Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week of December 18, 2020 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): Ross's Goose (Chatham-Kent, Hamilton) Canvasback x Redhead (hybrid) (Halton) Redhead x Greater Scaup (hybrid) (Toronto) King Eider (Halton, Hamilton, Toronto) Harlequin Duck (Algoma, Bruce, Peel, Simcoe) Barrow's Goldeneye (Algoma, Grey, Hamilton, Ottawa) Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser (hybrid) (Algoma, Grey, Hamilton) White-winged Dove (Simcoe) Virginia Rail (Norfolk) Purple Sandpiper (Essex, Toronto) Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton) SLATY-BACKED GULL (Niagara, Simcoe, Toronto) GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Algoma) Pacific Loon (Hamilton) American White Pelican (Norfolk) Great Egret (Essex) Black Vulture (Prince Edward) Gyrfalcon (Algoma) Varied Thrush (Kenora) Swainson's Thrush (Toronto) Yellow-headed Blackbird (Essex) Western Meadowlark (Thunder Bay) Tennessee Warbler (Peel) Northern Parula (Halton) Summer Tanager (York) BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Algoma) Ross's Goose (Chatham-Kent): One bird was at Ridgetown Sewage Lagoons December 20-23. Ross's Goose (Hamilton): The continuing pair of young birds remained at Bayfront Park December 19-23. Canvasback x Redhead (hybrid) (Halton/Hamilton): An adult male continued off LaSalle Park December 19 and 23. Redhead x Greater Scaup (hybrid) (Toronto): An adult male was photographed at the base of Tommy Thompson Park December 20 and 23. King Eider (Halton/Hamilton): A female was in the Burlington Ship Canal December 19-24 and another female was off Grays Rd in Stoney Creek December 19-24. King Eider (Toronto): One female was off Pipit Point, Tommy Thompson Park December 18-21. Harlequin Duck (Algoma): Two females remained off Whitefish Island December 18-24. Harlequin Duck (Bruce): The adult male was last reported off Lions Head December 18. Harlequin Duck (Peel): An adult male and female continued in Mississauga at least to December 22. Harlequin Duck (Simcoe): The female continued around the City of Barrie marina December 20-23. Barrow's Goldeneye (Algoma): A female was seen off Whitefish Island December 19. Barrow's Goldeneye (Grey): An adult male continued off the Owen Sound waterfront December 18-24. Barrow's Goldeneye (Hamilton): An adult male and a female were off Stoney Creek (mostly around Grays Rd) December 19-24. Barrow's Goldeneye (Ottawa): At least one bird continued on the Rideau River in the vicinity of Strathcona Park December 19-24. Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser (hybrid) (Algoma): One bird was reported in Sault Ste. Marie December 19. Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser (hybrid) (Grey): A male continued at the Owen Sound waterfront December 22. Common Goldeneye x Hooded Merganser (hybrid) (Hamilton): A male was off Stoney Creek December 19-22. White-winged Dove (Simcoe): The bird continued in Coldwater around 10 Harriet Street December 19-24. Virginia Rail (Norfolk): One bird was seen off Hastings Drive December 21. Purple Sandpiper (Essex): Two birds were on the lake side of Hillman Marsh December 18. Purple Sandpiper (Toronto): Up to two birds were at Tommy Thompson Park December 20-24. Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton): One juvenile was reported off Ipperwash Beach December 22. SLATY-BACKED GULL (Niagara): One adult was in Thorold December 19. SLATY-BACKED GULL (Simcoe): One adult was seen in Orillia December 23 and 24. SLATY-BACKED GULL (Toronto): The long-staying bird was seen several times this week (December 18-24), mostly at Sunnyside Beach. GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Algoma): An adult was photographed in Sault Ste Marie December 18 at two separate locations but has not been refound. Pacific Loon (Hamilton): One bird remained in Hamilton Harbour, reported December 19 and 21. American White Pelican (Norfolk): One bird was seen off Turkey Point December 19. Great Egret (Essex): One bird was at Hillman Marsh December 21. Black Vulture (Prince Edward): One bird was at Bloomfield December 22. Gyrfalcon (Algoma): One bird was seen in Sault Ste Marie December 24. Varied Thrush (Kenora): The Gullrock Lake bird continued at least December 19 and 20. Swainson's Thrush (Toronto): The Humber Bay Park east bird continued at least to December 18. Yellow-headed Blackbird (Essex): One bird was photographed north of Point Pelee December 20. Western Meadowlark (Thunder Bay): The Manitouwadge bird continued this week December 18-24. Tennessee Warbler (Peel): One bird was photographed in Mississauga in Helen Molasy Memorial Park December 21. Northern Parula (Halton): Up to two birds remained at Sedgewick Forest December 19-23. Summer Tanager (York): The Newmarket bird continued this week, reported to at least December 21. BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Algoma): The Sawpit Bay bird continued this week, reported at least to December 19. However, the homeowners have made the difficult decision, for public health reasons to limit access to local birders only. Please respect these wishes. Report compiled by Mike Burrell from a variety of sources, most of which are listed here: http://ofo.ca/site/content/ontario-hotlines-and-news <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> Virus-free. www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>