Hi, everyone,
Yesterday (Sunday, Jan.7), a group of birders found a Rusty Blackbird in
a flock of about 70 American Robins in Wild Goose Woods in The
Arboretum, University of Guelph (directions below). This huge mixed
flock also included a Northern Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy
Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Cedar
Waxwing, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, House Finch and approximately
50 American Goldfinches. Other sightings in other parts of The
Arboretum yesterday included Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk and Brown
Creeper.
A Northern Shrike was sighted last week in the Rotary Tree Grove but was
not seen yesterday.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
Chris Earley p.s. there is still space in The Arboretum bird
workshops - Owl Workshop - Feb.1, Duck Workshop - March 30, Warbler
Workshop level 1 - April 13 and Warbler Workshop level 2 - April 20.
Check out The Arboretum website listed below for more details and more
workshops.
Directions: From the 401, take highway 6 north (Hanlon Expressway) to
Guelph. Turn right onto College Avenue. After you go past the
University of Guelph Stadium (after Gordon Street), turn right onto East
Ring road. Then turn left just before the crosswalk onto Arboretum
Road. Stop at the Information Kiosk and get a Map of The Arboretum. To
get to where the robins, and hopefully Rusty Blackbird, hang out, park
at the kiosk and walk along the Wild Goose Woods trail until you are at
the grey plastic boardwalk. Now listen - if the robins are there, they
are VERY noisy! There are lots of buckthorn berries and open water in
this area to keep the robins happy. If you see the Rusty Blackbird or
the flicker or anything else interesting, please e-mail me privately and
I will put your sightings on our website.
--
Chris Earley
Interpretive Biologist / Education Coordinator
The Arboretum, University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1
Canada
phone: (519)824-4120 ext. 52201
fax: (519)763-9598
e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
website: www.uoguelph.ca/arboretum
"The chief aim of interpretation is not instruction, but provocation."
- Freeman Tilden
