Wind and blowing snow from Friday's little blizzard frustrated Snowy Owl seekers on Saturday, but Alfred Adamo found an adult NORTHERN GOSHAWK instead (west side of Jane Street, about 1 km south of Hwy. 9) while Frank Butson took consolation in finding a flock of PINE GROSBEAKS along Bolton Avenue in central Newmarket. Alfred Adamo also observed three separate groups of HORNED LARKS along Woodchopper's Lane and Strawberry Lane as well as a good-sized flock of SNOW BUNTINGS (150-200) in a weedy field on the S.side of King Rd. between Keele and Dufferin west of Newmarket. Conditions for birding were better today - bright morning sunshine and no blowing snow increased visibility, even in the open fields around Keswick and Bradford. Chris Dunn was able to find 2 SNOWY OWLS in the "Bradford Marsh" between 8:00 and 8:30 a.m., one on each side of Hwy. 400. The bird on the east side was about 250 m north of Woodchopper's Lane and 250m east of Jane while the second bird - also sitting on the ground - was about 300m west of Holancin Rd. and 250m south of Hillsview Rd. Both owls were very white individuals, likely adult males. I found another Snowy Owl this afternoon (3:15) in Keswick. It was on the east side of Yonge Street, about 2 kms south of Ravenshoe Road. This bird - a heavily barred female or juvenile - was perched on top of one of the improbably long irrigation machines that stretches across the frozen fields out there. It was ENE of the white trailer near the south end of Yonge and ESE of the last building on Yonge. Also seen by Chris Dunn in the Bradford area today was a NORTHERN SHRIKE on River Rd., an AMERICAN KESTREL at the end of Hillsview, several flocks of SNOW BUNTINGS totalling around 250 birds, and at least 8 HORNED LARKS, several of which were singing. While Chris was birding west of Newmarket I was XC skiing east of town. I did not see many birds but did happen upon two COMMON RAVENS in the southeast corner of the North Tract (locally called "Vivian Forest" due to its proximity to Vivian Road). The ravens were hushed as they flew into the trees above me but when I coasted down a hill that took me closer to them, one bird gronked loudly as if to say "Get out of here". I took his advice and made my way back to my vehicle on McCowan Road south of Davis Drive. I had a small group of GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLETS (4) in the conifers by the roadside as I was putting my skis away. Well north of Newmarket and west of Keswick today, Walter Hyde had a flock of 30 BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS across from Virginia Road just off Hwy. 48, roughly 4 kms east of the town of Sutton. In Keswick yesterday, Keith Dunn had a NORTHERN SHRIKE at the intersection of Deer Park Road and the Queensway North, as well as a large flock of BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS a little further south on Queensway. Keith has had Horned Larks, Snowy Buntings, and at least one SNOWY OWL in the Ravenshoe Road/Yonge Street area every day except Saturday. As reported by Keith's nephew Chris Dunn, a nice sign of spring in Newmarket this week has been flocks of American Robins over Bolton Avenue (10, 27 and 9), many singing Cardinals and House Finches, and some drumming Downy Woodpeckers. Pine Grosbeaks were seen three days this week in the same area.
Other notes from York region over the past week include a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD that visits Gene Denzel's feeder every every day for berries and water, as well as two WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS at his yard in Thornhill (Uplands area west of Yonge and south of Hwy. 7). Joan Love had a LONG-EARED OWL up the hill from her property in southwest Kleinburg last weekend but it has not shown itself since. Frank Pinella is still getting visits from a female PILEATED WOODPECKER in his yard in northwest Richmond Hill (McLeod's Landing area). The woods of the David Dunlap Observatory in central Richmond Hill have again offered a few lucky birders good looks at BARRED and GREAT HORNED OWL, but never at one reliable place or time. This eco-island surrounded by suburban sprawl can be an excellent place for a nature hike. Vehicle entry is from just east of the dead-end of Hillsview Avenue, which runs west from Bayview. Unfortunately this property is in the process of being sold off by the U of T. (See the Richmond Hill Naturalists' website for more information.) York Region is north of Toronto, running south from Lake Simcoe. For specific directions regarding any of the many places mentioned here, reply to sender. Ron Fleming, Newmarket _______________________________________________ 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
