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/
