Over the holiday season there has been more free time for birders and therefore more sightings in this area north of Toronto. The two most reliable spots for wintering Snowy Owls in York region - the Bradford Marsh and Keswick's Ravenshoe Road - have had mixed success. Ravenshoe Road (which runs east-west across the south part of Keswick) was initially very good; three Snowies were present from late November to mid-December. Those birds have been harder to find lately, however, and it is possible that they may have moved on. (To be specific in terms of directions, these birds were being found near the western end of Ravenshoe Rd., down the hill from Leslie Street and out into the agricultural flats past the baseball diamonds). Peter Wukasch had one Snowy Owl at the eastern terminus of Line 13 north of Bradford yesterday afternnoon and - since that road is a short distance from Keswick across the bottom of Cook's Bay - he postulates that it may be one of the birds that first turned up at Ravenshoe Road earlier in the winter. Two more Snowies have been very reliable these past two weeks in the snow-covered vegetable fields south of Bradford. One is a very darkly marked individual (a 1st-yr. female according to what Sibley shows in his field guide); the other is a very white adult male. Both have been chosing high perches to hunt from. The dark female has most often been observed on top of a post at the western end of Bernhardt Rd., which runs west from Dufferin Street and dead-ends at the frozen Holland River. The male has been observed most often on TV antennas between Aileen and Edward Streets west of Keele Street. This latter area is easily accessed by taking Hwy. 400 north from Toronto and exiting east onto Hwy. 9 toward Newmarket. If you turn north onto Jane Street you will eventually come to Woodchopper's Lane. Turn west, then north again onto Jane after the short jog in the road. Start looking for white shapes in the fields (but take note that you will also find white pails and silver canisters to fool you) and on rooftops and antennas. Jane St. ends at Edward St. Turn right and follow it to Aileen, then north again to Strawberry Lane, which runs east to Keele. Look for Snowy Owls all along this section. A spotting scope will come in very handy if you have one. At Keele Street turn north from Strawberry. Keele ends at King Street; turn east to reach Dufferin then turn north and look for Bernhardt Rd. on the left (west) side. Take this farm lane to its dead end, looking for owls along the way. There have also been Snow Buntings and a few Horned Larks moving about in these open fields. Look for coyotes too. A good winter bird that is lingering in this "Bradford Marsh" area (at least up until yesterday) is a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow. It can be found (if it's still there) by exiting from the 400 onto Canal Rd. and taking Canal eastward. When you get to Day St., turn right (south) and you will soon come to Devald Street. Turn right again (now heading west back toward the highway). This rural farm lane is decorated with old wooden vegetable crates, rusting trucks, dilapidated shacks, and various roadside tangles. At the first "normal" house on the south side of the road there have been numerous juncos and Tree Sparrows wintering. The WC sparrow has been keeping company with these birds. A pair of American Kestrels can often be found in this area, spooking the passerines. White-winged Crossbills continue to turn up in many places across York Region, moving from one coniferous stand to another and often stopping to feed on spruce cones in residential yards. Flocks were seen as recently as yesterday in Bradford (Scanlon Creek), Newmarket (Cawthra Mulock reserve), and Holland Landing (Anchor Park). Northern Shrikes have also been reported in many areas, the most recent ones being observed along 9th Line (an adult bird) and Artesian Pkwy. (a browner juvenile) in north Bradford. Peter Wukasch had two Red-bellied Woodpeckers in the vicinity of 20th Sdrd. yesterday just north of Bradford. Lorena Campbell had two Bald Eagles while driving along Lake Drive between Keswick and Jackson's Point on Tuesday. She has also had some new visitors at her feeders in Willow Beach this week: Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls, her first ones of the winter. Ron Fleming, Newmarket PS for those in the area - a report on yesterday's Bradford Area CBC is being prepared by Mike Van den Tillaart. _______________________________________________ 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
