Nelson’s Sparrow | The Ovenbird Blog

Week 41 Caracara!

by Ellen Horak | Oct 14, 2025 | Canada 400

Just after I published my blog last Sunday Jerry suggested that maybe we should just go and get the Caracara. We discussed, checked the forecast, not great, but decided to chance it anyway. If we did not go on the Monday it would not be possible to go until Oct 16. So we packed hastily for an overnight trip and Monday morning at 3:45am we set off for Foleyet and the Crested Caracara twitch (chase). It was an 8 hour drive with the first three in the dark and the last hour in rain but as we neared the town the rain stopped. The bird had been reported that morning so we first drove to the area it had been seen in but no large raptor present. We checked the school yard, another of its favourite haunts but again no bird. I then insisted we head to the rail yards as there have been many sightings at that spot. We got out of the car and Jerry walked over to check the tree line. There were crows and a raven calling and he thought perhaps they would be on the Caracara. I walked over and saw a white flash at the top of a tree quite a distance away but raising my bins I was pretty sure it would be THE BIRD! And it was! Jerry took a few distant pics and then we got back in the car to get closer to where it was sitting. It stayed at the top of the tree for about 5 minutes and then as we were turning our car around it took off and flew back into the other side of the town.

We drove back and checked some of the favourite spots but could not refind it. Stopped for gas at the store and took our time hoping it would reappear but it did not. What perfect timing with our arrival and finding the bird 15 minutes after we got there. We then had to decide what to do next. We had packed for a two day trip assuming we might need to find the bird the next morning but we really did not need to do that now. We has talked of driving towards Hilliardton to see some Redpolls but it seemed silly to spend the money on a hotel, if we could even find one with it being hunting season, when they are likely to show up around home this winter. We ended up just driving back home, another 8 hours and arrived at 9pm. A 17 hour twitch in one day!

The rest of the week was quiet from a birding point of view. Except for watching the Blue Jays! The baseball ones, not our yard birds. We spent time catching up on house chores, spending time with Babi and getting ready to host Thanksgiving for 21 family members and friends. We are still waiting for more NE or E winds to get some more lake watches in.

On Saturday Nelson’s Sparrows were found again at the Green Gate Pond in Cambridge. I was in the middle of baking for Thanksgiving so I told Jerry to go up and see if he could get a picture. We had a family gathering in the afternoon so we could not go later. Jerry went up and had two very co-operative Nelson’s kind of sit out for him and he took some nice pictures of them. Sunday morning we went back up so I could try and see them. Brett and Barb were there early and saw 3 and then kindly waited until we arrived to help me see them. It took about 30 minutes before I had a nice view, one came right out to the edge of the path and sat unobstructed for about 30 seconds allowing me great views without bins. It then flew to the other side of the path, we alerted a few other people and then it flew further into the grasses. That is textbook Nelson’s, the skulky sparrow.

Monday we had family and friends join us for a traditional turkey and ham dinner and we all watched the Blue Jays of course. Heartbreaking losses!

Week 41 1 species added 421 ebird 422 my list for J&E

Week 40 Sparrow Hunt

by Ellen Horak | Oct 6, 2024 | Ontario Birds 2024

Monday we birded a few local areas around Hamilton where Nelson Sparrows are usually found around this time but there were no little orange-faced sparrows hopping about. We knew we were likely early but we are also excited to add another bird to our list so checking these places does not hurt. In the afternoon we did a lake watch as the winds were right and strong but alas nothing much happened. We had views of one Parasitic Jaeger but nothing else.

Mid week was caregiving and more caregiving and household chores that we have ignored for months.

Friday we headed to Keith McLean Conservation Area near Rondeau PP because Nelson Sparrows were finally reported the day before. This is a traditional area for them and it is where I expected to get one this year. We stood around the meadow area for 4 hours hoping to catch a jump up or fly through but again, nothing. Nelson Sparrows are a very skulky bird and so they take patience and time to see one and even more patience to get a picture. It was not helpful that an active Northern Harrier was hunting through the marsh every 15 minutes or so and I am sure was a big reason that we did not see one. The Harrier went right over my head at one point so we got nice photos and video as a consolation prize. This was our 5th attempt to catch up with this species at 5 different spots.

Saturday Jude found a Nelson’s at the spot we had checked on Monday but we had a full day of watching grandkids, caregiving and dinner with friends so we would try Sunday morning.

Sunday morning we were at the spot Jude had it the day before at 8:25 and we stood and waited, looking, tried a bit of phishing but nothing was moving. We moved a bit up the trail and Jerry spotted a sparrow, as we got bins on it he said Swamp but the sun hit it just at that moment and we both could see the orange on the face! It was the Nelson’s, a very pretty sparrow, that quickly flew back into the reeds. Jerry was a bit upset he had not taken a pic of the bird instead of using bins. We had talked about that being our strategy but we were also a bit frazzled and stressed as we were getting calls from his Mom while we stood there. She was confused and in the middle of a delusion and so I walked away to try and calm her leaving Jerry to try for a picture. He got a great picture with gorgeous detail doing the splits holding on to grass stalks. Another birder showed up, saw the bird but was trying to get a picture too. We ended up seeing the bird many times as it flew back and forth close to the trail and left shortly after to head to his Mom’s. Bird #324.

Only 12 weeks left in the year and there are only 3 expected species left – Brant, Black-legged Kittiwake and Purple Sandpiper. With 362 birds seen in Ontario this year, including those three, I am really hoping for more rarities to show up. I will chase some “expected rarities” by continuing lake and hawk watches and hope we can get lucky at some point. We are still in first place in Ontario with the closest birder at 314, 10 birds behind us. We have seen 89.5% of the birds reported this year and have just crossed 40,000Kms driven and 1,000km walked while birding so far.

Monday the forecast winds look good for a lake watch in Sarnia on Lake Huron so I think we will be heading there to see what that will bring and get a checklist in one more County.

Week 40 one more species added #324 E&J