Hello All, I got to Kortright early today before the massive crowds at the "Sugar Maple Festival".
There was the GREAT-HORNED OWL being mobbed by crows in the extensive spruce plantation at the end of the Marsh Boardwalk. Whilst looking for the owl deep within the spruces, I clearly heard soft call notes of a WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. It is possible that there is a pair breeding in here - I looked for the bird for about an hour but failed to hear or to see anything else. During the times where Crossbills were frequent, this site produced large amounts of them. PINE SISKINS were singing vigorously from various Spruce stands. Here in Maple I have been following a nest similar to that of Justin Peter's in Ottawa. In the flooded woodland areas, WOOD DUCKS are slowly trickling in - I had five pairs. I saw my first EASTERN PHOEBE of the season near the birds of prey exhibit and also observed a male EASTERN BLUEBIRD checking out nestboxes in the big field at the trailheads. There was also GREAT BLUE HERON, BELTED KINGFISHER, numerous SONG SPARROWS and KILLDEER. Some AMERICAN TREE SPARROWS are still left. In terms of other wildlife, I had a MINK near the Marsh Boardwalk on the Humber River and the first COMPTON'S TORTOISESHELLS have emerged from their winter slumber. 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 information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
