Ontario Rare Bird Alert for the weeks starting January 5 and 12, 2024 Species mentioned (all caps indicate species on the OBRC review list): King Eider (Niagara, Eared Grebe (Grey) Western Grebe (Halton/Hamilton) LIMPKIN (Chatham-Kent) Purple Sandpiper (Northumberland) Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton) COMMON GULL (Lambton, Prince Edward) SLATY-BACKED GULL (Sudbury) Pacific Loon (Halton/Hamilton) Black Vulture (Niagara) Black-billed Magpie (ALGOMA, MIDDLESEX) Townsend's Solitaire (Essex, Prince Edward) Wood Thrush (Ottawa) Lark Sparrow (Frontenac) Western Meadowlark (Frontenac) Ovenbird (Peel, Toronto) Black-and-white Warbler (Elgin) Nashville Warbler (Niagara, Peterborough) Yellow Warbler (Durham) Yellow-rumped Warbler (AUDUBON'S) (Chatham-Kent) Western Tanager (Ottawa) Dickcissel (Toronto) 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 (Niagara): One bird was reported again this week (on January 6) off Fifty Point. King Eider (Toronto): The female found at Colonel Sam Smith Park January 2 was seen by many to at least January 13. Eared Grebe (Grey): Alvan Buckley found and photographed one at Meaford harbour on January 5. Western Grebe (Halton/Hamilton): The bird found by Joanne Redwood off LaSalle Park on November 27 continued again this week to at least January 11. LIMPKIN (Chatham-Kent): The bird found by Pete Read on December 18 at Wheatley PP was refound January 7 by Paul Pratt. It continued and was seen by many to at least January 14 and has subsequently been captured and is in the care of a wildlife rehabilitation centre. Purple Sandpiper (Northumberland): Nicole Richardson and Doug McRae reported three on High Bluff Island on January 7. Black-legged Kittiwake (Lambton): Deryl Nethercott photographed one off Canatara Park in Sarnia January 16 and at least one was seen in the vicinity to at least January 18. COMMON GULL (Lambton): James Holdsworth reported an adult off Kettle Point on January 13. COMMON GULL (Prince Edward): Paul Jones photographed an adult in Picton on January 8. SLATY-BACKED GULL (Sudbury): Mike Van Norman photographed an adult at the Espanola Landfill site on January 5 that was still present to at least January 8. Pacific Loon (Halton/Hamilton): The one found by Keith Dieroff at Yacht Club harbour on December 4 was seen again several times this week from various locations around Hamilton Harbour, to at least January 11. Black Vulture (Niagara): Up to two birds were reported this week from the Queenston area. Black-billed Magpie (ALGOMA): The long-staying bird at Echo Lake (since at least 2015!) was reported to at least January 16. Black-billed Magpie (MIDDLESEX): The bird found by Quinten Wiegersma at the Westminister landfill site on December 21 continued to at least January 11. Townsend's Solitaire (Essex): The bird found by Jeremy Bensette and Kate Derbyshire at DeLaurier in Point Pelee on November 19 continued again this week to at least January 6. Townsend's Solitaire (Prince Edward): Paul Jones found one at Sandbanks PP on December 24 that was seen by many to at least January 8. Wood Thrush (Ottawa): The bird found by Francine Mercier at Champlain Park Woods on December 7 continued to at least January 18. Lark Sparrow (Frontenac): One bird was found near Lemoine Point in Kingston by Sharon David on January 15 that was seen by several observers to at least January 18. Western Meadowlark (Frontenac): Christine Hough photographed one on Wolfe Island on January 15 and 18. Ovenbird (Peel): The bird found by D. Cairns in their Brampton backyard January 1 continued to at least January 17. Ovenbird (Toronto): Kyle Holloway photographed one on Dundas St. W on January 18. Black-and-white Warbler (Elgin): The one found by Pete Matthews at Lake Margaret in St. Thomas on December 10 was seen again January 12. Nashville Warbler (Niagara): Marcie Jacklin, Lynda Goodridge and Maria Featherston found and photographed one at Dufferin Islands on January 5. Nashville Warbler (Peterborough): C Douglas reported one at Millbrook Provincial Fishing and Recreation Area on January 5. Yellow Warbler (Durham): Martyn A photographed one at Frenchman's Bay in Pickering on January 7. Yellow-rumped Warbler (AUDUBON'S) (Chatham-Kent): The bird found by Blake Mann at Rondeau PP on November 30 was seen again this week to at least January 16. WESTERN TANAGER (Ottawa): One bird was found November 27th but has become more reliable of late near Gillespie Park to at least January 18. Updated details are at: https://ontbirds.ca/empathy/thread/TWOIDOPFVSJQXRC6KD27UPOAIBWYH2OS Dickcissel (Toronto): The bird found by Will Heikoop at Don Valley Brick Works Park on November 19 was seen by many to at least January 7. 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