Arrivals and departures have been the order of the month as winter visitors have started moving out, local nesters have started returning, and various transients have started passing through York Region. Some impressive final flourishes are being made by BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS before their imminent departure westward. Over the past two weeks they have been reported (often in big numbers) in Keswick, Sutton, Newmarket, Aurora, Holland Landing, King City, Thornhill, and nearby Bradford (Simcoe county), suggesting that many are birds who wintered elsewhere and are now swelling the ranks of flocks that have foraged locally since December. The SNOWY OWL that lingered in the fields south of Keswick was last seen Wednesday along Ravenshoe Road West. As mentioned in a report by Sigi Bodach earlier in the week, the first GREAT BLUE HERON of the season (for York) was seen on March 13th. Another was observed by Steve Walsh along Ravenshoe Rd. on Thursday (March 20). An AMERICAN WOODCOCK observed in Newmarket by Sigi on March 12th was the earliest date I have noted in this area. I observed my first two TURKEY VULTURES of the spring last Sunday (March 16), one along Bathurst St. in Aurora, another at Bloomington and Hwy. 404. A few others have been seen moving through since then, including one observed by Lorena Campbell at Woodbine & Mt. Albert Rd. on Good Friday. Some NORTHERN HARRIERS have aready returned to the Holland Marsh area. I observed two males yesterday: one at the west end of Ravenshoe Road in Keswick, the other one at the north end of Bathurst St. above Queensville Sdrd. The most pleasant surprise of the weekend for me was an adult RED-SHOULDERED HAWK perched on the east side of Bathurst near the road into Albert's Marina yesterday afternoon. Initially assuming that it was another local Red-tail, I almost ignored the bird. Luckily it was just anomalous enough to make me pull over and check. Seen through binoculars, its rufous chest-barring, "checkerboard" wings, and black and white tail pattern certainly made the "bother" of stopping worthwhile. The bird eventually crossed Bathurst and flew west down Hochreiter Road. This is the same location in which Keith Dunn observed a pair last September. Time will tell whether the bird is a local nester or a migrant still headed for breeding territory. Another handsome spring arrival was a HOODED MERGANSER and his mate observed in Newmarket by Ron and Ruth Bonner March 17th. The pair (of mergs, not Bonners) was keeping company with some Mallards in the Holland River north of Davis Drive near George Richardson Park. An even more pleasant surprise in suburban Newmarket was a SAW-WHET OWL observed by Nancy Colefield early this week. It roosted in her neighbour's tree just north of Clearmeadow Blvd. for two days before leaving. Thanks to my teenage sons' message-taking skills I heard about the bird five days later. It was within 5 minutes' walking distance of my house. *Sigh* Despite the cold, RW BLACKBIRD numbers are continuing to climb in this area. They have recently been joined by a few hardy (foolish?) CM. GRACKLES and BH COWBIRDS. The tinkling wheel of musical notes that signals the presence of HORNED LARKS can be heard in countless fields across York Region now, but the bubbly calls of Snow Buntings is being heard rarely and likely won't be again until next December. Reports of Pine Grosbeaks have also tailed off dramatically over the past week. Year-round residents like Red-tailed Hawks, N. Cardinals, RB & WB Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, and many of the woodpeckers have been much more vocal and active these past few weeks, redefining territory and engaging in various courtship displays. A male RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER - possibly the one that has shown up at feeders in Holland Landing throughout the winter - was active along Bathurst Street north of Queensville Sdrd. last weekend. This morning Keith Dunn had what is possibly the same bird along nearby Yonge St. north of Queensville Sdrd. Yet another male of this species was "kwirring" loudly from a tree on the west side of Dufferin Street a few kms north of Hwy. 9 on Saturday morning. While I was watching him I also observed six COMMON REDPOLLS and four American Tree Sparrows. These latter two species will likely be heading north soon. Returning from hockey in Richmond Hill this morning I had a NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD on Centre Street just east of the railway tracks. Ron Fleming, Newmarket York Region is north of Toronto and south of Lake Simcoe. For more specific directions to any of the locations mentioned here, please reply to sender.
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