Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the week starting December 16, 2022 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): King Eider (Essex) Harlequin Duck (Algoma, Durham, Grey, Hamilton, Huron, Northumberland, Ottawa, Toronto) Barrow's Goldeneye (Durham, Grey, Niagara, Ottawa) Purple Sandpiper (Chatham-Kent, Durham, Northumberland, Prince Edward) Western Sandpiper (Chatham-Kent) Spotted Sandpiper (Chatham-Kent) RAZORBILL (Niagara) Black-legged Kittiwake (Huron, Lambton, Niagara) GREAT CORMORANT (Hamilton) White-eyed Vireo (Middlesex) MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Grey) Townsend's Solitaire (Durham, Thunder Bay) Wood Thrush (Norfolk) Harris's Sparrow (Lambton) LeConte's Sparrow (Peel) SPOTTED TOWHEE (Algoma) Yellow-headed Blackbird (Norfolk) Baltimore Oriole (Frontenac) Northern Waterthrush (Essex) Black-and-white Warbler (Toronto) YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (AUDUBON'S) (Hamilton) Yellow-throated Warbler (Leeds and Grenville) Dickcissel (Chatham-Kent, Norfolk) Details: I have tried to indicate the finder, where known. My apologies to those who I have left out. You can help me by giving the finder's name(s), if known, in your eBird checklists. King Eider (Essex): Michael McAllister reported a female off the east side of Point Pelee, north of the Visitor Centre on December 19. Harlequin Duck (Algoma): The four birds at Whitefish Island/Sault Locks continued this week. Harlequin Duck (Durham): Jeremy and Tim Logan reported a female type bird off Darlington Provincial Park December 18. Harlequin Duck (Grey): The male bird photographed by William Gray off Hibou CA north of Owen Sound on December 14 was reported December 16 by David Turner. Harlequin Duck (Hamilton/Niagara): The female first found December 9 was seen by many off Fifty Point to at least December 20. Harlequin Duck (Huron): James and Simon Turland found a pair off the beach in Goderich on December 17 that were seen by many to at least December 22. Harlequin Duck (Northumberland): The female type bird first reported November 21 from Cobourg Harbour reamined to at least December 19. Harlequin Duck (Ottawa): The female-type bird found by Clifford Rostek on December 1 by Island Park Drive was seen by many again this week, to at least December 22. Harlequin Duck (Toronto): At least one adult male continued around Ashbridge's Bay Park and Tommy Thompson Park until at least December 22. A young male was found by Andrew Keaveney at Toronto Islands on December 18. Barrow's Goldeneye (Durham): The male off Lynde Creek was reported again this week. Barrow's Goldeneye (Grey): Presumably the same male found November 3 by William Gray remained to at least December 21 around Owen Sound. Barrow's Goldeneye (Niagara): William Konze found a male by Grimsby harbour on December 16 that was seen by many to at least December 17. Barrow's Goldeneye (Ottawa): The one near Strathcona Park/the Rideau Tennis Club found in early November continued to at least December 21 and was joined by a second male on December 18 and 21. Another bird was reported from Bate Island on December 18. Purple Sandpiper (Chatham-Kent): Blake Mann and Steve Charbonneau found one at Rondeau on December 16. Purple Sandpiper (Durham): Tyler Hoar and Mike Ferguson found one at Darlington PP on December 18 another or the same was there again on December 21. Purple Sandpiper (Northumberland): Phil Lawrence reported one at Gull Island in Presqu'ile on December 22. Purple Sandpiper (Prince Edward): Paul Jones, Dale Smith and Mikaela Naumann photographed one at Charwell Point on December 18. Western Sandpiper (Chatham-Kent): The bird found a few weeks ago was seen again on December 18 at Rondeau, this time on the south beach. Spotted Sandpiper (Chatham-Kent): The bird found previously at Erieau was seen by several observers on December 18 at Rondeau's south beach. RAZORBILL (Niagara): Two birds were reported December 20 and at least one bird remained off Niagara-on-the-Lake on December 22. Black-legged Kittiwake (Huron): James and Simon Turland reported one at Goderich harbour on December 17. Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton): James Holdsworth reported one from Ipperwash Beach on December 19. Black-legged Kittiwake (Niagara): One bird was reported by several observers again this week, from the Whirlpool and Adam Beck on December 21. GREAT CORMORANT (Hamilton): Alvan Buckley found one at Yacht Club Harbour on December 20 that was seen by many again the next day from the same area. White-eyed Vireo (Middlesex): Apparently a different bird than the one last week at Killaly Meadows, Mike Moynihan photographed one at Springbank Park in London on December 20. MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Grey): The bird found by William Gray near Benallen on December 12 was seen by many to at least December 22. Townsend's Solitaire (Durham): The bird found by Charmaine Anderson on Brock Road north of Wilfrid on December 8 continued this week, seen by many to at least December 21. Wood Thrush (Norfolk): The bird found by Matt Timpf on private property near Walsingham on December 4 continued to at least December 16. Harris's Sparrow (Lambton): The bird found by James Holdsworth at the Willsie Pit on Bog Line between Thedford and Port Franks on November 18 has been seen by many to at least December 21. LeConte's Sparrow (Peel): The bird found by Peter L in Mississauga near Wood Creek Park on December 5 continued to be seen by many to at least December 22. SPOTTED TOWHEE (Algoma): The bird found by Tony Ward visiting their property in Thessalon on November 18 remained to at least December 22. Yellow-headed Blackbird (Norfolk): David Okines found one on Charlotteville Rd 2 on December 17. Baltimore Oriole (Frontenac): Ken Edwards found one near the Invista Pond in Kingston on December 18. Northern Waterthrush (Essex): Keith Burk found one on the Cedar Creek CBC on December 17. Black-and-white Warbler (Toronto): Brett Leslie photographed one at Bluffers Park in Scarborough on December 18. YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (AUDUBON'S) (Hamilton): Tristan Uchida and Kevin Salemi found one at Globe Park on December 17 that was seen by many to at least December 22. Yellow-throated Warbler (Leeds and Grenville): The bird found by Gerard Phillips and Stew Hamill at 183 Blackchurch Rd (south of the village of Soperton) on December 14 was seen again to at least December 17. Dickcissel (Chatham-Kent): Pete Read et al found one in Wheatley on December 19 Dickcissel (Norfolk): One bird continued at LPBO's Old Cut Field Station to at least December 19. 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