This morning Mary Schuster, Geoff Carpentier and I checked out Markus
Lise's feeders in Newcastle. We saw PINE SISKINS and COMMON REDPOLLS. We
did not see the previously reported Cassin's Finch, nor any House or Purple
Finches.
Mary and I continued on up to Markham in search of the Snowy Owl, which we
did not find. There were however some interesting gulls in the field on the
northwest corner of 16th Ave and the Markham By-pass. We had both adult and
juvenile ICELAND GULLS, adult GLAUCOUS GULL, and an adult THAYER'S GULL.
Our next stop was Ravenshoe Road. Near the southeast corner of Ravenshoe
and Woodbine Mary spotted a NORTHERN SHRIKE. On the western terminus of
Ravenshoe we found a SNOWY OWL perched on the last hydro pole north of #282
and another eating its dinner in the field on the east side of Yonge St.
near #22094. Both birds were too distant for photos, and were hard to spot
without binoculars. Both were heavily barred.
Directions:
Newcastle and Markus Lise's house: Take Mill St. S. exit off # 401 by
Newcastle and drive south towards the lake till you drive by 590 Mill St. S.
The previously reported Snowy Owl in Markham was first reported on the
Marham By-pass 1 km north of highway 7, and then on the northeast corner of
16th and the Marham by-pass. The gull flock was on the northwest corner.
For the Ravenshoe Snowy's, as per Ron Fleming:
Keswick is north of Newmarket. Take Leslie Street north
to Ravenshoe Rd., then turn west and follow Ravenshoe down the hill and
past the sports fields there. Follow it out into the flatlands,
looking for snow buntings and snowy owls in the barren landscape. I have
found the north side to be generally more productive, but that's not a
hard and fast rule. You can drive to where Ravenshoe ends, then turn
south on Yonge Street (a short and rather desolate line segment of that
much longer thoroughfare) and drive along it if you
wish to. Snowy owls, harriers, snow buntings and rough-legged hawks are
all possible sightings. As mentioned, exercise caution in this latter stretch.
(The shrike was further east, near Woodbine.)
Good birding
Carol
Carol Horner
icterus at sympatico dot ca
Photo galleries at:
http://www.pbase.com/carolmhorner
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
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From: "Bruce Di Labio" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Date: Sun, 8 Jan 2006 19:18:56 -0500
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Subject: [Ontbirds]Kingston Area: Short-eared & Snowy Owl
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Hi Everyone
Birded Amherst Island, Wolfe Island and Kingston over the weekend. Birds
of prey were very low- no Harriers or Rough-legged Hawks, but we did managed
to find 5 Snowy Owls yesterday on Amherst. There were 2 birds at the east
end of the island on the KFN property and 3 individuals scattered west of
Stella. Today, Jan. 8th, we observed 1 Short-eared Owl and 4 Snowy Owls on
Wolfe Island. The Short-eared Owl was hunting during the morning along 5th
Line Road near Ridge Road. The Snowys were on various roads, west of 7th
Line Road. The hawk numbers were very low with only a few Red-tailed Hawks
on both islands and a Merlin yesterday on Amherst and a American Kestrel
today on Wolfe. The waterfowl numbers were good, 13 species: highlights
included 7 American Wigeon and 1 Green-winged Teal at the DuPont Plant and
44 Tundra Swans on Wolfe Island. Other birds of note were 15 American Coots,
1 Bald Eagle, 1 Savannah Sparrow, and 1 Field Sparrow.
good birding
Bruce
Directions: Exit off Hwy. 401 at exit 593 (County Road 4, Camden East)
and drive south to the very end (Millhaven). Turn right on Hwy. 33 and
drive 100 metres until you see the sign for the Amherst Island ferry. The
ferry (20 minute trip) leaves the mainland on the half hour and leaves the
island on the hour. Cost is $5.00 round trip. There are no gas stations on
the island.
There are restrooms on the ferry, and at the island ferry dock.
The East End K.F.N. property is at the easternmost part of the island on the
east side of the Lower Forty Foot Road.
If you require additional information , please email me privately.
Bruce Di Labio
400 Donald B. Munro Drive
P.O.Box 538
Carp,Ontario,K0A 1L0
(613)839-4395 Home (613)715-2571 Cell
Di Labio Birding Website
Courses and Field Trips
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bruce.dilabio/
