Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week starting December 10, 2021 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Niagara) King Eider (Hamilton, Lambton, Toronto) Harlequin Duck (Algoma, Durham, Lambton, Niagara, Toronto) Barrow's Goldeneye (Durham, Grey, Ottawa) Eared Grebe (Simcoe) RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Halton) Purple Sandpiper (Niagara, Toronto) RAZORBILL (Niagara) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Simcoe) Black Vulture (Niagara) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Chatham-Kent, Halton) Townsend's Solitaire (Bruce, Thunder Bay) GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH (Kenora) Harris's Sparrow (Algoma, Hamilton) Nelson's Sparrow (Chatham-Kent) Western Meadowlark (Halton) Ovenbird (Toronto) Northern Parula (Halton) Palm Warbler (Toronto) Indigo Bunting (Bruce, York) Details: I have tried to indicate the finder, where known. My apologies to those who I have left out. BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING-DUCK (Niagara): The long-staying bird remained at Dufferin Islands to at least December 15. King Eider (Hamilton): A female was at Confederation Park and Grays Road December 10-11. King Eider (Lambton): A female was found off Kettle Point by James Holdsworth December 13 and was still there December 15. King Eider (Toronto): THe female continued off Tommy Thompson Park December 10-14. Harlequin Duck (Algoma): The female-type bird continued off Sault Ste. Marie in the vicininty of the Pine St Marina December 10-15. Harlequin Duck (Durham): The male was again off Thickson's Point, photographed December 16. Harlequin Duck (Lambton): The female-type bird continued off the Point Edward area December 12. Harlequin Duck (Niagara): A male continued above the falls near the control gates December 11-12 Harlequin Duck (Toronto): A male continued at Marilyn Bell Park to at least December 16. A female-type bird continued off Ashbridges Bay and possibly the same bird was off Tommy Thompson Park for much of the week. Barrow's Goldeneye (Durham): A male continued off Whitby to at least December 12. Barrow's Goldeneye (Grey): The Owen Sound Harbour bird continued. Barrow's Goldeneye (Ottawa): As many as two males were reported this week from Strathcona Park area and one male (possibly one of the Strathcona Park birds) was at Brantwood Park to the south on December 15-16. Eared Grebe (Simcoe): One bird was found and photographed off Innisfil December 15 by Henrique Pacheco. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Halton): The Rufous Hummingbird by Sedgewick Forest in Oakville was reported to at least December 12. Purple Sandpiper (Niagara): One bird was photographed at Fifty Point CA December 14. Purple Sandpiper (Toronto): Up to two birds were seen by many at Tommy Thompson Park December 10-14. Another bird was photographed by a few different observers at Colonel Sam Smith Park December 16. RAZORBILL (Niagara): Up to three birds were seen at once this week, with many observations of one and two birds off Niagara-on-the-Lake GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Simcoe): The Barrie bird continued this week with many sightings, mostly from the "Spirit Catcher". It seems to be most reliable later in the day. Black Vulture (Niagara): Up to 4 birds were reported from Queenston this week. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Chatham-Kent): One bird was seen at Rondeau PP December 12 and 16 by Steve Charbonneau Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Halton): One bird was photographed at Sedgewick Forest by Jim Watt December 14. Townsend's Solitaire (Bruce): One bird was found in Tobermory December 10 by John Read by 46 Elgin Street in the parking lot north of the tennis courts. It was seen by several observers at least to December 12. Townsend's Solitaire (Thunder Bay): One bird continued at Mountain Rd, Thunder Bay GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW (Toronto): The Scarborough Golden-crowned Sparrow found by Karl Konze continued this week. GRAY-CROWNED ROSY-FINCH (Kenora): One bird was photographed by Ari Wantoro near Sioux Lookout. Harris's Sparrow (Algoma): Tony Ward found one just outside of Thessalon December 14 and photographed it again December 16. Harris's Sparrow (Hamilton): The Inksetter Rd bird continued this week. Nelson's Sparrow (Chatham-Kent): The Keith McLean CA bird was seen again December 10. Western Meadowlark (Halton): The bird found last week in Oakville was seen by many to at least December 13. Ovenbird (Toronto): One bird was found by Gray Carlin at the Metro Centre Gardens December 12 and seen later the same day by a few other observers. Northern Parula (Halton): The bird at Sedgewick Forest continued to at least December 14. Palm Warbler (Toronto): There was one bird at Trillium Park/Ontario Place December 12 and 14 seen by a few observers. Indigo Bunting (Bruce): One bird was coming to a feeder December 15-16 in Kincardine. Indigo Bunting (York): The bird found last week by Jax Nasimok at Grand Cornell Park in Markham was photographed again December 10. Report compiled by Mike Burrell from a variety of sources, primarily eBird; most other sources are listed here: http://ofo.ca/site/content/ontario-hotlines-and-news Mike Burrell