On Monday evening John Watson had two Mourning Warblers along the riverside trail in Newmarket as he cycled north of Green Lane. I bumped into him while walking my dog along the same trail system. After we chatted he cycled off and I looked up to see a Common Nighthawk flying high overhead. It was hawking insects and peenting just north of the Tannery building. This species has become the not-so-common Nighthawk over the last few decades. Last Thursday afternoon Steve McAllister and his son Michael spent about 90 minutes at the North Tract regional forest east of Newmarket and saw both Blue-winged and Golden-winged Warbler. These two species appear to be on territory in the northwest corner of that forest. Steve and his son also had several Mourning warblers, a couple of Pines, many Chestnut-sided, and a Common Yellowthroat. The Olive-sided Flycatcher that was there last week has not been rediscovered. On the same day (May 28), Kevin Shackleton had two Eastern Bluebirds, several Bobolinks, a Vesper Sparrow, and a Grasshopper Sparrow at the northeast end of the Bender & Graves forest tract, which is only a few minutes drive from the North Tract. The northeast section of the property is actually open grassland and can be accessed easily from the parking lot on McCowan Road just south of Herald Road or a few kms north of Davis Drive. Back to warblers, Kevin had a Blue-winged at the North Tract yesterday and a Golden-winged there on Friday. A week ago Monday I drove over to the Hollidge Tract east of Hwy. 48 and had excellent looks at a Barred Owl. I was hiking the southeastern section of that forest, basically at its southern boundary, accessing the trails from 9th Line. York Region is directly north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. The forest tracts mentioned are all within short driving distance of each other. Drive north from Toronto on Hwy 48 until you pass Ballantrae in the Musselman's Lake area. The Hollidge Tract is just east of 48 while the North Tract is on the west side of 48. Turn west from 48 on Vivian Road and drive about 3 kms to McCowan Road. Turn north and drive to the northernmost gate into the forest (which will be on your right or east side). Ron Fleming, Newmarket
_______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to birdalert@ontbirds.ca For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
