There have been small flocks of Pine Grosbeaks, Common Redpolls and Bohemian Waxwings in Orillia now for the last two or three weeks. I had a flock of about 24 Common Redpolls coming to our feeders and a flock of 10 Pine Grosbeaks feeding from the flowering crabapple trees on our front yard for two weeks now. However, this week the skies over Orillia are filled with birds. It is difficult to drive across the city without observing at least two or three large flocks of over 150 birds each of Bohemian Waxwings. The same is true for Pine Grosbeak and the several crabapple trees planted in the city are covered most mornings with these species this week. Most winter bird feeders have several flocks of visiting Common Redpolls. Yesterday I received a call from a homeowner with a large home on the shores of Lake Couchiching who had several dead waxwings in her yard. The waxwing flocks are so large this week that they are hitting the windows of some of the homes along the lake. Ron Pittaway has sent me some methods to prevent this and I hope to get this out to homeowners this week. Our crabapple tree yesterday morning had about 36 Pine Grosbeaks and 24 Bohemian Waxwings all feeding on the fruit. You can approach these birds to within two feet which we have to do to come and go from our home. Birders to the south of Orillia should watch the skies since these large flocks of Bohemian Waxwings and Pine Grosbeaks that just arrived here around Monday will probably keep moving south.
Bob Bowles Orillia, Ontario _______________________________________________ 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
