"Northern finches" have continued to show up in various locations across this region just north of Toronto. Pine Grosbeaks have been reported over the past two weeks in Aurora, Kleinburg, Holland Landing, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, and Newmarket, including one unfortunate female that was found dead under a feeder in the latter town on Sunday. I have received no word of Evening Grosbeaks over the past two weeks, although that information (or lack of it) is limited to the amount of sightings brought to my attention. Keith Dunn observed a flock of between 50-60 Bohemian Waxwings in Keswick at the corner of Garden and the Queensway last week and had 200+ Common Redpolls along Ravenshoe Road West this past Sunday. They were feeding amongst the weeds in the fields and along the roadside ditches. Just south of Ravenshoe Road on the windswept stretch of Yonge Street that looks more like Tobacco Road, Bruce Brydon added a flock of 50+ Snow Buntings and seven Horned Larks Sunday. Mike Van den Tillaart had a flock of 25 Bohemian Waxwings just north of George Richardson Park in Newmarket on Saturday. He also had a Brown Creeper at Wesley Brooks Conservation Area (Fairy Lake) on Sunday. Frank Pinella had a flock of 15 Common Redpolls at his feeder just west of Yonge and Stouffville Rds. in north Richmond Hill on the weekend, as well as a male Northern Shrike Six Common Redpolls visited my feeder at lunchtime today. Other interesting non-finches (like the shrike mentioned above) included a flock of 60 Wild Turkeys on the east side of The Queensway in north Keswick on Sunday and a Cooper's Hawk patrolling the backyards along the John F. Smith Trail in SW Newmarket yesterday. Accipiter sightings in winter are not uncommon and with the influx of winter finches visiting suburban feeders and berry trees, backyard birders will likely get a few extra opportunities to see Sharp-shinned and Cooper's Hawks as they strafe the yards and terrorize the visiting flocks. Ron Fleming, Newmarket If you require more specific directions regarding any of the places mentioned above, please e-mail me privately. _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to ONTBIRDS mailing list [email protected] For instructions to join or leave ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdssetup.php ONTBIRDS Guidelines may be viewed at http://www.ofo.ca/information/ontbirdsguide.php
