Still stuck in Moosonee...

Another day has come and gone, and another day where we are stuck in Moosonee. There is a low pressure system right over southern James Bay, causing there to be a lot of fog, mist, and drizzle. Saying that we are frustrated would be a severe understatement!

If the weather clears our pilot Kimball will try to get us out there as soon as possible. At the moment it doesn't look good until Tuesday, but who knows.

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Tufted Duck in Ottawa.....

If was thought to be a hybrid, and now they are saying that it is a "good" Tufted Duck. Check out the photos on Bruce's blog and see for yourself!

While it is frustrating that I am stuck in Moosonee and not looking at the Tufted Duck, I am trying to stay optimistic about this sighting. First of all, vagrant Tufted Ducks have a tendancy to hang around for a while.  In fact, 19 out of Ontario's 29 Tufted Duck records are of birds that hung around for more than a week! That's got to be the largest "sticking around rate" out of any vagrant species in Ontario with more than 10 records. Who knows if this bird, traveling with a flock of scaup, will actually hang around though. If it is still present when we return from Moosonee I will drive straight there. Besides, Ottawa is on the way to back home. Kind of.

Tufted Duck

Additionally, this is a very early record for Tufted Duck in Ontario. Quite a few of Ontario's Tufted Ducks have occured in the same year(s), so maybe this is a sign of more to come. Or, more European birds.

If a Tufted Duck will show up in southern Ontario, maybe other European vagrants will be around, particularly at Netitishi Point! Which would be fantastic for us (if we ever got out to the coast).