILLE were all seen this week and kinglet numbers have reached their potential peak. As for finches, we’re seeing COMMON REDPOLLS coming south in greater numbers, but no other winter finches were spotted this week.
What to Look for this Week
Waterfowl, waterfowl, waterfowl. They’re the name of the game for the next few weeks, but you’re going to have to spend a fair bit of time scoping open water to get them. Scan slowly and multiple times, as many of the waterfowl moving through now are diving species, so the first scan may not catch them. Look in the swells and take your time. Beaches around Gravenhurst and Bracebridge have historically been successful, but any larger body of water with a good lookout might turn up some rarities like BLACK and SURF SCOTERS or a RED-BREASTER MERGANSER.
Large open fields are also a fantastic place to be checking out, as geese and gulls are feeding frequently in the wet fields. Flocks of both species should be quite numerous in the coming weeks, so be sure to inspect them for odd looking individuals. BRANT and SNOW GEESE may potentially be joining some of the larger flocks and we may start seeing GREATER BLACK-BACKED GULLS shortly.
Got a rare sighting of your own? Feel free to send it to aaron@shrikebirding.com and it may be used in our next weekly report. We’re hoping to add additional information in our future weekly reports, so unusual sightings within Muskoka are hugely appreciated.
Happy birding!