Great Local Birding (Part 2)

Continued from my previous post.

Local birders will be well aware of the annual show at Sedgewick Park in Oakville, where a water treatment plant attracts a variety of insect-eating birds in early winter. Six species of warbler were present here at the beginning of December, most notably the Tennessee Warbler pictured below. I believe this is the first winter record for Ontario.

Just around the corner from Sedgewick Park I chased a reported Brant, the first good view I've had of one in a few years. This goose is tiny compared to Canada Geese, and generally only appears regularly in our area in late fall and early winter.

There seems to a multitude of less hardy birds attempting to overwinter this year. This Red-winged Blackbird and Fox Sparrow were both among a huge flock of birds in some open woods along the lake in Mississauga, and neither are species I regularly encounter in winter.

I came across this goose with what appears to be a radio transmitter around its neck. Please let me know if you know anything more about this!

This Purple Sandpiper was found at Lakefront Promenade Park in Mississauga one morning. I've only seen this species extremely distantly before, so it was great to watch this incredibly chubby little bird foraging in the algae.

Northern Saw-whet Owls probably winter fairly commonly, but are very hard to find due to their tiny size. Winter is generally the time to see owls in Southern Ontario, and indeed I've had 4 species in the last month.