Hello Birders, Today, I decided to search for Crossbills at the Kortright Centre, and sure enough, supplementing other reports, I had three WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILLS.
These were located by following the trail that begins at the right side of the "Sugar Bush Shop" adjacent to the large field. Follow this trail, and do not turn left at any other trail. If you're going the right way you should pass a small, wooded pond (Spring Peeper Pond) and shortly after this pond, continue to the right and you will shortly enter an area which has many Spruces, Tamarack and White Pine. Cone Crops this year at Kortright are Good/Excellent but they are still green and most haven't opened yet. Look for Crossbills flying by in noisy flocks or individuals singing/calling from the tops of conifers. One of the Crossbills today was singing, perhaps signifying that they may choose to breed here later. Other birds of note were 4 RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES in various locations amongst more common species. Both White-Winged and Red Crossbills are possible here, and I recommend learning their calls as during fly-bys that's all you'll have to work with if you're not quick enough. DIRECTIONS: The Kortright Centre is located three kilometers west of Highway 400 and one kilometer south of Major Mackenzie Drive at 9550 Pine Valley Drive in Woodbridge. Good Birding, Lev Frid, Maple, ON _______________________________________________ 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
