As with many places in Ontario, spring migration has been gathering steam up here north of Toronto. Monday was a red-letter day with three VERY interesting birds noted: one was a late SNOWY OWL photographed on a Keswick dock, another was the SNOWY EGRET reported by Doug McRae north of Bradford, and, last but not least, a BLACK VULTURE in King Township observed by Craig Corcoran may have been the first one ever for York region (any old records, Theo?). Although no members of this distinguished trio of birds were rediscovered in subsequent days, they certainly raised ornithological eyebrows. Ten warbler species were reported in York Region this week, the most unusual one being a BLUE-WINGED WARBLER observed by Allan Roitner at King City's Seneca College campus today. Allan also had two Black & Whites, 20+ Palm Warblers, and a fallout of at least one hundred Yellow-rumps. Eastern Bluebirds and a pair of Osprey are back on territory at this location too. On Monday at the north end of Yonge St. in Holland Landing Keith and Chris Dunn had several warbler species, the first BLUE-HEADED VIREO of the spring for York Region, plus a BROAD-WINGED HAWK and a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. On Tuesday the same duo birded the west side of the Holland River, which is in Simcoe County. Along Line 10 north of Bradford they added SCARLET TANAGER, ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK, NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH, YELLOW WARBLER, and AMERICAN BITTERN to their spring lists. On Thursday I followed their lead and drove over to Line 10, which is the northern boundary of the Scanlon Creek Conservation Area - another good place for birding in this area. I got a kick out of seeing a BELTED KINGFISHER on a phone line looking down at a RUFFED GROUSE walking across the road. In the swampy woods east of the RR tracks I added a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER and several N. Waterthrush. One concession north of this I searched unsuccessfully for Doug McRae's egret but was treated to a mid-day surprise when a mob of crows chased a GREAT HORNED OWL across the road right in front of me. Also present were four RUSTY BLACKBIRDS, a PILEATED WOODPECKER, and - at the foot of the observation platform (Holland Marsh Crown Property) - two calling AMERICAN BITTERNS. One of them startled my Golden Retriever and I when it burst out of the cattails beside us and flew away in squonking protest. To my great fascination its mate called to it moments later from the under the boardwalk (hum the old hit song if you wish) under out feet! If a bittern's "koonk-a-choonk" call can ever be considered plaintive, this one was. Later that day I returned to York Region and stopped in at the Cawthra Mulock reserve in NW Newmarket. New arrivals there were BROWN THRASHER, BALTIMORE ORIOLE, and ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. I also flushed a Ruffed Grouse and two Wood Ducks in the short time I was there. Doing domestic errands later I was pleasantly surprised to watch a big female COOPER'S HAWK go ripping across Yonge St. just above windshield height while I waited for the lights to change at along Mulock Ave. in the busy heart of suburban Newmarket. A little further northwest of this location Mike Van den Tillaart watched an influx of almost 200 PINE SISKINS fly into his backyard feeders this week. Siskins, usually just winter visitors here, seem to have settled into nesting mode, doing flight displays and other mating behaviours all over the place. In the continuing northward expansion of NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS, Keith Dunn had one visiting his yard in Keswick last Saturday. Newmarket, King City, Holland Landing, Keswick, and Bradford are all located north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. For more specific directions to the several places mentioned here, please e-mail privately. Ron Fleming, Newmarket _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list ONTBIRDS@hwcn.org For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
