[Ontbirds] Peregrine Falcon, et al - Holland Marsh near Newmarket
During our annual Bradford area CBC on Dec 30, Mike Van den Tillaart, Aileen Barclay, Dorothy Brace and I found an adult Peregrine Falcon perched in the small woodlot behind the Ansnorveldt School and baseball diamonds. Ansnorveldt is north of Hwy 9 and just west of Newmarket, on the eastern edge of the Holland Marsh vegetable fields. It was the start of an excellent day in the field. Also found along the many little roads of the marsh were three Snowy Owls, a 3rd-year Bald Eagle, 400+ Snow Buntings, two Cooper's Hawks, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Red-bellied Woodpecker, a Pileated Woodpecker, and ten White-crowned Sparrows. The latter species, ranging from a pair to a flock of 30, has been found wintering in the marsh for a decade. The Holland Marsh vegetable fields are located on both sides of Hwy 400, north of Hwy 9 roughly 30 minutes north of Toronto. A scope is recommended. Ron Fleming, Newmarket PS - would have posted earlier but thought the count coordinator might send CBC results and I didn't want to send repetitive info. ___ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists (OFO) - 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 Visit the OFO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/OntarioFieldOrnithologists
[Ontbirds] Red Crossbills - York Regional Forest HQ
While looking for a mystery accipiter in the Hollidge Tract (York Regional Forest Headquarters tract on Hwy 48) today I cross paths with a small flock of Red Crossbills (15-20).They were in the company of several Pine Siskins, all of them feeding high in some pines on the short Blue Trail that traces a 2.6 km circle (wheelchair accessible) near the parking lot. There were lots of birds singing (Pine Warbler, RB Nuthatch, Pine Siskin, RC Kinglet, etc) but the Crossbills' vocalizations were such an anomaly for me that I had to stop and figure out what they were. Once I located them I watched 11:00-11:20 a.m. before something spooked them (the mystery raptor?) and they took off back toward the main building (SSE). Had my best looks about halfway around the blue trail near a big wooden bench for resting/sitting. As for the accipiter, I heard it this time, Aileen Barclay, but still had no visual. My gut feeling is Cooper's but I'll keep trying. Would love it to be a Gos but I think they prefer mixed hardwood vs the conifers along that trail. To get to the Headquarters/Hollidge tract go north on Hwy 48 past Ballantrae (this is north of Toronto and east of Newmarket/Aurora) until you get to Cherry Street (fairly big sign) - then turn right (east) into the York Regional Forest straight across from Cherry. Park in the main lot and walk to the trailhead. Take the blue trail (all the way to Kokomo's lol) and keep your eyes and ears open. The Crossbills have a very interesting mix of vocalizations that will get your attention immediately (if they're still there). 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
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
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
[Ontbirds] Golden-winged Warbler, Olive-sided Flycatcher York Region
Took a pleasant walk through the NW corner of the North Tract with Aileen Barclay this morning. Although we covered less than 4 kms we had some good birds. Best of these were male Golden-winged Warbler, three Mourning Warblers, and Olive-sided Flycatcher. The North Tract is also known as the Vivian Forest. It is situated on the west side of Hwy 48 north of Toronto. The forest is bounded by Vivian Road on the south, Davis Drive/Hwy 9 on the north, and McCowan Road on the west. We parked at the first gate into the woods on McCowan, just south or Davis Drive. A trail runs straight east from the gate. Best birds were along the first secondary trail that runs north from this east-west one, less than a km from the gate. This trail runs straight north to Davis Drive and you can loop it back to where you parked. Also present in that square were several Chestnut-sided Warblers, Towhees, Kingbird, RB Nuthatch, Ovenbird, Nashville Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Pine Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, and Great Crested Flycatcher. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds - Victoria Day Weekend
After a great day of birding Simcoe County on Sunday (we tallied a respectable 136 species for our team's Great Canadian Birdathon), my intention was to take the holiday Monday off and do some cycling instead. As soon as I got out of my vehicle beside the North Tract (one of several regional forests in York Region), however, a plethora of bird songs pulled me right back into birding mode. Singing from the western edge of the forest at 9:15 a.m. were numerous passerines, most notably Mourning Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler. I brought my binoculars into the forest for a short walk, confirming the BWWA by sight to rule out hybrid Brewster's but the Mourning was too deep in the vegetation for me to see. Still, it has a distinctive song and breeds in these forests annually. From southwest of where I was parked a Red-shouldered Hawk was calling (Cedar Valley is the name of the area) and, as I cycled steadily northward along McCowan Road, I continued to hear a wide range of species. By the end of a pleasant two hours and 40 kms I had tallied 60 species, most of them by ear. (Birding pals Kev Shackleton and Chris Dunn would have had a longer list; they are far better at birding by ear than I am.) Highlights of the ride included Grasshopper Sparrow on the west side of McCowan Rd (beside the parking lot for hikers and dog-walkers 0.3 km north of the railway tracks), Clay-colored Sparrow one km north of Herald Road in a field on the east side of McCowan (there are lilacs on the hill and a small road called Mill demarcates the north edge), Bobolinks in four different fields, a Red-bellied Woodpecker across from the Ravenshoe Forest tract that mountain bike guys regularly use), a Pileated Woodpecker near Doane Road, and two more Mourning Warblers singing from the woods along Boag Road where it runs east from MacCowan. White-throated Sparrows were singing their beautiful songs in several woodlots along the way, as were many of the breeding species for York Region including Rose-breasted Grosbeak, American Redstart, Indigo Bunting, Great Crested Flycatcher, Northern Waterthrush, Scarlet Tanager, and Eastern Towhee. Bruce Brydon had four Clay-colored Sparrows at the Cawthra Mulock reserve in northwest Newmarket on Sunday. He also had one Alder Flycatcher. At Young's Harbour Park in southwest Keswick he had four tern species (Black, Common, Forster's and Caspian) on Monday. Notable birds in Newmarket prior to the weekend were an Orange-crowned Warbler in Kevin Shackleton's yard along London Road Tuesday morning and a Common Nighthawk calling from over William Roe Blvd. in south-central Newmarket while I was playing guitar on the back porch Thursday evening. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto but south of Barrie, wrapping around the southeastern edge of Lake Simcoe and extending southward to Steeles Avenue. The North Tract forest described in the first paragraphs is situated south and west of Davis Drive and McCowan Road. The warblers mentioned were singing at the first gate/pathway south of Davis. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] SB Dowitcher, BB Cuckoo, Long-tailed Duck, et al - York Region
A nice push of migrants has moved its way north of Toronto this week, bringing along some interesting birds. The Holland Landing lagoons welcomed their first migrant shorebirds, the most notable being a Short-billed Dowitcher that John Watson observed Sunday. I went looking for the bird today after work but dipped on the Dow. I was, however, pleasantly surprised to find a pair of Long-tailed Ducks in breeding plumage swimming in the second cell. In almost 40 years of birding I have only seen this species in basic plumage so it was a real treat to see the male looking for all the world like a pheasant on water. There was also a single Red-necked Grebe there - not a rare bird, but my first sighting of one at that location. Some other good-looking waterfowl species are present at the lagoons and showing very nicely: Northern Shovelers (8), Wood Ducks (10), and Green-winged Teal (6). Among numerous passerines that moved into York region on the Mother's Day weekend was a Black-billed Cuckoo at the Mary Lake property in King City. Sixteen warbler species have shown up so far and all of the thrushes except Gray-cheeked. Several Veerys (Veeries?) were singing their sonic whirlpools outside the Silver Lakes golf course entrance at the north end of Yonge Street around dusk today, joined after 8:30 by the peenting of three American Woodcock. In the wee hours of the morning today, Mike Van den Tillaart was awakened by a Whip-poor-will calling steadily in his northeast Newmarket neighbourhood. Ron Fleming, Newmarket The Holland Landing lagoons are north of Newmarket. Newmarket is located halfway between Toronto and Barrie. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] York Region (and some south Simcoe County) Birds
Migrants are gradually making their way past the Great Lakes to reach us birders who live north of hot birding spots like Long Point, Pelee, and the Hamilton/Toronto/Kingstson shorelines. Posts from those southern locales create a great deal of anticipation (and, yes, some migrant envy) for the rest of us. It's like the DEW line (Distant Early Warning) for birders. Early April brought the first timber-doodles of the year to York region north of Toronto and now American Woodcock are peenting and displaying every evening at places like Silver Lakes in Holland Landing, the Cawthra Mulock reserve in Newmarket, and the Seneca College/Mary Lake property in King City. Wilson's Snipe took a bit longer to arrive, but I flushed one at dusk April 15 on the west side of the Cawthra Mulock reserve. Another was winnowing north of Bradford this Saturday morning. Several species of sparrows started appearing (how's that for sibilance?) mid-month too: Swamp, Savannah, Field, Chipping, and Fox Sparrows joined the hardy Song Sparrows (from March) in and around the Seneca College property in April 15th. Numerous Tree Swallows, Eastern Phoebes, and Northern Flickers were there too while Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Belted Kingfisher, and Brown Creepers showed up at Silver Lakes and Scanlon Creek (Bradford) on the same date. (IMHO, Brown Creepers have one of the most under-rated spring songs.) Bruce Brydon had some good migrants on that same weekend: Yellow-rumped Warbler along the Bindertwine Trail in Kleinberg, Greater Yellowlegs and Eastern Meadowlark northeast of Keswick, and a nice variety of waterfowl in the open water sections of Lake Simcoe. These included Red-necked Grebe and Caspian Tern at Young's Harbour, Horned Grebes (8) at Orchard Beach, and Common Loons (2) at Sibbald Point. There were hundreds of Common Mergansers in the open water. Mike Van den Tillaart had Merlin at two different Newmarket locations April 16 - one in his yard on Waratah Avenue and another on Pony Drive. He also had our region's FOY (First Of Year) Broad-winged Hawk at the Bender Graves forest tract east of Newmarket that day. Northern Harriers showed up west of Newmarket and north of Bradford in mid-April, but I have yet to hear about Red-shouldered Hawk or Goshawk in the area. Cooper's Hawks and Sharp-shins have been active in Newmarket throughout the month, likely more noticeable due to the arrival of migrants. Numerous Osprey and at least one pair of Bald Eagles are back in the Lake Simcoe area. On April 19 Bruce observed the first two Eastern Bluebirds of the spring working the fields under the power lines along the southern fence line of the Cawthra Mulock reserve. He also heard Pine Warbler and Ruby-crowned Kinglets; more of both species started showing up in other locations after that. There were scores of Ruby-crowns in Newmarket and Bradford this weekend. The Holland Landing sewage lagoons have hosted several good-looking ducks over the past few weeks: Ring-necks, Northern Shovelers, both Teal, Wood Ducks (which nest there), and Buffleheads. Still waiting for a Pied-billed Grebe there. Across the West Holland River and just north of Bradford, Mike Van den Tillaart and I had five Rusty Blackbirds, some singing White-throated Sparrows (another great spring song), and three swallow species (Barn, Tree, and Cliff). Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is halfway between Toronto and Barrie. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] Holland Marsh Field Trip
The OFO field trip through the Holland Marsh area north of Toronto today featured 22 hardy participants, a bitter west wind, and several good birds. Highlights included 9 Snowy Owls, a flock of 200+ Common Redpolls, three male Wild Turkeys, a dozen Snow Buntings, and - when we needed it most - a warm, cozy lunch at Tatlow's restaurant in Holland Landing. On his way home from our trip Morris Ilyniak cut back through the fields south of Bradford and identified an immature Northern Goshawk along Canal Road North not far west of Hwy 400. Mega thanks go out to Art Needles for driving and Kevin Shackleton for co-leading. To those of you who came out to join me on damn cold day, thanks for your great spirit, good humour, and sharp eyes. I really enjoyed your company. Ron Fleming, Newmarket The Holland Marsh is directly north of Toronto, starting at Hwy. 9 (which runs east-west perpendicular to Hwy. 400). Hwy 9 goes east into Newmarket. This area was once a vast marsh but it has been drained in most sections and is used for growing vegetables. The flat, treeless fields are very tundra-like, which attracts Snowy Owls and wicked winds. And, in winter, birders and photographers. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] Oakville Painted Bunting
As an update for Johnny-come-latelys like myself, the Painted Bunting was seen at 10:30 this morning in the backyard of 33 Arkendo (not by me, but by Kevin Shackleton and John Watson). I arrived two hours later and watched lots of backyard birds (including a White-throated Sparrow) coming and going but there was no bunting in sight. Wet snow moved in by 1:00 and by 1:40 I gave up and drove to the dead-end loop of Arkendo to try there before leaving. To my pleasant surprise and great relief the Painted Bunting popped up in the backyard of #1 Arkendo. It was in the company of a Carolina Wren, both of them in the tangled vegetation surrounding a tall stump that is about 15' tall at the northeast corner of the property, along the green fenceline. There is a public pathway there and the bird was easily seen from the path. (For mammal fans there was also a mink in the river valley.) Ron Fleming, Newmarket Arkendo Court is just southwest of Winston Churchill Blvd. where it meets Lakeshore Blvd. in south Oakville. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] Wednesday - Cerulean @ Paletta/ YB Chat @ Ashbridges Bay
Just an update for those who need one for these GTA birds: the male Cerulean Warbler was still singing and showing well just east of the lakeshore footbridge at Paletta Park in Burlington this morning (10:00-11:00) and the Yellow-breasted Chat (though not singing at all) was still present at the westernmost point of the walking trails at Ashbridges Bay in Toronto at 6:00 p.m. Paletta Park had a nice variety of warblers - 16 species that I counted, including the Cerulean, a Blue-winged, Cape May Blackpoll - and four Orchard Orioles. Colonel Sam Smith Park in Etobicoke was also busy with birds. I dipped on the Golden-winged Warbler reported there this morning but lucked into an Orange-crowned (thanx Bob), two Canadas (thanx Robert), and another Blackpoll, among 15 warbler species (pour moi). 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
[Ontbirds] Tundra Swans, Gr. Yellowlegs, Rusty Blkbirds, etc. - York Region
The fields west of Holland Landing and east of Bradford flood each spring, creating excellent stop-over sites for migrating waterfowl. Kevin Shackleton noted the arrival of Tundra Swans on March 28 and there were still a dozen of them on the west side of Bathurst St. N. as recently as yesterday... unfortunately I could not find any today. Fourteen duck species including American Wigeon, N. Pintail, Wood Duck, GW BW Teal, Redhead, and N. Shoveler, have been observed there over the past three weeks (many thanks to Doug Jagger who made an intrepid mud-march down Hochreiter Road on April 2nd to make an official I.D. on many of these). Eleven duck species were still present today on both sides of Bathurst St. N. a scope is recommended if you go looking for them. Three Greater Yellowlegs discovered by John Watson on April 13 have been joined by twenty others since then. They tend to be on the east side of Bathurst, across from the ATV Farms building. John also had the FOY (First of Year for the region) Tree Swallows that I am aware of on April 13. Bruce Brydon had two Horned Grebes at the same location Sunday, as well as a large flock of blackbirds (mostly grackles and red-wings) in the trees south of the open area. He estimates 40-50 Rusty Blackbirds were in the mix. I found a smaller flock of ten Rusties in those woods today. In the same area (specifically the laneway that runs east into Holland River Marina) there were ten Caspian Terns and 20 Bonaparte's Gulls this afternoon. At the northern terminus of Bathurst there were two Ospreys on a nest in the distance - Kevin Shackleton noted them there last weekend. Also present were two Northern Harriers and one Broad-winged Hawk today. Just northeast of this location (as the crow flies), both Kevin Shackleton and Irving Himel have noted a nesting pair of Bald Eagles, numerous Great Blue Herons (Kevin counted 70), and a pair of Osprey on the north side of Ravenshoe Road in SW Keswick. The last wintering Snowy Owl that I am aware of was seen by Irving two weeks ago. Kevin had an Eastern Phoebe at Silver Lakes Golf Course in north Holland Landing on April 13; I found my FOY Phoebe at the Cawthra Mulock Reserve in NW Newmarket today. Also present there today were three Wood Ducks, two Hermit Thrushes, a single Ruffed Grouse, three Northern Flickers, and countless Golden-crowned Kinglets. I had my first Swamp Sparrow of the year at Silver Lakes this afternoon. Going back to an April 1st stakeout at dusk, Kevin Shackleton and I had two American Woodcock peenting and doing their Dance of the Timberdoodle thing. One was at Silver Lakes and another on Bathurst Street N. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. For more specific directions to Bathurst St. North, Silver Lakes, or the Cawthra Mulock Reserve email me directly. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] Holland Marsh Sightings (Newmarket Area)
Following up on Kevin Shackleton's Friday post about Tundra Swans north of Holland Landing I quickly realized that all of the vernal ponds had reverted to ice today. With no water available for waterfowl to land in I changed tack and drove over to the vegetable fields west of Newmarket. There were scores of Red-winged Blackbirds and Grackles, dozens of Horned Larks singing and flying about, and a handful of Turkey Vultures titling northward (I had four by day's end). A male Northern Harrier was flying in a field east of Dufferin Street north of Hwy. 9. Snowy Owls are still findable in the Holland Marsh fields on both sides of Hwy. 400 and north of Hwy. 9. I found nine different birds between 1:00 and 3:30 p.m., all of them sitting well away from the roadsides, usually on the ground. A scope was definitely needed to ensure that all nine were, in fact, owls and not just white plastic bags or pails (of which there are many). Quick locations for the Snowies this afternoon: one north of Edward Street; one south of Edward; one north of Woodchopper's Lane and east of Jane; one east of Holancin, just north of Hwy. 9; one east of Wanda; one north of Tornado and east of Simcoe Rd; three more east of Simcoe Road and south of the Canal. All of these locations are within relatively short driving distance of Hwy. 400. Scope the landscape for white bumps. Half of the white things you see will be pails and bags but the others will eventually fly, preen, or turn their heads. Warm temps over the next few days should melt some of the ice in the fields around here and create viable landing places for migrant waterfowl. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] Holland Marsh Birds
The first day of my March Break was today so I ushered it in by driving the roads west and north of Newmarket in search of local birds. These Newmarket area outings are usually done in the company of my golden retriever, Samwise, but, sadly, we had to put him down last night. Today's field trip without him was a very bittersweet one so I dedicate this post to the memory of that sweet and gentle companion. Hoping that this winter's Snowy Owl irruption would create an interesting spring migration in the Holland Marsh, I spent some time looking for snowies that either (a) wintered here or (b) have started moving through the area from points south. In a possible mix of the two scenarios, I had ten Snowy Owl sightings between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., though two birds were possible duplications. To be conservative in my count, there may only have been eight birds. Some of the following locations overlap with Hendrick Hart's report from yesterday. All of the birds were a safe distance from the road, so here is a quick, if somewhat intentionally vague, summary. Eight were north of Hwy. 9 and south of Canal Road (some west of Hwy. 400, some east): north side of Bernhardt Rd. west from Dufferin; west side of Aileen between Keele and Jane; north side of 2nd Concession near Holancin; west side of Rupke Road; east side of Rupke Road; north side of Tornado near Jane; north side of Tornado near Hazel; east side of Simcoe Road where it meets Tornado. Another bird was near the northern end of Bathurst St. past Queensville Sdrd. and the last one I saw was south of Ravenshoe Road in Keswick near Yonge St. With all due respect to these snowies, my favourite bird of the day was a Song Sparrow near the north end of Bathurst. This is almost certainly the same individual that Kevin Shackleton found in February. Bring the spring, hardy passerines! There were also six Horned Larks and four Snow Buntings along this northern stretch of Bathurst. Further south on Bathurst near Newmarket (in a field on the west side of the road and north of Green Lane) there were 41 Wild Turkeys. I observed 37 more turkeys in a field on the east side of 2nd Concession north of Queensville Sdrd. Ron Fleming, Newmarket The Holland Marsh is directly north of Toronto, west of Newmarket and just south of Bradford. ___ 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
Re: [Ontbirds] Snowy Owls, Holland Marsh
Roused from my winter torpor by Frank Pinilla's recent post, I ventured out to the Holland Marsh west of Newmarket after work today and put in a solid two hours of scanning the tundra-like landscape for Snowy Owls. The weather was absolutely balmy and the visibility was great. I found six Snowies: one east of Aileen Ave, on north of Strawberry Lane just west of Keele Ave, on right beside Wist Road on the roof of the Muck Crops Research Station within throwing distance of Hwy. 400, one west of Holancin Road on the west side of Hwy 400, one west of Rupke/River Road (it has two names, same road), and one just west of the Day St. on Devald Road. This last bird was being harrassed by a male Northern Harrier - the first of that species I have seen locally in months. All of these locations are within a few kms of Hwy 400, just north of Hwy 9 which runs west out of Newmarket. Other birds of interest in the Newmarket/Bradford area this week include: 1. a Song Sparrow found by Kevin Shackleton at the north end of Bathurst Street in Holland Landing on Saturday; 2. a Horned Lark in the company of a Snow Bunting found by Kevin and I at the same location on Monday; 3. a Hermit Thrush that has been visiting the yard of Wilma Backus in south-central Newmarket for at least 6 weeks; and 4. a White-crowned Sparrow that has been visiting a feeder along Dufferin St. in Holland Marsh across from the Ansnorveldt school. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Newmarket and the Holland Marsh are directly north of Toronto, halfway to Barrie. ___ 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
[Ontbirds] OFO Holland Marsh Trip
After our province-wide deep freeze, the sudden spike in local temps created perfect conditions today - not for birding, unfortunately, but for a thick, binocular-stifling fog that fell like a wool blanket over the fields of the often bird-friendly Holland Marsh. Species like Snowy Owl, Northern Shrike, and Snow Bunting that have been relatively easy to find over the last few days were impossible to locate until the latter species made a much-appreciated appearance at our very last stop along Ravenshoe Road. At times the veil of grey kept our group of 25 from seeing any further than 40 metres! If birds were not at the roadside they were rendered virtually invisible. The three Snowies I saw yesterday afternoon in those same fields may well have been short distances from our cars but we had no way of discovering that. We got lucky at some local feeders, finding a White-crowned Sparrow, American Tree Sparrows, and a Hairy Woodpecker, but all in all it was an almost laughably unproductive day. If I'm not mistaken, our grand total of 15 species may have set a new record for least-birds-seen on an OFO outing. If this is the case, it is a dubious distinction that I beg someone to better ASAP! Still, I met some very nice people whom I have not crossed paths with before and I had a surprisingly fun day inside a van full of local birders whose company l always enjoy. It was, to be philosophical, a character builder! Thanks to all who came out. Your patience and good attitude kept me from throwing things. 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
[Ontbirds] No Hudsonian Godwit, Bradford
I spent 7:15-8:15 this morning in search of the Hudsonian Godwit that Bruce Wilson and Nigel Shaw found yesterday afternoon north of Bradford. Unfortunately I had no luck. Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs were present plus a Pectoral Sandpiper and a Dunlin but the big lad was nowhere to found. I drove the local roads and checked other flooded fields but came up empty. Hopefully someone will rediscover it. Ron Fleming, Newmarket The flooded field referred to by Bruce and Nigel is directly north of Bradford along Yonge St./11 that goes to Barrie. Turn right (east) on 11th Line and you will soon see this very large vernal pond on the north side of the road. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Ross's Goose - Schomberg
Craig Corcoran texted me this afternoon to report a Ross's Goose between Schomberg and Pottageville. It was in a field on the north side of Lloydtown Road about a km west of 8th Concession. I drove out there late in the day (5:15-5:30) and found the bird in the very same spot, foraging in the field among numerous Canadas. It is an adult Ross's Goose - white morph - no grin patch a la Snow Goose, small beak , rounded head, etc. Many thanks to Craig for the heads up on this bird. Schomberg and Pottageville are both west of Hwy. 400 northwest of Toronto and almost straight west of Newmarket. If you take the Lloydtown/Aurora Road exit from Hwy 400 travel straight west, down a long hill, and proceed through the small town of Pottageville. After passing the 8th Concession you will soon come to house #5400 on the north side - look to the north and check the cornfields in the next 0.5 kms. There is a narrow shoulder to pull onto so be careful as this can be a busy road. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Bohemian Waxwings, Newmarket
The small flock of Bohemian Waxwings (20) that John Watson found in Newmarket yesterday may have been part of a larger flock that I found a few kms away this afternoon. This larger group - approx. 200 birds - was feeding from fruit trees on the west side of Plantation Gate a short distance north of Mulock Drive at 4:30. They were in the front yard and easy to see. Plantation is the first stop light east of Bathurst St. in southwest Newmarket. Ron Fleming Newmarket is directly north of Toronto ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds (April 8-14)
Late Saturday afternoon I hiked the west side of Dufferin Street near Newmarket (just north of Miller Sdrd) and found my first COMMON LOON of the spring in the large quarry pond there. (The Loon was still there this evening). Also present was an OSPREY on its nest, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER quirring loudly, and a PIED-BILLED GREBE swimming in the water. Hiking into some of the wooded areas I came upon mixed flock of blackbirds - mainly Grackles and Red-winged BB but with at least five RUSTY BLACKBIRDS in the mix. A murder of crows was hassling something in a woodlot on private property so I stopped at the fence and looked south - eventually a GREAT HORNED OWL hooted low and was answered by another one. The GHOW nest that was found by Peter Wukasch last week along Pumphouse Rd is still active. You can see the adult's ear tufts by parking on the side of Pumphouse and looking ESE along a feeder dike that connects to the main canal. The nest is conspicuous where it sits on the northern edge of the woodlot there. A scope would offer the best views as you cannot get any closer to the nest due to the canal (good planning, GHOW!). There was a BELTED KINGFISHER in the same area when I visited yesterday morning. Today (Sunday, April 14), John Watson had a flock of 20 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS at Dennis Park east of Sandford Drive in Newmakret and, as he walked the Nokkaida Trail through the south-central part of town, he observed eight SNOW GEESE migrating north. I hiked through the Cawthra Mulock reserve (NW Newmarket) this afternoon and had 20+ GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS plus my first YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER of the spring. At the same location yesterday, Mike Van den Tillaart and Kevin Shackleton had three NORTHERN FLICKERS and an EASTERN MEADOWLARK. In Holland Landing a COMMON RAVEN was flying over the deciduous woods just east of Yonge and north of Cedar St. today. At nearby Soldier's Bay there were 18 DC CORMORANTS, 20+ CM. MERGANSERS, a NORTHERN SHOVELER, and 10 HOODED MERGANSERS. The vernal ponds on Bathurst St. N. (above Queensville Sdrd.) that hosted a variety of ducks a week ago have dried up, however. Kevin Shackleton observed two OSPREY over Cook's Bay from his vantage point at the Young's Harbour parkette today and, in the flooded fields on the north side of Ravenshoe Road (east of Woodbine) he had his first BLUE-WINGED TEAL of the spring. Michele Potter had three pairs of RING-NECKED DUCKS, one pair of NORTHERN SHOVELERS, and three AMERICAN WIGEONS at the same location. She has also had an AMERICAN WOODCOCK peenting behind her house in Keswick this week. I went out Timber-doodling (looking for Woodcock) west of Newmarket this evening and found six! One was at the north end of Cardinal golf course on Keele St. while the others were along Dufferin (one at the quarry area described above, two at the Cawthra Mulock reserve, and two more just south of that). They began their calls and flight displays just after dusk (8:15ish). In his King City yard yesterday Brian Ogden watched a COOPER'S HAWK take one of his neighbourhood Mourning Doves. He was fascinated; his wife was appalled. Today at Seneca College Brian had a PILEATED WOODPECKER. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. Newmarket is just east of Hwy. 400. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
Warm weather early this week brought an influx of birds to this area north of Toronto. Many of them may wish they'd stayed south for another week. TREE SWALLOWS arrived Tuesday morning, at least 30 of them strafing the western fields of the King City Campus of Seneca College. I observed another half-dozen along the canal in the Holland Marsh west of Newmarket on Wednesday. Other migrants observed at Seneca College on Tuesday were EASTERN MEADOWLARK, NORTHERN FLICKER, BROWN CREEPER, NORTHERN HARRIER, BELTED KINGFISHER, and several ducks including RING-NECKED, WOOD, BUFFLEHEAD, HOODED and CM. MERGANSER. Brian Ogden led me to a GREAT HORNED OWL nest on the college property. Later that same day, Peter Wukasch found another GHOW nest along Pumphouse Road in the Holland Marsh between Bradford and Newmarket. In Keswick, which is situated at the south end of Lake Simcoe, Michele Potter had the first BLUE-WINGED TEALs of the spring on Tuesday. they were in the pond that sits on the north side of Ravenshoe Road about 2 km west of Woodbine Avenue. Also present there were AMERICAN WIGEON, NORTHERN SHOVELER, numerous Canada Geese and some GREEN-WINGED TEAL. The GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GEESE observed there last Friday and Saturday have NOT been reported since. At the bridge in River Drive Park (Holland Landing), Michele Potter had two pair of PIED-BILLED GREBES on Tuesday. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto, halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Update
Cold temperatures have made for a slower-than-normal migration in this area north of Toronto but local birders have still managed to find a few interesting birds. TUNDRA SWANS were first reported by Bruce Brydon on March 11 when 75 of them showed up in the fields west of Bathurst in NW Holland Landing. They were not seen in the days following, however, and may even have done a reverse migration given the fact that there was no open water to be found. This weekend Angela Daust observed about 100 of them in King City along Dufferin St. in the northwest part of town. Yesterday I had eight more in the fields along Ravenshoe Road near Keswick. Four pairs of HOODED MERGANSERS were swimming among Mallards and Canada Geese in the Holland Marsh canal southeast of Bradford on March 15 accompanied by ten COMMON GOLDENEYE who later showed up at the Bradford bridge (where Pumphouse Road meets Canal Road). Also present at that location last Saturday (March 16) was an early PIED BILLED GREBE and a BELTED KINGFISHER. When I dipped on SNOWY OWLS during the week of March Break (March 11-17) I assumed they had moved northward but Patty Gale found one along Ravenshoe Road March 18th. She also had a NORTHERN HARRIER, a BALD EAGLE, and a flock of SNOW BUNTINGS. A small flock of the latter (25 to be exact) were seen there by Bruce Brydon on Friday. I drove the Ravenshoe Road area with my dog Samwise yesterday and found two SNOWY OWLS, one on the east side of Yonge Street and one on the west. I also had a NORTHERN SHRIKE, a BALD EAGLE, and my first KILLDEER of the spring. In the Holland Marsh vegetable fields south of Bradford I had one more SNOWY OWL yesterday - it was at the dead end of Emma Road, which runs west from Dufferin St. COMMON REDPOLLS continue to show up in numbers at Newmarket feeders; Kevin Shackleton had close to a hundred in his yard this weekend. Another notable backyard sighting was a trio of PINE GROSBEAKS that visited Mike Van den Tillart's feeders on St. Patrick's Day. (None were green.) While hiking the Nokkaida Trail in north Newmarket on March 21, John Watson had a NORTHERN SHRIKE. Just north of Newmarket Bruce Brydon observed two TURKEY VULTURES and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK on Friday. Kevin Shackleton had another accipiter - a COOPER'S HAWK - fly past his office window on Leslie Street in west Newmarket. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region lies directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
I spent a few hours birding the northwest part of York Region with Rob Angie Mueller today. Along Ravenshoe Rd. in SW Keswick we had one Snowy Owl at the western end of the road and, perched on its favourite TV antenna, a female Cooper's Hawk (it is a local bird that has wintered in this area). Travelling south from Ravenshoe we had another Snowy that was perched on top of a pole just east of Yonge Street. There was also a flock of 40 Snow Buntings that stayed in the field not far from us. I scoped the buntings at great length because Bruce Brydon had two Lapland Longspurs in this area yesterday but I didn't manage to find the much less common longspurs. For the record, Bruce also had a Northern Shrike here yesterday. On the east side of Yonge there were three more Snowy Owls but views of them - even with a scope - were far less satisfying as they were a signficant distance away from the road. On my way back to Leslie Street I was shown a sixth Snowy Owl by a nice couple who were parked about halfway along Ravenshoe. Heading back to Newmarket I had excellent looks at a Common Raven along Woodbine Avenue just north of Davis Drive. Yet another Snowy Owl was present in the vegetable fields south of Bradford. It was sitting in a field on the west side of Aileen Road between Strawberry Lane and Edward Street. I was pleased to read later on this website that the Carleys were able to relocate a flock of Pine Grosbeaks at the Seneca College campus in King City. I hope to find them later this week! Lorena Campbell had a small flock of them (9-10) at her feeders in Willow Beach (Sutton area) on Monday. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is halfway between Toronto and Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region addendum
PS - Celine and Brian Gillett jogged my memory about some flocks of WILD TURKEYS just northeast of Holland Landing yesterday. They (the turkeys, not the Gilletts) were out in the fields east of the 2nd Concession (which is the northern extension of Main Street out of Newmarket) about 1.5 kms north of Queensville Sdrd. There were 28 birds in two different flocks. On Friday a dozen more were feeding in a field on the south side of Hwy. 9 just east of the Cardinal golf course. Murray Shields had a very late BELTED KINGFISHER yesterday afternoon while driving along Doane Rd. just east of Kennedy Rd. There is a small creek there and the bird on the hydro wires above it. A nice winter bird up here! Earlier this week Rob and Angie Mueller had a first-year WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW keeping company with a flock of American Tree Sparrows in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields just east of Hwy. 400 and north of Hwy. 9. This species has wintered in the marsh for the last 4 - 5 years - never in big numbers but enough to catch the eye of birders who keep their binoculars active through the whole year. One of these young birds has been having a cushy time of it by visiting the well-stocked feeders across from the Ansnorveldt church and school on Dufferin Street (just north of the canal bridge about 4 kms north of Hwy. 9). 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region Bird Sightings
There have been some interesting birds in the Newmarket-Keswick-Bradford area this first week of 2013. On Friday Joel Reeves had an adult BALD EAGLE fly over the regional forest tract near Aurora Road Warden Avenue that he was walking his dog in. Earlier in the week (Monday, to be exact), Michele Potter had another Bald Eagle just north of Keswick at Roche's Point. Paul Novosad's feeder in southwest Bradford continues to host a female RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. On Friday he also had a NORTHERN FLICKER visiting his 5th Line property. That same day Kevin Shackleton added a NORTHERN SHRIKE to his office yard list - it was chasing a sparrow past his office window on Leslie Street just north of Mulock Rd in Newmarket. I had another Shrike in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields west of Newmarket on Thursday. My dog, Samwise, joined me for three hours of local birding today. He usually brings me good luck and today was no exception as we found seven SNOWY OWLS. Three of these were on the south side of Ravenshoe Road in SW Keswick while another was on the north side and a fifth was sitting on one of the large storage buildings along the short dirt road that runs south from the end of Ravenshoe, masquerading as Yonge Street. Also observed along Ravenshoe Road was an adult COOPER'S HAWK that stayed perched on a TV antenna for a long time and a flock of about 150 SNOW BUNTINGS that were only visible on the north side with the help of a scope. (Scopes are definitely recommended up here as the birds are often well out in the fields.) A sixth Snowy Owl was only visible by scoping the reeds and iced-over bay from one of the parkettes along Lake Road, a few kms north of Ravenshoe Road. I did not get lucky number 7 until later when I did a loop of the Holland Marsh vegetable fields south of Bradford. This bird - the only pure white adult male I observed - was sitting on the ground in yet another open field about a km south of Tornado Drive and east of Jane Street North. (Please note that the northern extensions of Toronto's well-known Bathurst, Keele, Dufferin and Jane Streets bear little resemblance to their urban namesakes. When you get north of Hwy. 9 they are country roads and - in the vegetable fields - each of them is interrupted by a small river that cuts diagonally across the marsh, separating York Region from Simcoe County. To reach Jane St. N, for example, you have to drive west along Woodchopper's Lane, then north on Wist Rd. beside Hwy. 400, then east along Canal Road to rejoin Jane when it runs south from Tornado Drive.) 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Bradford-West Gwillimbury CBC
The 15th annual Bradford CBC was held on Saturday, Dec. 29th. The count circle is just west and north of Newmarket and the general area (for those unfamiliar with Bradford) is about halfway between Toronto and Barrie. Twenty in-field observers and three feeder watchers participated. Despite an unexpected amount of blowing snow that reduced visibility and made for some greasy driving conditions, we tied the high-water mark of 53 species, set in 2001. Species diversity on this count is closely connected to the amount of open water on Cook's Bay (the southern extension of Lake Simcoe). This year we did have some good stretches of open water. New for the count were American Wigeon (1), Redhead (23), Iceland Gull (1), and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (1). These new additions pushed the historical species observed total to 96. Highlights included Bald Eagle (2), Snowy Owl (4), Barred Owl (2), Northern Shrike (6), Red-bellied Woodpecker (4), Common Raven (5), Bohemian Waxwing (15), Pine Grosbeak (4), White-throated Sparrow (2) and White-crowned Sparrow (2). Many thanks go out to all who participated, particularly Peter Wukasch who started this count back in 1998. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region ( south Simcoe County) Birds
The beginning of December has yielded some noteworthy sightings in this area between Toronto and Barrie. Ann Brokelman sent me an email on December 2nd reporting the return of SNOWY OWLS to Ravenshoe Road in southwest Keswick. Since then she, Kevin Shackleton, and Linda Hollinshead have all been in touch with updates. Numbers have ranged from 2 owls to 6. Most of these have been in the vegetable fields south of Ravenshoe Road and east of the dirt road that passes (poses?) as Yonge Street at the western end of Ravenshoe. I counted four Snowy Owls in the latter area this morning with a possible 5th being too far away to distinguish between real Snowy Owl and real white plastic container. Like many birders, I am hesitant to post about owls as there are some overly zealous individuals who insist on getting too close to the birds but the Snowies seen here each winter are generally well away from the road and a fairly safe distance from observers of any stripe. Ann's Dec. 2nd visit to the Keswick area also turned up a female NORTHERN HARRIER that was taking some aggressive swoops at one of the Snowies. She also observed a large flock of SNOW BUNTINGS (approx. 1000), 200 COMMON REDPOLLS, a male AMERICAN KESTREL, one BALD EAGLE (north side of Ravenshoe), and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK. I rediscovered what is likely the same American Kestrel at the corner of Ravenshoe Yonge this morning as well as two flocks of Snow Buntings (80 50 respectively) and a dozen Common Redpolls among the roadside weeds on Yonge. On the opposite side of the Holland River (and therefore in Simcoe County), Peter Wukasch had two seperate flocks of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on Wednesday of this week. One group of 70 was near Earl Rowe Public School on the 12th Line of Bradford/West Gwillimbury west of Yonge Street and another flock of nearly 200 was feeding in a flowering crab east of the 20th Concession along County Road 89 in Gilford. On Monday Peter turned up a BELTED KINGFISHER along Canal Road just south of Bradford (specifically near Pumphouse Road) and, in the company of Doug Jagger, he also observed one NORTHERN FLICKER, a COMMON RAVEN, and both AMERICAN WIDGEON and GADWALL in the waters of Cook's Bay near Gilford and Lefroy. These are all birds that we hope will linger until our local CBC on Dec. 29th. In the Nobleton area west of Hwy. 400 and north of the King Road, Craig Corcoran had a flock of 50 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS on his property near the 17th Sdrd. of King this week. Further north, where 17th Sdrd. dead ends at the Happy Valley Forest, a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER has been joined at a local feeder by a rare northern visitor - a BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER this week. (Lest there be cynics, rest assured that observers Ann and David Love are solid observers who know their birds quite well.) In the Holland Marsh vegetable fields west of Newmarket today I was unable to find any Snowy Owls (they often show up in this area too) but did find one AMERICAN KESTREL, a dark brown MERLIN, a small flock of COMMON REDPOLLS (approx. 15), and two WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS at the west end of Devald Road (where we have found the latter species wintering for several years now). Kevin Shackleton's quest for 300 species in Ontario this year was boosted by the appearance of a HOARY REDPOLL at his north Newmarket feeders this week but he is still four species away from that milestone with time quickly running out. If anyone happens upon a Lapland Longspur, Grey Partridge, Northern Hawk Owl or Boreal Owl (yes, even outside York Region), please fire off an email and I will immediately pass the info on to him. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Marbled Godwit Schomberg - Yes
Many thanks to Peter Wukasch for finding and posting about this species yesterday and to Kevin Shackleton for posting that it was still there this morning. After missing the ones at Hillman Marsh and Reesor Pond over the past week, I was relieved to get this bird for breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Great to see the species that Kevin McLaughlin of Hamilton wryly calls The Garbled Mudwit. Also present in the ephemeral pond on the west side of Hwy. 27 (approx. 1.5 km north of Hwy. 9, Schomberg) were three Semipalmated Plovers, two Lesser Yellowlegs, four Dunlin, and six Least Sandpipers (at least when I was there). Schomberg is west of Hwy. 400 not far from the Holland Marsh vegetable fields, about halfway between Toronto and Barrie. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
Re: [Ontbirds] Hudsonian Godwit, White-rumped Sandpiper north of Shomberg
Scoped the godwit after work today (4:00-4:15) after Craig Corcoran's mother-in-law suggested Hudsonian. When a GB heron flew into the pond the godwit flushed and the black-and-white tail markings were easy to see - a white wing line in the black wings was evident too. Ron Fleming, Newmarket From: John Schmelefske j.sc...@gmail.com To: Ontbirds birdalert@ontbirds.ca Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2012 3:21:31 PM Subject: [Ontbirds] Hudsonian Godwit, White-rumped Sandpiper north of Shomberg At 2:30 today I observed a Hudsonian Godwit at the same pond where the Marbled Godwit was seen earlier. The bird is quite plain looking and just beginning to molt into breeding plumage, but some brick red feathering is present on the breast and the rump is white. Also present was a single white-rumped sandpiper as well as several semipalmated plovers, several least sandpipers and a couple dunlin. Go west of Hwy. 400 to the intersection of Hwy 9 and 27. Turn right and drive up the hill Look on the left before you get to the large white barn. A larger pond is just north of the Godwit pond. This pond should be called Donkey Ponds North. John Schmelefske -- John Schmelefske # 7360 RR # 4 Alliston, Ontario,Canada, L9R 1V4 Email: j.sc...@gmail.com Watercolour Gallery: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2001214id=1051632050l=ea990bf4ce ___ 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/ ___ 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/
Re: [Ontbirds] Hudsonian Godwit, White-rumped Sandpiper north of Shomberg
Thanks for checking, John. I was there for 5 minutes on my way to work this morning and wondered about the eyeline on this bird but got talking with Peter Wukasch and another chap, both refering to it as the Marbled so I went with the flow the took off for Newmarket as I was running late. Craig Corcoran of \Nobleton emailed me at lunch to say his MIL thought the bird was Hudsonian. Went there ASAP after work and the Hudsonian markings were plain as day due to a GBH that made the bird fly. Ron From: RON FLEMING fleming...@rogers.com To: John Schmelefske j.sc...@gmail.com; Ontbirds birdalert@ontbirds.ca Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2012 4:37:45 PM Subject: Re: [Ontbirds] Hudsonian Godwit, White-rumped Sandpiper north of Shomberg Scoped the godwit after work today (4:00-4:15) after Craig Corcoran's mother-in-law suggested Hudsonian. When a GB heron flew into the pond the godwit flushed and the black-and-white tail markings were easy to see - a white wing line in the black wings was evident too. Ron Fleming, Newmarket From: John Schmelefske j.sc...@gmail.com To: Ontbirds birdalert@ontbirds.ca Sent: Thursday, May 17, 2012 3:21:31 PM Subject: [Ontbirds] Hudsonian Godwit, White-rumped Sandpiper north of Shomberg At 2:30 today I observed a Hudsonian Godwit at the same pond where the Marbled Godwit was seen earlier. The bird is quite plain looking and just beginning to molt into breeding plumage, but some brick red feathering is present on the breast and the rump is white. Also present was a single white-rumped sandpiper as well as several semipalmated plovers, several least sandpipers and a couple dunlin. Go west of Hwy. 400 to the intersection of Hwy 9 and 27. Turn right and drive up the hill Look on the left before you get to the large white barn. A larger pond is just north of the Godwit pond. This pond should be called Donkey Ponds North. John Schmelefske -- John Schmelefske # 7360 RR # 4 Alliston, Ontario,Canada, L9R 1V4 Email: j.sc...@gmail.com Watercolour Gallery: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2001214id=1051632050l=ea990bf4ce ___ 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/ ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds, March 27 - April 9
On March 27th Lev Frid had an early PINE WARBLER singing at Kortright Kortright Conservation Area as well as several EASTERN PHOEBES and a FOX SPARROW. At the same location on March 31 Kristen Martyn had two EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, a N. FLICKER, and an early HERMIT THRUSH. Bill Thompson had an EASTERN MEADOWLARK singing outside the Schomberg Curling Club that same day. On April 2nd Craig Corcoran had some early TREE SWALLOWS at his property NE of Nobleton as well as a NORTHERN HARRIER; on April 7 he had his first SAVANNAH SPARROW - yet another earliest date recorded this spring. A Saturday morning hike with Kevin Shackleton and Mike Van den Tillaart at the North Tract (Vivian Forest) yielded numerous PINE SISKINS and GC KINGLETS as well as a few singing BROWN CREEPERS this weekend. We also had our first-of-season YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER, a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK, and - for the first time in ages - a NORTHERN GOSHAWK. On Easter Sunday I visited the Cawthra Mulock reserve in NW Newmarket and had more Siskins, GC Kinglets, and Creepers as well as a male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER, a singing FIELD SPARROW (he has been here since March 25!), three EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, a NORTHERN HARRIER, and two male EASTERN BLUEBIRDS. York Region is directly north of Toronto, on the south side of Lake Simcoe. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region Update/ Addendum
The flooded fields on the west side of Bathurst St. N. in Holland Landing had 70+ TUNDRA SWANS and 10 SNOW GEESE at 7:45 this morning. Also present were four N. SHOVELERS (4), approx. 40 N. PINTAIL, and three GREEN-WINGED TEAL. A NORTHERN FLICKER was active along the Dufferin Street roadside north of Hwy. 9 (and south of Miller Sdrd.) when I was there around 8:30. I did not find much else in the marsh but there was a male AMERICAN KESTREL along Tornado Drive which I believe is the same one observed several times throughout the winter. On Wednesday Glenn Steplock checked a rookery in Richmond Hill for returning GREAT BLUE HERONS and counted 20 of them already on territory! Peter Wukasch had the first PIED BILLED GREBE of the season (at least that I'm aware of) the same day - it was in the canal at the corner of Pumphouse Rd. and Graham Sdrd. in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields near Bradford. In Stoufville Jack Walker had a dozen BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS in his yard yesterday as well as a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD that has been present for at least a few weeks. A walk along the Oak Ridges Trail on the west side of Seneca College's King City campus this afternoon yielded PINE SISKINS (8), an early EASTERN PHOEBE, a mixed flock of BC Chickadees and GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS (approx. six of each), several migrating TURKEY VULTURES, three singing BROWN CREEPERS, and - in the mainly thawed lake there - six CM. GOLDENEYE, four BUFFLEHEAD, and a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto, on the south/southeast side of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
The first two weeks of March in York Region (north of Toronto/ south of Lake Simcoe) have been busy ornithologically. There are still some winter visitors lingering while an influx of spring arrivals has steadily swelled the bird population substantially. Craig Corcoran had the region's first KILLDEER west of King City on March 6, then the flood gates opened and Killdeer seem to be all over the place now. I had over a dozen during a bike ride west of Newmarket on Monday. Similarly, RW Blackbirds and Cm Grackles have flooded into the region since the first reported arrivals March 3rd. SONG SPARROWS have moved into several locations since last Friday. HORNED LARKS have been singing their beautiful tinkling songs in many local fields since late February. Brenda Near had a pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS east of Mount Albert on Tuesday. The open area along the river between Holland Landing and Bradford is always worth checking in March (at least for York Region birders) as it yields many waterfowl species each spring. Bruce Brydon observed the first confirmed TUNDRA SWANS March 8 when he counted 35 in the fields on the west side of Bathurst St. N. He also had the first flock of NORTHERN PINTAIL that day. Tundra Swan numbers grew to 400+ by Saturday when Denise Potter was birding the area and the total swelled to 600+ by Tuesday noon. Lev Frid checked the Bathurst St. fields this afternoon and found 128 TUNDRA SWANS, ten SNOW GEESE (including a blue one), and over 100 Pintail. Last Friday nine SNOW GEESE (with one dark morph) were present at this location. Between the flooded fields on Bathurst St. N. and nearby Soldier's Bay on the north side of Queensville Sdrd. there was a good selection of ducks Wednesday including GADWALL (2), AM. WIGEON (3), N. SHOVELER (2), BUFFLEHEAD (6), COMMON MERGANSER (30), HOODED MERGANSER (3), RING-NECKED DUCK (12), MALLARD, BLACK, and REDHEAD (3). In the lingering winter birds department, Denise Potter had three SNOWY OWLS in the Ravenshoe Road area Saturday while Sue Menzies had three more in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields south of Bradford the same day. I had one Snowy in the latter location as recently as Tuesday. These northern visitors will likely depart soon if they have not gone already. I'll be checking this weekend. On Friday I observed a large flock of SNOW BUNTINGS south of Ravenshoe Road and west of Yonge St. in SW Keswick. Denise counted 200 of them when she visited the same location Saturday. One NORTHERN SHRIKE was still present along Bathurst St. N. on Wednesday. On Tuesday Kevin Shackleton had a flock of 20 WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS at #18580 Dufferin Street west of Newmarket and I had a dozen or more PINE SISKINS in the nearby Cawthra Mulock reserve that same day. The sweet sounds of a BROWN CREEPER singing and several GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS doing likewise was a pleasure to hear as I hiked through the property. Near the reserve entrance at Bathurst I watched a COOPER'S HAWK flashing its white undertail coverts in a courtship display over the first conifer stand. NORTHERN HARRIERS are moving back into their territories in the Holland Marsh. I observed two males in the Ravenshoe Road area on Friday and one in the Bradford vegetable fields on Wednesday. Denise Potter had the first TURKEY VULTURE of the spring on Bathurst St. N. on Saturday. Another interesting raptor was a MERLIN that my wife and I observed at the Willow Beach Wharf along Lake Drive northeast of Keswick on Sunday afternoon. York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. If anyone requires specific directions to any of the places mentioned above, please email me privately. Many thanks to all who contacted me with their local sightings - if I forgot to mention some in this report, sorry! 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] 600 Tundra Swans - Holland Landing
There were at least 600 Tundra Swans in the fields west of Bathurst and north of Hochreiter Road this afternoon. This area between Holland Landing and Bradford is always worth checking for migrating waterfowl in March (at least for Newmarket area birders) as it yields many duck species each spring. We always get some Tundra Swans going thorugh but today's total was unusually high. Earlier in the week swan numbers ranged between 50-150. On Friday nine Snow Geese were also present but I have not seen them since. I'll post a more comprehensive report about other interesting York Region birds tomorrow. To get to the section of Bathurst described above you need to (a) travel north along Yonge Street in Newmarket and keep going almost to Bradford. Turn right at the lights for Bathurst St. North (it gets interrupted further south in Newmarket proper so you can't access it there), then a quick left or (b) take Hwy #88 west into Bradford from Hwy. 400 and keep going east all the way through town and onward until you come to the lights for Bathurst and turn left, then left again. Bathurst St. N. soon crosses a RR track and runs straight north - go all the way up past Queensville Sdrd. and through a wooded stretch. When you get past the last woodlot look west into the fields - a scope is definitely an asset! 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Bradford Area CBC
What came close to being an iced-out affair yesterday turned into a good count for this area north of Toronto. Sixteen participants had a cumulative total of 50 species, which ties for 3rd best in the 14 years of the count - that is above our average of 46 species. A first-ever American Coot brings the historical species total to 93 species. A RW Blackbird was a nice surprise and, for the 4th consecutive year, we found a small group of White-crowned Sparrows wintering in the Holland Marsh. Other highlights included two Snowy Owls, four Red-bellied Woodpeckers, six Northern Shrikes, two Northern Harriers, 30+ Pine Siskins, 30+ Horned Larks, and a Merlin. Notable misses for the count were Rough-legged Hawk and Ruffed Grouse. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Bradford is halfway between Toronto and Barrie along Hwy. 400. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Peregrine Falcon north of Brampton
During the Kleinburg area CBC on Sunday our team (John McLean, Mike Van den Tillaart and I) was thrilled to observe a Peregrine Falcon perched atop a farm silo on the east side of Dixie Road. It remained there for several minutes while we enjoyed great looks at the legendary hunter through our binoculars and spotting scopes. As we were watching it a flock of approx. 200 Snow Buntings flew in from the east and crossed Dixie Road. We watched them veer to the southwest then we turned our attention back to the falcon. Not surprisingly, it had left its perch and was winging its way westward, moving powerfully and gradually gaining altitude on those dark, pointed wings. It, too, veered to the southwest and was lost to view. I wonder if there is one less Snow Bunting in that flock today... The Peregrine was the 4th one recorded in the 31 years of Kleinburg's CBC. Although it flew from its perch there, the silo mentioned above is at 13311 Dixie Road (Brymarie Farm), approx. 3 kms south of King Road. The bird - an adult - was observed at 3:45 p.m. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region/Holland Marsh Update
I had the pleasure of finding a lifer Snowy Owl for Shita Prativi this morning in the Holland Marsh. She is visiting birder from Indonesia who contacted me via Ontbirds about seeing this dream bird before flying out to Halifax this afternoon. The owl that has been observed recently by several birders in the Woodchopper's Lane/ Jane Street section of the Holland Marsh fields south of Bradford is a large, mainly white individual with subtle markings in the wings and forehead (presumably an adult male). It has been fairly easy to find all week but this morning, of course, it was absent from that most reliable area. Shita - along with her brother, sister-in-law, and young nephew had excitedly driven up from the Bloor Annex area of Toronto at 8:00 a.m. After 40 minutes we had still seen no sign of the owl. Crows, starlings, and rock pigeons were the only birds to be seen. I suggested that we drive up to Ravenshoe Road in SW Keswick where Meghan Wetmore of Mississauga had three (!) Snowies on Tuesday of this week but, on our way out of the vegetable fields, I decided to do one last check of the tundra-like landscape before proceeding north. It was a fortuituous decision as we found a Merlin (dark brown female/immature type) along Devald Road then - finally - sighted the incumbent snowy owl on the north side of Tornado Drive - about 3 kms northeast of where it has been hunting for the past seven days. Other interesting birds in York region this week include more of Meghan's list from Tuesday: two Bald Eagles in a heron nest on the north side of Ravenshoe Rd. in Keswick, plus one Great Blue Heron flying around up there, and one male American Kestrel. Last Sunday in NW Newmarket Linda Hollinshead was pleasantly surprised to find five Eastern Bluebirds lingering along Morning Sdrd., plus a calling Northern Raven and a Pileated Woodpecker. Northwest of Maple last week Craig Corcoran had a flock of 250+ Pine Siskins at his feeders and a Merlin that exploded a bunch of starlings off the roof of his neighbour's shed. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is located directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. Hwy. 400 bisects The Holland Marsh vegetable fields just north of Hwy. 9 (Newmarket). ___ 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/
Re: [Ontbirds] Sorry, left off directions for Holland Marsh snowy owl
For the record, I observed the bird today at 4:00 p.m. on a rooftop along the short extension of Edward Street that runs west from Jane Street's T-intersection with Edward, about 1 km north of Woodchopper's Lane. Also had a female Cooper's Hawk in the area. Ron Fleming, Newmarket From: Hendrik Hart hh...@ca.inter.net To: birdalert@ontbirds.ca Sent: Tuesday, December 13, 2011 4:51:27 PM Subject: [Ontbirds] Sorry, left off directions for Holland Marsh snowy owl The snowy owl in the Holland Marsh is probably most likely to be seen in the quadrant bordered by Canal road in the west, Jane street in the east, Woodchoppers lane in the south, and the river in the north. This is in the northwest corner of where Hwy 400 and Hwy 9 intersect. Hendrik Hart 19094 Centre street Mount Albert, Ontario Canada L0G 1M0 Ph: 905-473-9896 Email: hh...@ca.inter.net Music is enough for a lifetime but a lifetime is not enough for music. -Sergei Rachmaninov ___ 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/ ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket area birds
Found my second Snowy Owl of the season around noon today. It was an adult male, sitting on the ground about 400m north of Woodchopper's Lane and the same distance west of Jane Street in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields. This open area of flat farm fields is on the east side of Hwy. 400, less than two kms north of Hwy.9 (which is Davis Drive in Newmarket). Also present in the same vicinity was a first-year Northern Harrier hunting on the west side of Keele Street, just south of Strawberry Lane and an American Kestrel sitting on the roadside wires along Wist Road, which parallels Hwy. 400 on the east side of the highway. Newmarket is directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. Ron Fleming ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
I found my first Snowy Owl of the season at high noon today. The bird appears to be an adult male as it was competely white and fairly conspicuous against the dark soil of the vegetable fields near the west end of Ravenshoe Road in Keswick. It was sitting on the ground about 300m south of Ravenshoe, across from the entrance to Best Asia Farms. The bird could also be seen well, if not better, from the dirt lane known as Yonge Street which runs south from Ravenshoe. I scoped it by looking straight east along the irrigation ditch that runs perpendicular to Yonge about .5 km down the way. This is likely the same bird that Charles L. reported on Nov. 15th. There was also a male American Kestrel in the area. I have not found any Snowies in the other parts of the Holland Marsh that often attract these northerners, but it's still relatively early in the winter season. At least one Northern Shrike has been hunting in the vegetable fields south of Bradford and there are still some Northern Harriers lingering in the marshes north of Bradford and Holland Landing. During a pleasant hike at Scanlon Creek CA Wednesday afternoon I observed a Sharp-shinned Hawk stalking a group of goldfinches. At the northern boundary of the Cawthra Mulock reserve in Newmarket this morning I flushed a Great Horned Owl. York Region is about halfway between Toronto and Barrie. Keswick is situated at the south end of Cook's Bay/Lake Simcoe. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds P.S.
Although I had no luck searching for Snowy Owls this weekend Charles L. emailed me to say he had one on Ravenshoe Rd. (SW Keswick) Tuesday Nov. 15. Irving Himel had a Snow Goose on Kennedy St. north of Glenwoods Ave. in Keswick on Saturday; Bruce Brydon rediscovered the same bird on Sunday and had two more Snow Geese at Sibbald Point the same day. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is halfway between Toronto and Barrie. Keswick is on the south shore of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
I drove up to Ravenshoe Road in SW Keswick this morning to see if any Snowy Owls have arrived yet but had no luck in that department. Still, I did observe a Northern Shrike and a male Northern Harrier. The vegetable fields in the western stretches of Ravenshoe Road are wide open and windswept, offering lots of good hunting territory for Snowies when they do come down. At the western terminus of Ravenshoe Road there is a forlorn extension of Yonge Street that runs south for about 2 kms. It is a far cry from the bustling thoroughfare that most people picture when they hear the name but, for birders who still venture out on winter days, it can be productive for winter birds. Returning from the desolate parts of Yonge and Ravenshoe I glanced north toward Cook's Bay and saw two white objects in the field just west of the swamp near Bruce Street. Thinking they would likely be gulls I almost passed by but, fortunately, decided to take one last look before heading home to Newmarket. Turns out they were the white heads of two adult Bald Eagles sharing some prey in the field just behing property #760 (Green emergency sign; green maintenance bldg). In Holland Landing I observed another male N. Harrier and, in my own neighbourhood, near Bathurst and Davis, a Sharp-shinned Hawk. York Region is directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. Keswick sits on the southern end of Lake Simcoe. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Shrikes, Snow Buntings Harriers - York region
I've observed three Northern Shrikes over the past six days - one in King City (Seneca College campus), one in Newmarket (Cawthra Mulock Reserve), and another in south Keswick (Ravenshoe Rd. W.). Also had my first Snow Buntings of the year - a small flock of 12-14 birds near the west end of Ravenshoe Road on Sunday afternoon. Also present in south Keswick that day were three Northern Harriers. Interestingly, all were first year birds - noticeably orange in the body and dark in the axillaries. York Region is directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. Keswick is on the southwest shore of Lake Simcoe. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket Ravens
While driving through a new housing development in northwest Newmarket this evening (7:05 p.m.) I was pleased to see a Common Raven fly up to the roof of a house then back down again. I have observed ravens in the Newmarket area more frequently these past 5 or so years but it is still a species that warrants some eyebrow raising. The bird flew over to large pile of excavated dirt where several other large black birds were sitting. I assumed the others were crows and that the raven's presence would start quite a ruckus but the raven settled in among them without a fuss so I stopped the car and got my binoculars out. To my surprise all six birds turned out to be ravens, heavily beaked, some shaggily bearded, and, when they flew off to the west, all were conspicuously wedge-tailed and deep-voiced (at least those that called). The street I was on is Harvest Hills Blvd. It runs east-west, parallel to and less than half a km south of Green Lane. The ravens were near the west end of Harvest Hills, just south of a roundabout in the road. This area is about one km east of Bathurst Street in NW Newmarket. Newmarket, in turn, is directly north of Toronto along the Yonge Street corridor, approx. halfway to Barrie. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket Bradford Area Birds
Having resigned myself to domestic chore-doing on Saturday I tried not to think about birds but when I turned my lawnmower off I heard the unmistakable sound of a Blackpoll Warbler singing from a tree across the street from me! Luckily I know the lady who lives there so got her permission to stand on the lawn and gawk up at her maple tree. Sure enough, in all its black-capped glory, there it was in the middle of suburbia, doing its late-May migration thing. Taking this as a sign from Roger Tory Peterson, I postponed my weed-whacking and drove over to the Cawthra Mulock reserve in NW Newmarket. There are Clay-coloured Sparrows singing from at least three different locations there now, as well as two different Black-billed Cuckoos and, in the hilly meadow that runs north and east from the marsh marigolds (just south of the reserve's northern property line) four Grasshopper Sparrows singing now. There is also a Winter Wren in the main creek valley, at least two Alder Flycatchers near the hydro cut, a pair of Eastern Bluebirds by the old maple lane, at least two resident Mourning Warblers, and a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers that roams around. Throw in the resident Meadowlarks, Bobolinks, Field and Savannah Sparrows and you've got a pretty nice selection of birds on territory. Sunday afternoon I had two Purple Martins at the western boundary of the property (Dufferin Street). My dog and I spent the dusk hours north of Bradford today. We had at least 15 Black Terns at the end of Line 13 (which meetsw the south end of Cook's Bay) plus a Willow Flycatcher. At the dead end (well, almost the dead end - the road becomes impassable after awhile) of Line 10 we had two American Bitterns calling and one Least Bittern doing its coocoocoo call. Also had about 5 Marsh Wrens, two more Willow Flycatchers, and a Harrier. On the same road just east of the RR tracks I had one Mourning Warbler and a few Veerys singing. In Richmond Hill, Frank Pinilla continues to see and hear Common Ravens (including a sighting today). The bird flew over the Oak Ridges trail / conservation land by Phillips Lake, a small kettle lake north of Jefferson Sideroad between Yonge St Bathurst St in north Richmond Hill. In closing, if you did not have an opportunity to sponsor anyone on this year's Baillie Birdathon, I could use a few more sponsors to reach my goal...(hint, hint)! Kevin Shackleton, John Watson, Art Needles and I did our Birdathon in Simcoe County (Barrie and west) on June 21st and had a marvellous day, tallying 142 species for our best outing ever! Ron Fleming, Newmarket If you require directions to any of the locations described above, please email me. Newmarket and Bradford are north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
Re: [Ontbirds] Newmarket/Bradford Birds
One little correction: our Birdathon was on May 21, not June 21... R.F. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Birders passing Napanee?
(Posted with permission) Returning from an Ottawa trip last week I left my prescription sunglasses at the Flying J gas station/store/rest stop in Napanee. It is located just off the 401 on the north side. On the off-chance that anyone is travelling west past Napanee this week (perhaps on a trip to Pelee...?) I would be eternally grateful if the sunglasses could be picked up. (They are in the Lost Found.) I live in Newmarket north of Toronto but will be at Pelee next weekend. I will not be free to travel to Napanee for at least 3 more weeks. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region Report
The slow (and sometimes painful) transition from winter to spring creates an interesting overlap of arrivals and departures. My backyard feeders have hosted an interesting mix of winter visitors and local residents this week: COMMON REDPOLLS (4-5), Dark-eyed Juncos, a Saturday cameo by 4 PINE SISKINS, and several neighbourhood Goldfinches and House Finches. On the weekend of March 20 two NORTHERN SHRIKES were still hanging around locally. One was at the north end of Bathurst Street near Holland Landing on Saturday, the other was in King City (western part of the Seneca College campus) Sunday. Both birds were making a variety of vocalizations, rehearsing for the territorial proclamations they'll soon be making many miles north or here in the Hudson Bay lowlands. Returning birds included a pair of WOOD DUCKS at the Cawthra Mulock reserve in NW Newmarket on March 21 and two AMERICAN WOODCOCKS displaying on opposite sides of Bathurst Street north of the Queensville Sdrd. that evening. (At least two more Woodcocks are doing their twilight shows at the entrance to Silver Lakes golf course in Holland Landing on a fairly reqular basis now.) Yesterday morning I flushed a WILSON'S SNIPE while hiking a section of the Oak Ridges trail at Mary Lake in King City. Although the vernal ponds on Bathurst Street west of Holland Landing have reverted to sheets to sheets of ice in most cases, there was still enough open water to keep some waterfowl present. I counted 55 TUNDRA SWANS there yesterday afternoon. In NE Richmond Hill, Glenn Steplock counted 34 GREAT BLUE HERONS hunkered down in a field the same afternoon - a chilly assemblage to be sure. Year-round residents at the nearby Cawthra Mulock reserve Sunday included a calling PILEATED WOODPECKER and a GREAT HORNED OWL being mobbed by crows. There were also 2 BROWN CREEPERS and a small flock of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS (7-8). West of King City Craig Corcoran had a mixed flock of BOHEMIAN and CEDAR WAXWINGS (30:20) on Friday. TURKEY VULTURES have been showing up here and there over the past two weeks, blown sideways by north winds in most cases. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region P.S. - Tundra Swans, et. al.
Post script to yesterday's York region report: Bruce Brydon checked the north end of Bathurst Street this morning and noted the arrival of Tundra Swans and many more ducks in the flooded fields. When I drove over at noon I counted the following: TUNDRA SWAN (23), N. PINTAIL (150+), RING-NECKED DUCK (100+), AMERICAN WIGEON (70+), BLACK DUCK (20), BUFFLEHEAD (6). These numbers change on a regular basis due to the many comings and goings of waterfowl in these fields west of Bathurst. A local helicopter business and low-flying Northern Harriers (now back on territory) tend to stir things up. On the off chance that any reader of this post should choose to check this area out, please note that Bathurst Street comes to a dead end about 6 kms north of Hwy. 9/Davis Drive. To access the northern section of Bathurst that is described above you have to jog east to Yonge Street (typically via Green Lane) and follow that main thoroughfare out of Newmarket. You then have to go past the first turn-off for Holland Landing (stoplights and motel), then follow the long decline that goes northwest toward Bradford. At the next set of lights you turn right and an immediate left, which puts you onto the last stretch of Bathurst. Follow it over the RR tracks and straight on til morning, almost to the road's very unpopulated end. You can't miss the huge flooded fields on the west side. A WORD OF ADVICE: If you choose to try driving Hochreiter Road (which runs west from Bathurst), think twice before you do as it would be VERY easy to get stuck on that gnarly little laneway currently covered with mud and snow. I drove it today in my van but would not recommend it - Hochreiter offers better views of the birds, yes, but driving it is (at this time anyway) a dicey proposition. It would take a good while for a tow truck to get to you. If you're up to a long walk, sling your scope onto your shoulder and traipse down the road by foot. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region - Meadowlarks, Bluebird, etc.
The biggest day for spring arrivals in York Region (so far) was today - March 17. As green beer flowed for St. Patrick's Day, so too did streams of northbound birds. Bruce Brydon and I crossed paths at the north end of Bathurst to check what is traditionally the best local area for returning ducks and geese in spring. We were pleased to see that warm temperatures have finally thawed the snow-covered fields there, attracting hundreds of Canada Geese and ten duck species to the huge vernal ponds. Swimming contentedly on the west side of Bathurst (north of Queensville Sdrd.) were: MALLARD (100+), N. PINTAIL (30+), BLACK DUCK (15), N. SHOVELER (2), BUFFLEHEAD (4), CM. MERGANSER (6), HOODED MERGANSER (2), AM. WIDGEON (1). CM. GOLDENEYE (1), and RING-NECKED DUCK (1). At Kortright Conservation Area near Kleinburg today Lev Frid had the first EASTERN BLUEBIRD of the spring (a singing male sitting on a nestbox) and a BELTED KINGFISHER. This past Saturday (March 12) I had my earliest ever KILLDEER for this region - it was flying overhead and calling in the Holland Marsh fields west of Newmarket. Today Killdeers seemed to be calling everywhere I stopped! On Sunday morning I finally found my first Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and American Robins of the spring along the still-rural stretches of Leslie Street in Richmond Hill. Like the Killdeer, these species were ubiquitous today. At the Robinson forest tract east of Aurora I also had a flock of 10 GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS, a BROWN CREEPER, and a fly-over COMMON RAVEN on Sunday. West of King City that same day Craig Corcoran had a NORTHERN FLICKER at his property. Searching in vain for lingering Snowy Owls along Ravenshoe Road on Monday afternoon I instead observed a dark-morph ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK (last of the winter?) and a male NORTHERN HARRIER (first of the spring). The first TURKEY VULTURES of the season (for this area) were reported by Mike Williamson on Wednesday - six of the skinheaded scavengers were tilting northward near Bayview Road in north Richmond Hill. Also on Monday, Joan Love had two EASTERN MEADOWLARKS near the corner of Teston Kipling near Kleinburg - a welcome sight for birders seeking proof of spring! Adding to this vernal promise were two pairs of HOODED MERGANSERS and a SONG SPARROW observed by Lev Frid in south Maple that same day. Two local NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRDS were also present in Lev's local patch just east of Hwy. 400. Graham Leonard and Glenn Steplock both counted 9 GREAT BLUE HERONS on territory in northeast Richmond Hill Tuesday - good arrivals for the ides of March. A lingering NORTHERN SHRIKE was still present at Seneca College's King City Campus when I drove by on Tuesday. A second shrike was present at the north end of Bathurst Street near Holland Landing today and third shrike (yer out!) was observed by Lev Frid at Kortright Conservation area. Another winter visitor still making local cameos is the COMMON REDPOLL. Gene and Charlene Denzel had a flock of 25 at their feeder in Thornhill Sunday morning. At dusk today my dog, Samwise, and I walked the northern section of Yonge Street in Holland Landing (Silver Lakes golf course area) and were pleased to hear two AMERICAN WOODCOCK peenting from the swampy area on both sides of the road and doing their chip-chup vocalizations during flight displays (which are very hard to actually see due to the fading daylight). We toasted the memory of Keith Dunn, who loved this annual vigil at Silver Lake and was traditionally the first to report the dance of the timberdoodle each spring. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Report
Although bird movement has been relatively slow due to wacky weather there were some early dates for spring arrivals in this region just north of Toronto. Glenn Steplock had the earliest Great Blue Heron on territory when he observed one in northeast Richmond Hill Feb. 27th! This is likely a stubborn territorial male (met any of those in the human realm?) who wintered no further south than the Toronto lakeshore, but we'll gladly take him! (Hopefully the elements won't do that first.) Two Red-winged Blackbirds showed up in Stoufville at the feeders of Jack and Connie Walker on March 5th, which is also quite early for York region. Two days later Gene Denzel had a Common Grackle grace his feeders in Thornhill. On that same date (March 7th) I observed one of our local Sharp-shinned Hawks doing a territorial flight display, circling a woodlot near Quaker Hill (just east of Yonge Street in Newmarket) with its white undertail coverts all fluffed up and conspicuous. Common Redpolls appear to moving northward, showing up in big numbers at various feeders, then apparently moving on. Horned Larks continue to twitter in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields, though heavy snow cover must be making it tough to find food. I have had no luck finding the local Snowy Owl near Dufferin Street during my forays west of Newmarket the past week but that doesn't necessarily mean he's left for points north yet. I have heard no reports about the snowies on Ravenshoe Road in Keswick. The Merlin reported by Peter Wukasch near Devald Road in the Holland Marsh was present on Wednesday of this week. Up until that falcon's arrival there was a fairly reliable male Kestrel present near Hwy. 400 (i.e. all winter). Over the past two weeks I have not seen him but have had a male Kestrel farther east (near Dufferin Street and Emma Road), making me wonder if the visiting Merlin has forced the Hwy. 400 Kestrel to shift his winter hunting area. It is possible that the Kestrel along Dufferin is a different bird, but I doubt it. Good birding! 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region Sightings
An immature male Snowy Owl continues to be seen in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields west of Newmarket while two others wintering near Ravenshoe Road in SW Keswick have been harder to find in the larger fields there. The former bird has been seen most often at the end of Emma Road, which runs west from Dufferin Street, 4 kms north of Hwy. 9. Horned Larks have been showing up with increasing frequency, singing their tinkly songs from various places in the Holland Marsh fields. During a West Humber Naturalists field trip on Saturday at least 8 were observed along MacGillvray Road west of Kleinburg. At Joan Love's property on the SW side of Hwy. 27 Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg our group also had 12+ Pine Siskins. Joan has observed Wild Turkeys and a hardy Winter Wren on her property during February, though we did not find either species on Saturday morning. Gene and Charlene Denzel did, however, find a dozen turkeys along Teston Road later that day. At the Nashville Cemetery west of Kleinburg there was a flock of Cedar Waxwings (approx. 30) and a Northern Mockingbird Saturday as well as a female Sharp-shinned Hawk at the BORC school property along Kirby Sdrd. In Thornhill, Gene and Charlene Denzel have had four White-throated Sparrows visiting their feeders all winter as well as a local Mockingbird. Four White-crowned Sparrows continue to show up along Devald Road in the Holland Marsh south of Bradford; this has been their 3rd consecutive winter. Near this latter location, Paul Novosad has had a Red-bellied Woodpecker visiting his feeder all winter (near the 5th Line bridge north of the canal) while Dan Stuckey reports that another Red-bellied has been wintering in the Virginia Beach area near Sutton. Jack Alvo had yet another one on the north side of Ravenshoe Road last weekend. On February 26 Bruce Brydon had 30Bohemian Waxwings on the Boag Rd. between McCowan and Highway 48 northeast of Newmarket. Common Ravens continue to expand their range, showing up with increasing regularity in several parts of the region. Two individuals have been present in the Holland marsh south of Bradford since December, two others have been observed in NW Newmarket (404 plaza area) by Mike Van den Tillaart, and Frank Pinella has been seeing another pair in north Richmond Hill west of Yonge and Stoufville Road. Other interesting Richmond Hill observations by FP the past few weeks include one Hoary Redpoll in the company of approx. 100 Common Redpolls on Feb. 19, a Northern Shrike and ten American Robins along Bayview Road north of Elgin Mills the same day, a fly-over Red Crossbill in the same area on Sat Feb 12th, and a Cooper's Hawk Feb 28th at Yonge Weldrick. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket Area Birds
On a relatively mild February afternoon signs of spring were definitely in the air. In the Holland Marsh vegetable fields west of Newmarket I had my first Horned Larks of the year today (two birds doing their tinkly songs at the west end of Emma Road) and, at the nearby Cawthra Mulock nature reserve, I had four Brown Creepers within 50 metres of each other, calling (but not singing yet) on the sunny southern edge of a coniferous stand. Chickadees were singing their spring greetings of Hey Sweetie and the local crows were capering like dervishes in the sky. After striking out in my efforts to find the Snowy Owl that has been hunting west of Dufferin Street this month, I took one last stab at it late in the day. Unfindable earlier, the bird was perched conspicuously atop the last building on Emma Road (a long gray warehouse/garage on the north side) when I pulled up at 4:00 p.m. There was also a Raven calling at this location (there have been two visiting the Holland Marsh area since December). Ron Fleming, Newmarket Newmarket is about halfway between Toronto and Barrie. The Holland Marsh fields are just east of Hwy. 400 and north of Davis Drive/Hwy. 9. Emma Road runs west from Dufferin Street, about 3 or 4 kms north of Davis Drive. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] More York Region Birds
After recently posting that only one Snowy Owl has shown up in York Region this winter, here is an update: Kevin Shackleton, Henry Barnett, et. al. had two Snowies along Ravenshoe Road in south Keswick Sunday morning while Ken Vogan and his wife had a third bird at the west end of Bernhardt St. (it runs west from Dufferin) in the Holland Marsh on Sunday afternoon. Also of interest (at least locally): Despite deep freezes and snowstorms, a Carolina Wren that first showed up at Glenn Ritchie's Aurora yard on Halloween is still visiting his feeders three months later! Glenn's photos show a healthy-looking bird who has - so far - survived a tough winter. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
This morning Kevin Shackleton, Mike Van den Tillaart and I rediscovered the lone SNOWY OWL that has shown up in our area this winter (we usually find several, but not this year). The bird - a heavily barred female - was on top of a hydro pole along a dike trail that runs north from Ravenshoe Road in southwest Keswick. We also had a NORTHERN SHRIKE in this area. East of Newmarket we checked for a RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER which has been seen observed south of the intersection of McCowan Road Queensville Sdrds recently. We did not find our target bird but Mike investigated some agitated Blue Jays in one of the nearby yards and discovered a NORTHERN SHRIKE at the centre of their attention. Just west of Hwy. 48 (Markham Rd.) we stopped to check a feeder set-up on the north side of Cherry Street and found a mixed flock of COMMON REDPOLLS (approx. 40) and PINE SISKINS (approx. 20) visiting the yard. There were also several Red-breasted Nuthatches present. Driving east toward Newmarket along Davis Drive we saw a flock of 21 WILD TURKEYS feeding in a field on the south side of the road. A hike along the trails of the Bender-Graves forest tract north of Davis Drive on Kennedy Road yielded a single BROWN CREEPER. Yesterday my dog and I observed a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS ripping up a cedar in a woodlot just west of Dufferin Street near the Miller Sdrd. Returning home to southwest Newmarket we watched a COOPER'S HAWK flying across Clearmeadow Blvd. with an unfortunate songbird in its talons. A group of five WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS that was first observed by Kevin Shackleton and several other members of the West Humber Naturalists on a club hike January 9th is still present along Devald Road in the Holland Marsh south of Bradford. Also present in the marsh and often seen in the vicinity of Hwy. 400 is a pair of COMMON RAVENS and a male AMERICAN KESTREL. 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 visit http://www.ofo.ca/
[Ontbirds] Hawk Owl @ Dalyrymple; Bald Eagles @ Barrie
Kevin Shackleton, Robin Lawson and I drove up to Dalyrymple this morning and found the Hawk Owl lingering at the same spot where Tony Bigg and Anne Anthony found it last Sunday during the Carden CBC (i.e. where Hwys. 6 and 46 meet west of the Carden Alvar). We also had a male American Kestrel near the interesection of Lake Dalyrymple Road and #6. We tried unsuccessfully to find the Harlequin Duck that was observed earlier in the week at Barrie's waterfront but did observe several GBB Gulls, a Glaucous Gull, and two Bald Eagles (one adult, one subadult). The open water where the ducks had been observed has now virtually disappeared - there was only room for one Common Goldeneye to swim in today. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Dalyrymple is east of Orillia ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Bradford-West Gwillimbury CBC
The 13th annual Bradford area CBC was held on Sunday, Jan. 2nd with 16 in-field observers and two feeder watchers participating. We saw a total of 46 species, bang on the average for this count. Highlights included our first-ever Ruby-crowned Kinglet (the 92nd species for this count's history), our second-ever Long-eared Owl, three Ravens, a Snowy Owl, 12 Bohemian Waxwings, RB Woodpecker, Goshawk, Horned Lark, Merlin, 5 Rough-legged Hawks, and 6 Northern Shrikes. It was a good day out and a nice way to start the new year. Many thanks to those who participated! Ron Fleming, Newmarket Bradford is north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Bohemian Waxwings, Belted Kingfisher west of Newmarket
Driving west of Newmarket this morning I had a small flock of Bohemian Waxwings (8) on the south side of the Lloydtown-Aurora Road, just east of Jane Street in the south end of Kettleby. The Lloydtown-Aurora Road is also known as the 18th Sdrd. It runs east-west from Hwy. 400. Yesterday I had a Belted Kingfisher fly overhead when I was walking my dog along a section of the Holland Landing canal just east of Dufferin Street in Ansnorveldt (north of Hwy. 9). Newmarket, Kettleby and Ansnorveldt are directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. 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/
[Ontbirds] Lake Simcoe - BB Plover, Dunlin, Scoters, Snow Buntings
Standing on the shore of Lake Simcoe in November is not typically an enjoyable experience but it was a pleasure today. Kevin Shackleton, Mike Van den Tillaart and I birded the south shore of the lake and enjoyed the unseasonably warm weather as well as some very good birding. We started at the north end of Riverview Beach Rd. in Pefferlaw where Bruce Brydon had all three scoters last Sunday. We did not find a Surf but did observe over a dozen White-winged Scoters and one Black plus 100+ Bonaparte's Gulls, two Greater Blackbacks, dozens of Common Loons, plus several Cm. Goldeneye, Bufflehead, Long-tailed Ducks, and Lesser Scaup. The most pleasant surprise, however, was six Dunlin and one Black-bellied Plover on the sand flat located near the base of the jetty visible from the parkette on Irving Road. (We were fortunate enough to get permission from some local residents to scope the birds from their backyard at a much closer location.) At Cook's Bay in south Keswick we were surprised at the number of American Coots we observed: there were at least 700 - and that is a conservative estimate! Along the west end of Ravenshoe Road we had barely satisfactory scope views of one of the Bald Eagles that nested among the herons in the tamarack stand north of Best Asia Farms, but our optical straining was compensated for when a flock of approx. 500 Snow Buntings crossed our line of vision in a flurry of black and white wings. A male Northern Harrier did the same for us later. Other interesting birds for the day included one Cooper's Hawk, one American Kestrel, and a Great Blue Heron. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Lake Simcoe is directly north of Toronto. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Leslie Street Spit Saturday
As no one has posted re: Toronto's Leslie Street Spit yesterday, here is a brief report. Our group from York Region (just north of T.O.) had an enjoyable day with highlights including American Pipit (25 or more), Snow Bunting (25 or more), Horned Lark (5), Rusty Blackbird (8), and - our fave sighting of the day - two Short-eared Owls flying over the water off the east beach. We bumped into Mark Peck and two friends who had observed the same birds plus two Red-necked Grebes, a Lapland Longspur, and a Peregrine Falcon. There were numerous Yellow-rumped Warblers, Hermit Thrushes, GC Kinglets, and a few Ruby-crowned Kinglets present as well as many sparrows including White-crowned, White-throated, Song, American Tree, and a first winter Chipping Sparrow. 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/
[Ontbirds] Bluebirds, Meadowlark - Newmarket area
While hiking with my birding-friendly golden retriever on the outskirts of Newmarket Saturday morning I observed numerous migrants. There were scores of sparrows feeding in the fields of goldenrod and aster - most of them White-crowned and White-throated but also at least eight Song Sparrows and two Field Sparrows. Also had a half dozen Ruby-crowned Kinglets, ten or more Yellow-rumped Warblers, two Nashville Warblers, an Eastern Meadowlark, an Eastern Phoebe, and - in a coniferous stand - dozens of Golden-crowned Kinglets. Eleanor Thompson had Eastern Bluebirds at her property in SW Newmarket the same day, just west of Bathurst Street and south of Mulock. Ron Fleming Newmarket is directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Scissor-tailed Flycatcher @ Monticello Tuesday
Drove to Monticello this afternoon to look for the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. The bird was not present along the East Luther Sdrd. 21/22 when I checked between 2:15-2:30 so I parked my vehicle and walked the laneway that leads west into the Luther Marsh. The wind was very high and I soon met two ladies from Hamilton who had just spent an hour looking for the flycatcher without success, so my hopes weren't high. My golden retriever and I checked the area where Bill Crins observed the bird yesterday (between the Monticello Project plaque and the viewing blind) but we couldn't find it anywhere. We took some consolation in watching families of Pied-billed Grebes, Trumpeter Swans, and a passing quintet of Sandhill Cranes, but resigned ourselves to dipping on the southwestern rarity (my dog needs it for his life list). Fortunately, as I was folding up my scope, a helpful couple from Kitchener strolled up and informed me that they'd just had the flycatcher along the trail that runs west, south and west again to a berm between two cells. I thanked them and made the hike out into the heart of the blustery marsh. Although I observed lots of kingbirds, swallows, and goldfinches en route, I didn't catch a glimpse of the Scissor-tail. Heading back to my van, I followed the path through a thin strip of trees and bushes that runs north-south (not far west of the afore-mentioned plaque). Some of the trees were heavy with apples and I remembered the couple saying they'd also seen the flycatcher near some apple trees, so I stopped a few steps east of this hedgerow. Glancing north toward the hamlet of Monticello I was pleasantly surprised to observe the Scissor-tail about 10m away from me on a small bush near the only apple tree that sits on that side of the trail. It was my first look at this species since a university trip to Texas with friends in 1984). I got some good looks at the bird before it flushed and flew past me (southward) with those long, fabulous tail feathers. It soon cut back against the west wind and returned to the line of trees and bushes that extends southward, staying on the lee side of that thin barrier. I watched the bird from 3:00-3:05 before it dropped down into the tall grass below it, presumably to catch something there. By 3:30, when I was having a pleasant chat with John F. from Ajax, it still had not re-appeared. Ron Fleming, Newmarket From Orangeville, take Dufferin County Rd. 109 west to County Rd. 25, turn right/north through Grand Valley and continue north to County Rd. 15, turn left and go through the hamlet of Colbeck to the next hamlet (Monticello; about 5 km west of County Rd. 25). The wooden blind and laneway are about 300 m south of the intersection of County Rd. 15 and East Luther Sideroad 21/22, on the west side of this road. The blind is clearly visible from the road, and the laneway is just south of this. Follow the main path WSW past the gate until you get to the plaque (it is mounted on a sort of cairn), then walk west past the No Hunting signs to the north-south line of trees and bushes. ___ 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/
Re: [Ontbirds] Black-bellied Whistling Duck-Milford-Yes
With Carol Horner's help, Kevin Shackleton and I caught a glimpse of the BB Whistling Duck (his head only) minutes before it and the family of mallards it was with disappeared into the reeds. Although the birds were little more than 10 metres from where we stood at the fenceline they stayed completely out of sight (and silent) for over an hour after that. Carol mentions 9:10 a.m. in her post, though I think it was actually 10:10. We arrived at 10:15, had that quick glimpse of the bird, then waited around until 11:30 before the mallards and their anomalous friend finally emerged from the reeds and swam back across the pond (from west to east), offering excellent views. Any other visitors to the pond who don't see the BB whistling duck at first might want to wait a bit before leaving. If we had not crossed paths with Carol and Craig it would have been easy to assume the duck was long gone. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Directions as previously posted: From the west end of Picton at the traffic lights take Lake Street from the LCBO and follow south (Lake Street becomes County Road 10) about 9 km to Cherry Valley. At the stop sign in Cherry Valley, turn left and follow C.R. 10 to Milford. The ponds are 10 km from the turn in Cherry Valley. Upon reaching Milford, turn left at the stop sign (a T or 3-way intersection), then right again at the post office in Milford, and continue on C.R.10 for about 2-3 km. The ponds are on a farm to your left on the bend of the highway just beyond and across from the intersection of Royal Road. --- On Wed, 7/21/10, Carol Horner icte...@rogers.com wrote: From: Carol Horner icte...@rogers.com Subject: [Ontbirds] Black-bellied Whistling Duck-Milford-Yes To: Ontbirds ontbirds@hwcn.org Date: Wednesday, July 21, 2010, 6:33 PM Hello Ontbirders This morning around 9:10 Craig Ham and I arrived at the pond to find the Black-bellied Whistling Duck in plain view in the pond closest to the road, in the company of some Mallards. We observed and photographed it for about 5 minutes before all the ducks disappeared into the grasses at the near edge of the pond. We hung around for another 15 minutes or so, and had only one small glimpse of it during that time. Timing is everything! Directions as previously posted: From the west end of Picton at the traffic lights take Lake Street south (Lake Street becomes County 10) about 9 km to Cherry Valley, continue left on County 10 through Milford about 3 km. The ponds are on your left just past a bend and across from the intersection of Royal Road. Good Birding Carol Horner Toronto___ 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/ ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] No Access to Holland Landing Lagoons
With the southbound migration of shorebirds well under way, some Toronto area birders might be considering a trip up to the Holland Landing Lagoons. In the summers of 2006 and 2007 this was a very productive area to visit and well worth the trip. The last two summers have been a bust due to high water levels and minimal shorebird habitat for migrants to visit. This summer, due to some ambitious vandalism in the spring, access to the lagoons is unequivocally denied to even the most passive user. New fences (of substantial height, for those of you with gymnastic notions) and unignorable NO TRESPASSING signs have been put up to discourage any attempts at entry. On a more positive note, a fairly good shorebird area has developed along the north side of Ravenshoe Road east of Woodbine (Keswick area) over the past few years. The disadvantage of birding here is that Ravenshoe is typically busy with east-west traffic passing by at high speed as you scope from the gravel shoulder of the road. The shorebird habitat is too marshy and wet to walk out to so you have to stand there at the roadside. I do not know the current status of the once productive Schomberg lagoons west of Newmarket but will look into it. Hope this info helps shorebird seekers in the GTA. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Holland Landing is directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] RE: Holland Landing Lagoons
For the record, the vandalism done at these lagoons was not done by birders and had nothing to do with birding. RF, 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Report for June
Even with birds settling into nesting routines and keeping a slightly lower profile there have been some good York Region sightings this month. One of the most interesting was a HOODED WARBLER that flew into Gene Denzel's Thornhill yard June 15th. It stayed for several minutes, singing loudly from a maple tree. This species is present in the Happy Valley area north of Nobleton during breeding season but they are not common; to have one along the suburban Yonge Street corridor in mid-June is especially unusual. This past weekend at least two Hoodeds were calling near the spot where the ACADIAN FLYCATCHER has been reported in Happy Valley (he, too, was singing on territory both days). When I was there Sunday with Joandice Tigley and Tony Marshall we also heard a RED-SHOULDERED HAWK calling. Due to the heavy leaf cover most birds were identified through song recognition rather than visual ID. The mosquitoes at Happy Valley are not as tenacious as those at Doyle Road (where the Chuck Will's Widow is), but a walk in the woods there can still be a bit of a blood donor clinic. When I left that location on Sunday morning I did a slow drive westward along 16th Sdrd. and added OSPREY, KINGFISHER and EASTERN BLUEBIRD within the first kilometer. On June 21st Graham Leonard had a very good yard bird in Richmond Hill. Looking up from his property at 3:30 in the afternoon he observed a mature BALD EAGLE flying south, presumably to Lake Ontario. A pair of Bald Eagles has nested both this year and last along the south shore of Cook's Bay in Keswick (visible by scoping north from Ravenshoe Road near Best Asia Farms). Whether young were successfully fledged has not been confirmed. SANDHILLS CRANES nested successfully in the same area of the Holland Marsh this year; a family was photographed by Linda Wells and Irving Himel in late May. These birds have been observed by Kevin Shackleton and others since then. This may be a first confirmed breeding for the species in York Region - I will check with local record keepers. East of Aurora Al Johnston had a pair of PURPLE MARTINS fly over his property on June 17th. A friend of Al's in Sutton monitors PMs and has counted 32 nesting pairs this spring - nice stats to hear since this bird is in serious decline. John Watson and I were happy to observe a pair of BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHERS at their nest NW of Kleinburg back on June 11, as well as a pair of AMERICAN KESTRELS at the Cold Creek hydro property. While cycling in the Holland Marsh last week I heard then observed a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD along Strawberry Lane west of Keele Street. I had the same bird earlier in the month. Just out of York region and into Simcoe county I observed a MERLIN near the corner of Hwy. 27 and 9th Line on Father's Day. 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/
[Ontbirds] WHN Field Trip to Carden
Kevin Shackleton, Robin Lawson and I led a field trip to the Carden Alvar for the West Humber Naturalists (based in Kleinburg) today. Contrary to forecasts of rain and thunderstorms the early morning cloud cover gave way to superb weather as the day unfolded. We had great views of the Carden specialties including a Loggerhead Shrike northeast of nest box 3, Upland Sandpipers, Eastern Bluebirds, Clay-colored, Grasshopper and Vesper Sparrows, a trio of Northern Ravens (being dive-bombed by Baltimore Orioles and Eastern Kingbirds), American Bittern, Virginia Rail, a Brown Thrasher feasting on puddle-visiting skippers, and - as our dearly departed Keith Dunn would have said - crippling (i.e. spectacular) looks at a Sedge Wren. We also had Golden-winged Warbler, Marsh Wren, Alder Flycatcher, Wilson's Snipe, Alder Flycatcher and loads of butterflies. We had a good fortune socially too, crossing paths with John Stewart, Doug Lockrey, Fred Bodsworth (a thrill for several of us who loved Last of the Curlews) and their Pickering-area group. We shared anecdotes, birding tips, and some good laughs together before parting ways. Also met a foursome of young bucks doing the Carden Challenge - they were lots of fun to chat with and it was nice to catch a glimpse of the future of birding as they ventured off to far horizons with their spirits high and binos loaded for listing. Along Prospect Road we added Sora, BW Teal, and another American Bittern. A great day out in a great birding area! Would love to have stayed out late to try for the Chuck Will's Widow that Dan Bone and his team found yesterday evening but there were dogs to walk, burgers to flip, and lawns to cut. 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/
[Ontbirds] Correction re: WHN Carden
In my post I referred to John Stirrat as John Stewart - (sorry)... ... and Alder Flycatcher should not be listed twice. RF, 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/
[Ontbirds] Warblers, BB Cuckoos, CC Sparrows - Newmarket
There was a very good variety of spring migrants at the Cawthra Mulock Reserve in NW Newmarket Saturday morning including 17 warbler species. Notable in the latter group were BLUE-WINGED (1), BLACKBURNIAN (8 or more), NORTHERN PARULA (4 or 5!), and a TENNESSEE. I also had a pair of BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS, two singing CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS, a pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, three RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEES, two RUFFED GROUSE drumming, and a single SCARLET TANAGER. Returning today in much nicer weather the birding was good but not nearly as busy as yesterday. Last night's clear weather seems to have prompted many of Saturday's visitors to take advantage of the favourable conditions and depart for points north. The good news is that several local nesters are back on territory throughout the reserve: there were four CLAY-COLORED SPARROWS singing today, three BLACK-BILLED CUCKOOS, two WILD TURKEYS, at least two BROWN THRASHERS, at least one GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (thanks, Bruce Brydon), a WILLOW FLYCATCHER, and a PILEATED WOODPECKER. There are also numerous Bobolinks, Kingbirds, RB Grosbeaks, Great Crested Flycatchers, Nashville Warblers, Field Sparrows, and Baltimore Orioles. Today I found my first Indigo Buntings too. My two visits to the reserve this weekend yielded 72 species. Unfortunately access to the reserve will be compromised over the next month or so as the main house (once owned by Mr. Cawthra Mulock and his family) is being torn down! This will affect access from Bathurst Street but there is a second entrance on Dufferin Avenue. Turn north onto Dufferin from Hwy. 9/ Davis Drive and proceed about 3 kms to Miller Sdrd. (It runs east-west, coming to a T-intersection at Dufferin.) Drive past Miller Sdrd. approx. 1.5 kms and you will see a small, fenced parking area on the east side of the road. Park here and walk east through the wet meadow. When you get to the hydro lines, turn south and start listening for the dry buzz-buzz of Clay-colored Sparrows, as well as the RITZ-bew of Willow Flycatchers (yes, I think they say Ritz rather than Fitz, but that could be a desire for crackers). The main part of the reserve is directly east of the power lines (which run fairly much north-south through the property). Turn left (east) when you get to the open field on the south side of the hydro line path. Listen for Grasshopper Sparrows, Bobolinks, Meadowlarks and other field species along the way. Once you get to the square silo, start birding in earnest. You can hike north on a trail that takes you down into the main creek valley and up the other side or turn east along the old maple laneway and beyond. It's a very nice place to visit! If you go, let me know how you fare. 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/
[Ontbirds] Rusty Blackbird, Bald Eagle, Broad-winged Hawk, etc. York Region
A field trip designed for two local nature clubs today yielded 66 species in 5 hours - all good numbers for York Region on May 1st except for the priceless fact that nobody showed up. As the trip leader I carried on solo, eventually picking up my dog for company, resulting in a very pleasant day of birding. Stop #1 was at Seneca College in King City where highlights included WINTER WRENS (at least two) singing heartily on both sides of the Oak Ridges Trail beside Keele Street, my first NORTHERN WATERTHRUSHES, YELLOW, PALM and BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLERS of the spring, a single RUSTY BLACKBIRD on the Mary Lake side of Keele, and my first BROAD-WINGED HAWK of the season circling over a field east of Keele. Stop #2 was the Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve in Newmarket which yielded my first NASHVILLE WARBLERS of the year, at least three EASTERN MEADOWLARKS, a pair of EASTERN BLUEBIRDS, several RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, a loudly calling WILD TURKEY, numerous FIELD SPARROWS, and a very vocal BROWN THRASHER. The Holland Landing lagoons continue to have high water levels and precious little shorebird habitat but there were 16 WOOD DUCKS present, as well as 14 NORTHERN SHOVELERS. Ravenshoe Road West still offers views of nesting BALD EAGLES (a pair in the tamarack stand north of Best Asia Farms and visible by scoping from Ravenshoe Road) and OSPREYS. At least 3 NORTHERN HARRIERS were also present in this area. East of Woodbine Avenue southeast of Keswick there is good shorebird habitat on the north side of Ravenshoe Road. I observed one GREATER YELLOWLEGS, two LESSERS, seven DUNLIN, and about fifty ducks including Shoveler, Wood Duck, and both Teal. The Greater White-fronted Goose observed (and photographed) by Paul Wigglesworth on Thursday at this location was not present when I was there this afternoon. Craig Corcoran had his first CLIFF SWALLOWS and WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW north of Nobleton this week. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Gr. White-fronted Goose - Keswick
This morning on his way to work Paul Wigglesworth observed and photographed a Greater White-fronted Goose on the north side of Ravenshoe Road about half a km east of Woodbine Ave. near Keswick. 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region - Swallows, Warblers, Shorebirds, etc.
New spring arrivals in York region (just north of Toronto) include BANK SWALLOWS dating back to April 12 (reported at the Green Lane bridge in Newmarket by Robin Lawson) and BARN SWALLOWS April 20 (reported by Craig Corcoran north of Nobleton). (Tree Swallows have been back since late March.) Robin L. also observed four DUNLIN and at least two GREATER YELLOWLEGS in the flooded fields on the north side of Ravenshoe Road east of Woodbine Ave. (Keswick area) this past Thursday while a friend of Mike Van den Tillaart's (no name given) had 4 PECTORAL SANDPIPERS, four NORTHERN SHOVELERS and over a dozen GREEN-WINGED TEAL at the same location on Friday. Further west in Keswick, the vernal pond at the end of Yonge St. (south of Ravenshoe Rd.) has featured loafing CASPIAN TERNS (up to 24) this past week (as per Robin L.). Mike Van den Tillaart has had WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS in his Newmarket yard since Monday as well as a YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER mid-week. Hiking through the Cawthra Mulock reserve in NW Newmarket on Thursday afternoon I had my first YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLERS (4) of the season. PINE WARBLERS were still singing in the pines on the south side of the property and FIELD SPARROWS were present in several locations. Allan Roitner had a BROWN THRASHER there this morning (Monday, April 26) and had the first two PALM WARBLERS of the season while hiking the wooded section of the Seneca College property in King City yesterday. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Spring Arrivals in York Region
Last weekend Mike Van den Tillaart and I hiked the Oak Ridges Trail where it crosses Seneca College's beautiful campus in King City. We had our first WINTER WRENS of the spring singing from the swamp east of Keele Street as well as numerous GC KINGLETS, N. FLICKERS and a BROWN CREEPER. Four AMERICAN WIGEONS, one RING-NECKED DECK, and six BUFFLEHEAD were swimming in the sewage lagoon on the southern edge of the property and a BELTED KINGFISHER rattled past as we were watching the ducks. At least 40 TREE SWALLOWS were criss-crossing the southwestern edge of Lake Seneca and an OSPREY flew by carrying a fish in its talons. Several TURKEY VULTURES tilted by, as well as a COOPER'S HAWK and a local RED-TAIL. Craig Corcoran had an early-ish SAVANNAH SPARROW northeast of Nobleton last Saturday and his first CHIPPING SPARROW of the spring Wednesday. On Friday Gene Denzel had a BROWN THRASHER visit his Thornhill yard and, at nearby Uplands Golf Course, a singing FIELD SPARROW. I finally caught up to my first EASTERN BLUEBIRDS and SAVANNAH SPARROWS of the spring along Keele Street in Kettleby this morning. Later, my dog and I hiked around the Cawthra Mulock reserve in northwest Newmarket and found a good variety of birds including our first PINE WARBLERS, RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS, and FIELD SPARROWS of the spring. There was also a WILD TURKEY calling from the creek valley, a PILEATED WOODPECKER flying over Bathurst, and a SHARP-SHINNED HAWK flashing its white undertail coverts in a flight display. In the pond at Cawthra Mulock we counted 24 Painted Turtles and one huge Snapping Turtle. Kevin Shackleton had a pair of swans fly into Bogart Pond in southeast Newmarket Monday morning - he checked them out and as best he could tell, they were TUNDRAS. During his morning walks he has had CHIPPING SPARROWS in his neighbourhood this week and RUBY-CROWNED KINGLETS at Fairy Lake this morning. East of Aurora, Al Johnson's pond is hosting a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS that he hopes will use his nest box for yet another year. Ron Flerming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Snowy Owl, Keswick
While trying out his new camera today, Robin Lawson found a Snowy Owl lingering in southwest Keswick (at home in the snowy wind?). It was at the edge of the Holland Marsh Fields on far east Ravenshoe Road (but still west of Bruce Street). (Attn: Gregor Beck) 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/
[Ontbirds] Re: Snowy Owl, Keswick
Robin says the owl was at the far WEST end of Ravenshoe Road. 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/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket-Bradford-Keswick Area Birds
Rain and wind have limited birding the last few days but the Easter weekend produced some interesting sightings. While cycling on Good Friday I heard numerous Easter(n) Phoebes and Easter(n) Meadowlarks singing between Bradford and Beeton but my best bird was an early VESPER SPARROW. It flushed up from the roadside ditch when I was riding west on Line 9 east of Hwy. 27, flashing its white outer-tail feathers like a big beige junco. It then sat long enough on a fencepost for me to sling my binoculars up and see its white eye-ring before it jumped down into the brushy edge of a big field. NORTHERN FLICKERS seemed to materialize overnight, appearing on Friday in several different places around Newmarket and Bradford, calling from treetops and flying in long undulations across various roads, fields and forests. GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS were singing their high,sweet songs in the Cawthra Mulock Reserve and many other locations over the weekend. On Saturday morning in southwest Keswick Bruce Brydon found at least a dozen PECTORAL SANDPIPERS in the flooded field at the end of Yonge St. south of Ravenshoe Road. There were also several NORTHERN SHOVELERS, AMERICAN WIGEON, and a few NORTHERN PINTAIL present at this location. John Watson relocated the same birds on Sunday and I found the same selection (Pectorals included) Easter Monday. Bruce also checked Cook's Bay on Saturday - he had calling PIED-BILLED GREBE, an AMERICAN COOT and many, many ducks - RING-NECKED, BUFFLEHEAD, COMMON MERGANSER, more AMERICAN WIGEON and GREEN-WINGED TEAL. The BALD EAGLES on territory (and staking out a nest) north of Ravenshoe Road were seen both Saturday and Monday. They are in the heronry directly north of Best Asia Farms. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Newmarket, Bradford and Keswick are north of Toronto and south of Barrie ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Bald Eagles, Osprey, Tree Swallow - York Region
The pair of BALD EAGLES that Peter Wukasch mentioned in a recent post were readily observed (through a scope) by looking north from the western stretch of Ravenshoe Road in south Keswick at 4:30 this afternoon. One was perched on a large nest while the other was circling over the mouth of the nearby West Holland River. As Peter noted, the eagles are surrounded by Great Blue Herons and do, indeed, seem like hired muscle for the heronry. They can be also observed from the other side of the river by driving to the eastern end of Line 13 north of Bradford. For the record, a local landowner in a big black pickup truck made it very clear to me that he doesn't like bird-watchers so anyone who visits the Ravenshoe Road area be sure to stay on public property (i.e, Ravenshoe and Yonge only - don't venture north or south along the dike trails. I had a late NORTHERN SHRIKE along Ravenshoe and, at the south end of Yonge Street, my personal-earliest-ever OSPREY in York Region (I've never had one in March before). It flew southward along the river then perched on a nesting platform that is at the very northern end of Bathurst Street. At this same location (the dead end of Yonge St. that runs down from Ravenshoe) I had the pleasure to watch three NORTHERN HARRIERS (2 adult males and an immature bird) doing their spectacular flight displays. The south end of Cook's Bay is hosting literally hundreds of ducks right now but by the time I found a good vantage point to scope them from the sun was low enough to make many of them silhouettes. I was able to identify numerous NORTHERN PINTAILS, COMMON MERGANSERS, some AMERICAN WIGEONS and my first BLUE-WINGED TEAL of the year (3 drakes and a hen flying together). In the Holland Marsh vegetable fields south of Bradford I had my earliest-ever TREE SWALLOW today. At the Cawthra Mulock Reserve I found my first EASTERN PHOEBES (2) and EASTERN MEADOWLARKS (2) of the season and, at the entrance to Silver Lakes Golf Course in north Holland Landing, two WOOD DUCKS (flying over) and my first Mourning Cloak butterfly of the spring. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Birds
Bird activity has slowed down a bit in York Region since the balmy March Break. The vernal ponds of Hochreiter Road and Bathurst Street northwest of Holland Landing came and went quickly this year, as did the migrating waterfowl. I had a single WOOD DUCK and six COMMON MERGANSERS in Holland Landing Friday but that was it for me and ducks. Bruce Brydon had better luck at the south end of Cook's Bay on Saturday (the only section of open water in this part of Lake Simcoe at this point); he observed over 500 COMMON MERGS, 100+ LESSER SCAUP, 3 HOODED MERGS, a single REDHEAD, and a GLAUCOUS GULL. Lorena Campbell had a TURKEY VULTURE flying over Keswick Monday afternoon while Bruce Brydon had an EASTERN BLUEBIRD on Bathurst St. north of Morning Sdrd. on Wednesday and a PURPLE FINCH at the Holland Landing Prairie Reserve Friday. On Saturday morning I observed a PILEATED WOODPECKER and a NORTHERN SHRIKE at the Cawthra Mulock reserve while Bruce found a dozen GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS there the same day. In north Holland Landing Kevin Shackleton had two AMERICAN WOODCOCK displaying at dusk on Earth Day, as well as a vocalizing GREAT HORNED OWL. Craig Corcoran had the first EASTERN MEADOWLARKS of the season (that I'm aware of anyway) northeast of Nobleton on Saturday. On Sunday Bruce B. had the first WILSON'S SNIPE of the year at the west end of Hochreiter Rd. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Migrants
As with many parts of Ontario, York region benefited from balmy temps and southerly winds that ushered in a good variety of spring migrants this week. Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbirds, Cm. Grackles, Robins, Cowbirds, Horned Larks, and Song Sparrows moved in en masse over the past several days. Last Sunday Bruce Brydon had the first TUNDRA SWANS of the season for this area (three of them along Hochreiter Road near Holland Landing) but they went unobserved again until today when Gord Cameron and I observed three (same birds?) at that location. Between the vernal ponds along Hochreiter Road and the fully thawed West Holland River, 13 duck species have been observed since Tuesday: NORTHERN PINTAIL, GREEN-WINGED TEAL, WOOD DUCK, NORTHERN SHOVELER, RING-NECKED DUCK, HOODED CM. MERGANSER, GADWALL, AMERICAN WIGEON, BUFFLEHEAD, CM. GOLDENEYE, BLACK DUCK, and, of course, MALLARD. Despite the good variety, waterfowl numbers have been lower than previous years (at least so far). Returning birds of prey have also moved in. The local population of Red-tailed Hawks appears to have doubled over the past week while the one or two NORTHERN HARRIERS reported sporadically through the winter months have been joined by several others in the Holland Marsh area (i.e. Bradford, Holland Landing, and Keswick) this week. The first TURKEY VULTURES of the season were observed by both Bruce Brydon and Kevin Shackleton in the Newmarket/Holland Landing area Thursday. On the same day Craig Corcoran reported the first RED-SHOULDERED HAWK of the year (for York Region) a few kms south of the Happy Valley forest NW of Nobleton. On both Monday and Wednesday an adult male SNOWY OWL was present in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields south of Bradford but I have not been able to rediscover him since. There have been no reports of Snowies along Bathurst St. N. or Ravenshoe Rd. this week. On Monday a BALD EAGLE flew over Silver Lakes Golf Course in north Holland Landing. The first EASTERN BLUEBIRDS of the year showed up at Craig Corcoran's rural property near Nobleton on Thursday while perhaps the last SNOW BUNTINGS of the season (a flock of 40+) were observed at the north end of Bathurst St. by Gord Cameron and I today. As reported by Chip Weseloh, GREAT BLUE HERONS are already back on territory in Richmond Hill; Bruce Brydon had the first one in the Holland Landing area Friday. Three WHITE-CROWNED SPARROWS that wintered along Devald Rd. in the Holland Marsh were observed again today by Gord Cameron. Meadowlarks, Snipe, Woodcock, and Pied-billed Grebe - among others - should show up any day now...! Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Pintails, Porcupine, Bald Eagle Snowy Owl - York Region
I spent a enjoyable afternoon with my 20-year-old son today, driving the backroads west and north of Newmarket. Although he is not a birder, he took good long looks (and made the right ooh and aah sounds) at a Snowy Owl that shone like ivory against the dark soil of the Holland Marsh vegetable fields east of Aileen Street and south of Strawberry Lane. He also seemed to genuinely enjoy the fine lines of a Northern Pintail drake that was dabbling in an ephemeral pond near the roadside on Bathurst Street north of Holland Landing. After driving him to his girlfriends' I returned to Bathurst St. N. and scoped the fields to the west. There were at least a dozen more Pintails among the many Canada Geese out there and a few other waterfowl that were simply too far away to identify. A drive down Hochreiter Road would no doubt have offered better views but it looked remarkably muddy and I chickened out. Tundra Swans and other migrant waterfowl should be showing up here any day now. Al Johnston had two Cm. Goldeneye drakes visiting his pond east of Aurora on Friday while Bruce Brydon had a Snow Goose one week ago in north Newmarket. At the north end of Yonge St. in Holland Landing, my dog and I had barely started walking past the first guard rail when a large branch broke in the swamp beside us, carrying a porcupine with it! The quilled critter landed in the water and swam slowly to the raised base of a nearby tree, shaking itself like a wet dog. We left it alone and walked to the north end of the roadway, listening to Red-winged Blackbirds and Cm. Grackles in the wetlands east of us. Looking up into the blue sky at 4:06 p.m. I saw a large, dark bird fly into view. Assuming it would be my first Turkey Vulture of the spring I raised my binos and discovered that it was, in fact, a sub-adult Bald Eagle, white-headed with a mainly dark body but still showing white in the belly and wings. Its mainly white tail had a dark sub-terminal band, but not a big broad one like an immature Golden. At the nearby Holland Landing sewage lagoons there was very little bird activity but I did see my first woolie bear caterpillar of the year and one Northern Harrier just before 5:00 p.m. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Bradford Area - Killdeer, Brown Creeper, etc.
While cycling after work today I finally got my first Red-winged Blackbirds of the year just north of Hwy. 9 along the canal in the Holland Marsh. A sweeter sound than that species' raucous call was a Brown Creeper singing from the swamp on the north side of the canal, west of Hwy. 400. At 6:10 p.m. I had my first Killdeers of the spring, four of them together just west of the little bridge where Line 5 and 5th Sdrd. meet (west of Bradford, but east of Hwy. 27). Ron Fleming, Newmarket Bradford is north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket Area Birds
Spring was definitely in the air on this glorious Sunday afternoon. Unable to stay indoors, I did a circuit of the Newmarket area with my dog, Sam, to see what was out and about. We stopped for a walk at the Cawthra Mulock reserve on Bathurst St. and had a Pileated Woodpecker, then we lucked into an unlucky Great Horned Owl trailing a smoke cloud of screaming crows as it flew just over the treetops. In the nearby Holland Marsh we had very nice looks at two Snowy Owls, one on the east side of Aileen Street, the other on the east side of Jane Street (both of them sitting in the fields north of Woodchopper's Lane). Whether these are the birds who wintered here or two others passing through I'm not sure. Just west of Hwy. 400 an adult Cooper's Hawk was sitting in a tree in the front yard of a house on Canal Road. With accipiters in mind, I checked on the White-crowned Sparrows that have wintered along Devald Road just south of Canal and found three of them amidst the flock of American Tree Sparrows they've kept company with over the last four months. They were on the south side of the road, hiding among the weeds and old vehicles by the roadside west of Day Street. Driving up to the Ravenshoe Road area in southwest Keswick I added numerous Horned Larks, several lingering Snow Buntings, two more Snowy Owls, and a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk - all along the muddy strip of Yonge Street that runs south from Ravenshoe. On a circuitous route home, I added three Wild Turkeys in a field west of Warden Avenue a few kms south of Davis Drive. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Newmarket is located in York Region, directly north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket-Bradford Area Sightings
A field trip organized by The Backyard Birder in Newmarket yielded some good winter birds today. Along Canal Road east of Hwy. 400 we had a female Purple Finch visiting a roadside property and an adult female Cooper's Hawk watching the feeders from across the canal. Soon afterward we rediscovered three of the White-crowned Sparrows (there are at least two adult birds and one immature) that are wintering along nearby Devald Road west of Day St. Following up on a tip from John Schemelefske, we tried for a Snowy Owl that he observed Wednesday along Hazel St. in the Holland Marsh but we were unable to relocate it (a trend that would repeat itself through the day with this species). North of Bradford in the general vicinity of Scanlon Creek we observed a lone coyote, had a fleeting glimpse at some Wild Turkeys near a forest edge along Yonge St., found our second Northern Shrike of the day, and watched a Sharp-shinned Hawk cross Artesian Industrial Pkwy in front of us. Hoping to find one of two Snowy Owls (a white adult male and a more heavily barred immature) that have wintered at the east end of Line 13, we only managed to acquire muddy wheel wells and running boards. The north end of Bathurst Street near Holland Landing did not yield any Snowy Owls either but as I prepared to jump off my van in frustration Stan pointed out a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk over the western fields and Linda found four Horned Larks on the east side of the road. Having agreed on a 1:00 p.m. finish due to afternoon commitments we did not have an opportunity to check Ravenshoe Road for Snowies so I am unaware of whether there are any still being observed in the Keswick area. For the record, we observed over a dozen Red-tailed Hawks (some of them doing courtship displays) during our travels. Many thanks to Nancy Colefield for organizing the trip and to Stan Long, Carol McKnight, Wilma Brian Backus, Bob Linda Hansen, Caleb, Anne, Phil and Maya for lending their keen eyes and enthusiasm to the day's proceedings. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Bradford, Newmarket and Holland Landing are directly north of Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Hawks, Owls, Larks, Ravens - York/Simcoe
Although spring is officially a month away, changes in day length are triggering movement in a lot of birds. Snowy Owls that were being readily observed in the Holland Marsh this winter appear to be starting to move out. Two that wintered in the vegetable fields south of Bradford the last six weeks have not been reported in six days now. Last weekend there were at least eight Snowies present between Newmarket and Keswick; this past week some visiting birders struck out completely in their efforts to find them. On Saturday I managed to rediscover four: one was at the north end of Bathurst Street near Holland Landing (west of the last storage building, sitting on the ground beside the irrigation ditch that runs perpendicular to the road), another was at the eastern end of Line 13 north of Bradford (basically across the river from Ravenshoe Road's west end), and two more were in the Ravenshoe Road area in southwest Keswick, one on the north side of the road along a snowmobile path, the other west of Yonge Street (already noted by several birders on this website). Species like Rough-legged Hawks and Horned Larks that were absent from York region for months have reappeared recently, the former species passing through on their way much further north, some of the latter back on breeding territory. Two light-morph Rough-legs were observed in the Ravenshoe Road area on Sunday as reported by the Alvo family and photographed by Tony Joandice Marshall. On Saturday Lev Frid had a dozen Horned Larks feeding in the company of approx. 400 Snow Buntings at the horse ranch located on the south side of Hwy. 9 at Jane Street east of Hwy. 400. Smaller flocks of Snow Buntings were seen in the same vicinity (Holland Marsh vegetable fields/Canal Rd.) by several observers over the weekend. The larks I have observed out there are singing, which means they are the prairie race that breed locally (many thanks to Ron Pittiway for providing that info). Connie and Jack Walker also enountered Horned Larks this weekend - a small flock of 5-6 were on the south side of Davis Drive just east of Hwy. 404. On Sunday the Walkers also observed a Common Raven at Herald Road Hwy. 48, a Northern Shrike at Kennedy and Davis Drive, and - best of all - a Barred Owl perched on a 40 km/h sign south of St. John's Sdrd. along Kennedy Road. I went after the latter bird on Monday and got great looks at the sign. Consolation for missing the owl was another Raven vocalizing loudly while flying past the radio tower at the nearby Porritt Tract. Other interesting birds I happened upon this weekend were an adult Northern Shrike along 13th Line north of Bradford and a male American Kestrel beside Hwy. 400 south of Canal Rd. (both Saturday), plus a Merlin perched on a satellite dish Monday morning along St. John's Sdrd. near Bayview Ave. Allan Roitner observed a Northern Mockingbird in south Pottageville on Sunday while returning from Cold Creek CA near Bolton where the Varied Thrush is still lingering. East of Aurora a pair of Wood Ducks continues to visit the open section of Al Johnston's pond along Bethesda Road west of McCowan (thanks, Connie, for checking!). Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is directly north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. Bradford is in the southernmost part of Simcoe county. Northern Shrikes were noted by several birders who contacted me this weekend. while Allan Roitner ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Re: Hawks, Owls, etc.- York/Simcoe
To clarify a vague reference: the weekend in which eight Snowies was observed was Feb. 6-7, not the long weekend just past. 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/
Re: [Ontbirds] Snowy Owls- Holland Marsh Area
A quick note of clarification regarding owls in the Bradford area. I observed only two in the vegetable fields east of Hwy. 400; a 3rd was at Bathurst north and the others were along Ravenshoe. Ron --- On Sat, 2/6/10, Siegmar Bodach sigipa...@sympatico.ca wrote: From: Siegmar Bodach sigipa...@sympatico.ca Subject: [Ontbirds] Snowy Owls- Holland Marsh Area To: ontbirds@hwcn.org Date: Saturday, February 6, 2010, 11:24 PM Went to take a survey of Snowy Owls today in the Holland Marsh Area from Keswik to Hwy. 400 and north of Hwy.9 and came across a total of 6 different birds. Saw 3 in the keswik-Ravenshoe Rd. area. 1 was on the north end of old Bathurst St. 2 others were in the Holland Marsh vegetable fields on the west side of Hwy.11. Ron Fleming counted a total of 8 Snowy owls just on the east side of Hwy.11 and in the Bradford area this afternoon. Good birding, Sigi Bodach Aurora, ON ___ 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/ ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Horned Larks, etc. - York Region
Despite the prognostications of famous groundhogs, there are some encouraging signs of spring out there. The Hartleys' post about Horned Larks near Lindsay prompted me to look for some in the Holland Marsh this morning. Sure enough, along Strawberry Lane west of Keele, two of them were making their tinkly calls from the field on the north side of the road. This is the earliest record I have of Horned Larks in York region. Also encouraging lately has been the sound of Black-capped Chickadees making their spring calls. A winter flock that was doing this at the Cawthra Mulock reserve today suddenly changed vocalizations while I was standing by the homestead ruins. I checked the commotion in time to see an immature Northern Shrike half-hopping, half-flying downward through a bush in pursuit of one of the chickadees. His efforts were unsuccessful so he flew to the top of a nearby tree and glared down at the chickadees while they chattered back at him. A West Humber Naturalists' hike yesterday started off slowly in Kleinburg. We dipped on a Swamp Sparrow and a Red-bellied Woodpecker that have been spending the winter in and around Joan Love's property along a still rural section of Major Mackenzie Drive but when we travelled north of Kleinburg we got good looks at an American Kestrel west of Hwy. 27, near the end of King-Vaughan Line. At Cold Creek CA northwest of Bolton we had great looks at the visiting Varied Thrush; it was a life bird for two of the group. After lunching in Schomberg we had two Snowy Owls in the Holland Marsh before the last of few field trip participants headed home. I decided to carry on solo for a bit longer and ended up finding six more Snowies between 2:30-4:30 p.m. One was at the very northern end of Bathurst Street across from the little marina there (Holland Landing area); four were on the north side of Ravenshoe Road (south Keswick) and the last was on the east side of Yonge Street (also south Keswick). Of the eight only two were close to the roadside; the others were pretty far away - scope birds. Many thanks to Joan Love for hosting yesterday morning's trail hike, to the WHN members who came out for the field trip, to the birders I met along Ravenshoe Road yesterday (Sue, Charles, and Sigi) and to Chris Dunn (Keith's nephew) for his tips about Snowies. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Barrie. For more specific directions e-mail me privately. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Turkeys, Shrikes Snowies - Bradford/Keswick
The lingering effects of a flu limited my birding to a few hours this weekend but there were some good birds to be found. On my way up Yonge St. north of Bradford yesterday I had a flock of 15 Wild Turkeys on the west side of the road approx. 2k past Scanlon Creek, then 3 more turkeys on the south side of Line 13 as I made my way to its eastern end. Nearing the open flats of the marsh I had a Northern Shrike then an adult male Snowy Owl at the end of the lane. I had another shrike along McCowan Road east of Aurora around noon today, then decided to turn around and do a quick check of the Holland Marsh west of Newmarket. I rediscovered the Snowy Owl that has been wintering north of Woodchopper's Lane and east of Jane Street near Hwy. 400 (again it was way out there in the middle of the fields), then drove to the north end of Bathurst near Holland Landing to look for two Snowies reported there Saturday. While looking for them in vain I chatted with a birding couple in a pickup truck and a younger chap - also birding - in a sporty car. We collectively resigned ourselves to failure and talked about how important timing was when birding. True to the quirks of irony, only moments after they drove away I made one last attempt - this time from a different vantage point that offered views looking north into the fields - and found the Snowy that so often sits on the ground west of Bathurst. The bird had been virtually invisible from the main road. Since my luck was on I decided to drive up to Ravenshoe Road in south Keswick despite reports of no owls being sighted there earlier in the day. Sure enough, not half a km past Bruce Street, a Snowy Owl flew across the first field on the north side of the road and landed on a hydro pole beside the snowmobile trail. I watched him through my scope for a bit, then drove to the dead end of Ravenshoe and prepared to turn south on Yonge Street. Another Snowy - a darkly barred female/immature type - chose that moment to cross the road in front of me, landing on a TV antenna at the corner of Yonge and Ravenshoe. Timing and dumb luck were with me, offsetting other birding days when both were absent. After driving the length of Yonge (approx. 2k) in a steadily building snowfall I turned back onto Ravenshoe and lucked into my third Northern Shrike of the weekend. I took this as a sign to head home since - yes, Ian Cannell - three shrikes means you're out. On the way back to Newmarket I added an American Kestrel (eating a mouse on the west side of Leslie Street north of Queensville) and a dozen more Wild Turkeys (feeding in a cornfield on the west side of 2nd Concession just north of Doane Road in Holland Landing). Bradford, Keswick and Holland Landing are located directly north of Toronto, east of Hwy. 400 about halfway up to Barrie. 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/
[Ontbirds] P.S. Re: Turkeys, etc. Bradford/Keswick
Meant to add that - of local interest to York region birders - Steve McAllister has had a Red-winged Blackbird visiting his feeder in south-central Newmarket all week (Fairy Lake area) and Al Johnston still has three Wood Ducks visiting his heated pond east of Aurora (Bethesda Sdrd. near Lemonville).. 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Sightings
The Holland Marsh has been good for raptors in this first month of the new year. Last Saturday Mike Van den Tillaart and I had a female/imm. Merlin along Strawberry Lane but when I looked for it yesterday I found a Northern Shrike instead. A male American Kestrel has been present all winter, often found along Wist Road or Devald. It was at the latter location yesterday, apparently eyeing up one of the two White-crowned Sparrows that are still wintering with a flock of American Tree Sparrows west of Day St. There is also a male Northern Harrier in this area. As reported by a few Ontbirds posters already, there is a Snowy Owl wintering in the general vicinity of Edward and Aileen Streets south of Bradford. On Saturday morning I watched it being hassled by two crows who eventually drove it from the west side of Aileen to the east side, where it settled on the ground well out in the fields. This area is bounded by Keele and Jane Streets on the east and west, Strawberry and Woodchopper's Lanes on the north and south, respectively. A scope is often needed to find this bird. Another Snowy is wintering near the north end of Bathurst Street near Holland Landing. Again, a scope is usually necessary for decent looks. It usually sits out in the fields well away from the road, west of the last storage building. Today while visiting Ravenshoe Road for the first time since Keith Dunn's passing (this area was his regular beat), I observed an immature/female Northern Harrier (i.e. brown) hunting in the marsh west of Yonge Street and another Snowy, this one sitting on top of a green combine, also west of Yonge. Needless to say, owl seekers are encouraged to observe these birds from the roadside, letting your scope or your best camera lens cover the distance. 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/
[Ontbirds] Keith Dunn
It is with a heavy heart that I report the passing of Keith Dunn, a mainstay of the York region birding community and, more importantly, a marvellous friend whose sense of humour and easy-going personality will be sorely missed by all who had the fortune of knowing him. Keith was a long time member of the West Humber Naturalists and a stalwart of countless CBCs and Baillie Birdathon teams. He was an excellent birder, a natural storyteller, a diehard soccer fan, a lover of music and movies, and a champion of nature's little crittersHe had turned his backyard into a haven for birds, butterflies, wildflowers, frogs and toads. Walking into it was like entering a little piece of Tolkien's Shire, Keefer the gentle lord of it all. He was truly one of a kind. His quick laughter and keen eye for birds will be missed at every turn in the years ahead.. If you are ever birding Cook's Bay or Holland Landing or looking for snowies along Ravenshoe Road in Keswick, think of Keith. Those were among his most-loved places and I trust that part of him will always remain there. Ron Fleming, Newmarket -- Mark Cranford ONTBIRDS Coordinator Mississauga, Ont. mark.cranf...@ofo.ca 905 279 9576 ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] York Region Sightings
Some good winter sparrows have survived the big chill that kicked off 2010: two White-Crowns have been wintering with a flock of Tree Sparrows along Devald Road in the Holland Marsh for at least two weeks while two White-Throated Sparrows are still making appearances at Lorena Campbell's feeders in Willow Beach near Jackson's Point. Snow Buntings are moving about in good numbers in the Holland Marsh - up to 400 birds have been observed in the past week (though not always together). The Snowy Owl reported by Skip Shand in the vicinity of Woodchopper's Lane and Jane St. on Jan. 6 was still around on the weekend. Interestingly, I assumed this would be the heavily barred individual I have observed through much of December west of Dufferin Street but it is not. I don't know where White Mask has gone since the deep freeze of Jan. 2nd but I'm still looking for him. A pure white Snowy was out in the fields west of Bathurst St. N. on Saturday, well away from the road and only recognizable through a spotting scope.. This is the same area (north of Queensville Sdrd. in NW Holland Landing) where Robin Lawson had an immature Red-Winged Blackbird on Jan. 2. The latter has not been rediscovered to date. East of Aurora, Al Johnston's heated pond has kept three Wood Ducks happy through the cold weather. The Woodies (two drakes and one hen) were still visiting his place on Bethesda Road near Lemonville as recently as yesterday. 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/
[Ontbirds] Bradford Area CBC
(Apologies for the delay in getting this out - one team's data sheet was missing.) The 12th annual Bradford-East Gwillimbury CBC was held last Saturday - Jan. 2, 2010. The count circle extends northward from Hwy. 9 (Newmarket) to include Bradford, Holland Landing, the Holland Marsh, SW Keswick (south end of Cook's Bay/ Lake Simcoe), Bond Head, Cookstown, and Gilford. Twenty observers and six feeder-watchers participated in the count on a very cold day with wind chills close to -30 Celcius in some parts of the circle. Total species observed was 45 (our high count was 53 in 2001; low count was 40 in both 05 and 07). Notable species included our first Long-Eared Owl (91st species in the count's history), Bald Eagle, Snowy Owl, Common Raven (2nd record), White-crowned Sparrow (2nd record), and Red-winged Blackbird (2nd record). Notable count week birds that were missed during our CBC were Barred Owl and Brown-headed Cowbird. Many thanks go out to everyone who participated! 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/
[Ontbirds] Newmarket/Keswick Area Sightings
Over the past two weeks there have been some good birds in the Newmarket area. Mike Van den Tillaart had a Belted Kingfisher along the Holland River trail on Dec. 7, Linda Hollinshead had a very vocal Northern Shrike along Morning Sdrd. this past Saturday, and I had a Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel, and male Northern Harrier in the Holland Marsh yesterday afternoon. Keith Dunn had some noteworthy birds last week in the Keswick area: a Merlin, two Pileated Woodpeckers, and an adult Bald Eagle. All of these were seen along Lake Drive. Snowy Owls continue to be observed locally but questionable behaviour on the part of some owl seekers has prompted requests from a few local birders to keep specific directions off the net for awhile. 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/
[Ontbirds] Snowy Owls - Keswick/Newmarket
This morning at 9:15 Mike Van den Tillaart and I had two Snowy Owls in southwest Keswick then - about an hour later - a third Snowy west of Newmarket in the vegetable fields of the Holland Marsh. The owls in the Keswick area were both south of Ravenshoe Road and east of Yonge Street. The first one - a very white bird (adult male, we think) - was sitting on the ground about 250m out from Yonge, just south of the first irrigation ditch. The other bird - a more barred individual - was in the general vicinity of the second irrigation ditch that runs east from Yonge, about the same distance out from the road. There were also Snow Buntings in this area - at least 100 birds. Earlier in the morning Keith Dunn had a Northern Shrike and a Northern Harrier along Ravenshoe Rd. Here are my directions from last week: This stretch of Yonge Street is nothing like the urban/suburban thoroughfare the name conjures up. It is a dirt road that runs south from Ravenshoe Road 's western end just east of the Holland River and south of Cook's Bay. ( Ravenshoe Road crosses most of the major roads that run north from Toronto , including Leslie, Warden, Markham , etc..) The first irrigation ditch runs east at the first group of buildings on the left. To get to the second irrigation ditch, continue south to the only other buildings in the landscape. These are metal storage barns - two of them right next to each other (maybe to stave off loneliness). The number on the post is 22094. Mike and I found the third Snowy Owl sitting on the ground about 200m east of Simcoe Road, which runs north-south and intersects with Canal Road at Jonkman's Corners just south of Bradford. The bird was visible through binoculars but the use of a scope helped to confirm it as a bird rather than a bucket, plastic bag, or propane tank, all of which will vie for a birder's attention in the fields here. This individual was pure white. A km further south, where Simcoe Road turns west and becomes Tornado Road, we had a male and female Northern Harrier flying together along the frozen river. Tornado Road can be reached by exiting Hwy. 400 at Canal Road (a minute north of Davis Drive and the cut-off to Newmarket). Follow Canal Road eastward until you get to Tornado then turn right. Last Sunday Mike had a Belted Kingfisher along the Holland River in north Newmarket. Ron Fleming ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Owls, Raven, Accipiters - York Region
Today at 11:30 a.m. I observed a fairly heavily barred Snowy Owl on the east side of Yonge Street in southwest Keswick. This bird may be the same one reported by Bruce Brydon Nov. 15th - it was in the same area and has the same female/immature plumage he described. If you choose to look for this bird, bear in mind that this stretch of Yonge Street is nothing like the urban/suburban thoroughfare the name conjures up. It is a dirt road that runs south from Ravenshoe Road's western end just east of the Holland River and south of Cook's Bay. (Ravenshoe Road crosses most of the major roads that run north from Toronto, including Leslie, Warden, Markham, etc.) On mild days Yonge can be pretty muddy; on snowy days it is often unplowed and prone to drifts. Having said that, it is usually driveable. After passing the first group of buildings on the left, continue south to the only other buildings in the landscape. These are metal storage barns - two of them right next to each other (maybe to stave off loneliness). Lest there be any confusion, the green number on the post is 22094 . When I was there today the owl was sitting on a gnarly log (one of many that gets unearthed from the soil here each year) south of the irrigation ditch that runs east from the road. A yellow front-end loader was just behind it, about 250m out. A scope is highly recommended. Absent from this area today were the two Northern Shrikes (one adult, one immature), the male American Kestrel, and the male Northern Harrier that have provided compensation to Keith Dunn and I in our various attempts to relocate this owl over the past few weeks. Other Snowies will likely show up here in the months to come but the first of the year always adds a little extra spring to a birders' step. Earlier in the day I hiked the Cawthra Mulock reserve in NW Newmarket. It was pretty quiet until a cacophony of cawing around 9:00 a.m. led me to a Great Horned Owl. It soon departed, pulling a trail of screaming crows into the forest with it. Last Saturday at the reserve I was fortunate enough to observe a female Merlin dining on some unfortunate rodent near Dianne's Grove. On Wednesday of this week Mike Van den Tilaart observed a Common Raven flying over Pony Drive in NE Newmarket, not far from the 404 plaza on Davis Drive. A Cooper's Hawk has recently been stopping by to check his feeder birds in the same part of town. East of Aurora Al Johnston has had a pair of Wood Ducks visiting his pond along Bethesda Road and a Sharp-shinned Hawk has been keeping an eye on his feeders. In response to two queries, the Barred Owl reported along Queensville Road by a local birder last week has not been rediscovered. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is straight north from Toronto, about halfway to Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Snowy Owl, Rough-Legged Hawk - York Region
Back on November 15 Bruce Brydon observed a Snowy Owl south of Ravenshoe Road in SW Keswick - the earliest arrival on record for this region. In the days since then several local birders have tried to rediscover the bird but with no success. Still, some raptors have provided consolation. On Tuesday afternoon Keith Dunn had both a Merlin and a Northern Shrike along Ravenshoe Road then, when he and I crossed paths, we discovered a light-morph Rough-legged Hawk and a Northern Harrier along Yonge Street south of Ravenshoe. Hoping to find a Snowy Owl in the vegetable fields south of Bradford last weekend I settled instead for two Red-tails, a male American Kestrel, a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and a beautiful adult female Cooper's Hawk perched along Edward Street. I finally notched my first Snow Buntings of the winter Tuesday in south Keswick (John Watson and Keith Dunn had these birds a full three weeks ago in the same area) then - this morning - was pleasantly surprised to find four of them on the soccer field behind the school I teach at in suburban Newmarket. Ron Fleming ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Fox Sparrows, Bluebirds, Yellowlegs - York Region
A hike through the Cawthra Mulock reserve on Thanksgiving Monday yielded a good variety of migrating passerines. There were 10-12 Fox Sparrows in the cedars near Diane's Grove and, further west where the path climbs to a high meadow, loads of Yellow-rumped Warblers (40+) flitting amongst the asters and goldenrod. Keeping company with the yellow rumps were two Palm Warblers and numerous Ruby-crowned Kinglets. South of the reserve's pond area there were several more Yellow-rumps, two Cm. Yellowthroats, lots of White-throated (30+) and White-crowned Sparrows (20+), plus one Swamp Sparrow, and about a dozen Song Sparrows. There were also more RC Kinglets and numerous GC Kinglets (approx. 40 of this latter species). Singing beautifully in the same area was a male Purple Finch in the company of a silent female. A GB Heron was present at the small pond there. Just east of Woodbine Avenue yesterday three Eastern Bluebirds were still lingering along the north side of Vandorf Sdrd. east of Aurora. The bluebirds were there last week too, possibly local nesters getting ready to leave (there are bluebird boxes at the roadside). Two Greater Yellowlegs and one Lesser which were feeding in an ephemeral pond at the same location last Sunday were not present today. Al Johnston, who lives further east on Vandorf Sdrd. (southwest of Purpleville), also reported bluebirds this past week. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. The Cawthra Mulock reserve is in northwest Newmarket. The main entrance runs west from Bathurst St. at the top of the first hill north of Green Lane (look for the name Falconfield on the mailbox and drive down that laneway to its end). P.S. Thanks-giving, at least in terms of birding, goes out to Stan Long for a note of timely encouragement. May your turkeys always gobble. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Holland Landing - Waterfowl update
Heedless of the vernal equinox, Old Man Winter has reasserted himself in this area, refreezing the flooded fields that held such a bonanza of waterfowl earlier in the week. The good news is that Hochreiter Road is now totally driveable; the bad news is that over two-thirds of the birds present between Monday and Wednesday are now gone. The most noteable species observed here earlier in the week - Tundra Swan and Snow Goose - were not around when I checked this morning at 10:00 a.m. In fact, the only open water for birds was in the southwest corner of the field. Everything else was frozen. Still present (and now concentrated in that SW corner) were numerous Canada Geese and five species of ducks: Mallards, (approx. 100), N. Pintail (approx. 150), Ring-necked Duck (approx. 60), Black Duck (12), and Bufflehead (2). For the record, 12 duck species were observed between Monday and Wednesday. A little further south and west of this location I found small groups of Hooded Mergansers and a pair of Wood Ducks in the now open water of the canal that encircles the vegetable fields south of Bradford. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Holland Landing is just north of Newmarket in York Region which, in turn, is north of Toronto and south of Barrie. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Tundra Swans, Bluebirds, Woodcock, RS Hawk - York Region
With rising temps creating extensive meltwater ponds in the local farm fields, a substantial influx of waterfowl has materialized north of Newmarket over the past 48 hours. At the north end of Bathurst Street near Holland Landing (less than a minute's drive from where the Great Gray Owl had been a few weeks ago), there were over 600 NORTHERN PINTAIL today, 30 TUNDRA SWANS (I had 37 yesterday), 50+ RING-NECKED DUCKS, 6 WOOD DUCKS, 8 AMERICAN WIGEON, 2 REDHEADS, 4 BLACK DUCKS, and 6 GREEN-WINGED TEAL. Canada Geese and Mallards, needless to say, are ubiquitous. These birds can be seen by scoping the fields on the west side of Bathurst Street just north of where the last woodlot ends. As of today it was still possible to drive the length of nearby Hochreiter Road for much better looks at these birds but conditions along that narrow lane are deteriorating rapidly and I would not advise trying it unless you have an adventurous spirit and 4-wheel drive. For what it's worth, I have been walking in (approx. 1.5 kms.) rather than risk getting stuck or turning my van into a mud vessel. Yesterday at dusk Bruce Brydon had the first AMERICAN WOODCOCK of the year for this region. It was doing its classic dance of the timberdoodle just north of Silver Lakes Golf Course in Holland Landing. Bruce observed a male EASTERN BLUEBIRD singing north of where Morning Sdrd. meets Bathurst St. in NW Newmarket on Sunday. On March 9 Al Johnston of Whitchurch-Stouffville (east of Aurora) had a pair of HOODED MERGANSERS and a pair of WOOD DUCKS at the pond on his Bethesda Rd. property. On March 12 he had the first KILLDEER of the spring; it was the vanguard for numerous others that have shown up across the region each day since then. Though not a spring arrival, Al's observation of a COMMON RAVEN on March 9 reinforces the idea that a small flock of this species is still doing well since moving into the area several years back (they were confirmed nesters in the North Tract during the last Breeding Bird Atlas). In another of the York Region forest tracts east of Hwy. 404 I encountered my first RED-SHOULDERED HAWK of the spring today. It was calling from the west side of Kennedy Road, about 1.5 kms south of St. John's Sdrd. I later observed a second Red-shoulder flying over the field and just inside the woods beside house #2660 Vandorf Sdrd. I hiked at three different forest tracts with my dog this morning (still lots of ice and snow in the shadowed woods!) and found them all to be busy with bird song. Along with the many chickadees and nuthatches there are still lots of Pine Siskins and, singing sweetly from invisible places, numerous BROWN CREEPERS. I also happened upon a pair of PILEATED WOODPECKERS working in tandem on some dead trees. Driving home around noon I had my first TURKEY VULTURES of the year, two of them tilting their way northward beside Leslie Street in the northeast part of Aurora. It's a great time of year to be a birder. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is halfway between Toronto and Barrie. The places described here are just south of Lake Simcoe. For more specific directions e-mail privately. ___ 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/
[Ontbirds] Holland Landing Update
Bathurst St. North has had several birders but no celebrity bird (i.e. the Great Gray Owl) since Thursday, so the rare northern visitor may have moved on. The Snowy Owls in the Holland Marsh have certainly done so. From a high of five Snowies only a week ago there appears to be but one remaining - it was on the west side of Jane St., about a km north of Woodchopper's Lane yesterday morning. Despite the absence of the GGOW, Kevin Shackleton and I were happy to find some good spring arrivals in the Holland Landing area on Saturday. Several male Red-winged Blackbirds were present in the cattail marsh near the northern terminus of Bathurst, as well as numerous Horned Larks, six passing DC Cormorants, one Northern Shrike, and two Northern Harriers. A Pileated Woodpecker flew over Queensville Sdrd. as we we drove east from Bathurst, then we had a our first Northern Flicker of the year at the north end of 2nd Concession. We also rediscovered the immature White-crowned Sparrow that has wintered along Devald Road in the Holland Marsh. It was singing from the top of a berry tree when we arrived. While walking my dog along a trail near the Holland Landing lagoons on Thursday I flushed a Ruffed Grouse and a flock of 10 Robins. Keith Dunn had several Bohemian Waxwings amidst a flock of Cedars in the same general area that same day. Keith also had the first Great Blue Heron of the spring up here in York Region on Saturday, as well as a flock of approx. 30 Wild Turkeys east of where the 2nd Concession and Holborn Rd. intersect about 3 kms. north of Queensville Sdrd.. The first Grackles of the season - the only hour of glory for that species - were observed Thursday in Willow Beach by Lorena Campbell and also in Richmond Hill by Michael Biro. There is a Northern Shrike lingering along Leslie St. in northeast Richmond Hill near Phyllis Rawlinson park. Saw it this morning around 8:30. Ron Fleming, Newmarket Holland Landing is halfway between Toronto and Barrie. ___ 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/
