Greetings
While looking for the snowy owls in the eagelson, fallowfield area i
spotted what i believe was a white morph Gyrfalcon, the bird was seen
approximatly 2km north of the intersection of eagleson rd and richmond
rd . I got a good look as the flew across eagleson but unfourtunatly
before i had enough time to pull over the bird had made it a fair
distance and i did not get a great second look. Hopefully the bird
will be seen again and for a longer period to confirm it's ID. the
sighting was made at 5 pm.
Mark
From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thu Mar 17 08:57:59 2005
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Thu, 17 Mar 2005 09:04:14 EST
Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2005 09:04:14 -0500 (EST)
From: RON FLEMING <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: OFO Bird Sightings <ontbirds@hwcn.org>,
David Atkins <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
John T Murphy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Subject: [Ontbirds]Great Gray Owl Update - Holland Landing/Newmarket
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There are still some Great Gray Owls lingering in the Holland Landing/Newmarket
area. This morning I observed six individuals (hinting that at least some of
the luck of the Irish has been left uncovered by snow on this very white St.
Patrick's Day). One bird was perched on the first hydro pole south of the
Miller Sideroad on the east side of Dufferin Street just west of Newmarket at
6:45 a.m. It was not there at 8:45 when I returned by that route.
The other five Great Grays were all in Holland Landing. Two were on Doane
Road, which runs east-west between Queensville Sdrd. and Mt. Albert Sdrd. One
of these was west of 2nd Concession by about a km, sitting on the eastern edge
of the woodlot on the south side of Doane Road; the other was only about half a
km east of 2nd Concession, sitting on the north side of the road, easily
visible from 2nd concession.
The most reliable spot for Great Grays over the last few weeks has been just
about a km north of this location, along 2nd Concession where it descends a
long hill and approaches the Queensville Sdrd. Early in the morning (6:00 -
7:30), at least two Great Grays often emerge from the woodlot on the east side
of the road and perch by the road side. They begin to hunt from there, often
crossing 2nd Concession to hunt in the fields near the snowmobile trails that
run west. Today, for a variation, I followed the snowmobile trails on the east
side of the road. The main trail can be easily seen just north of where the
eastern woodlot ends.
One Great Gray was very close to the roadside across from the yellow garage
building that sits on the west side of 2nd Concession (a good place to park so
you can get out of the way of busy morning traffic). Eventually it flew west -
dangerously low over the road, I cringed to notice - then I turned away and
walked along the snowmobile trail that runs straight east from the roadside.
Just past the large hill on the north side of the trail, where the path bends
northward before going east again, I observed two more Great Grays hunting
actively in the snow-covered meadows stretching away to the east. There were
two very vocal Hairy Woodpeckers here too, as well as a proudly singing male
Cardinal and a flock of 40+ American Tree Sparrows.
Ron Fleming, Newmarket
DIRECTIONS: Holland Landing is just north of Newmarket, which, in turn, is halfway
between Toronto and Barrie between Hwys. 400 and 404. 2nd Concession is actually the northern extension of Main Street out of Newmarket; it changes its name when it crosses Green Lane. This is just south of the Queensville Sdrd. by about a km.
