Birding Report

A Gray Jay? No! It was a Northern Shrike!

Dian’s update:  The bird I saw was NOT a Gray Jay but an immature Northern Shrike.  It DOES have a hook on the end of its beak and a barred chest indicating an immature, plus the tail is not as long as that of a Gray Jay and the head shape is very different.
Dian Wood said a few days ago:
“A Gray Jay just landed at my feeders!  Are there other reports of Gray Jays around the Bruce Peninsula?”  (Presumably this was on Jan. 7.)
Fred Jazvac in response says, “ The Gray Jay is listed as vagrant with no more than 10 records in the last 10 years. “  
Perhaps someone (like James?) could tell us when the last one was reported.
Dian says she tried to get her camera out too get a picture but the bird flew away.  Her camera is ready now in case it shows up again.   She wanted this posted to us, so someone else might get to see it.
Thank you, Dian.
Uncategorized

December 2014 e-Herald

The Owen Sound Field Naturalists’ e-Herald
OSFN Indoor Program: Thursday, December 11, 2014
(At the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library auditorium, 7:00 PM)
****DECEMBER INDOOR MEETING UPDATE****
Back by Popular Demand – OSFN is adding a Silent Auction component to our Members’ Night, this Thursday, December 11.

If you wish to bring some(s) item to have auctioned off, with the proceeds going to the club please do the following:

1.) Email a message to John Dickson, jwdickso@gmail.com indicating what item(s) you would like to bring, and if applicable an approximate value. He will have an auction sheet ready for when you arrive.

2.) Please arrive a little earlier– by 6:40PM or earlier,  so that your items can be placed on a table for the auction, and so that interested bidders can have a look before the meeting gets started.

Already on offer are Five Lovely Figurines of porcelain and of crystal, depicting various birds and a whale.

We look forward to hearing what you would like to bring.

See you there!

“MEMBERS’ NIGHT” with Bob Rice
A potpourri of OSFN members’ slides, displays, art, collections and compositions focusing on the natural world. A limit of 10 slides and 10 minutes of presentation time is preferred for this December 11, 2014 event.
So far to date we five (5) presenters confirmed:
“Aurora Borealis” with John Hlynialuk
“Wadi Rum in Jordan – Rock Formations” with Bob Knapp
“Youth Summit” with Molly Postings
“Reptiles and Amphibians” with Ryan Lauzon
“Giant Silk Moths of the Bruce” with Chris Rickard
“Other presenters” to be announced.
Please register your presentation with Bob Rice at bob@ningwakwe.on.ca and/or (519) 477-1728 as soon as possible.
Reminder for OSFN Outdoor Program for December 2014:
December 2014: “Christmas Bird Counts“
Area counts for Grey Bruce are as follows:
Sun., Dec. 14/14: Wiarton – Lynda Steinacke lyndajoy@bmts.com
Wed., Dec. 17/14: Kincardine – James Turland jaturland@gmail.com
Wed., Dec. 17/14: Bruce Peninsula National Park – Rod Steinacker rstein@amtelecom.net
Sat., Dec. 20/14: Hanover-Walkerton – Gerard McNaughton gmcnaughton@wightman.ca
Sat., Dec. 20/14: Owen Sound – Freeman Boyd boydsproduce@gmail.com
Sun., Dec. 28/14: Meaford – Lynne Richardson lynnerichardson@rogers.com
Fri., Jan. 2/15: Saugeen Shores – Norah Toth ntoth@rogers.com
Reminder for OSFN Indoor program January 8, 2014:
“GEOPARKS” with Darryl Cowell
Local esteemed geologist Darryl Cowell will present the concept and nature of UNESCO “Geoparks” and the potential formal designation of portions of the Niagara Escarpment as a Geopark. The Cabot Head area on the northern Bruce Peninsula has been identified as a candidate for designation. Darryl will update attendees on the current status of the designation process.
Check a New Nature Link on OSFN website: “Niagara Falls Nature Club”:
MEMBERSHIP ALERT!
The club relies on memberships and donations at the door and at the hospitality table, allowing us to bring in quality speakers and to support club initiatives such as the Hart’s Tongue Herald & Young Naturalists.
OSFN would like to politely remind some of our currents members that your membership renewals are due.
You may join or renew your OSFN membership at any of our indoor meetings: Membership Category:     Single ($25)           Family ($40)          Student ($15)
For your ease and ours, pay on-line using our PayPal option at www.owensoundfieldnaturalists.ca .
Or
Mail cheque to:
Owen Sound Field Naturalists, P.O. Box 401, Owen Sound, ON N4K 5P7
OSFN would like to thank you in advance if you have renewed your membership or have recently joined our organization!
*** Please remember to bring your coffee cups to meetings***
Birding Report

Christmas Bird Counts

December 2014: “Christmas Bird Counts“
Area counts for Grey Bruce are as follows:
Sun., Dec. 14/14: Wiarton – Lynda Steinacke lyndajoy@bmts.com
Wed., Dec. 17/14: Kincardine – James Turland jaturland@gmail.com
Wed., Dec. 17/14: Bruce Peninsula National Park – Rod Steinacker rstein@amtelecom.net
Sat., Dec. 20/14: Hanover-Walkerton – Gerard McNaughton gmcnaughton@wightman.ca
Sat., Dec. 20/14: Owen Sound – Freeman Boyd boydsproduce@gmail.com
Sun., Dec. 28/14: Meaford – Lynne Richardson lynnerichardson@rogers.com
Fri., Jan. 2/15: Saugeen Shores – Norah Toth ntoth@rogers.com
Uncategorized

NOVEMBER 2014 e-Herald

The Owen Sound Field Naturalists’ e-Herald

****A FRIENDLY REMINDER****

OSFN Indoor Program: Thursday, November 20, 2014
(At the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library auditorium @ 7:00 PM)

“FATAL LIGHT AWARENESS PROGRAM” with Paloma Plant
The fatal light awareness program is a non-profit organization that is governed by a Board of Directors and sustained by a terrific group of volunteers. FLAP was the first organization in the world to raise concerns about bird collisions with buildings in urban areas. Since 1993, FLAP volunteers have picked up tens of thousands of birds off city sidewalks.

Reminder for OSFN Outdoor Program for November 2014:

Sunday, November 16, 2014
“Waterfowl Around the Bay” with Fred Jazvac
Time: 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Limit: 12 participants
Register: Fred Jazvac @ (519) 797-3332

Reminder for OSFN Outdoor Program for December 2014:

December 2014
“Christmas Bird Counts”
Watch the Hart’s Tongue Herald and e-Herald for the dates and count contacts for Christmas Bird Counts in Owen Sound, Meaford, Saugeen Shores, and Wiarton.

Reminder for OSFN Indoor program December 11, 2014:

“MEMBERS’ NIGHT with Bob Rice
A potpourri of OSFN members’ slides, displays, art, collections and compositions focusing on the natural world. A limit of 10 slides and 10 minutes of presentation time is preferred.
Please register your presentation with Bob Rice at bob@ningwakwe.on.ca and/or (519) 477-1728 as soon as possible.

The club relies on memberships and donations at the door and at the hospitality table, allowing us to bring in quality speakers and to support club initiatives such as the Hart’s Tongue Herald & Young Naturalists.

You may join or renew your OSFN membership at the meeting, by mail or
on-line from the website using Pay Pal. Thank you for your membership.
Membership runs from September to June.

*** Please remember to bring your coffee cups to meetings***

Birding Report, Uncategorized

Red-headed woodpecker – two sightings now!

I want to report what I believe is a juvenile red-headed woodpecker at my feeder. We have Downy, Hairy and Red-Bellied woodpeckers frequently. I have never seen a Red-Headed woodpecker, yet when I looked this one up it seemed to be the only possible answer because of large white patch across back and wings and a brown/grey head on a somewhat streaked, but dark body. Have they been seen in this area? Would love to see a mature bird.
Liz Hierons ( in the Walter’s Falls area.)

Reply:   We also had a Juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker at our feeders (we’re near Desboro). Ours turned up regularly for about a week in the middle of September. Its ‘alarm’ call is how we first noticed our woodpecker, the noise stood out from our usual backyard sounds. We had hoped to entice it to stay longer with delicious suet, but it moved on. This was the first we’d seen in the area.
Cheers, Brian Robin & Sarah Taylor

(Reply with your opinion about this possible sighting by emailing birding@owensoundfieldnaturalists.ca and it will be added to this post.)