Observation start time: 08:00:00 Observation end time: 15:00:00 Total observation time: 7 hours
Official Counter: Michael Burton-Smith
Observers: David Wharton, Hugh Kent, Kiah Jasper, Liz Kent, Michelle Mastellotto, Mike Jaber, Robin Smallwood, Stephen Courtney
Visitors: Thanks to Hugh, Liz, Kiah, Mike, David, Stephen, Michelle and Robin for your help in conducting the day's count, and to Ian and Pille for visiting us. A particular acknowledgment to Hugh, who led us in two minutes silence in commemoration of the laying down of the guns in Europe one-hundred-and-eight years ago.
Weather: A slight exhale would've been enough to form a breeze today, with Lake Erie like glass and our wind needle barely turning in the still air. Temperatures fell in the early morning to just below ten, rising into the early teens as the sun emerged in the afternoon.
Raptor Observations: A fairly slow day, although the continuation of late Sharp-shinned Hawk and Turkey Vulture was a bit of a surprise, especially given the lack of wind.
Picture it, 24 October 2026, I'm still cosy in bed, enjoying my day off. My phone lights up, a message from Kiah. "Paul just had a Fox Sparrow." I was upset not to be there for the first of the season, but it would be there on Monday, I thought. Indeed it was, appearing briefly on the lawn - except only Kiah saw it. No worries, I thought, it'll come out again!
Days passed by. 31 October - the day of the Townsend's Solitaire. What was I more upset about? TWO Fox Sparrow flushed by Kiah on his way to the carpark. I rushed to Holiday Beach, but after three hours I called off the search. Hours of looking turned into days which turned into weeks. Then a dagger through my heart yesterday as Kiah said forlornly, "I'm getting worried we won't get any more sparrows." I gave up - after all, Kiah is never wrong.
Then, as we drove in this morning, flocks of Junco lifted from the road as I chowed down on a Timmies double stacked English muffin. On the tower, a Chipping Sparrow - surprisingly rare in these parts - fed with Swamp, Song and White-throats as I dipped cookies into my hot chocolate. It was clear that there had been an influx in sparrows from the north. It felt like now or never.
Ronald Reagan famously claimed the nine most terrifying words in the English language, but I would argue that Kiah combatted with the seven most beautiful this morning: "Michael, Fox Sparrow, by the big trunk!" I scrambled for my binoculars. Flashbacks of previous dips played in my memory, like a scary movie in black and white. My heart pounded in my chest. I placed my glasses to my eyes. And there it was.
A Fox Sparrow. Surely, in all the Earth's many marvels, there are none better than this humble wee creature. I had worried that, after weeks of hyper fixation, they wouldn't meet my expectations, but those worries were misplaced. I would have to say that, other than the American Woodcock, these fat little balls of chestnut must be my favourite bird on the continent.
Although the Fox Sparrow will live on in the highlight reel of my life, there were a few other notable sightings across the day. Waterfowl are continuing to show in great numbers and diversity both on the marsh and over Lake Erie, although two species (Mallard and Northern Pintail) were heavily reduced on the previous day. Late Pectoral Sandpiper were an unexpected afternoon delight, as was a very healthy count of 174 Eastern Bluebird migrating high overhead.
And while Fox Sparrow may have solidified their place as my top bird on the tower, nothing could displace our adorable Musk Rat from favourite animal!
Predictions: It will be a chilly one on the tower tomorrow, but the north winds will likely be too good to resist for many of our volunteers with plenty of promise on the horizon! Watch out for more waterfowl arriving from the north, spurred on by dropping temperatures and favourable winds, and hopefully we will see moderate flights of Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawk taking advantage of the conditions. ======================================================================== Report submitted by Michael Burton-Smith () Holiday Beach Hawk Watch information may be found at: http://hbmo.ca/
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