Following up on Doug Lockrey's report of Bohemians in north Pickering. Terrie Smith and I checked out the spot at S.R. 4 and Conc 8 where Doug had seen the birds yesterday and saw a Northern Shrike but no waxwings. We then travelled a north on S.R. 4 to the next road (County Rd 5 and drove east to the town of Balsam (about 1.5-2 km.) and on the east side of town we hit paydirt! 16 (at least) Bohemians and 35 Robins were feeding on buckthorn on the north side of the road - about 250 meters back in a small swampy area immediately north of the blue sign (Welcome to Balsam) at the east edge of town.
At Whitby harbour we watched an immature plumaged Red-shouldered Hawk hunting just southeast of the bridge that crosses Pringle Creek. Lots of ducks in the harbour itself, including scaup, redheads, etc. Also one Iceland and one "Kumlien's" Gull (at least) in the mass of gulls resting on the ice. Directions: Bohemians - exit 401 at Westney and go north to Taunton Rd then east to Lakeridge and north to Cty Rd. 5 then west to the east edge of the Hamlet of Balsam. Red-shouldered Hawk - exit 401 at Brock St., Whitby and go south to where the bridge crosses the road just north of the harbour. Geoff Carpentier, Ajax www.avocetnatureservices.com _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
